Hout Bay Cycling / Cyclists

[Rogybiv]

Hi there,

 

I'm going to be staying in Hout Bay from the 4th - 18th of February on holiday with my family and I was planning on hiring a road bike to get some morning rides in whilst I'm there.

 

I wondered if anyone would be up for coming out on a ride or knew of any local groups I could tag-a-long with? 

 

Had my eye on this loop: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26476319

 

I wasn't sure of the safety of going out on my own.

 

Thanks!

 

P.S. Hope this is the right section for this kind of request, let me know if not.

[Duane_Bosch]

Hey man. I live in HB and do all of my (slow) road riding out of there.

 

I'm biased but I think it's the best place in SA to be based if you are a roadie. There's a group ride (apparently) that starts from Vine coffee shop on a Saturday morning. You can check out my strava if you want to get an idea on routes. My general Sunday route involves Chappies and some variation of going around Cape Point.

 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/590247

 

The only real safety concerns are down south around Oceanview. There have been a few incidents around there.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Duane_Bosch

[Pure Savage]

Hi there,

 

I'm going to be staying in Hout Bay from the 4th - 18th of February on holiday with my family and I was planning on hiring a road bike to get some morning rides in whilst I'm there.

 

I wondered if anyone would be up for coming out on a ride or knew of any local groups I could tag-a-long with? 

 

Had my eye on this loop: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26476319

 

I wasn't sure of the safety of going out on my own.

 

Thanks!

 

P.S. Hope this is the right section for this kind of request, let me know if not.

We have 2 riders who ride with us who start in Hout Bay, then ride to Chappies with us. 

 

We also do a few weekend rides through hout bay down south to Kalk Bay.

 

Easiest way is to follow us on instagram @teampuresavage or Strava https://www.strava.com/clubs/pure-savage

[lechatnoir]

You can rent a bike @Complete Cyclist in HB. As the first weekend of March grows nearer, hordes of cyclists will be passing through, so if a formalised group ride can't be arranged, I'm certain a tag-along with someone will be perfectly fine

[DJR]

From hout Bay in both directions, towards the city as well as towards Cape point is pretty safe because there will be lots of other riders at that time of year, especially early in the morning and even more so on the weekends. If you ride North over Suikerbossie towards the city, the road is wide and only gets narrow once you enter Bakoven, so from there be more careful with the traffic, or turn back. If you go over Chapmans Peak it is safe all the way South, but be careful around the informal settlement of Masiphumelele and the suburb of Oceanview. Wait for or catch a group for those areas. 

 

The Earswards route you show on the map is dangerous  over Constantia neck because it is very narrow and often carry slow large trucks. I try to avoid it because it passes an informal settlement of Imizamo Yethu and is a traffic nightmare. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by DJR

[Rogybiv]

Hey man. I live in HB and do all of my (slow) road riding out of there.

 

I'm biased but I think it's the best place in SA to be based if you are a roadie. There's a group ride (apparently) that starts from Vine coffee shop on a Saturday morning. You can check out my strava if you want to get an idea on routes. My general Sunday route involves Chappies and some variation of going around Cape Point.

 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/590247

 

The only real safety concerns are down south around Oceanview. There have been a few incidents around there.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up! The ride out to Cape Point looks excellent, just not sure I could get away with going off on a jolly for that long leaving the fam back in HB... 

 

 

We have 2 riders who ride with us who start in Hout Bay, then ride to Chappies with us. 

 

We also do a few weekend rides through hout bay down south to Kalk Bay.

 

Easiest way is to follow us on instagram @teampuresavage or Strava https://www.strava.com/clubs/pure-savage

 

Great, consider yourself followed. Will keep an eye out for your rides when I'm there, not sure how savage I am though 

 

You can rent a bike @Complete Cyclist in HB. As the first weekend of March grows nearer, hordes of cyclists will be passing through, so if a formalised group ride can't be arranged, I'm certain a tag-along with someone will be perfectly fine

 

Yes I sent them an email so just waiting for a response, looks like a great shop 

 

From hout Bay in both directions, towards the city as well as towards Cape point is pretty safe because there will be lots of other riders at that time of year, especially early in the morning and even more so on the weekends. If you ride North over Suikerbossie towards the city, the road is wide and only gets narrow once you enter Bakoven, so from there be more careful with the traffic, or turn back. If you go over Chapmans Peak it is safe all the way South, but be careful around the informal settlement of Masiphumelele and the suburb of Oceanview. Wait for or catch a group for those areas. 

 

The Earswards route you show on the map is dangerous  over Constantia neck because it is very narrow and often carry slow large traucks. I try to avoid it because it passes an informal settlement of Imizamo Yethu and is a traffic nightmare. 

 

Great info on the route, I would of had no idea on those dodgy bits so thank you. I usually like to ride a loop but looks like an out and back might be the safest bet from Hout Bay up chapmans or towards camps bay and back. Can't wait for some sun it's grim here in London!

[Thomo]

I usually like to ride a loop ...

A loop could entail Chapman's Peak over to Noordhoek, Ou Kaapse Weg to Constantia and then Constantia Nek back to Hout Bay.

