My western cape gravel bikepacking route

[valen_tin]

Dear cyclists,

I'm planning a solo gravel bike packing trip around the western cape from 13.02. to 21.02. I'll take a taxi out of Cape Town to Franschhoek/Stellenbosch with my bike case to avoid the townships. From there, I'll do a round trip, following the cape route on my way back after Oudtshoorn, leaving my case and stuff at an AirBnB. I'm a decently trained cyclist with some ultra-cycling experience, so the endurance side of my trip should be fine. I also got a bivy satellite phone. However, I'm from Germany and concerned about my route choice and safety, as I don't know the area. I'm planning to stay mainly in AirBnBs overnight.

If you are a local or know the area, would you be able to comment on my route? Does it include any sections that I should avoid? Are there any segments I should add?

https://www.komoot.com/tour/1405614940?ref=&share_token=aw2Uo1yKOLhqZu2v8Z8v2xV52lx5pWtizc1k6JJw6n244ZofzI

I'll add Prince Alberts pass from Oudsthoorn if my legs feel well.

What about sleeping out in the open? Is that possible in remote locations?

Would also be awesome if someone would want to join for a day or two!

Thank you in advance and best regards,

Valentin

 

 

 

Edited January 8 by valen_tin

[Dappere]

@valen_tin

Do have a look at this thread; it's replete with valuable information -> https://forum.bikehub.co.za/topic/194617-bikepacking-the-cross-cape-town/#comment-3932346

Additionally, peruse the Cape Cycle Routes website for a variety of route options. The Cross Cape comes highly recommended -> https://capecycleroutes.co.za/route/cross-cape-route

They also provide a selection of recommended accommodations.

[Skubarra]

There are a few weird quirks and small detours that might just be a function of komoot's mapping but I see nothing that will take you to a dangerous or unrideable area.

My biggest comment would be that I see you bypass a lot of the towns in the vicinity of your route, which means you miss out on interesting places to visit, buy provisions and sleep over (there won't be many shops along the gravel roads of your route)

I don't think sleeping out in the open on this route is really a practical (or save) option, there would be enough affordable accommodation options along your route to not have to risk it.

On a long bikepacking trip Oudtshoorn to Prince Albert is a tough extension, Swartberg pass is challenging so give yourself at least 2 days to do the out & back, it is a worthwhile detour if you are fit enough and have time.

And I concur with @Dappere - The Cape Cross cycle route & website is a good reference for planning a route

 

 

[Donovan Le Cok]

My wife and I just finished, on Saturday, the Cross Cape from Plett to Stellenbosch via Oudsthoorn. Feel free to DM me if you want any help or advice. My wife is German too.

We felt perfectly safe on the entire route, and had good cellphone reception everywhere.

Edited January 8 by Donovan Le Cok

[Mamil]

That all looks very safe to my eyes - but as noted by @Skubarrafor minimal extra distance you could make what looks a like a tough route a lot more hospitable by including the small towns that your route bypasses to the the north on your outbound leg and to the south on your return leg.

Although taxi to Franschoek is a good idea there a relatively safe route to get to Stellies / Frasnschoek as per this one 've ridden a few times to visit my offspring who is a student there.

https://www.strava.com/routes/2803286519588860134

Enjoy and do post a ride report please!!

 

 

[Jewbacca]

6 minutes ago, Donovan Le Cok said:

My wife and I just finished, on Saturday, the Cross Cape from Plett to Stellenbosch via Oudsthoorn. Feel free to DM me if you want any help or advice. My wife is German too.

We felt perfectly safe on the entire route, and had good cellphone reception everywhere.

You make it seem like you and your wife are just two average tourists who happened to ride for a couple of days! hahaha

 

[Chrisjanopsyfiets]

Be prepared for the heat. February can be extremely hot.

[Donovan Le Cok]

7 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

You make it seem like you and your wife are just two average tourists who happened to ride for a couple of days! hahaha

 

Just two average dorks.

