Modern Cyclist Magazine Issue 3, November 2014 | Page 17

bends and berms. Once you’ve mastered
those, check out the blue routes which test
your bridge crossing and drop off riding skills.
And then, once you find you are handling
those, you can “graduate” to the black
routes, which include gap jumps, narrow
and rather high bridges and more serious
obstacles.
So, to cut a long story short, PWC Bike Park
isn’t about riding 30, 50 or 70 kilometre trails
through typical South African terrain but its
more about practicing your mountain biking
skills over a tight-knit set of obstacles for a
set time. If you spend an hour or two hours
there, you are guaranteed to fill that time
with genuine “skill-learning” time.
Marc explained: “The fact that some of the
top skills trainers and mountain bikers bring
their riders out here to train their skills. And
to get them over certain obstacles to get
those skills. If it wasn’t a park that had that,
you wouldn’t get the skills coaches bringing
their students here to learn those skills. So
that for us is key.”
And another thing about the PWC Bike Park.
It isn’t all mountain biking. In actual fact, it
is a venue which you can seriously consider
for your next “kiddies party” or even
corporate team building event.

Complete with kiddies track, pump track
and BMX track – which caters for three
different skill levels – the PWC Bike Park can
be enjoyed by children of literally all ages,
from nappy-wearing toddlers on push bikes
to spotty-faced, attitude-filled teenagers
with high-tech BMX machines.
“We currently do between 10 and 20 kiddies’
parties per month, so this will result in around
400 new riders per month entering the sport.
Many of those will start riding the school
series, and then they really drive the sport
because they then get their parents to ride,”
Marc explained.
Marc explained further that people
interested in having their kiddies’ parties at
PWC Bike Park can now choose between
various menus that include jumping castles,
water slides, bike “rangers” (who will
accompany the children when they are
out on the routes), various food options and
treasure hunts.
“We have brought providers on board and
are now a one-stop shop. Just by checking
the boxes, you’ll be able to give your child
the most spectacular birthday and become
a ‘superhero’ parent,” Marc smiled, “while
the parent sits on the terrace and enjoys a
glass of wine, the kids are having a blast on
their bikes in a safe environment, complete
with a medic on site.”

Corporate team building exercises could
include treasure hunts, GPS activities or skills
clinics.
So, if like me, you have a particular “bug
bear” which gets you off your bike and
walking every time, perhaps you should try
out the PWC Bike Park. But don’t go there
expecting long flowing single track, rather
some pretty hairy drop offs and bridges
that’ll make you dizzy.
But trust me, after you’ve done them a few
times, you become a far more capable
and skilled rider. And, instead of being your
“bug bear”, those drop offs and bridges will
become your adrenaline rush of note.
PWC Bike Park can be found on Libertas
Road, Bryanston. Check out the website
www.cyclepark.co.za for more information
and prices.

PWC Bike Park is currently undergoing
a revamp, so there are a few of the
routes which have been closed.
However, most of the facilities and
routes are open so riders (BMX and
MTB) can still practice their skills.
The PWC Bike Park’s changes will
be unveiled officially when work is
completed in February 2015.

The function area at PWC Bike Park is big enough to
host several functions at once. It is a perfect place
for kiddies parties and corporate team building
events.

PWC Bike Park straddles the N1 highway, with routes on
both sides of this busy Gauteng toll road. Riders access
routes like the “Bird’s Nest” – from where this photo
was taken – by riding a storm water drain under the
highway.

Riders who practice their skills at PWC Bike Park
often end up easily riding drop offs like this, even if
they have nervous beginnings.

There are three expertise
17
levels on the BMX track.