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Are the Cradle Wars coming.....?


Mojoman

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Don't mean to offend anyone, just want to know what is the big deal about this loop? 

 

I've done it once. Got shouted at because I was slow on the path. Had my heart in my throat everytime a taxi or car sped up and down what seemed centimeters away on Beyers. 

 

I didn't enjoy it at all. So just curious what drives everyone to go there all the time? 

 

The trails at Cradlemoon however are a great. You can pedal until your feet fall off. Trails are well marked and can get technical or as easy as you like. Plenty of elevation change. No real congestion. Wildlife. Cool features. All for R50. 

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So, the guy didn't post the footage afterall?

 

Whilst we're on it, someone post a .kmz of this pesky route. Please.

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Don't mean to offend anyone, just want to know what is the big deal about this loop? 

 

I've done it once. Got shouted at because I was slow on the path. Had my heart in my throat everytime a taxi or car sped up and down what seemed centimeters away on Beyers. 

 

I didn't enjoy it at all. So just curious what drives everyone to go there all the time? 

 

The trails at Cradlemoon however are a great. You can pedal until your feet fall off. Trails are well marked and can get technical or as easy as you like. Plenty of elevation change. No real congestion. Wildlife. Cool features. All for R50. 

 

Cradle moon is a bit hard to do on a roadbike. 

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Cradle moon is a bit hard to do on a roadbike. 

 

Indeed. Was referencing the MTB guys. Apologies.

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Don't mean to offend anyone, just want to know what is the big deal about this loop? 

 

I've done it once. Got shouted at because I was slow on the path. Had my heart in my throat everytime a taxi or car sped up and down what seemed centimeters away on Beyers. 

 

I didn't enjoy it at all. So just curious what drives everyone to go there all the time? 

 

The trails at Cradlemoon however are a great. You can pedal until your feet fall off. Trails are well marked and can get technical or as easy as you like. Plenty of elevation change. No real congestion. Wildlife. Cool features. All for R50. 

Have you been lately though, the last 2 times I've been on weekends it actually wasn't worth it as the 1st 20min was just struggling to get through hikers. Crazy busy.

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So, the guy didn't post the footage afterall?

 

Whilst we're on it, someone post a .kmz of this pesky route. Please.

Doesn't seem to want to let me load a kmz, but basically this is the core of it.

 

post-41145-0-61681500-1598341283_thumb.png

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So, the weekends is turning out to be a nightmare with volume of people and spring on the way.

 

Has anyone been out there during the weekdays?

 

I would assume, it will be much peaceful. 

 

**my one and only attempt was on a Sunday, but i got there early, like about 7:30. which was still ok.  I don't know what the place looks like at 10 or 12 or maybe 3pm***

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Have you been lately though, the last 2 times I've been on weekends it actually wasn't worth it as the 1st 20min was just struggling to get through hikers. Crazy busy.

About 3 weeks ago coming home on Sunday i honestly thought there was an event there as they had so many people and cars queued to get in in to the parking lot down Beyers that they had guys in Beyers directing traffic to get them in and out. I get Cradle Moon is good and that they serve a good pizza but it was really over capacity and could not have been pleasant. Also the chances of getting a virus increases as the crowd increases so maybe not the brightest idea to go there.

 

Not going there as much as it's a great route #justsaying.

 

The cradle MTB loop is sh!te IMO. Really not a great way to go and MTB. N Farm, Cradle Moon etc are all much better.

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About 3 weeks ago coming home on Sunday i honestly thought there was an event there as they had so many people and cars queued to get in in to the parking lot down Beyers that they had guys in Beyers directing traffic to get them in and out. I get Cradle Moon is good and that they serve a good pizza but it was really over capacity and could not have been pleasant. Also the chances of getting a virus increases as the crowd increases so maybe not the brightest idea to go there.

 

Not going there as much as it's a great route #justsaying.

 

The cradle MTB loop is sh!te IMO. Really not a great way to go and MTB. N Farm, Cradle Moon etc are all much better.

The place has become insane on weekends with no checks inside, people queuing bunfight fashion with no masks to get tickets, had one group of 15 hikers making tea on a gas stove on the trail as I came around a corner, no control of who is on what trail etc.  It's really been discovered by the walking day tripper community now.

 

Weekdays are great though.

 

The Cradle loop - yeah look it's 28km of free single track paid for by the Gauteng gvt, it's the only free bit of MTB infrastructure we got out of them and is ok for training miles.

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Have you been lately though, the last 2 times I've been on weekends it actually wasn't worth it as the 1st 20min was just struggling to get through hikers. Crazy busy.

 

Massive queues to get in and out both of the times I've been there recently. 

 

We were on the trails at 6:30 over the weekend and it was empty. We left a bit before 9 and it was packed coming in. 

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The cradle is a big place with many access routes if you are willing to ride in - even for MTB. For a couple of months it's just going to be go out early or get through the congested sections early.

 

But it has been the coldest winter in a number of years so it's been really uncool to dress like a snowman just to get to the trails in time for a ride without a horde of new guys ...

 

I can't imagine what it's going to be like when Argus entries open up and everyone who now has a bike wants to do the Fun Ride World Champs. Not sure when it will be  as they normally open in September.

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So, the weekends is turning out to be a nightmare with volume of people and spring on the way.

 

Has anyone been out there during the weekdays?

 

I would assume, it will be much peaceful. 

 

**my one and only attempt was on a Sunday, but i got there early, like about 7:30. which was still ok.  I don't know what the place looks like at 10 or 12 or maybe 3pm***

Often ride the cradle (on tar) during the week and it's great...basically have the roads to yourself

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The place has become insane on weekends with no checks inside, people queuing bunfight fashion with no masks to get tickets, had one group of 15 hikers making tea on a gas stove on the trail as I came around a corner, no control of who is on what trail etc.  It's really been discovered by the walking day tripper community now.

 

Weekdays are great though.

 

The Cradle loop - yeah look it's 28km of free single track paid for by the Gauteng gvt, it's the only free bit of MTB infrastructure we got out of them and is ok for training miles.

Incorrect, there are tons of free trails in the blocks between HP / Beyers and Malibongwe on both the Randburg and cradle side of the N14. We regularly clock up 50-70km.....to start exploring I suggest you go left from trail parallel to Beyers iso right down satellite hill 

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Incorrect, there are tons of free trails in the blocks between HP / Beyers and Malibongwe on both the Randburg and cradle side of the N14. We regularly clock up 50-70km.....to start exploring I suggest you go left from trail parallel to Beyers iso right down satellite hill 

Sure, but they were not built by and are not maintained by the Gauteng gvt was the point

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I think that was the time the cops evacuated the site for transgression of covid regs...

 

 

About 3 weeks ago coming home on Sunday i honestly thought there was an event there as they had so many people and cars queued to get in in to the parking lot down Beyers that they had guys in Beyers directing traffic to get them in and out. I get Cradle Moon is good and that they serve a good pizza but it was really over capacity and could not have been pleasant. Also the chances of getting a virus increases as the crowd increases so maybe not the brightest idea to go there.

 

Not going there as much as it's a great route #justsaying.

 

The cradle MTB loop is sh!te IMO. Really not a great way to go and MTB. N Farm, Cradle Moon etc are all much better.

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