Cycling in Sydney Australia
new to town
Hey all,
silly question. Ive just arrived from Melbourne and experienced but only social road rider.
I live on Redfern/Surry Hills border.
I understand there are a couple of rides e.g. Centennial Park, but is there anywhere along the water, Hyde Park, Botanical Gardens etc I can ride that is "road cycle friendly"?
About 30-60km round trip?
Thanks
James
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Knight on -
Redfern - Pyrmont - Kent St - Harbour Bridge - Cammeray - Spit Bridge - Seaforth or maybe to Manly - and return - would probably just fit into your 60km round trip spec. A lot of nice views, low to no traffic, with a few hills thrown in.
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Permalink Reply by Neil Alexander on -
low to no traffic
At 2am on Easter long weekend during a severe cold snap!
Sorry, JK, I don't think "low to no traffic" can be said to occur around Sydney these days.
Level of traffic is minimal early on Sunday and public holiday mornings but also depends on particular roads chosen.
James, John's route is an excellent suggestion scenery-wise and very popular with cyclists but you have to be aware that either side of Spit Bridge is fraught with danger at any time of day/night. Recommended approaches/egresses are Parriwi Rd from Mosman side and Battle Boulevarde on Manly side. There is a "shared path" on western side of the bridge, too, if needed.
If you can find a copy of "Bike Rides Around Sydney" (now out of print so I don't have to disclose that I am an author because I won't make any more money out of it) you will find suggestions for rides of about the desired distance using quieter roads on both sides of the Harbour. Some of the details may now be wrong due to roadworks and other changes in the years since it was published, but the routes are still mostly sound.
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Permalink Reply by John Knight on
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Sorry, I should have suggested that James look up this route on Bikely to find the standard approved no to low traffic version.
You know, the last few months I've been riding to work early morning all the way from Cammeray to The Spit on Military Rd, but since daylight it has completely stuffed it. All the tradies are up an hour earlier now and traffic on Military Rd is uncomfortably busy from just after 6am now :~(
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Permalink Reply by Robbiejuve on -
Good one John, I too would go north. Another option:
Redfern - Pyrmont - Kent St - Harbour Bridge - Cammeray - Spit Bridge - Balmoral - Middle Head - Chowder Bay - Taronga Zoo
Nice views, nice hills.
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Permalink Reply by Andrew K on
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I think I might be in a minority here, but going north over the Bridge from Surry Hills I stay on the Bourke St cycleway, down to William St Darlinghurst, then along the William bike lane, through the Domain to Macquarie st then across the Cahill exp path to the SHB path... another option?
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Permalink Reply by PaulJ on -
Sound out the local bugs (eg. Dulwich Hill Bike Club)
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Sorry to be a southern advocate, but from Surry Hills you want water, low traffic and 110 PSI friendly?
Head over to the Bourke St cycleway and head south. Follow it down Bourke Rd (incl Bourke Rd cycleway though Alexandria), then Coward St Mascot to pick up the cycleway along the Alexandria Canal.
2 options then - Cooks River cycleway west / north-west towards Homebush / Olympic Park / Parramatta OR
I would prefer the cycleways around Botany Bay, over Captain Cook bridge, around the mangroves at Taren Point, and out to Cronulla (beaches) or Kurnell / Cape Solander.
While there is little vehiclular traffic, shared paths can get crowded on weekends. Unfortunately there are no hills though. For that you need John Knight's ride, but the little to no traffic claim might not be true for all departure times...
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Permalink Reply by Robbiejuve on
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Good point Andrew, original post did not mention whether nice clear blue water or brown polluted water was desirable :P
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Permalink Reply by Bob Moore on -
Nice Harbour and Parramatta River rides to the west, around Iron Cove, Drummoyne, Abbotsford, Cabarita, Putney, Concord, Rhodes, Homebush Bay, Newington, cross over Silverwater Bridge and come back on north side to the Putney Punt (runs on weekends), or via Morrison Rd to Gladesville, over Gladesvile Bridge back to Drummoyne and Iron Cove. Gladesville Bridge needs a bit of figuring though, see discussions on SC. Can tootle around Pyrmont, Balmain and Rozelle foreshores too, going over Anzac Bridge, or around Blackwattle Bay path. Visit Yurulbin, Ballast Point and Illoura waterfront parks in Balmain via back streets.
LBUG is doing a social ride on Sunday out to Olympic Park/Homebush Bay from Leichhardt. Meet 815 am Bakehouse Cafe 89 Moore St Leichhardt.
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Permalink Reply by herzog on -
As you're in Surry Hills, I'll use CP as a starting point.
LaPa.
This ride is Centennial Park out to La Perouse and back. A good ride and doesn't carry too much traffic. Gets the sea breezes too, so doesn't feel too hot.
Also try the "Beast" (Beaches and bays of the East). From CP, head to Bronte, Tamarama, Bondi, Dover Heights, Watsons Bay, Rose Bay, Double Bay, and back up Ocean Street to CP. This can get busy on weekends after say 10am, so get on it early.
Or join the two up for a long one.
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Permalink Reply by Tinysaur on -
A few more suggestions:
Tour De East, combination of Herzogs routes, also taking in Botany Sea Wall:
There is good riding north, I prefer to take a train to Turramurra station and start from there rather than hack through the city.
Six Gorges: Bobbin Head, Galston Gorge and Berowra Waters. Retrace the route for five gorges (stopping at Hornsby) or six gorges back to Turramurra. Other options include heading out to Brooklyn and then back on the Old Pac highway. Ranges from 70-100km or you can just do three gorges and train it back from Berowra Station.
West head and Akuna bay from the City. West head is a great 15km dead-ended road with a nice surface. Coupled with Akuna bay for scenery and a nice climb. This one can be linked to Bobbin head should you feel like it.
South of the city: either ride or train it down to Sutherland then down to Wollongong or loop back through waterfall if you fancy the hair-raising thrash back on the highway. Mount Keira out the back of Wollongong is a fun little climb as is Artillery Hill if you enter the RNP at Sutherland.
Some of these are a bit longer than the 60km, but most are shortenable with a train start or early turnaround.
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Permalink Reply by James Hanrahan on
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Many thanks for your help :)
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