But whether you loop or go out and back really doesn't matter as they are really all great options.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Thomo

[Duane_Bosch]

Thanks for the heads up! The ride out to Cape Point looks excellent, just not sure I could get away with going off on a jolly for that long leaving the fam back in HB... 

 

It's light by 6am. Hit the road at 6 and you can be back by 10. Meet the fam for a coffee at Vine. Or you can cut it short and go over redhill which shortens the route by about 15km. Stunning views on Red hill. 

 

You'll fall in love with Hout Bay. Hit the Harbor Market on a Friday night from 5-9pm for live music, loads of eateries and some clothing etc. Its quite crowded but enjoyable.

 

For eateries The Lookout Deck always delivers. Right on the water with a solid menu.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Duane_Bosch

[The Ouzo]

It's light by 6am. Hit the road at 6 and you can be back by 10. Meet the fam for a coffee at Vine. Or you can cut it short and go over redhill which shortens the route by about 15km. Stunning views on Red hill. 

 

You'll fall in love with Hout Bay. Hit the Harbor Market on a Friday night from 5-9pm for live music, loads of eateries and some clothing etc. Its quite crowded but enjoyable.

 

For eateries The Lookout Deck always delivers. Right on the water with a solid menu.

or my old favourite Snoekies around the back for the harbour.

[Alouette3]

Yip myself and Porqui also from Hout Bay, normally avoid Constantia Nek. If you want to do the Nek I'd advise going down into Hout Bay rather then up it from the Bay.

We normally do the Nek on mountain bikes and take the pipe track to avoid the traffic on the tar, you will see the pipe track as a gravel road splitting off to your left as you decent into Hout Bay, about 300m from the Nek.

 

Chappies is our normal go to, then over Black Hill, or you can go through Fish Hoek. Red Hill is great if you like a good climb.

 

Suikerbossie to the Waterfront is beautiful, just take extra caution of vehicles, while the road is wide, people do tend to speed... especially early on a Saturday.

[Rogybiv]

A loop could entail Chapman's Peak over to Noordhoek, Ou Kaapse Weg to Constantia and then Constantia Nek back to Hout Bay.

But whether you loop or go out and back really doesn't matter as they are really all great options.

 

Yes that's what I had planned originally in the route in my first comment, but DJR said the Constantia Nek section gets a bit tricky with traffic and going past Imizamo Yethu could be a bit wary... there is a road I could take that would take me through the more residential centre of Hout Bay that would avoid this though (the settlement)

 

It's light by 6am. Hit the road at 6 and you can be back by 10. Meet the fam for a coffee at Vine. Or you can cut it short and go over redhill which shortens the route by about 15km. Stunning views on Red hill. 

 

You'll fall in love with Hout Bay. Hit the Harbor Market on a Friday night from 5-9pm for live music, loads of eateries and some clothing etc. Its quite crowded but enjoyable.

 

For eateries The Lookout Deck always delivers. Right on the water with a solid menu.

 

Ah you're not wrong, it will all depend on how much my baby daughter sleeps in the night wether I could manage a proper early start... it is supposed to be a holiday after all 

 

Yip myself and Porqui also from Hout Bay, normally avoid Constantia Nek. If you want to do the Nek I'd advise going down into Hout Bay rather then up it from the Bay.

We normally do the Nek on mountain bikes and take the pipe track to avoid the traffic on the tar, you will see the pipe track as a gravel road splitting off to your left as you decent into Hout Bay, about 300m from the Nek.

 

Chappies is our normal go to, then over Black Hill, or you can go through Fish Hoek. Red Hill is great if you like a good climb.

 

Suikerbossie to the Waterfront is beautiful, just take extra caution of vehicles, while the road is wide, people do tend to speed... especially early on a Saturday.

 

Thanks for the tip! Yes all about the hills even if it takes me a while  . 

[MDJ]

I love going up Constantia neck from the Hout bay side. There is a parallel road past world of birds where you can ride the first half and miss the taxis etc. I normally ride up Constantia neck two or three times a week, generally around 6.30 am to be back in Claremont by 7. The sweepers over Rhodes drive make the climb worth it. Rhodes drive traffic before 7 is pretty quite and on the descent your doing close to the speed the cars do. Stick left, be sensible - great route imho ????

[Kranswurm]

I love going up Constantia neck from the Hout bay side. There is a parallel road past world of birds where you can ride the first half and miss the taxis etc. I normally ride up Constantia neck two or three times a week, generally around 6.30 am to be back in Claremont by 7. The sweepers over Rhodes drive make the climb worth it. Rhodes drive traffic before 7 is pretty quite and on the descent your doing close to the speed the cars do. Stick left, be sensible - great route imho

Valley Road

Its great until you get back on the main drag up the hill at Groot Moddergat with the last two or three bends where you brush shoulders with a bus

[Let's Ride]

If you need to, hit Constantia Nek and then cycle the peninsula and end up taking chappies to Hout Bay. Constantia Nek when there is traffic is risky.

 

I used to do it often but realised its not a good idea.