Pretoria Roadies

[bertusras]

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.

 

I'll respond to all of the other awesome advice posted recently when I get a chance, but I was thinking exactly this yesterday on the ride. All these roads have wide dirt shoulders at the moment, just a little individual cycle lane each side would be incredible.

[Hennie VR]

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.

 

It's not bad at all. Pretty much the same as the other section of the R104. I find that it's wide enough for the vehicles to pass you easily and once you are over the koppie just after Rayton it's a long fast downhill almost all the way to Solomon Mahlangu. Once you get there and you turn left towards Lynnwood it's a bit of a climb. It's a duel lane each way most of the way but there is quite a bit of traffic later in the day which makes it a bit dodgy. I usually carry on straight past Nellmapius and home. I feel quite safe on these roads. As I've said previously I feel much saver around townships and taxis than in the upper class suburbs where you get the drivers in their big SUV's thinking the road belongs to them. 

 

I would however suggest that you rather ride the R104 from Solomon Mahlangu side towards Rayton/Cullinan. That way you will miss most of the traffic in Solomon in the morning and you get to ride up the long downhill which make for good training. I know a few people use that climb for their 20min FTP test.

[HBO]

It's not bad at all. Pretty much the same as the other section of the R104. I find that it's wide enough for the vehicles to pass you easily and once you are over the koppie just after Rayton it's a long fast downhill almost all the way to Solomon Mahlangu. Once you get there and you turn left towards Lynnwood it's a bit of a climb. It's a duel lane each way most of the way but there is quite a bit of traffic later in the day which makes it a bit dodgy. I usually carry on straight past Nellmapius and home. I feel quite safe on these roads. As I've said previously I feel much saver around townships and taxis than in the upper class suburbs where you get the drivers in their big SUV's thinking the road belongs to them. 

 

I would however suggest that you rather ride the R104 from Solomon Mahlangu side towards Rayton/Cullinan. That way you will miss most of the traffic in Solomon in the morning and you get to ride up the long downhill which make for good training. I know a few people use that climb for their 20min FTP test.

I'm a downhill specialist, so I prefer training downhill rather than uphill. hehe

[Spinnekop]

 

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 won't suggest you ride with Mr. van Zweel unless you have aspirations to become a pro.

Not a fun rider like the most of us here.

  

[Pall Catt]

I won't suggest you ride with Mr. van Zweel unless you have aspirations to become a pro.

Not a fun rider like the most of us here.

  

 

Haha, for sure. But I'm not really suggesting riding with him, rather just looking at some of the routes he rides for ideas of where you can ride yourself because he puts in a lot of miles. 

[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

 

On second thoughts, maybe the Moloto road is not the best option:

https://www.strava.com/activities/710660641 (warning - foul language).

[Spinnekop]

On second thoughts, maybe the Moloto road is not the best option:

https://www.strava.com/activities/710660641 (warning - foul language).

Bahhahahaha.

 

It is a nice road.  Wide yellow lane.  But a very busy road.

When we head that way, it is just as the sun rise so that you hit the Kameeldrift road early to get out of the traffic

You can head out further and do Kwamahlanga, Cullinan, Rayton, Boschkop back.

Lekker 100-120km route

[bertusras]

On second thoughts, maybe the Moloto road is not the best option:

https://www.strava.com/activities/710660641 (warning - foul language).

 

Hahahaha! I guess the severity of the incident depends on how well endowed he is...