Pretoria Roadies

[bertusras]

Where do you ride?

 

I've recently bought a roadbike, but I'm struggling a bit to find some safe, long distance routes. I know the R50 and Graham Road out to the far east is quite popular, but there's essentially no shoulder, and the R50 with all the trucks is less than confidence inspiring.

 

I stay in Faerie Glen (west of Solomon Mahlangu), so obviously it would be better to ride in this area. I ride out through Waterkloof Ridge which is pretty nice, but there's so many stop streets and stuff that ruins your tempo.

 

Tips please?

[Eon du Plessis]

Groenkloof and surrounds is pretty popular. I like doing loop of Groenkloof and going back and forth over Klapperkop.

There are also several club groups that go out in Lynnwood. Busy road though, so not sure I'd so that if not in a group.

[HBO]

We go out in Garsfontein, left on R25 (wide shoulder), left in R515 and left again in Boschkop (R 631) and then right in Lynnwood/ Grahamrd.

 

To make it longer (which we will do from mid Sept) continue on R 25 until Bronkhortspruit and return on R 104, left on R 515 and right on Boschkop rd.

 

I'm also not very fond of R50.

 

The last stretch of my ride is Solomon Mahlangu- from Lynnwood to Louis Botha- some nice hills after a lekker ride.

[bertusras]

Groenkloof and surrounds is pretty popular. I like doing loop of Groenkloof and going back and forth over Klapperkop.

There are also several club groups that go out in Lynnwood. Busy road though, so not sure I'd so that if not in a group.

 

How safe are things at Klapperkop as of late? I've got a pretty big route planned for tomorrow heading over there. Where do most guys start the climb? Turn off after fountains circle coming from George Storrar?

 

We go out in Garsfontein, left on R25 (wide shoulder), left in R515 and left again in Boschkop (R 631) and then right in Lynnwood/ Grahamrd.

 

To make it longer (which we will do from mid Sept) continue on R 25 until Bronkhortspruit and return on R 104, left on R 515 and right on Boschkop rd.

 

I'm also not very fond of R50.

 

The last stretch of my ride is Solomon Mahlangu- from Lynnwood to Louis Botha- some nice hills after a lekker ride.

 

Yeah, the R25 is quite nice. I did a Lynnwood/Graham Road, R25, Bapsfontein, R50 loop on the MTB a while back, but there I could hop off the pavement everytime it was dodgy. 

 

How's the safety on the R104? I do most of my riding alone unfortunately. I quite like that loop you've suggested, thanks!

 

Obviously Solomon is a gem for us easteners, but I need to get some distance added to the elevation.

 

Edit: How's Garstfontein at the moment? Last time I went past there they were digging up the shoulder?

 

Edit 2: Is this more or less the route? https://www.strava.com/routes/6060784

[Hennie VR]

https://www.strava.com/activities/569228452 

 

Cant find a exact route but this is the route except you go out with Garsfontein untill you get to the R25

[Hennie VR]

Here is another option for some more distance: https://www.strava.com/activities/520753732 

There is some truck traffic on the R25 but I still feel rather safe since the road is fairly wide and has a shoulder at some places. The R104 also has some traffic but it's not to bad either.

The worst sections of road for me are the ones closer to town like on Lynnwood from Hans Strydom to Boschkop (I hate that stretch)

 

Or join the Velo group on Saturday mornings. Check out their website for times. 

 

Ps. Stay away from the R25 on misty mornings. The fog can get quite dense there.   

[bertusras]

Thanks for the advice Hennie!

 

Velo is quite a good option I think, I'll find out if I can join on a freebie ride to check it out before joining the club.

[Hennie VR]

Thanks for the advice Hennie!

 

Velo is quite a good option I think, I'll find out if I can join on a freebie ride to check it out before joining the club.

 

Pleasure.

 

They are always very welcoming towards new riders.

They also have Tuesday and Thursday rides in the morning which are usually very fast.

 

And they have a backup vehicle which helps with mechanicals and safety (AND motor pacing me back to the group when I drop  )  

[HBO]

How safe are things at Klapperkop as of late? I've got a pretty big route planned for tomorrow heading over there. Where do most guys start the climb? Turn off after fountains circle coming from George Storrar?

