JHB Cycling Safety

[DrPayne]

Hi guys,

 

First time posting on here, hopefully it is the right forum to ask this on. End of October I'm going to be spending 5 days in Sandton and I'm bringing the bike. I've heard there's a good group ride called Engen to Engen from Wed-Fri. I'm coming from Cape Town so a bit concerned about safety as I haven't been to JHB in 10 or so years. 

 

I've attached a screen shot of the route I'll need to take to get to the starting point. Would this be safe to ride alone before 5am? Or will I need to organize to get a lift there? 

 

Thanks in advance, 

Dylan

[Ispeed_V]

Hi Dylan. Where would you be starting from?

I would stay away from River Road and rather use St James Crescent over Bryanston Drive.

Up St James and Left in Eccleston. Brings you out by the Hobart Spar. Far safer and less traffic.

The return ride will be a battle though with the morning traffic

[DrPayne]

4 minutes ago, Ispeed_V said:

Hi Dylan. Where would you be starting from?

I would stay away from River Road and rather use St James Crescent over Bryanston Drive.

Up St James and Left in Eccleston. Brings you out by the Hobart Spar. Far safer and less traffic.

The return ride will be a battle though with the morning traffic

I would be just a 100 meters or so SE of that screenshot, just didn't want to put the address on the internet lol. But thanks for the suggestion - will take that on board. According to Strava heat maps a lot of cyclists ride along Winnie Mandela Drive. Should I maybe hop onto that road?

[Pandatron]

If you were Joburg native I'd say fine, but rather try get a lift there and home.

That ride home could be dodgy and there have been shenanigans recently around town

 

[Ncayi]

5 hours ago, DrPayne said:

I would be just a 100 meters or so SE of that screenshot, just didn't want to put the address on the internet lol. But thanks for the suggestion - will take that on board. According to Strava heat maps a lot of cyclists ride along Winnie Mandela Drive. Should I maybe hop onto that road?

You would be better of coming down Sandton drive and turning right onto Winnie Mandela Drive. At the that time there is not much traffic, the road is wide and mostly well lit so you can see things coming.

There is a nasty climb before you get to the top of Brynston that will prepare the lungs for suffering that is to come.

I live in the area and use Winnie Mandela Drive almost daily.

[Bike Dewing]

Engen to engen is an awesome route but maybe drive to the engen.. 👍🏻

[DrPayne]

1 hour ago, Bike Dewing said:

Engen to engen is an awesome route but maybe drive to the engen.. 👍🏻

Ok cool, I may just organise a lift there. Am I correct in saying the ride starts at 5AM? I’ll be joining the Thursday and Friday ones

[Bike Dewing]

6 minutes ago, DrPayne said:

Ok cool, I may just organise a lift there. Am I correct in saying the ride starts at 5AM? I’ll be joining the Thursday and Friday ones

I live close by and i ride it on my own from my house often but that early i wouldnt ride there.. def drive.. 

yeah 4:50 or 4:55 i think they head off from the engen.. but get there early.. they do not wait, and depending on the day they will not hesitate to drop you either.. 

Edited 17 hours ago by Bike Dewing

[Roneblack46]

Everyone has a different level of risk appetite. I stay in Rivonia and regularly ride these streets from 4am and have never felt unsafe (my biggest concern is the drivers who have been out drinking all night). If you're coming from Sandton you could go down Rivonia Road and left at Sandton police station into Summit drive.  All the way down till you get the Circle (All downhill from here), then left up St James, at the T junction right (Ecclestone), then left into Bryanston drive and left onto Main Road. A short climb and the Engen is up on the left. 

The Engen to Engen route goes down Sandton Drive so you can always break off at Sandton back to your accommodation. 

[Loose cog]

I too live in Rivonia and second what Roneblack46 suggested. We often use these routes over the weekend at these times and recommend you use bright lights until you start the ride at Engen. Watch out at traffic lights and stop streets as the majority of motor vehicles don't obey the law, especially as you speed along the downhills and travel through the crossings. As safe, if not safer than Cape Town. 

[love2fly]

I've been since 1999 and had a couple of mtb crashes of mostly my own fault and been hit by a car once on my road bike and I wouldn't even consider doing that ride - way too risky, especially for an out of towner. I'd rather hunt down a trainer or watt bike and stay intact. But that's just my humble opinion....good luck and Godspeed

[OVERDRIVE]

Drive to Engen, go with the crowd. 

Not worth finding out whose trying to be in the next Den Of Thieves movie 

[DrPayne]

12 hours ago, Roneblack46 said:

Everyone has a different level of risk appetite. I stay in Rivonia and regularly ride these streets from 4am and have never felt unsafe (my biggest concern is the drivers who have been out drinking all night). If you're coming from Sandton you could go down Rivonia Road and left at Sandton police station into Summit drive.  All the way down till you get the Circle (All downhill from here), then left up St James, at the T junction right (Ecclestone), then left into Bryanston drive and left onto Main Road. A short climb and the Engen is up on the left. 

The Engen to Engen route goes down Sandton Drive so you can always break off at Sandton back to your accommodation. 

Thank you for this, will definitely take it into consideration. 

[DrPayne]

8 hours ago, Loose cog said:

I too live in Rivonia and second what Roneblack46 suggested. We often use these routes over the weekend at these times and recommend you use bright lights until you start the ride at Engen. Watch out at traffic lights and stop streets as the majority of motor vehicles don't obey the law, especially as you speed along the downhills and travel through the crossings. As safe, if not safer than Cape Town. 

Thank you. When you say safer than CT, do you mean the motorists or the criminals?

[DrPayne]

3 hours ago, love2fly said:

I've been since 1999 and had a couple of mtb crashes of mostly my own fault and been hit by a car once on my road bike and I wouldn't even consider doing that ride - way too risky, especially for an out of towner. I'd rather hunt down a trainer or watt bike and stay intact. But that's just my humble opinion....good luck and Godspeed

Ah so sorry to hear about your experience. I’ve ordered a gravel bike from Yoeleo so if it arrives on time I may consider taking that to JHB