Franschoek Trails

[Robbie Stewart]

18 hours ago, Trashy said:

Good news then, when I rode there yesterday i saw that they've started work on the bottom half of the flow trail. What they've done already looks sick.

 

It does cross over the trail that takes you to the top though so not sure how that will work on busy days.

lekker, I am keen to see what's changing there. I am blown away by that line. It keeps evolving and getting longer, and my skills have increased massively from riding there. I am going to go so far as to say its my favourite choice to ride.

I have many trails I rate highly, such as Garden Route Trail Park, Witfontein, Banhoek, Jonkers etc. but this flow line is at the top of the pile in terms of fun factor. Effort vs Reward ratio is very near 1:10 for me. 

 

[Robbie Stewart]

Let these pictures do all the talking:

I'm drooling . . .

Plaisir

 

 

Hoogekraal (not even remotely close to Franschoek, but you get the idea):

 

[Trashy]

2 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Let these pictures do all the talking:

I'm drooling . . .

Plaisir

 

 

Hoogekraal (not even remotely close to Franschoek, but you get the idea):

 

I rode the part of that Plaisir trail that's finished so far. It's sublime. It requires decent speed to clear all the jumps though.

It's a good thing they're building fun sections like that, because they're turning the trails into highway by removing every rock within 100 yards of the trail 😕

[Francois Pienaar]

Were these trails in the EPIC in March?   They look familiar.

[ChrisF]

21 minutes ago, Francois Pienaar said:

Were these trails in the EPIC in March?   They look familiar.

Yes, parts of it was

[milky4130]

4 hours ago, ChrisF said:

Yes, parts of it was

Really, which stage? I dont' recall, I can only see the final day that went down Tietkop descent and out by the gate which is parallel to this flow trail.

[ChrisF]

10 minutes ago, milky4130 said:

Really, which stage? I dont' recall, I can only see the final day that went down Tietkop descent and out by the gate which is parallel to this flow trail.

 

It was the stage when they used the tar section over Franschoek pass, then the trails next to the dam.

 

Think it was the 3rd last stage ... not sure.

 

 

We drove past there a few days before and saw the route markers.  Was nice seeing it on tv a bit later.

 

EDIT . It was Stage 5 ...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cape-epic.com/route/2022-stage5/&ved=2ahUKEwiu7MPRx5n4AhUGSvEDHS2OCoQQFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0gjP7NCjsMTbVry0G7P23k

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by ChrisF

[Headshot]

18 hours ago, Trashy said:

I rode the part of that Plaisir trail that's finished so far. It's sublime. It requires decent speed to clear all the jumps though.

It's a good thing they're building fun sections like that, because they're turning the trails into highway by removing every rock within 100 yards of the trail 😕

I guess there is a place for everything and jump skills are all part of the equation. I will break out the 26er HT for that Plasir flow trail. Haven't been out to try it yet. Looks like a lot of fun.

[JohanDiv]

Malcolm is correct.. Plasir de Merle weren't part of the Epic. We were supposed to do the final descend down Plasir, but the organizers pissed off the land owners, so they gave us that k@k descend down Tietkop. 

And the only piece of Franschhoek trails that was part of Stage 5 was the little single track section next to the Bergriver Dam. 

[DJuice]

21 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Let these pictures do all the talking:

I'm drooling . . .

Plaisir

 

 

Hoogekraal (not even remotely close to Franschoek, but you get the idea):

 

What would the cost be for such a trail line?

[Robbie Stewart]

19 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

It was the stage when they used the tar section over Franschoek pass, then the trails next to the dam.

 

Think it was the 3rd last stage ... not sure.

 

 

We drove past there a few days before and saw the route markers.  Was nice seeing it on tv a bit later.

 

EDIT . It was Stage 5 ...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cape-epic.com/route/2022-stage5/&ved=2ahUKEwiu7MPRx5n4AhUGSvEDHS2OCoQQFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0gjP7NCjsMTbVry0G7P23k

 

That was Banhoek, not Plaisir. Banhoek of course being my other favourite line. 

Strange that all my top lines are all that side of the world and not in the Tygerberg trails. Hopefully the new Hoogekraal flow line changes that.

[Robbie Stewart]

6 hours ago, Headshot said:

I guess there is a place for everything and jump skills are all part of the equation. I will break out the 26er HT for that Plasir flow trail. Haven't been out to try it yet. Looks like a lot of fun.

It is a really fun line, and once the entire line is linked top to bottom you are going to have noodles for legs and some seriaas arm-pump by the end of it.

Speed is definitely your friend on that line.

[Robbie Stewart]

5 hours ago, DJuice said:

What would the cost be for such a trail line?

To build, I dunno but probably expensive.

To ride, I recall R50 for a day pass being what I paid last.

[Trashy]

31 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

To build, I dunno but probably expensive.

To ride, I recall R50 for a day pass being what I paid last.

R60 now.

But you can use that to get from Plaisir to Boschendal to Banhoek (and back).

34 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

It is a really fun line, and once the entire line is linked top to bottom you are going to have noodles for legs and some seriaas arm-pump by the end of it.

Speed is definitely your friend on that line.

It's going to be interesting to see how they connect the two. There isnt really a natural line between them.

Going to be one insanely fun trail though.

[Robbie Stewart]

28 minutes ago, Trashy said:

R60 now.

But you can use that to get from Plaisir to Boschendal to Banhoek (and back).

It's going to be interesting to see how they connect the two. There isnt really a natural line between them.

Going to be one insanely fun trail though.

Thanks for the update re price.

I'm heading out that way on the weekend to go suss out the new line. I see on IG that they reckon about 2 or 3 months to build a link between them. It sure will be fun though for sure. Perhaps do the first line and then take a bit of a rest between the two before hitting the second half.

Jelly legs for sure.

[DJuice]

Enjoy the trails!!