Best route from Cape Town to Grabouw on a road bike

[WIPEOUT 1000]

As far as I understand its not legal in any case to ride your bike on a national freeway?

The N2 Freeway (Settlers Way) stops in Somerset West. Sr Lowries Pass is a normal highway.

[circo]

I've done this route and its awesome.

 

CT, towards Tableview, right at the Paddocks out to Durbanville, Bottelary rd to Stellenbosh, Helshoogte pass, over Franshoek pass, past Theewaters Dam and right at the T junction to Grabouw.

 

Prefer this to the Bettys Bay route as the section on the N2 up Hoehoek Pass to Grabouw is pretty long. It's ok if you have a support vehicle but not great solo.

@andrewgowans is this the route you mean: looks like there are ca 1000m of climbing more than the Betty Bay route, same distance. Maybe tri bike with massive gears not such a good idea? i'll be alone, no support vehicle.

[extremelights]

Take the r44 through Gordon's bay and along the coast road through rooi els, Betty's bay, and kleinmond. Pass Arabella spa and that section of the n2 isn't too bad all the way to grabouw.

 

The coast road looks narrow but it's got low traffic volumes and cars drive slower and seem more considerate. Just be aware there is a Lot of unexpected climbing ok that route. The road has a massive shoulder once you're through rooi else all the way to kleinmond.

I agree, but please be carefull at rooi els as there arent any shoulders as far as i remember (rode there sme years ago and wasnt happy with the safety aspect).

 

Hope you enjoy and keep us posted!!!   

[PhilipV]

This is just a bad idea. 

I live in Somerset west, trust me.

If you ewant to go over sir lowreys, go very very early to avoid traffic. There will still be trucks on the road.

Dont go alone. Dont go via the old sir lowreys alone either. 

 

I repeat, bad idea. 

[Smurfy]

YOU NEED A PERMIT TO TRAVEL BY BIKE ON THE N2. YOU WOULD ALSO NEED TO CONTACT 3 TRAFFIC DEPARTMENTS FOR PERMISSION, THIS TAKES TIME. BEST ROUTE IMO WOULD BE THROUGH STELLENBOSCH, OVER HELSHOOGTE TOWARDS FRANSCHOEK. OVER THE PASS TO THE DAM AND TURN RIGHT AT THE DAM TOWARDS GRABOUW. SAFEST ROUTE AND MUGGINGS WISE. SOME DID MENTION IT EARLIER IN THE REPORT. A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE N2 BUT A LOT SAFFER. SAFE CYCLING.

[circo]

Thanks everyone for the advice. So if I read the various responses well:

1. Going from CT to Summerset west/ Stellenbosh should be ok - it only gets dodgy after, right?

2. Best options beyond that are either Stellenbosh then over Frankshoek pass, or down R102 to Summerset West and then R44 south around the bay.

3. Straight over the pass seems to be a really bad idea - both because of traffic and risk of mugging  - would these be issues early morning sunday, btw?

 

Thanks all, will let everyone know on monday

[Dicky DQ]

I have often done this route from Brackenfell. It is safe (Well I have never had any issues) through Kuilsriver then down Strand Road through Blackheath, Eerste River Somerset West on to N 2 straight to Grabouw or on to Botriver.

 

The route is safe and the shoulder is wide even up and over Sir Lowry's Pass. Getting from Cape Town to Brackenfell/Kuilsriver offers many alternatives depending on your penchant for traffic lights and taxi's or not.

[circo]

I have often done this route from Brackenfell. It is safe (Well I have never had any issues) through Kuilsriver then down Strand Road through Blackheath, Eerste River Somerset West on to N 2 straight to Grabouw or on to Botriver.

 

The route is safe and the shoulder is wide even up and over Sir Lowry's Pass. Getting from Cape Town to Brackenfell/Kuilsriver offers many alternatives depending on your penchant for traffic lights and taxi's or not.

hey @dick - very interesting. I am interested in the best alternative to Brackenfell as well - on a tri bike, so less inclined to do stoppies around taxis - which route flows better? And out of Summerset West, do you mean straight over sir louwry's pass? 

[BLACKvoodoo]

Take the Mtb and make your own shoulder, leave the Tt bike for tri's . 

