Commuting from Constantia to Red Cross Childrens Hospital, Cape Town

[PetterWilander]

Hi everyone

 

Moved to Constantia (Cape Town) from Sweden a few days ago, staying for 9 months and will be working at the Red cross Childrens hospital.

Ideally I would like to commute by bike from Constantia to the hospital. I would just like to ask you

 

1. Comments on my proposed route, see attached pdf?

Basically I would head east on M41, then north on the M28 joining the proposed commuting route stated here

2. If anyone would like to commute together (leave around 6-6.15 in the morning, and leave around 16.45 going home), please let me know.

3. Where can I buy a decent bike (not to expensive due to risk of theft, a few thousand rands maybe)? New, used, whatever works.

 

Kind Regards

Petter

Constantia – Google Maps.pdf

Edited September 4, 2018 by PetterWilander

[Tatt]

Hi Petter

 

Welcome!!

 

Road or mountain bike? If mountain, you could head through the greenbelt and then down towards the hospital from Rhodes Mem?

 

Place to buy a bike - here on the Hub, or any of the local places (Freewheel Cycology, etc).

 

Tom

[PetterWilander]

Hey Tom

 

Thank you for your reply. Well, probably going to go for whatever gets me there fast and safe, even though I love mtb.

Don't think I can spend more than 45 minutes one way on a day to day basis. If there is a feasable way I am very happy for your suggestions. Been trying to figure out which route you are suggesting. Best map I found was this site "Trailforks".

 

Kind Regards Petter

[Shebeen]

Best bike for this sort of thing.

2nd hand.

You will get excellent service at Woodstock cycle works and the owner operator Nils is an amazing supporter of commutting

Otherwise cycle traders also in Woodstock, Avron always had nice things on offer.

 

There is a second hand place in diepriver near you, but quite a few stolen bikes have turned up there so we don't really advertise it

You

[Mamil]

The route is ok and in terms of road cycling probably the best one. I ride the m28 early fairly often as one of my.morning loops and it can be pretty hairy sometimes in terms of cars. They tend to back up in rush hour which can make it a little easier. The section just before the common feels dodgy to me because the traffic clears a little there and the cars accelerate through the dip and up to the robot.

 

The mtb route would definitely be the more relaxing one imo.

[SL7]

Hi 

 

If you are leaving at 6am then consider going straight on the M4 until Claremont, take Stanhope Road and then Palmyra Road, then right at Park Road. 

 

Welcome, hope you have a wonderful stay.

 

 

 

[Cippo]

Bike size, small, medium or large?

Edited September 5, 2018 by Cippo

[dirtypot]

Hi 

 

If you are leaving at 6am then consider going straight on the M4 until Claremont, take Stanhope Road and then Palmyra Road, then right at Park Road. 

 

Welcome, hope you have a wonderful stay.

 

I'd say this is a better option than Rosmead Avenue.  But personally I'd stay higher up on the M512 (don't know what the road is called) through Claremont.  Least traffic, and can then drop down onto Palmyra easily. 

 

OP, once you get comfortable with where you're going it'll probably be easiest to take a more direct route through the suburbs. 

[Edereese]

Hi 

 

If you are leaving at 6am then consider going straight on the M4 until Claremont, take Stanhope Road and then Palmyra Road, then right at Park Road. 

 

Welcome, hope you have a wonderful stay.

I take this route daily, I leave Plumstead @ 6AM and it seems fairly safe.

[R-squared]

I agree with keeping on M4 - the stretch through Wynberg is a bit heavily trafficked but do-able; Stanhope-Palmyra-Campground is a pleasant ride, also has the option (when more familiar with area) of taking back roads through Keurboom Park and Rondebosch to avoid a lot of the traffic.  This also gets you out of a lot of the wind on the way home in summer when the South-Easter can be a real handful.

[NC_lurker]

Shared route

From Corner of Constantia Main Spaanschemat River Rd to 1 Milner Rd via Constantia Main Rd/M41.

 

22 min (9,7 km)

25 min in current traffic

 

 

1. Head southwest toward Constantia Main Rd/M41

2. Turn right toward Constantia Main Rd/M41

3. Turn right onto Constantia Main Rd/M41

4. Arrive at location: 14 Rustenvrede Ave

5. Head northeast on Constantia Main Rd/M41 toward Brommersvlei Rd

6. Arrive at location: ERF475 Simon Van Der Stel Fwy

7. Head east on Constantia Main Rd/M41

8. Turn left onto Alphen Hill Rd

9. Arrive at location: 6 Alphen Hill Rd

10. Head northeast on Alphen Hill Rd toward Buren Rd

11. Turn right onto Wolfe St

12. Arrive at location: 543 Electric Rd

13. Head northeast on Aliwal Rd toward Cavan Rd

14. Turn left onto Main Rd/M4

15. Arrive at location: 286 M4

16. Head north on Main Rd/M4 toward Summerley Rd

17. Arrive at location: 0AA Main Rd

18. Head north on Main Rd/M4 toward Bowwood Rd

19. Turn right onto Stanhope Rd/M24

20. Turn left onto Palmyra Rd/M57

21. Arrive at location: ERF54345 Palmyra Rd

22. Head northeast on Palmyra Rd/M57 toward Chaucer Rd

23. Arrive at location: 59 Campground Rd

24. Head north on Campground Rd/M57 toward Park Rd/M92

25. Turn right onto Park Rd/M92

26. Turn left onto Milner Rd/M28

27. Keep left to stay on Milner Rd/M28

28. Arrive at location: 1 Milner Rd

 

For the best route in current traffic visit https://goo.gl/maps/bLMdxhBnWQ32

[NC_lurker]

That's the route I'd recommended.

Takes you up past Victoria Hospital, then across to Main Rd Kenilworth. Down to Claremont then across the bridge and left on Palmyra which will take you through to the common.

 

- 2nd half the same as recommended by tHetArmac

[HeadDown]

Don't ride there during commute times but I'd change your route as indicated in red;

[PetterWilander]

Bike size, small, medium or large?

Hey Cippo. Medium I suppose. 181 cm and 82 kg.

[PetterWilander]

Bike size, small, medium or large?

Edited September 5, 2018 by PetterWilander

[PetterWilander]

Best bike for this sort of thing.

2nd hand.

You will get excellent service at Woodstock cycle works and the owner operator Nils is an amazing supporter of commutting

Otherwise cycle traders also in Woodstock, Avron always had nice things on offer.

 

There is a second hand place in diepriver near you, but quite a few stolen bikes have turned up there so we don't really advertise it

You

Great, thank you. I have heard good things about Nils before. I'd prefer second hand so see if anything turns up on this thread in the following 48 hrs.