Question - Du Toitskloof Pass, WC

[Hackster]

I want to do a road ride that includes the Du Toitskloof Pass (R101), direction Worcester/Paarl. This is the old road over the mountain, the route you can take instead of driving through the Huguenot tunnel.

 

My question is, is it legal to ride on the N1 between Rawsonville and R101 turn-off?

 

And if it is legal, how safe/unsafe is it? Any particular time of day to avoid?

 

And what about the pass itself, is it safe to ride?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Jewbacca]

I'm sure we ride up part of it on the Freedom Challenge?

 

I can offer no real insight other than that... But it would be a stunning ride. Sjoe

[Skubarra]

Not sure about the legality but personally I would not do it. Even though there is a wide shoulder on the N1 the road is extremely busy with trucks & speeding cars. I wouldn't feel safe on a bike there. Even the old road is fairly busy whilst narrow with no shoulder.

 

I would think Bainskloof is a better option, fairly quiet and once you leave the pass on the Worcester side the road has a wide shoulder (and the option of a Slanghoek loop where the road is also quiet)

[Wannabe]

We use that route often in our DC preparation rides.

Du Toits can get quite busy with trucks, but if you do it early enough, you should not have any problems at all. The section where you join the N1 to the R101 turnoff has got a very wide yellow shoulder, and very safe. Just be cautious when turning onto the R101, cars tend to ride quite fast there. And yes, it is legal to ride that section. I will however not carry on any further towards Worcester, as the shoulder gets narrower. 

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/766366541

[milky4130]

we did it this year in the Tour of Goodhope Race, with no road closure. you should be ok. also every year this is a popular riding route for teams doing DC training.

[allez]

We use that route often in our DC preparation rides.

Du Toits can get quite busy with trucks, but if you do it early enough, you should not have any problems at all. The section where you join the N1 to the R101 turnoff has got a very wide yellow shoulder, and very safe. Just be cautious when turning onto the R101, cars tend to ride quite fast there. And yes, it is legal to ride that section. I will however not carry on any further towards Worcester, as the shoulder gets narrower. 

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/766366541

 

As wannabe said. You can ride it. However I would advise on doing it alone. Take someone with, or ride as a group if you can. Just also note there is a short tunnel on the Worcester side that you have to go through, and its a bit dark, but you can see sunlight on the other side of the tunnel. I think its about 100m long, but safe to use.

Edited August 28, 2017 by allez

[bikebloke]

watch out for the trucks ..

[pistonpomp]

I travel that road everyday to work and back and there's been a lot of cyclists - but, as said in earlier posts, at can be risky with all the trucks and cars. Sometimes that road is dead quiet, but somedays it's really busy. In my opinion, avoid the little tunnel at the end. If someone is approaching it's difficult to see cyclists.

[Hackster]

Thanks for all the intel.

[SeaBee]

Not sure from/to where you'll be heading, but in order to avoid the N1 section we always turn off towards Rawsonville and take the old N1. But I thiiink there's some roadworks on that section now? Don't know if it's still in progress.

[Shebeen]

I travel that road everyday to work and back and there's been a lot of cyclists - but, as said in earlier posts, at can be risky with all the trucks and cars. Sometimes that road is dead quiet, but somedays it's really busy. In my opinion, avoid the little tunnel at the end. If someone is approaching it's difficult to see cyclists.

classic sig, well for Rawsonville at least!