[Underachiever]

55 minutes ago, valen_tin said:

Dear cyclists,

I'm planning a solo gravel bike packing trip around the western cape from 13.02. to 21.02. I'll take a taxi out of Cape Town to Franschhoek/Stellenbosch with my bike case to avoid the townships. From there, I'll do a round trip, following the cape route on my way back after Oudtshoorn, leaving my case and stuff at an AirBnB. I'm a decently trained cyclist with some ultra-cycling experience, so the endurance side of my trip should be fine. I also got a bivy satellite phone. However, I'm from Germany and concerned about my route choice and safety, as I don't know the area. I'm planning to stay mainly in AirBnBs overnight.

If you are a local or know the area, would you be able to comment on my route? Does it include any sections that I should avoid? Are there any segments I should add?

https://www.komoot.com/tour/1405614940?ref=&share_token=aw2Uo1yKOLhqZu2v8Z8v2xV52lx5pWtizc1k6JJw6n244ZofzI

I'll add Prince Alberts pass from Oudsthoorn if my legs feel well.

What about sleeping out in the open? Is that possible in remote locations?

Would also be awesome if someone would want to join for a day or two!

Thank you in advance and best regards,

Valentin

 

 

 

Hey Valetin, are you using a MTB or a gravel bike?

[Underachiever]

More comments, I would suggest a small change to the route out of Oudtshoorn - take the R62 tar road towards Calitzdorp and then take the right turn towards Lategansvlei about 5km out.

I cycled the exact same route from Oudtshoorn to the top of Rooiberg pass and the route is safe but will be out of mobile range for most of the time.  As another person said - the area can be very very hot in Feb (40 C) so carry enough fluids.

Plan for 1 day extra and do Swartberg Pass - it is well worth while.

It will even be better to plan for 2 days extra and have a sleep over in Prince Albert (excellent, excellent town with plenty places to sleep and eat) an also do the Swartberg Pass from the Northern side, which is much more scenic, but also more of a challenge.

[valen_tin]

14 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

Hey Valetin, are you using a MTB or a gravel bike?

A Gravel Bike with 40mm tyres. Tar roads are welcome

[Underachiever]

6 minutes ago, valen_tin said:

A Gravel Bike with 40mm tyres. Tar roads are welcome

The gravel roads, especially the Karoo, will be rocky (sharp ones) so I would recommend either 45mm since you are backpacking or a good back-up plan for punctures.  Certain sections of Swartberg Pass is very rough at the moment due to travellers and rain, even with a MTB, so take it slow.  Ditto for Lategansvlei 

[Mamil]

22 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

More comments, I would suggest a small change to the route out of Oudtshoorn - take the R62 tar road towards Calitzdorp and then take the right turn towards Lategansvlei about 5km out.

I cycled the exact same route from Oudtshoorn to the top of Rooiberg pass and the route is safe but will be out of mobile range for most of the time.  As another person said - the area can be very very hot in Feb (40 C) so carry enough fluids.

Plan for 1 day extra and do Swartberg Pass - it is well worth while.

It will even be better to plan for 2 days extra and have a sleep over in Prince Albert (excellent, excellent town with plenty places to sleep and eat) an also do the Swartberg Pass from the Northern side, which is much more scenic, but also more of a challenge.

Ja - Feb heat will in all likelihood be very severe - and definitely a plus one on prince albert and the swartberg pass - an essential treat with a strong cycling presence

[Stephan]

I've studied your route. I have done three bike packing trips along most of your planned route. I used Komoot, ridewithGPS, and the Strava route planning functions for these trips extensively. I would strongly advise you not to use Komoot as your default planning tool. It may be great for Europe, but for SA it does not know the difference between public and private land. Looking at your route, in some parts, it crosses lots of private land where you cannot ride. Rather use the Strava route planning app and carefully study the heatmap. You need to see a solid and thick blue line with no interruptions. If you don't see this, then the section is either on private land (so it does get used, but may not be available to the public, hence the light blue heatmap line), or you will encounter a dead end at a fence or gate. 

A couple of comments: 

1. Stellenboch to Franschoek - use the Cross Cape Route. 

2. Your turnoff on the down side of Franschoek Pass is blocked by a gate and traverses private land. Not possible. Continue with R45 to the t-junction with R321. 

3. On your way to Bredasdorp you are missing out on some special scenery and gravel roads. I'll DM you some routes that I have done which are some of the best gravel roads in the country. 

