Roadbike & Cape Town, is that fun?

Since I've been here so many times and it’s always been nice and fun, I thought I'd write a few words about it. 

First of all Cape Town is like a second home to me and I just love to be here and not only because of the weather. ;) 

In Cape Town there is so much to discover besides Lion`s Head and Table Mountain it is for example also a paradise for surfers. But now to the real reason for this blog. 

With a roadbike in Cape Town. For us Europeans it is already something different, especially with having to ride on the left-side of the road. So you have to change your mind in circles and when turning. But you get used to it very quickly. 

There are really beautiful routes and places to discover. 

One favorite route for me remains Chapman`s Peak, in both directions. Every time a highlight even after the twentieth time.

Here are some of the highlights: 

* The Glen is a really nice climb, a bit steeper but still very good to drive. From Camps Bay it is 220 meters altitude difference on 2.8 kilometers. And from there you can continue directly to Signal Hill.

* Signal Hill, the view when you get to the top is just awesome and should certainly be ridden at least once when you are here. The climb can be perfectly combined with Table Mountain. 

* Table Mountain, the best part comes after the cable station, there you can still drive a few kilometers on closed road, which is known as Old Table Mountain Road.

* Suikerbossie is certainly the more beautiful highlight from the north ascent with views of the Atlantic Ocean and with 4.1 kilometers and 132 meters of altitude very pleasant to drive and to enjoy the view. From the south side rather unspectacular 120 meters of altitude on 2.1 kilometers, where you do not have so much view for the most part. 

* Chapman`s Peak, a climb that you can not ride often enough. :) You can reach it from Cape Town if you drive along the sea, which is also a highlight. Of course, the climb is always worthwhile from both sides. From Hout Bay it is 5.9 kilometers with 155 meters of altitude. And from the southeast side Noordhoek it is 4.7 kilometers with 174 meters of climbing. 

* Farmer Village, Noordhoek, a small quiet place after Chapman's Peak, where you can get good coffee. 

* Black Hill, a short, not steep climb that connects Noordhoek and Simon`s Town.

* Simon`s Town, you pass here on the way to Cape Point, depending on which direction you come from. It is a nice place at the harbor, where it is surely worth to stop for a coffee. 

* Red Hill, a really nice climb, with starting point in Simon`s Town. You have a unique view over Simon’s Town and the ocean. The climb is also not so busy and worthwhile in any case. But should not be driven alone for safety reasons. 

* Cape Point, the drive there is worth it. The view of Cape Point is spectacular and also the sea has its own color here. If you want, you can still drive through the national park here (fee required) and drive to the Cape of Good Hope.

* Misty Cliffs, a stretch along the sea. Simply fantastic, especially with a tailwind. Otherwise it can be very challenging. :D  

* Melkbossstrand, once in the other direction from Cape Town. A total of around hundred kilometers very flat route, partly on a bike path, where you can really go fast when you want. Definitely worthwhile to go there once. 

* Langebaan, for those who want more than a hundred flat kilometers, you can continue about eighty kilometers from Melbossstrand and reach another place for a coffee stop and have at the end just under two hundred and fifty kilometers. However, the route from Melkbossstrand is on a highway where drivers do not really take into consideration. Therefore more likely to ride in a group or with safety car. 

It has of course much more that you should ride at least once, like as Boyes Drive, Kloofnek and Ou Kaapse way.

Besides all the highlights, driving laps is nothing unusual here. 
I've driven over a hundred kilometers on a 9-kilometer lap and even a 4-kilometer lap, which is at Mouille Point. There it is definitely worthwhile to stop and enjoy a moment.

Basically it is safe to cycle in Cape Town. But you should pay attention to some things, for example at what time you pass some places. Because the traffic is very hectic at some times and they don't really take care of road cyclists. Especially the minibuses like to cut off the way and my disc brakes have already prevented some worse moments. 

So it is like with us that it is really just stressful on some weekdays or at certain times in some places. It is also not unusual here to start early in the morning at five o'clock. 

It is certainly worthwhile to go with the locals here to get better used to their conditions. 

Another challenge here is the wind, which can be really nasty and the smallest problem is when it comes from the front. :D So high profile rims are definitely not needed here. That's also the reason why you like to ride your laps sometimes in a corner of Cape Town that's not so susceptible to the wind, like Constantia for example. 

I enjoy it very much, even if it takes a few rides each time to get used to the conditions here. I can't get enough and will certainly keep coming back again and again.

Here are a some links from a few rides on Strava:

A ride where you can ride many highlights together like The Glen, Signal Hill, Table Mountain, Misty Cliffs, Cape Point and Chapman`s Peak: LINK

Melkbossstrand and back: LINK

Suikerbossie, Chapman`s Peak and a few laps at Mouille Point: LINK