 

 

Yeah, the R25 is quite nice. I did a Lynnwood/Graham Road, R25, Bapsfontein, R50 loop on the MTB a while back, but there I could hop off the pavement everytime it was dodgy. 

 

How's the safety on the R104? I do most of my riding alone unfortunately. I quite like that loop you've suggested, thanks!

 

Obviously Solomon is a gem for us easteners, but I need to get some distance added to the elevation.

 

Edit: How's Garstfontein at the moment? Last time I went past there they were digging up the shoulder?

 

Edit 2: Is this more or less the route? https://www.strava.com/routes/6060784

Never had an issue on R 104. There is only a small section of Garsfontein affected by the roadworks- so no real issues. We do go past there early Sunday mornings when the majority of people is coming in to town. This weekend will be the first time we do that section (road works) on Saturday, so we will see how it goes.

 

Yip, we do that route. In summer there's more bicycles than cars on Boschkop road.

[HBO]

Here is another option for some more distance: https://www.strava.com/activities/520753732 

There is some truck traffic on the R25 but I still feel rather safe since the road is fairly wide and has a shoulder at some places. The R104 also has some traffic but it's not to bad either.

The worst sections of road for me are the ones closer to town like on Lynnwood from Hans Strydom to Boschkop (I hate that stretch)

 

Or join the Velo group on Saturday mornings. Check out their website for times. 

 

Ps. Stay away from the R25 on misty mornings. The fog can get quite dense there.

That's our long route, except that we turn right at Cullinan and then come back via Boschkop and Graham to Lynnwood. How is that section on the R 104 from Cullinan onwards and especially that first part of Solomom Mahlangu from the R 104 to Lynnwood?

 

I'm a bit scared of driving this section with my car, let alone with my bike.

[bertusras]

Rode the Garstfontein, R25, R515, Boschkop, Lynnwood route today and it was awesome. First bit of Garstfontein wasn't great, too much traffic and idiots, but once you're out in the plots it's quiet. R25 is AMAZING. Great surface, nice shoulder, lekker fast. R515 and Boschkop was also good, pretty narrow, but not too much traffic. Really enjoyed it today!

[Spinnekop]

Rode the Garstfontein, R25, R515, Boschkop, Lynnwood route today and it was awesome. First bit of Garstfontein wasn't great, too much traffic and idiots, but once you're out in the plots it's quiet. R25 is AMAZING. Great surface, nice shoulder, lekker fast. R515 and Boschkop was also good, pretty narrow, but not too much traffic. Really enjoyed it today!

Now substitute the Garsfontein road with the Bapsfontein road and you'll have a better ride.

Road surface not too great but you get more of the R25 smooth stuff. 

[bertusras]

Now substitute the Garsfontein road with the Bapsfontein road and you'll have a better ride.

Road surface not too great but you get more of the R25 smooth stuff. 

 

What is the Bapsfontein road? R50?

[Patchelicious]

Just avoid Cedar Road!!!!

[Spinnekop]

What is the Bapsfontein road? R50?

Indeed it is.

[Pall Catt]

I've seen on Strava, some guys also hit the Moloto road past Roodeplaat dam. I've never tried it on a bicycle but I know its always in the news for car accidents so I haven't mustered up the courage to try it myself. It seems you can go out on the Moloto road and come back on the Kameeldrift road or vice versa.

https://www.strava.com/activities/74144159#5901394044

 

As Eon said above, there is also a decent little route you can do around the Klapperkop area. You can go out on Botha road as far as Trichardt road and then go past the Air force base and link up with the R21 and come back on that road. It is a highway but there is a big shoulder. You can do laps like that and incorporate Klapperkop as well. You can even do laps of Klapperkop too, going East over it and then coming back West via Herbert Baker back to Fountains Circle. That's good if hills are what you're after.

 

Also, from Fountains circle you can go up Eufees road and up through Voortrekker Hoogte to ride the R55 and R101 before ultimately making your way back to Faerie Glen on Wierda road.

 

You can check out some of this guy's strava rides. He gets around and seems to do much of his riding alone too.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/1283388

 

I don't think any of these routes are great, but according to me they're just as good as say Garsfontein Road or any of the others mentioned in this thread.

 

It would be nice if we could have our own Cradle of Humankind type of setup out there along the Boschkop road, R515, R25, Graham Road circuit. The roads are already there and they're fairly quiet, now all we need is a little extra shoulder/bicycle lane.