4. From crossing the Breede River at Malgas Pont to Mosselbay you need some serious replanning. Your route crosses lots of private land. I have done extensive route planning for this section and will DM you what you can/cannot ride. 

5. From Mosselbay/Hartenbos to get to Oudshoorn I would not do Robinson Pass along the R328. Its not safe in my opinion. I would rather ride to George, and from there join up with the Cross Cape route and follow it all the way back to Stellenbosch. 

6. The Swartberg pass detour to Prince Albert and back is fantastic (did it three weeks ago), but you need two days (and its a very tough two days with lots of climbing, and in the heat of Feb you are going to be baking!)

Edited January 8 by Stephan
spelling

[Prince Albert Cycles]

2 minutes ago, Stephan said:

I've studied your route. I have done two bike packing trips along most of your planned route. I used Komoot, ridewithGPS, and the Strava route planning functions for these trips extensively. I would strongly advise you not to use Komoot as your default planning tool. It may be great for Europe, but for SA it does not know the difference between public and private land. Looking at your route, in some parts, it crosses lots of private land where you cannot ride. Rather use the Strava route planning app and carefully study the heatmap. You need to see a solid and thick blue line with no interruptions. If you don't see this, then the section is either on private land (so it does get used, but may not be available to the public, hence the light blue heatmap line), or you will encounter a dead end at a fence or gate. 

A couple of comments: 

1. Stellenboch to Franschoek - use the Cross Cape Route. 

2. Your turnoff on the down side of Franschoek Pass is blocked by a gate and traverses private land. Not possible. Continue with R45 to the t-junction with R321. 

3. On your way to Bredasdorp you are missing out on some special scenery and gravel roads. I'll DM you some routes that I have done which are some of the best gravel roads in the country. 

4. From crossing the Breede River at Malgas Pont to Mosselbay you need some serious replanning. Your route crosses lots of private land. I have done extensive route planning for this section and will DM you what you can/cannot ride. 

5. From Mosselbay/Hartenbos to get to Oudshoorn I would not do Robinson Pass along the R328. Its not safe in my opinion. I would rather ride to George, and from there join up with the Cross Cape route and follow it all the way back to Stellenbosch. 

6. The Swartberg pass detour to Prince Albert and back is fantastic (did it three weeks ago), but you need two days (and its a very tough two days with lots of climbing, and in the heat of Feb you are going to be baking!)

Very good advice

[Mamil]

3 minutes ago, Stephan said:

e great for Europe, but for SA it does not know the difference between public and private land. Looking at your route, in s

 

4 minutes ago, Stephan said:

I've studied your route. I have done two bike packing trips along most of your planned route. I used Komoot, ridewithGPS, and the Strava route planning functions for these trips extensively. I would strongly advise you not to use Komoot as your default planning tool. It may be great for Europe, but for SA it does not know the difference between public and private land. Looking at your route, in some parts, it crosses lots of private land where you cannot ride. Rather use the Strava route planning app and carefully study the heatmap. You need to see a solid and thick blue line with no interruptions. If you don't see this, then the section is either on private land (so it does get used, but may not be available to the public, hence the light blue heatmap line), or you will encounter a dead end at a fence or gate. 

A couple of comments: 

1. Stellenboch to Franschoek - use the Cross Cape Route. 

2. Your turnoff on the down side of Franschoek Pass is blocked by a gate and traverses private land. Not possible. Continue with R45 to the t-junction with R321. 

3. On your way to Bredasdorp you are missing out on some special scenery and gravel roads. I'll DM you some routes that I have done which are some of the best gravel roads in the country. 

4. From crossing the Breede River at Malgas Pont to Mosselbay you need some serious replanning. Your route crosses lots of private land. I have done extensive route planning for this section and will DM you what you can/cannot ride. 

5. From Mosselbay/Hartenbos to get to Oudshoorn I would not do Robinson Pass along the R328. Its not safe in my opinion. I would rather ride to George, and from there join up with the Cross Cape route and follow it all the way back to Stellenbosch. 

6. The Swartberg pass detour to Prince Albert and back is fantastic (did it three weeks ago), but you need two days (and its a very tough two days with lots of climbing, and in the heat of Feb you are going to be baking!)

I'd be very interested in those roads too please @Stephan