The ride starts at the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Braamfontein
IT will soon be time for keen Joburg cyclists to saddle up for the Freedom Ride, to celebrate the spirit and legacy of Nelson Mandela, and raise awareness of how enjoyable cycling is for recreation, and efficient and convenient for transport.
The Freedom Ride is free and open to all; it is not a race so will not be timed; instead it is an opportunity to celebrate Johannesburg’s diversity and history and link the communities of Johannesburg and Soweto.
The ride starts at the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Braamfontein, follows planned cycle lanes in Brixton and then heads south west to Soweto. It passes by Newclare Cemetery, where Walter and Albertina Sisulu are buried, and through Vilakazi Street in Soweto, passing by the Tutu and Mandela houses, the Hector Pieterson Museum and Memorial and the historic Orlando Stadium, before turning into Klipspruit Valley Road.
The route follows Rea Vaya bus routes and one of the Corridors of Freedom.
At the halfway point riders can load their bikes onto a Rea Vaya bus to return to Braamfontein
Cyclists can look forward to a halfway stop at Vilakazi Street and enjoy the area’s unique vibe; from here riders can load their bikes onto Metrorail or Rea Vaya buses to return to Braamfontein, or return to the inner city along Albertina Sisulu Road through Fordsburg and Mayfair.
The ride is 34.6km long, with the half-distance ride at 16km. Cyclists should be at the start before 8am, when a short opening ceremony will take place; the ride kicks off at 8h30 and it should take three hours to complete the total route.
The route will be closed to traffic, and there will be emergency services, bike repair facilities, and three water points along the way. All riders must register and wear helmets.
The Freedom Ride is supported by the City of Johannesburg, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, the Joburg Urban Cyclists Association, linkd Environmental Services, Cycology, and the Bicycling Empowerment Network, which promotes cycling to address poverty.
To register for the Freedom Ride, visit freedomride.org.za/registration.
