Trails in Gauteng that offer a bit of a challenge?

[RJClegg]

Hi all, 

I've recently gotten back into MTB; I used to do a lot of street / dirt jump riding in the UK about 15yrs back now. But I have moved on from those days and find trails a lot more interesting to ride. 

I've been looking at various trails around Gauteng for the last month (I have not visited any, besides Cyclelab bike park) and trying to get a sense on which trails would be good to ride. 

Looking for trails that offer speed, drops offs, berms, jumps, doubles,  etc. Much like the kinda stuff you see on GMBN on YouTube (Though our terrain isn't like the UK, but hoping we have those kinda trails) 

This weekend I am going to Cradle Moon to do the yellow route, I hear that is a good route - but not expecting too much out of it. 

 

[RocknRolla]

Gauteng Bike Parks do not offer too much in the line of Bike parks such as you have experienced in the UK.

 

If you want a physical challenge, with raw natural trails, I would highly suggest Kings Kloof. It's about 400 odd meteres of ascent in 20ish km. There is not a flat section on that farm.

 

Thaba Trails in the south is technically challenging, think of it as a big xco track. Do all the blue trails

 

Buffelsdrift in the (very farking far away) pretoria, technical trails, has some nice challenging trails, enduro lines and some jumps and berms.

 

Wolwespruit (I have not been) peeps here can comment

 

Big Red Barn in Centurion. Lots of singletrack, jumps berms and singletrack. not a lot of elevation.

 

These are the ones I can think of.

 

You may want to take a trip down to KZN, Giba, Howick, Karkloof, that's what it's all about

[117]

12 minutes ago, RJClegg said:

... Snipped

This weekend I am going to Cradle Moon to do the yellow route, I hear that is a good route - but not expecting too much out of it. 

 

Warm up on the blue, continue onto the yellow, do the blue again 

[RocknRolla]

if you want to avoid the masses, I would suggest an afternoon ride, or go straight to the red (not as much fun as the yellow, but less walkers (like in the walking dead)

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

Wolwespruit has bikepark-like sections, including a nice jump line. 

 

If you what you want is more DH style stuff, there is also the line under the Hartbeespoort cable car.

[AdamA]

Hennops Trails has a flowing 35Km trail that is super fun, but does not compare to GMBN in terms of drop offs. 

 

https://www.hennopstrails.co.za/hiking-trail/

 

[Rolf Hansen]

Hennops Trail for technical downhill sections and serious uphills. Do the full 35km+ route and you will know you went riding. Not much in terms of jumping and berms though.

Wolwespruit has 3 downhill jump/flow lines, one shorter dedicated jump track and 2 technical downhill sections. The rest of the trail is also quite technical and lots of fun. Great fun!

Iron Throne I have not been to yet but the SA Downhill champs was held there. They also have some massive jumps.

Same goes for Grootfontein. I have not been there but they have some cool drops and jump lines.

EDIT: Big Red Barn, Taroko Trails, Cowhouse/Hazeldean Valley and Rosemary Hill are all fun but they are all relatively flat with no real berms, jumps or serious technical sections. The guys at Red Barn have been working on their jump line and they have some technical Black Diamond sections.

Edited May 14, 2021 by Rolf Hansen
Added Info

[RJClegg]

11 minutes ago, RocknRolla said:

Gauteng Bike Parks do not offer too much in the line of Bike parks such as you have experienced in the UK.

 

If you want a physical challenge, with raw natural trails, I would highly suggest Kings Kloof. It's about 400 odd meteres of ascent in 20ish km. There is not a flat section on that farm.

 

Thaba Trails in the south is technically challenging, think of it as a big xco track. Do all the blue trails

 

Buffelsdrift in the (very farking far away) pretoria, technical trails, has some nice challenging trails, enduro lines and some jumps and berms.

 

Wolwespruit (I have not been) peeps here can comment

 

Big Red Barn in Centurion. Lots of singletrack, jumps berms and singletrack. not a lot of elevation.

 

These are the ones I can think of.

 

You may want to take a trip down to KZN, Giba, Howick, Karkloof, that's what it's all about

 

Thanks, I will loo at those. A Trip to KZN or even Howick might be cool, if they have trails worth the trip. Maybe make it a short holiday with the wife.  

 

6 minutes ago, 117 said:

Warm up on the blue, continue onto the yellow, do the blue again 

 

Nice tip, thanks! 

 

3 minutes ago, RocknRolla said:

if you want to avoid the masses, I would suggest an afternoon ride, or go straight to the red (not as much fun as the yellow, but less walkers (like in the walking dead)

 

I hear it can be busy there. Afternoon ride is better than morning then? 

 

1 minute ago, Nico van Loggerenberg said:

Wolwespruit has bikepark-like sections, including a nice jump line. 

 

If you what you want is more DH style stuff, there is also the line under the Hartbeespoort cable car.

I'll check Wolwespruit, thanks. I don't want quite DH - something between that and normal trails. Something that flows well, tests your skills, in cornering, drop offs, etc that sort of thing with some speed. 

 

1 minute ago, AdamA said:

Hennops Trails has a flowing 35Km trail that is super fun, but does not compare to GMBN in terms of drop offs. 

 

https://www.hennopstrails.co.za/hiking-trail/

 

 

I've been told Hennops is good. I'm not after big drop offs either, just something more interesting to ride than flat, slow ground.  

