Rough ride into Alex

The conditions in which this year's Freedom Ride was run appear to have been too much for some cyclists who turned back at the sight of Alexandra township's sewage strewn streets.

Thousands of cheerful cyclists hooked their feet into the cleats yesterday, engaged gears and rode from Sandton to Alexandra, northern Johannesburg, and back.

But, for some, crossing from Loius Botha Avenue into Alexandra's Florence Mophosho Street was too much for the stomach.

Confronted with the prospect of negotiating their way through sewage from blocked drains, and weaving around hooting, swerving taxis, stray dogs, pedestrians and potholes a group of cyclists turned around and rode back to Sandton.

Those who thought they could escape the gauntlet by riding on pavements were thwarted by the proliferation of shacks and traders' stalls.

But the spectators more than made up for the less-than-scenic route. Residents, particularly children, cheered as men, women and children in brightly coloured spandex and cycling shirts rode past.

Dali Tambo, his wife Rachel and their son, donned the black and white colours of the fund-raising group the Famous Cows.

Some irritated taxi drivers were not too gracious about sharing the route.

"Move! Move! Move! Why don't you go cycle somewhere else. You're taking up the whole street," shouted one.

Vendors lining the pavements were disappointed that very few cyclists stopped to buy.

After the Juskei River, a steep hill forces many newcomers to cycling to slow down, resulting in taxi drivers and motorists becoming impatient.

The traffic jam caused several collisions but no serious injuries were reported.

Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau, an avid cyclist, is said to have fallen while trying to dodge some of the hazards in Alex. He was whisked away and did not finish the 27km ride. A spokesman said he had "problems with his knee".

The Freedom Ride is part of the city's push to encourage cycling as a mode of transport.