Tygerberg MTB Trails

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I have to agree with you on that, but I'd take it a notch higher and say we're privileged to live in Cape Town with the plethora of trails to ride with a mix of variety one would be hard pressed to find elsewhere in SA. We have it all, from some good gravel grinds, to some lekker jeep track, to miles and miles of single-track, to some sphincter tightening techy stuff, bone rattling DH lines, dream inducing flow lines to helsends that only mad men do and even some lung busting climbs. An added bonus is they all have spectacular views and are within an hours drive at most from one another.

How much better can one get it? Lift access e-bike is about all I can come up with now. 

 

 

corrected .... 

 

YES, we are spoilt for choice !!

[ChrisF]

I want to do some of the "Klipheuwel sections" with Maritz.

 

Any suggestions for parking spots near this ?  Even (preferably) near the Adderley side ....

 

Thanks

[Robbie Stewart]

2 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

corrected .... 

 

YES, we are spoilt for choice !!

I see many e-bikes on the trail, but I have to plead poverty. The prices on these bikes are mad. Ski lifts up the hill at Hoogies and Contermans will be just what's needed to up the stoke. The club does not have to do any new trails for the next 5 years and rather use those funds to invest in the lifts and their upkeep. {comic sans}

 

[Jbr]

2 hours ago, ChrisF said:

I want to do some of the "Klipheuwel sections" with Maritz.

 

Any suggestions for parking spots near this ?  Even (preferably) near the Adderley side ....

 

Thanks

The two times I went with the little one I parked right accross the road from the bridge that goes above the fence, close to that farm school (Klipheuwel road side). There's room for 1 car only

Edited June 18, 2021 by Jbr

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

7 hours ago, Rock Guy said:

I guess this is true, but really I think we should ask for more technical climbs. There is nothing quite like clearing a tricky section of trail going up the hill.

This topic came up while we were riding up Spykers climb at Hoogekraal just after they fixed it up recently. I understand this repair was done for drainage purposes and in order to prevent too much damage to the renosterveld, so no complaints here, but it got us talking about the distinct lack of technical climbs in Tygerberg. I can only think of two sections really, the Lombards Terra climb and the short rocky section leading to the Contermans mast (coming from Hillcrest side, It's fun if you try sticking to the right hand sided of the road). 

I for one would love to see some nice, natural, rocky singletrack leading up to the trail heads. Roots would be nice too, but last I checked we only have about seven trees in Tygerberg. It doesn't need to be steep, it doesn't even need to go uphill, just something that gets you from A to B in not the easiest way possible. Remember going up the old lower canaries in Jonkershoek? Slow, rocky, fun.

 

Ah, yes - the lombards XCO climb is definitely a good technical climb. Thanks for hte reminder. Lower Canaries used to be awesome!

[Wannabe]

Pity that Spykers Climb had to be rehabilitated. Some of the steeper switchback sections were becoming quite a technical challenge. Finding the right line and getting around the corners were quite difficult without dabbing a foot down. 

[Jbr]

2 minutes ago, Wannabe said:

Pity that Spykers Climb had to be rehabilitated. Some of the steeper switchback sections were becoming quite a technical challenge. Finding the right line and getting around the corners were quite difficult without dabbing a foot down. 

Are we talking about the Hoogies main climb now ? If this is/was technical then most climbs on the network are technical

[Wannabe]

3 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Are we talking about the Hoogies main climb now ? If this is/was technical then most climbs on the network are technical

Sorry, then I'm not as hardcore as you. ????

That final section just before the split where you drop off into the Cobra section was quite rutted and around the sharp switchbacks you had to keep your wits about you.  But hey, maybe my technical "climbing skills" are just not up to par. 

[Jbr]

Nothing hardcore about me bud. I snapped my forearm trying to hop on the pavement with my road bike if it can give you an idea of my skills level on a bicycle. Just saying that in my opinion Hoogies main climb is the least technical climb at hoogies, except maybe for the one that goes to the top of the skills park ????

For me what makes a climb challenging is very sharp and steep turns and/or very lose sections with low/no traction. This climb has none of it, there are two maybe 3 sharp turns that I can think of, the last one at the top with a rock on the outside okay but nothing really challenging, I can't think of one single time I had to put a foot down on this climb because of some obstacle when I can think of one in almost every other climb over there on the very sharp turns here and there, and pretty much learnt how to ride a bicycle on the Tygerberg network (first time with clipless pedals at least).

The rocky parts of this climb are on flat-ish sections, same on lombards climb, there are a few stones that can look impressive, but they are small, there's lots of traction and it's mostly flat, so easy to carry momentum. The only really technical part of lombards climb is that double rocky feature at the top, but even the rock garden mid-way that used to scare me while watching the XCO races ended up being a lot easier than it looked when I actually did it for the first time.

It becomes more tricky when the size of the obstacles gets bigger than what your suspension can forgive, like on those uphill steps on the bloemies xco climb, I don't think I ever managed to get to the top without putting a foot down, haven't tried that many times though

[ChrisF]

21 hours ago, Jbr said:

The two times I went with the little one I parked right accross the road from the bridge that goes above the fence, close to that farm school (Klipheuwel road side). There's room for 1 car only

Thanks JBR.

 

Found nice parking near the Adderley and Malans crossing.

 

Some nice options for shorter trails ????????

 

[Robbie Stewart]

23 hours ago, Wannabe said:

Sorry, then I'm not as hardcore as you. ????

That final section just before the split where you drop off into the Cobra section was quite rutted and around the sharp switchbacks you had to keep your wits about you.  But hey, maybe my technical "climbing skills" are just not up to par. 

I rode up there today. Those corners you speak of, I fondly recall as a cool bit of tech on an otherwise drab climb. Alas, now it rides like a paved road by comparison as those very corners got the 'ole chocolate cake treatment recently and there is no more skill required to ride them other than being able to stay on one's bike. But if it's jank you're after, then by all means, go down the cobra. That still rides proper fun.

Thanks to the fine gent who towed me into the rock slab at the bottom. I have not ridden it for a while and needed to be refreshed again. Now that line is super fun. Even the drop down in Welvergenoegd was riding lekker today and I managed to go deep on a few of those 'jumps' at the start of the flow line nearly ending up buying more property on that farm. I already own a substantial bit of land there.

[Newbie321]

Thanks for all the suggestions, went up the lombard/xco climb, was a nice change of pace, and up bloemenhill, a couple of those steep switchbacks gave me trouble so that something to work on.

[MTBeer]

Anyone know what the day visitor rate is for Hoogekraal?

[MajG]

10 minutes ago, MTBeer said:

Anyone know what the day visitor rate is for Hoogekraal?

R60

[MTBeer]

1 hour ago, MajG said:

R60

Thanks

[WerrieNaughty]

Has the trail maintenance on Cobra been completed? Does anybody know? Planning a ride there this weekend.