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4 Passes Cape Town


travisza

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Read F-hoek... Quickly.. And thought sir lowrys to fish hoek... Was WTF.

This must be god on a bicycle then. Walk on water... No I cycle on water

Haha sorry lazy typing. :whistling:  I'll take the complement 

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How much gravel do you want to do on your gravel bikes?  This loop is about 134km with about half on gravel/farm roads. Let me know if this is something you would like to do then I can organise you safe passage through the only place that have a locked gate.


 


post-55150-0-27222100-1571758338_thumb.jpg


 


 


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Seeing as you're on gravel bikes, why not ride out to Greyton? Have some breakfast and come back.

 

Should be 75 odd km's to Greyton (150km total) via mixture of tar and gravel roads. Franschhoek Pass -> Draaiberg road (gravel) -> R43 (tar) left onto Helderstroom Road (tar which becomes gravel once you go past the prison) -> Middelplaas Road (gravel which becomes tar before you get to Genadendal) -> Left onto R406 to Greyton (tar).

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,

There is no way I'd ride from Somerset West to Grabouw on the road. Either Lwandle or Sir Lowreys pass village, followed Wed by the roadworks on sir lowreys pass itself (this may make it better or worse, depending on where they are working) and then have to ride past Grabouw's fresh new informal settlement. Skip pass.

 

The suggestion below is a very lekker ride, with the iconic Franschhoek pass twice, and the Van Der Stel pass between Botrivier and Vyeboom. Or do an out and back from Franschhoek to Greyton or Botrivier.

 

How much gravel do you want to do on your gravel bikes? This loop is about 134km with about half on gravel/farm roads. Let me know if this is something you would like to do then I can organise you safe passage through the only place that have a locked gate.

 

attachicon.gifBike trip.jpg

Edited by PhilipV
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Anti clock also means that you get to stop for pies and coffee at Peregrine at about the right point in the ride.

Best part, seriously ????...reason y I wont increase power to weight ratio in whilst peregrine exists....#pergrinepies

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Looks like a fantastic ride, but how is riding up Sir Lowry's pass? 

 

It's not my favorite hill in car, let alone on a bike - people seem to drive terribly (even worse than  normal)

 I have never had an issue. The wind around the hairpin can be an issue but once around the harpin the SE blows you UP the pass. You just need to get to the harpin.

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How much gravel do you want to do on your gravel bikes?  This loop is about 134km with about half on gravel/farm roads. Let me know if this is something you would like to do then I can organise you safe passage through the only place that have a locked gate.

 

attachicon.gifBike trip.jpg

 

You guys are making my life tough in the best way possible. This looks very cool...let me float this idea past my riding partner and get back to you...really appreciate the offer re the locked gate

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Sir Lowry's up is safer than down. The pass has a very has a narrow shoulder / emergency band on the outsides. You can stay inside it going up. Trucks and busses passing goes slow on the hill.

Best if you can head up before 6am traffic.

Going down there is a barrier, and you will be going fast, and the trucks and busses fly past - death wish area, unless you have support car.

Edited by Christie
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Its not that bad, 1 lane is closed 1/2 way up at the moment, after that the clapped out corsa's and trucks are only doing 13km/h near the top. In a big group its fine.

Good to know. I've always wanted to do this loop as I've done all the other passes but am put off by Sir Lowry's.

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How much gravel do you want to do on your gravel bikes?  This loop is about 134km with about half on gravel/farm roads. Let me know if this is something you would like to do then I can organise you safe passage through the only place that have a locked gate.

 

attachicon.gifBike trip.jpg

 

Another option is to take a glorious dirt back road that turns off the R43 next to the Theewaterskloof dam. It heads up a steep valley and over a neck that gets you just above the Rusty Gate farm. You can then head down this road an on to Greyton, mostly on dirt roads. 

 

Below is a pic from my Strava - I rode to Rusty Gate once (for a party - did not ride home :).

 

post-47384-0-55633400-1571835504_thumb.jpg

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That is a nice route, but I would not suggest that route for 2 reasons. 

Firstly, that turnoff from the R43 goes over private land past 2 farms.  I am pretty sure that nobody on either of those farms will have a problem with someone cycling there but if you are not from the area and do not know the people there, I would first ask permission.

Secondly, that road going down towards Rusty Gate is rough and steep AF and I don’t think someone on a gravel bike is going to enjoy that.  Once you get to the Rusty Gate turnoff it gets better but the top section will not be a lekker ride on a gravel bike.

 

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