If some of our neigbours see you on a nice shiny (some cases never before seen) bike it will be gone before you can say " Ho$h may bru!! , Wot kind"

[Dicky DQ]

YOU NEED A PERMIT TO TRAVEL BY BIKE ON THE N2. YOU WOULD ALSO NEED TO CONTACT 3 TRAFFIC DEPARTMENTS FOR PERMISSION, THIS TAKES TIME. BEST ROUTE IMO WOULD BE THROUGH STELLENBOSCH, OVER HELSHOOGTE TOWARDS FRANSCHOEK. OVER THE PASS TO THE DAM AND TURN RIGHT AT THE DAM TOWARDS GRABOUW. SAFEST ROUTE AND MUGGINGS WISE. SOME DID MENTION IT EARLIER IN THE REPORT. A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE N2 BUT A LOT SAFFER. SAFE CYCLING.

Not, There is a significant difference between a national road and a freeway.

• Only Numbered routes (N, R, M) can be a Freeway type. 
• Terminal ends of a freeway connect directly to the road type(s) they start/end with.
  • This include where a freeway starts/ends with another road type, but use the same road surface. Example: N1 Freeway South of the Hugenote Tunnel (Cape Town) connects to a major road (N1) at the tunnel, which is one continuous road surface. 
  • At-grade connections (slip ways) at the ends of freeways with other road types should be the same type as that type the freeway connects to. Example: N4 Freeway (Pretoria West) connects to a primary road (Transoranje Rd), the at-grade should be a primary street type. Technically, the freeway ends 500m from the junction. 
• Connections with any other road type between the terminal ends are with slip ways of theRamp type. 
• When freeways join, they are connected with slip ways of the Freeway type.
• Toll road, only the segments that the toll gate/gantry is situated on, should be marked as "toll". It's an attempt to optimize the user's use of all toll-free sections of the roads.  
• The freeway must be two 1-way directions, even if the median is only a narrow separator.

In short.

N2 Freeway is from Helen Zuzman Blvd to just after the Somerset Mall.

N1 Freeway Starts at the Keoberg Interchange (Interesting Ne!) and ends at the Rawsonville Weighbridge.

M3 Freeway from Helen Zuzman Blvd to just after Princess Anne Avenue and then again from Travato link to the M42

 

For Cape Town only of course.

[Smurfy]

We did a DC training ride last year over the 4 passes. Was told that we need a permit to travel on the N2. Contacted the traffic department the following Monday after the ride and was informed that we need to apply at least 3 weeks in advance. We also had to contact Caledon traffic department as Grabouw falls under them. So as I understand it we needed to contact Cape town, Strand and Caledon traffic departments for permission. The officer also told me that we could be fined R15.

But as they say Africa is a tough country with tooooo many rules and half the guys in charge(goverment) dont know them at all. Just be safe out there.

PS, Dick you dont care about rules any ways.

[BLACKvoodoo]

Fined R15 rand ? Isn't that the same as bail for murder in this country now? 

[DJR]

..............Was told that we need a permit to travel on the N2. Contacted the traffic department the following Monday after the ride and was informed that we need to apply at least 3 weeks in advance. We also had to contact Caledon traffic department as Grabouw falls under them. So as I understand it we needed to contact Cape town, Strand and Caledon traffic departments for permission. The officer also told me that we could be fined R15................

That officer is an idiot and wouldn't know his arse from a road rule! Only permission you need is to ride on the freeway part of the N2! 

[Smurfy]

Fined R15 rand ? Isn't that the same as bail for murder in this country now?

OOPS. R1500.00

[Smurfy]

Just posting what I was told via the phone. Dont want other cyclists to get nabbed by the officials.

[Shebeen]

We did a DC training ride last year over the 4 passes. Was told that we need a permit to travel on the N2. Contacted the traffic department the following Monday after the ride and was informed that we need to apply at least 3 weeks in advance. We also had to contact Caledon traffic department as Grabouw falls under them. So as I understand it we needed to contact Cape town, Strand and Caledon traffic departments for permission. The officer also told me that we could be fined R15.

But as they say Africa is a tough country with tooooo many rules and half the guys in charge(goverment) dont know them at all. Just be safe out there.

PS, Dick you dont care about rules any ways.

Couldn't read properly withouth the CAPITALS.

 

So you need a permit to do the four passes now? hmmmm, that sounds like an excuse just to do a shorter ride!