Gravel bike routes in Joburg

[I FLY]

Heard that riding the R401 near Hekpoort offers an awesome 80km ride but where is it best to start, and where do you turn around since the road goes all the way into the North West?

It would also be nice to know what the texture of road is like, how much and what kind of climbing there is to do and whether there is anything to enjoy in the environment.

Any dangers to watch out for?

[AM7]

Interesting, would love to hear about this route..

any other gravel routes in JHB ?

[100Tours]

​Here's a 50km route from van Gaalens to Breedts Nek. I've ridden this on a MTB (before there was such a thing as a gravel bike), but there's nothing technical about it - all district road riding. We parked at Pecanwood, but van Gaalens would also make a good starting point. Pecanwood to Breedts and back was about 120km.

 

The descent down the back of the pass would potentially be too much for a gravel bike, even the few k's climb up the front of pass to the turn-around point might be a bit bumpy.

 

https://www.strava.com/routes/12422386

[100Tours]

​another small gravel loop from Pecanwood - haven't ridden this in a while, but looks like it still works

 

https://www.strava.com/routes/12422559

 

Still haven't found the R401. R104 perhaps?

Edited March 27, 2018 by 100Tours

[Robrider]

Same ride as above, just starting in Hekpoort town and carrying on over the other side of the pass. There's a farm where we park on the left hand side of the road about 500m past the garage in Hekpoort town.

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/448639074 

 

You can mix and match routes, could probably do 150km if you start at van Gaalens, should you be looking for big miles.

Hekpoort to the top and back is 50km

Hekpoort over the top to the shebeen and back is around 60km

On the other side there are 2 add-ons around 23km and 10km extra respectively

 

The Breeds nek climb is tough but good training, coming back from the other side is harder. Profile is fairly tame for the rest of the ride except over the pass. Everything is ridable on the gravel bike. The downhills might be a bit loose and rocky, but still ridable. 

[AM7]

Sounds great..and are these routes safe to ride solo ? 

Any gravel rides in and around the cradle area?muldersdrift, lanseria...

[ridr]

Anything have gravel routes for me Benoni side and in the South?

[coppi]

There is a ride from van Gaalens to breedts nek and back on January 26, ride for Erik ( check out the facebook page ). A great way to learn the route and ride with like minded people, also the R250 is for a great cause.

[ridr]

Still looking for some gravel routes in the east rand and in the south if anyone has routes to share?

[dave303e]

If you can get from Benoni to the railway line south of Bapsfontein, follow the spoor line East and it bends North, pop onto the dirt roads and through past oxbow country estate, up and over the R25 back onto the spoor lyn where it crosses boschkop road. From there you can cut through to Rosemary hill via rhenoster road for a stop and coffee at rosemary. Then R223 to the boschkop road, cut through to graham road past the policy station on boschkop, up the road along the zwavelpoortspruit, up WTF hill and then you can add a whole bunch of km's in that grid if you want. Tierpoort, bashewa AH, tweefontein and you back at Bapsfontein.

 

You can likely sneak through from Serengeti to Bapsfontein.

[ridr]

If you can get from Benoni to the railway line south of Bapsfontein, follow the spoor line East and it bends North, pop onto the dirt roads and through past oxbow country estate, up and over the R25 back onto the spoor lyn where it crosses boschkop road. From there you can cut through to Rosemary hill via rhenoster road for a stop and coffee at rosemary. Then R223 to the boschkop road, cut through to graham road past the policy station on boschkop, up the road along the zwavelpoortspruit, up WTF hill and then you can add a whole bunch of km's in that grid if you want. Tierpoort, bashewa AH, tweefontein and you back at Bapsfontein.

 

You can likely sneak through from Serengeti to Bapsfontein.

Thanks! Will check it out.

[coppi]

Check out the mini-munga rides on Facebook..........all start from Bidon bistro and range from 6hr to 12hr

[ridr]

If you can get from Benoni to the railway line south of Bapsfontein, follow the spoor line East and it bends North, pop onto the dirt roads and through past oxbow country estate, up and over the R25 back onto the spoor lyn where it crosses boschkop road. From there you can cut through to Rosemary hill via rhenoster road for a stop and coffee at rosemary. Then R223 to the boschkop road, cut through to graham road past the policy station on boschkop, up the road along the zwavelpoortspruit, up WTF hill and then you can add a whole bunch of km's in that grid if you want. Tierpoort, bashewa AH, tweefontein and you back at Bapsfontein.

 

You can likely sneak through from Serengeti to Bapsfontein.

I've been plotting some more routes. Those areas are great.

Does anyone know if it's possible to ride through Serengeti, because Strava tries to route me through there when I've plotted my routes and it would be the easiest route for a few rides?

[FirstV8]

You can likely sneak through from Serengeti to Bapsfontein

 

​The guards are very touchy about letting cyclists through  . We have done it a few times over the years but it depends who is on duty . Going around Serengeti is a no no because of the development going on .