Should I take Road or MTB bike to Cape Town

[Ed345]

Going to Cape Town (staying at Kalk Bay) for 7 day next week. Going with family and in-laws, so looking to get out on the bike as much as possible. 

Normally I would take my road bike, but should I take MTB instead? I’d be looking to ride out directly from Kalk Bay, so not really into driving an hour to then ride. 

[ChrisF]

@Zebra

[andydude]

10 minutes ago, Ed345 said:

Going to Cape Town (staying at Kalk Bay) for 7 day next week. Going with family and in-laws, so looking to get out on the bike as much as possible. 

Normally I would take my road bike, but should I take MTB instead? I’d be looking to ride out directly from Kalk Bay, so not really into driving an hour to then ride. 

Road bike. The closest real MTB trail from there is Tokai which would take you about 20 to 30 minutes by car.

Nice routes you can road bike and mix it up a bit.

[babse]

Def road. Could literally go whichever way the wind blows you.

 

As andy says, tokai is the closest MTB option and a day or 2 there and you've seen it all. 

[Nick]

The road biking is the star. You can go South into Cape Point and Scarborough or Atlantic seaboard loops North-West via Fish Hoek/ Chappies/ Constantia Nek/ Hout Bay/ Suikerbossie/ Sea Point.

The MTB is good too. Tokai/Silvermine (Permits required for each day) and Greenbelts (and access to Table Mountain) are a flat 25-30 minute tar cycle away. Or go via Clovelly up Wapad into Silvermine/Tokai for some climbing.

Do keep an eye on the wind forecast if you're visiting now now, you could get a 7-day South Easter blowout which makes road cycling unpleasant while the MTB trails offer more protection.

 The correct answer is bring both! 😉 

[Mike Dewing]

16 minutes ago, Nick said:

The road biking is the star. You can go South into Cape Point and Scarborough or Atlantic seaboard loops North-West via Fish Hoek/ Chappies/ Constantia Nek/ Hout Bay/ Suikerbossie/ Sea Point.

The MTB is good too. Tokai/Silvermine (Permits required for each day) and Greenbelts (and access to Table Mountain) are a flat 25-30 minute tar cycle away. Or go via Clovelly up Wapad into Silvermine/Tokai for some climbing.

Do keep an eye on the wind forecast if you're visiting now now, you could get a 7-day South Easter blowout which makes road cycling unpleasant while the MTB trails offer more protection.

 The correct answer is bring both! 😉 

Road bike and ride south towards cape point.. go through fishoek and at the top circle by the Victorian times tavern you can go left towards Simon’s town pr right towards noordhoek or kometjie you can over the mountain to west lake area and back to kalk bay.. its all amazing.. I wish I still lived down the south..😭 

[Zebra]

If riding out directly from Kalk Bay, then a road bike is likely the better choice.

Enjoy! LOTS to see and do!

Red Hill and Boyes Drive is good fun, as is the Millers Point Climb, and even riding in the reserve (low traffic, mostly) is cool.

Chris

[Anthem24]

Road bike. Dodgy areas you should avoid for the mugging risk if you're on your own are circled in yellow on the map.

For the Ocean View and Red Hill sites, you're probably ok on the downhill because you'll be on the opposite side of the road from the settlement/suburb and can outride people on foot, but maybe a a sitting duck on the uphill. 

Hout Bay is a concern along Main Road past Imizamo Yethu, but you can take Valley Road instead.

 

[Ed345]

Ok. Road bike it is. I know what I’m doing with that anyway! Thanks for the info everyone

[Anthem24]

Definitely worth cycling to Cape Point and as many of the side roads as you want to do if you can find a relatively wind-free day, bearing in mind that Kalk Bay is very sheltered from the south-easter, and Cape Point is the windiest site in SA. Check out the wind before you go on Windguru Cape Point.

Take your ID to get the SA discount, and a day permit for cycling will cost you R105 or a bit more for this year (I think they are cashless).

 

[SoloCyclist]

What time of the day are you planning on cycling ? You should also consider this

[Paul Ruinaard]

Get yourself the epic ride weather app. Take your road bike an enjoy theres not many bad rides from Kalk Bay but plan so you return with the wind. You forecast a route based on the date, time and speed you are going and it gives you a nice view of what to expect. Being a local now ex Gauteng this app is my bible. And beware under estimating a 12 to 15 kmh SE wind on your return ride if its straight in to you. THe wind speeds in CTN are measured in constant wind speeds with gusts up higher so you will feel the wind much more. Normally the wind is lower in the morning early so plan accrodingly but the SE is basically always blowing so plan out in to the wind and a nice cruise home. Enjoy. Some of the most beautiful routes in the country are there.

[Mike Dewing]

1 hour ago, Anthem24 said:

Road bike. Dodgy areas you should avoid for the mugging risk if you're on your own are circled in yellow on the map.

For the Ocean View and Red Hill sites, you're probably ok on the downhill because you'll be on the opposite side of the road from the settlement/suburb and can outride people on foot, but maybe a a sitting duck on the uphill. 

Hout Bay is a concern along Main Road past Imizamo Yethu, but you can take Valley Road instead.

 

Yeah definitely keep your whits about you passing Ocean view, but is masi dangerous to cycle past.? I used to just go in there. As a teenager, on foot. let’s not talk about why😳🤣..  

 

[Ed345]

1 hour ago, Anthem24 said:

 

Take your ID to get the SA discount, and a day permit for cycling will cost you R105 or a bit more for this year (I think they are cashless).

 

I hadn’t realised that the roads to Cape Point were all paved. 
 

Any idea if the SA discount is for foreign residents, or citizens only?

[Anthem24]

MASI -- I used to ride it regularly on my own on weekend mornings, moved away for a few years and heard of a few muggings there. Since I've been back, the poor state of the road, the number of pedestrians and the chaotic traffic has kept me away.

Edited 15 hours ago by Anthem24
Masi

[Jono]

Definitely mountain bike!

From Kalk Bay it’s a short ride to Clovelly which gets you to ou wa pad (next to ou kaapse weg) from there you have noordhoek peaks, Tokai (arguably some of the best trails in SA) the beautiful mast climb. Can connect to newlands/kirstenbosch via the greenbelt trails, Table Mountain loop from there, missing link, back around chappies or on the trail next to constantia nek road.

If you don’t want to take ou wa pad to Tokai, there are loads of riders on main road going towards Tokai.

Also you can ride your Mtb on the road when doing the peninsula loop, Cape Point etc.

Throw in a wine tasting/breakfast for the rest of the family in stellies take the bike with.