Safe commuting route - Muizenberg to Claremont, Cape Town

[TeeBee]

I want to start commuting from the Muizenberg/Lakeside area to Cavendish in Claremont. Does anyone do this route or something similar? The M3 would be perfect, but illegal, and I'm not sure if I want to dodge traffic on Main Road/M4.

 

I'll be on my MTB, so happy to cut across open fields and the like. 

 

Any suggestions? 

[Shebeen]

i'm also in mzb and used to commute to town when I worked there. I initially took main road, with a few diversions - but moved to the M5. seems crazy at first, but is actually really safe when it's peak traffic. big shoulders and nice surface. pretty sure M3 is the same.

 

It is illegal, but so is turning without using your indicators. until the city does more than just saying it promotes bike culture i'm happy to say take the chance.

 

You could cut through kirstenhof area after cliffie dippenaar motors and join the M3 there. there is no way around wynberg hill, but if you came off after virgin active you could go up victoria hill to have a bit less climbing.

 

good luck.

[JohnnyReggae]

Main road is your best legal option. I've been commuting from Lakeside to Mowbray along Main road for 3 years already. Granted I've had a few issues like car doors being opened on me and some cars cutting me off, pedestrians running in front of me, but as long as you stay alert you will be fine.

 

You could go along Spaanchemact and then cut through the suburbs, but that will add at least another 5 to 10km's onto your trip depending on which route you took.

 

Going along the freeways is not a great idea IMO. Besides being illegal you have a great chance of actually dying if someone hits you because of the speed the cars travel. Along Main Road I am often overtaking the traffic which is generally moving quite slow.

 

Edit: I commute on a MTB, as it gives the flexibility of hopping onto pavements should I need to.

Edited December 2, 2015 by JohnnyReggae

[J∆kk∆ls]

Keep left, remain friendly, get good lights. 

[TeeBee]

 

 

i'm also in mzb and used to commute to town when I worked there. I initially took main road, with a few diversions - but moved to the M5. seems crazy at first, but is actually really safe when it's peak traffic. big shoulders and nice surface. pretty sure M3 is the same.

 

It is illegal, but so is turning without using your indicators. until the city does more than just saying it promotes bike culture i'm happy to say take the chance.

 

You could cut through kirstenhof area after cliffie dippenaar motors and join the M3 there. there is no way around wynberg hill, but if you came off after virgin active you could go up victoria hill to have a bit less climbing.

 

good luck.

 

 

Thanks. I'm going to look again at the M5 - there's one section that makes me very unhappy (around Military Road), but maybe it's not as bad as it looks. The M3 would be perfect, but I think I'm taking a huge risk there.

Edited December 2, 2015 by TeeBee

[TeeBee]

Main road is your best legal option. I've been commuting from Lakeside to Mowbray along Main road for 3 years already. Granted I've had a few issues like car doors being opened on me and some cars cutting me off, pedestrians running in front of me, but as long as you stay alert you will be fine.

 

You could go along Spaanchemact and then cut through the suburbs, but that will add at least another 5 to 10km's onto your trip depending on which route you took.

 

Going along the freeways is not a great idea IMO. Besides being illegal you have a great chance of actually dying if someone hits you because of the speed the cars travel. Along Main Road I am often overtaking the traffic which is generally moving quite slow.

 

Edit: I commute on a MTB, as it gives the flexibility of hopping onto pavements should I need to.

 

Fantastic. Nice to hear that it's possible to go along Main Road. All the way to Mowbray? How long does that take you?

[dirtypot]

I don't advise taking the M5 or the M3.  I've seen cyclists killed on these roads.  It's illegal for a reason.  And it's proper illegal, not like other silly rules like 'no speeding', 'no drifting' and 'no wheelies on motorbikes'.

 

If you've got a MTB (and somewhere to shower when you get to work) then why not use the greenbelts?  

You an go past Westlake golf club, past Redam and through Tokai forest onto the Constantia greenbelts all the way up to the Kirstenbosch top gate.  From there its an easy roll down / cool down to Claremont.  You'll be off the roads so it's safe, plus it's scenic, plus you'll get fit.

 

If all that you're looking for is to get to work as fast as possible then buy a motorbike.

[TeeBee]

I don't advise taking the M5 or the M3.  I've seen cyclists killed on these roads.  It's illegal for a reason.  And it's proper illegal, not like other silly rules like 'no speeding', 'no drifting' and 'no wheelies on motorbikes'.

 

If you've got a MTB (and somewhere to shower when you get to work) then why not use the greenbelts?  

You an go past Westlake golf club, past Redam and through Tokai forest onto the Constantia greenbelts all the way up to the Kirstenbosch top gate.  From there its an easy roll down / cool down to Claremont.  You'll be off the roads so it's safe, plus it's scenic, plus you'll get fit.

 

If all that you're looking for is to get to work as fast as possible then buy a motorbike.

 

Thanks dirtypot. Actually, the greenbelts would be 1st prize for me. I have enough time in the mornings to take a relatively leisurely cycle to work, and I'd prefer to take the scenic option. 

 

I haven't found a clear route using the greenbelts, but maybe I haven't been looking properly. Do you have any suggestions for maps I could look at? I also thought parts of the Constantia greenbelts are off-limits to cyclists. 

[dirtypot]

Sent you a PM.

[Bloukrans]

 

 

i'm also in mzb and used to commute to town when I worked there. I initially took main road, with a few diversions - but moved to the M5. seems crazy at first, but is actually really safe when it's peak traffic. big shoulders and nice surface. pretty sure M3 is the same.

 

It is illegal, but so is turning without using your indicators. until the city does more than just saying it promotes bike culture i'm happy to say take the chance.

 

You could cut through kirstenhof area after cliffie dippenaar motors and join the M3 there. there is no way around wynberg hill, but if you came off after virgin active you could go up victoria hill to have a bit less climbing.

 

good luck.

 

 

Thanks. I'm going to look again at the M5 - there's one section that makes me very unhappy (around Military Road), but maybe it's not as bad as it looks. The M3 would be perfect, but I think I'm taking a huge risk there.

 

Be careful in the area of Military Road!!

 

I will avoid that area as far as possible

[JohnnyReggae]

Fantastic. Nice to hear that it's possible to go along Main Road. All the way to Mowbray? How long does that take you?

40-50 minutes depending on the wind. Sometimes quicker, sometimes slower... but thereabouts.

 

If I had more time I would probably take a more scenic quieter route even if it was longer, but sadly I only have limited time to do the commute so take the most direct route.