Bainskloof and/or Du Toits Kloof from Worcester

[Bub Marley]

Guys I might be in Worcester next weekend and looking for assistance with the safest route. 
 

I’m trying to do long distance in prep for DC so looking for some safe routes. Is it possible to do both safety wise? If not which is the better climb to do if you could just do one in terms of safety? And also what’s the best route in a bike? 
 

Bear in mind I need to stay and end in Worcester. 
 

Also in terms of refueling/coffee stops is there anything on the top of each pass?

 

Thanks

[Jbr]

Dutoits kloof is pretty average from breede river side, with tunnels and massive trucks (despite the view being still quite cool with waterfalls etc), still doable but really not that great. Bains kloof is.... well I just did it for the second time today, and I think I could ride it every single day both sides it's fantastic. Du toits paarl side is definitely a lot better to climb than the other side.

You could also consider a detour towards Franschhoek pass ?

Edited October 29, 2022 by Jbr

[Blackheart]

Do Toits carries a lot of heavy goods traffic and boy racers, I'd stay away. Bains Kloof up both sides is lovely and usually much quieter.

[Ncayi]

I gree with Du Toits being littered with trucks and motorcycles and I only ever do it from Paarl side then back down. 

I'm not sure if you will be rolling alone or have company, but if the latter you could do this loop which is probably +-180km

 

We recently had a race through there and the roads were not busy at all. I'm not sure about general safety (skollies and all) but with company I'm sure you would be fine.

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Ncayi

[Bub Marley]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

Dutoits kloof is pretty average from breede river side, with tunnels and massive trucks (despite the view being still quite cool with waterfalls etc), still doable but really not that great. Bains kloof is.... well I just did it for the second time today, and I think I could ride it every single day both sides it's fantastic. Du toits paarl side is definitely a lot better to climb than the other side.

You could also consider a detour towards Franschhoek pass ?

Have you got a route in mind wrt to Franschhoek pass?

 

maybe I should just do Bainskloof both sides? What would be the best/safest road? Slanghoek or R43?

22 minutes ago, Ncayi said:

I gree with Du Toits being littered with trucks and motorcycles and I only ever do it from Paarl side then back down. 

I'm not sure if you will be rolling alone or have company, but if the latter you could do this loop which is probably +-180km

 

We recently had a race through there and the roads were not busy at all. I'm not sure about general safety (skollies and all) but with company I'm sure you would be fine.

 

Will probably be solo. I have one buddy there who I will ask if he wants to join but not sure where his fitness is at. 

[milky4130]

5 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

Guys I might be in Worcester next weekend and looking for assistance with the safest route. 
 

I’m trying to do long distance in prep for DC so looking for some safe routes. Is it possible to do both safety wise? If not which is the better climb to do if you could just do one in terms of safety? And also what’s the best route in a bike? 
 

Bear in mind I need to stay and end in Worcester. 
 

Also in terms of refueling/coffee stops is there anything on the top of each pass?

 

Thanks

When you say safety are you referring to traffic on the road & yellow line/shoulder riding or muggings? If it's the latter I've never heard of any attacks there before. If its the former then its the same anywhere in South Africa. The Truck on the passes travel fairly slow so I reckon you should be fine on Du Toits Kloof Pass both sides. I did it on Sunday where I went to the top and encounter no issues.

Week day or weekends? Doesnt really matter but during its more quieter in terms of traffic on the road. Early morning on weekends its also fairly quiet.

[christovdw]

Taking the R43 towards Bains there is a wide shoulder all the way. There's reasonable traffic, but the other routes there have little or no shoulder.  Never had any safety issues myself.  From Worcester to Villiersdorp on the R43 there's little to no shoulder with plenty traffic.  Did parts of it before and it's hair raising... Worcester-Wolseley-Wellington and back to Worcester via Bains may be an option. Enjoy!

[milky4130]

I just saw this ride from a Worcester Local, he did this ride this morning. He rides these roads daily, surely if it was dangerous he would not do it. 130kms +-4:30 hours. That’s is Bainskloof from Worcester side and Du Toits Kloof from Paarl’s side. Then obviously you could also do it in reverse.

Edited October 30, 2022 by milky4130
Route description

[Skubarra]

I think Du Toitskloof is ok if you do it relatively early in the morning on weekends. I ride it occasionally but of the 3 big passes in the area probably my least favorite. Just never fully comfortable cycling on a national road and the R101 stretch can be a bit hairy with no shoulder and trucks going past.

I would say the best option for a longish ride would be Bainskloof to Wellington & back or Nuwekloof->Wellington->Bainskloof, maybe with a detour through Slanghoek if you want to add miles.

 

 

[Mohs]

Worcester to Franschhoek via Villiersdorp and back via wellington Bainskloof pass...

[Jbr]

This is quite nice : 

But you want to also do bain's the other way, the descent ceres side is really amazing if you enjoy decending (and have descending skills, because the road is narrow a missing a turn could be quite problematic as in most places  there's no run-off). Watch for Baboons on the descent Wellington side.

FH pass, I would try to do rather FH side up, and the other side down rather than the other way around, but doubt a loop is actually doable or nice (it's going to be 170/180km). If you are with family you can try to ride there, climb it from both sides, and meet the family again in FH then drive back home rather than absolutely try to loop it.

Other suggestion that side, try to do Jonaskop. Never managed to to do it so far everytime I was that side the weather wasn't playing nice or some other excuse so I always ended up riding somewhere else

 

[milky4130]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

This is quite nice : 

But you want to also do bain's the other way, the descent ceres side is really amazing if you enjoy decending (and have descending skills, because the road is narrow a missing a turn could be quite problematic as in most places  there's no run-off). Watch for Baboons on the descent Wellington side.

FH pass, I would try to do rather FH side up, and the other side down rather than the other way around, but doubt a loop is actually doable or nice (it's going to be 170/180km). If you are with family you can try to ride there, climb it from both sides, and meet the family again in FH then drive back home rather than absolutely try to loop it.

Other suggestion that side, try to do Jonaskop. Never managed to to do it so far everytime I was that side the weather wasn't playing nice or some other excuse so I always ended up riding somewhere else

 

I’ve parked in Rawsonville and cycled to the top of Jonaskop before, that was off road, but it’s doable with the the road bike as well just not with carbon rim brakes I’ve been told.

[milky4130]

2 hours ago, Mohs said:

Worcester to Franschhoek via Villiersdorp and back via wellington Bainskloof pass...

We’ve done the reverse as well during the Tour of Good Hope. Start up Franschoek Pass and ended in Worcester/Rawsonville via Villiersdorp. We had no road closure and had to share the road with vehicles, luckily groups were small enough to hug the yellow line shoulder.

[milky4130]

5 hour and 167kms, took in Franschoek Pass & Du Toits.

[Jbr]

23 minutes ago, milky4130 said:

I’ve parked in Rawsonville and cycled to the top of Jonaskop before, that was off road, but it’s doable with the the road bike as well just not with carbon rim brakes I’ve been told.

Pointless attempting it on the road bike now that Christiaan KOMed it 🤣 I’ll do it on the mtb when I get a chance 😜

[ChrisF]

5 hours ago, milky4130 said:

I just saw this ride from a Worcester Local, he did this ride this morning. He rides these roads daily, surely if it was dangerous he would not do it. 130kms +-4:30 hours. That’s is Bainskloof from Worcester side and Du Toits Kloof from Paarl’s side. Then obviously you could also do it in reverse.

 

Personally I would go for the "reverse" option.... mountain side for both passes.

 

 

The combination of vehicles and gusts of wind .... I dont enjoy being on the drop side ... 😵