 

[RocknRolla]

We spent 10 Days down in the howick area, where we rode every day we were down there and it felt like too little time. If it's flow you are after... that's the place to go.

[RobertWhitehead]

Northern Farms - flat and fast

Rosemary Hill - a mix of stuff but quite a bit of fun

Van Gaalen - I hear its quite technical (I have never been) 

Cowhouse - flat and fast

Buffelsdrift - I enjoy this one quite a bit - this is worth the drive to get there.

Grootfontein - never been but I hear good things

TAF - never been but I hear its quite technical

Wolvespruit - never been but I hear its quite fun and technical

PWC bike park - never been

Thaba - quite technical (also never been)

Big red barn - only been there once but did not like it. 

 

[RJClegg]

13 minutes ago, RocknRolla said:

We spent 10 Days down in the howick area, where we rode every day we were down there and it felt like too little time. If it's flow you are after... that's the place to go.

I'll do some research on the trails and stuff in the area. Where do you stay in Howick?
 

Just found this video on YT: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ZnBh3sNCA

That looks like a lot of fun and more the kinda trails I wanna ride. I don't mind flat bits as well - but this looks fun!

10 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

Northern Farms - flat and fast

Rosemary Hill - a mix of stuff but quite a bit of fun

Van Gaalen - I hear its quite technical (I have never been) 

Cowhouse - flat and fast

Buffelsdrift - I enjoy this one quite a bit - this is worth the drive to get there.

Grootfontein - never been but I hear good things

TAF - never been but I hear its quite technical

Wolvespruit - never been but I hear its quite fun and technical

PWC bike park - never been

Thaba - quite technical (also never been)

Big red barn - only been there once but did not like it. 

 

 

I've been invited to go ride with someone this weekend as well, at Van Gaalen. Between Van Gaalen and Cradle moon - which is better? The wife will be joining me so a slower ride is okay too. 

I keep hearing about Buffelsdrift as well. I'll check it out. Thanks for the recommendations. 

Edited May 14, 2021 by RJClegg

[RJClegg]

10 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

Northern Farms - flat and fast

Rosemary Hill - a mix of stuff but quite a bit of fun

Van Gaalen - I hear its quite technical (I have never been) 

Cowhouse - flat and fast

Buffelsdrift - I enjoy this one quite a bit - this is worth the drive to get there.

Grootfontein - never been but I hear good things

TAF - never been but I hear its quite technical

Wolvespruit - never been but I hear its quite fun and technical

PWC bike park - never been

Thaba - quite technical (also never been)

Big red barn - only been there once but did not like it. 

 

 

Oh, forgot to mention - I have been to PwC a few times (Cycle lab bike park) and its alright. I use it to get more comfortable on the bike and the jump and pump track there are cool. 

[Steady Spin]

Wolwespruit. - Good flowy forest bits in the beginning with some jumps for fun. After about 12km you hit a lekker climb up to get to three flow / jumpy lines. Loop the one on the right a couple of times for a set of very well built tabletop jumps. Then do the middle line once or twice. End with a full run on the left line. 

Red Barn has all the fun stuff on the #1 route. Flat'ish but you can hit good speed for the jump lines. Nice big line with some good variation. Not a technical trail at all but some good flow. We are there every weekend. You are welcome to join us for a guided tour. Not sure how fit your wife is but she is welcome to join as well. It's my fiance and I that ride. We aren't fast by any means. 

Buffelsdrift has a 30km called the Zebra with a good mix of tech and flow. Rocks 2 Crocks and Supertube (road gap and smaller gap jumps) is super fun. Nyala Drop is short and technical. Also has a good 50km easy loop if you want to stretch the legs.

Grootfontein is super short on the normal trails side and fairly boring. The selection of Enduro lines is well worth it. Good jump lines with some north shore stuff and a selection of progressive drops.

Edited May 14, 2021 by Steady Spin

[thijsrm]

Or just the good ol' spruit, a few sections where there are substantial jump and Delta has a flow berm section.  Most of the Joburg parks don't have the kind of jumps the spruit has in places

[RocknRolla]

van gaalen has a great river section, if you go across the road to do the concrete strips tant miems, daggapad etc, you will hit some elevation, but its nice and tech.

Combine the river with Greek church at van gaalen to get the best. But if you are going with someone they should show you the ropes at VG.

Best part of van gaalens is finding the Ale house in the area afterwards for some craft and pizza.

As for Howick, I have a mate that stays in Hilton, so we normally crash at his house. I have heard good things about 11 Karkloof (search on google) close by the trail network. 

[Thermophage]

1 hour ago, RJClegg said:

Hi all, 

I've recently gotten back into MTB; I used to do a lot of street / dirt jump riding in the UK about 15yrs back now. But I have moved on from those days and find trails a lot more interesting to ride. 

I've been looking at various trails around Gauteng for the last month (I have not visited any, besides Cyclelab bike park) and trying to get a sense on which trails would be good to ride. 

Looking for trails that offer speed, drops offs, berms, jumps, doubles,  etc. Much like the kinda stuff you see on GMBN on YouTube (Though our terrain isn't like the UK, but hoping we have those kinda trails) 

This weekend I am going to Cradle Moon to do the yellow route, I hear that is a good route - but not expecting too much out of it. 

 

Just go get that cable car ticket for Harties and multi-run the DH line I hear