Hekpoort - safe or too busy

[travisza]

I havent ridden Hekpoort hill in a while and thought about doing it tomorrow morning.

 

Plan would be to ride from home, through cradle, down hekpoort - uturn and then ride back home.

 

I drove that rode in the car the other day and was reminded how little space there is with absolutely no yellow line between Sterkfontein caves and Hekpoort....does anyone ride that route fairly often on the weekends?

 

Is it doable earlish in the morning? Probably around 07:30 / 8:30 by the time I get there I would imagine.

[trekpostal]

road bike = no

 

I do it on the mtb 

[hayleyearth]

I felt safe (w.r.t. cars) the last time I rode there. I think there was only oke (Fortuner) that came pass close by.

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/493167850

 

 

Edit: road bike

[Fat Boab]

I ride Hekpoort often as well as the road up from the Caves. Granted it's narrow, and some okes do seem to drive by a little close, but I partially mitigate these by a. going early ie be heading out past the caves by 0600-0620, and b. going on a Sunday (it seems to be quieter than a Saturday).

 

Infact I've often found coming back down the hill from Hekpoort to the caves road to be scarier - as it's later in the day, fast downhill descent, and cars overtaking you often cut it close due to misjudging the oncoming traffic which is going uphill.

 

An alternative may be to drive out that way and ride Hekpoort as part of another loop?

[travisza]

Thanks guys. 

 

Fat Boab - thought of parking somewhere closer but there's just something about riding from home which I love. And if I park closer it means I have to come up with another loop to try and get +-4hrs in.

 

Trek - thats my worry. I've done the hill on the road bike a couple times a long time ago but I'm a little nervous of the traffic now.

 

Haley - is that just a backdoor brag about your 200km ride again . My planned route is significantly shorter than yours but I am keen to add in the hill for a change.

 

Reckon I might risk it.

[Joe Low]

I felt safe (w.r.t. cars) the last time I rode there. I think there was only oke (Fortuner) that came pass close by.

 

 

It only takes one.

 

 

But that's a changing perspective as I've got older. I see cyclists on the road in traffic now & most times get squirmy feelings for their safety.

[StevieL]

It's always this bit here that worries me...

 

https://www.google.co.za/maps/dir/-25.9726206,27.6851889/R563/@-25.9924496,27.7048442,14z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x1e95901236ba1cdd:0xb7febb3b77bd00a!2m2!1d27.7231266!2d-26.0226152

 

Especially the motorbikes... And the speeds they get up to as they come past.

Once that bit is out the way, Hekpoort itself is actually quite a nice ride.

[hayleyearth]

Thanks guys. 

 

Fat Boab - thought of parking somewhere closer but there's just something about riding from home which I love. And if I park closer it means I have to come up with another loop to try and get +-4hrs in.

 

Trek - thats my worry. I've done the hill on the road bike a couple times a long time ago but I'm a little nervous of the traffic now.

 

Haley - is that just a backdoor brag about your 200km ride again . My planned route is significantly shorter than yours but I am keen to add in the hill for a change.

 

Reckon I might risk it.

 

Where you riding from?

 

Edit: and no, no bragging there, done way tougher rides in shorter distances since then 

[travisza]

Where you riding from?

Illovo. Who's in? Safety in numbers! (well sort of when it comes to cyclists)

[travisza]

It's always this bit here that worries me...

 

https://www.google.co.za/maps/dir/-25.9726206,27.6851889/R563/@-25.9924496,27.7048442,14z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x1e95901236ba1cdd:0xb7febb3b77bd00a!2m2!1d27.7231266!2d-26.0226152

 

Especially the motorbikes... And the speeds they get up to as they come past.

Once that bit is out the way, Hekpoort itself is actually quite a nice ride.

Yip, wish they would just hit a track day if they wanted to do 200km/h (and thats coming from a fellow bike owner)

[hayleyearth]

It's always this bit here that worries me...

 

https://www.google.co.za/maps/dir/-25.9726206,27.6851889/R563/@-25.9924496,27.7048442,14z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x1e95901236ba1cdd:0xb7febb3b77bd00a!2m2!1d27.7231266!2d-26.0226152

 

Especially the motorbikes... And the speeds they get up to as they come past.

Once that bit is out the way, Hekpoort itself is actually quite a nice ride.

 

I cant even really rememebr that part..

 

This part however...   https://www.google.co.za/maps/dir/-25.7730086,27.8568521/-25.7970543,27.8582956/@-25.8075159,27.8279822,13.25z 

 

Illovo. Who's in? Safety in numbers! (well sort of when it comes to cyclists)

 

Leaving @ time?

Distance planned?

Route?

Speed?

[StevieL]

I cant even really rememebr that part..

 

This part however...   https://www.google.co.za/maps/dir/-25.7730086,27.8568521/-25.7970543,27.8582956/@-25.8075159,27.8279822,13.25z 

 

We never did Hekpoort hill itself on that little excursion of ours...We went the looong way round 

 

And as for that other part... If I never cycle that road again it will be too soon...

[travisza]

I cant even really rememebr that part..

 

This part however...   https://www.google.co.za/maps/dir/-25.7730086,27.8568521/-25.7970543,27.8582956/@-25.8075159,27.8279822,13.25z 

 

 

Leaving @ time?

Distance planned?

Route?

Speed?

Thinking:

 - leaving at 5:45ish (as it starts getting light)

 - 150kms

 - https://www.strava.com(not very imaginative but there you go)

 - hard to say. this https://www.strava.com was 30km/h but that was on the tri-bike and significantly shorter. On the road bike maybe 28ish?? (depends on whether I blow up with 20kms to go or not)

[hayleyearth]

Thinking:

 - leaving at 5:45ish (as it starts getting light)

 - 150kms

 - https://www.strava.com/routes/4667066 (not very imaginative but there you go)

 - hard to say. this https://www.strava.com/activities/533151593 was 30km/h but that was on the tri-bike and significantly shorter. On the road bike maybe 28ish?? (depends on whether I blow up with 20kms to go or not)

 

I might ride in with you to the caves only though. Don't know if I will feel like doing those hills there after the caves...haha.. 

 

Could meet you on the corner of Republic and William Nicol which is about 11min for you (according to your one link) so at 5:56ish.

 

Also, if you want to be lazy (saving energy of course) and go hang onto some group (like the Cycle Lab crew that starts at 6am I think) there is that option too but they ride over the north part of the cradle loop......not that I hang in groups though

 

I will PM you later about if I am in or not - been a week of waking up just after 4 am every morning, so 'sleeping in' might just be more tempting tomorrow 

[travisza]

I might ride in with you to the caves only though. Don't know if I will feel like doing those hills there after the caves...haha.. 

 

Could meet you on the corner of Republic and William Nicol which is about 11min for you (according to your one link) so at 5:56ish.

 

Also, if you want to be lazy (saving energy of course) and go hang onto some group (like the Cycle Lab crew that starts at 6am I think) there is that option too but they ride over the north part of the cradle loop......not that I hang in groups though

 

I will PM you later about if I am in or not - been a week of waking up just after 4 am every morning, so 'sleeping in' might just be more tempting tomorrow 

 Drop me a PM later if you're keen. I'll be riding either way so just shout if you want to join for a bit

 

Not so keen on large groups like cycle lab ones