Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

The new staircase connecting Blaxland Dr Rhodes is now open, and has provided a bicycle track. Who's going to claim bragging rights for first descent and ascent ? Photo or video proof, of course.

It was a bit wet today so I passed on it. Construction shed is a wee bit in the way of a good runup for an ascent.

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That thing is just ridiculous. With such a long climb, it is inevitable that there will be cyclists ascending and descending simultaneously - who will blink first and pull their bike off the rail to give way? This of course must happen in the middle of a steep narrow staircase with pedestrians trying to pass too. I just can't fathom the thinking behind it.

As much as people complain about the SHB staircase, at least the staircase is wide, the ramp is wide, and the ramp is logically located in the middle of the stairs to enable simultaneous ascent and descent.

Bicycle traffic is way way way thinner than SHB - don't think there'll be contention for use of the track, especially when there is a presently viable option to use the road exit about 150 to 200 m south on Blaxland Rd. The yet to be commissioned traffic lights may increase it's appeal.

Hard to figure why the ramp is so close to the southern side of the stairway - you wouldn't want to have wide MTB bars or mirrors protruding over the bar ends. Not like you're going to hold the rail while cycling up or down it !

Narrow width seems like its designed if for the Martyn Ashton skill level...

Easy peasy. Descenders ride down the stairs. Ascenders use the ramp.

The faster you go down the smoother the ride



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I checked this out today and was just shaking my head. It is not like they were constrained for space. The rail looks like an afterthought, and the alignment is pretty bad. I always push my bike with my right side, so going up that ramp would feel clumsy. I am not sure why they couldn't have just done a ramp down the middle, or ditched the stairs completely and made it a ramp only.

wombatK wrote:Bicycle traffic is way way way thinner than SHB - don't think there'll be contention for use of the track, especially when there is a presently viable option to use the road exit about 150 to 200 m south on Blaxland Rd.

Agreed.

I ride over the bridge multiple times a week and most of the time don't pass another cyclist.

I will be sticking to the road though, much better than slowing down for the stairs.

Had another look at it this afternoon, and at least for now there is a nice gap in the fence at the top of the stairs,
and it would be a pretty easy to form a nice "single track" type ride down the hill to the south. It would have
a much gentler grade than the stair track. And if you could kick enough of the slippery bark aside (e.g. by
sliding, skidding MTB tyres), it could even be negotiable on a road bike

Perhaps constructing an official narrow track like that would have been much cheaper than the
rail-on-stairs provision. Just needs a little more lateral thinking than councils would usually put into it.

Is that for real? Personally, I think it is shocking - but I'm sure many people will say it is the worlds best cycling infrastructure.

I just thought it was a staircase as I rode by and wondered if the track was ever going to be built. I think I'll continue to use the road too.

This is why I don't like focussing on "cycling infrastructure", because you can end up with nonsense like that.

Had a closer look this morning and I think it's an accident waiting to happen. Looks like it was only designed for pushing your bike up and down. If you get off balance there is not enough room to correct easily and then the sides are too high to easily get out. Someone else can try it and see how it doesn't work.

how wide is it? looks pretty narrow on the photo.
You would have to be a pretty decent rider to ride up or down it without dieing I would think.

leximack wrote:how wide is it? looks pretty narrow on the photo.
You would have to be a pretty decent rider to ride up or down it without dieing I would think.

I'd be no chance

Another reason to ride a lightish bike. Just shoulder it down or up. Never liked pushing a bike up or down a stairs. More likely to slip on my cleated shoes.

leximack wrote:how wide is it? looks pretty narrow on the photo.
You would have to be a pretty decent rider to ride up or down it without dieing I would think.

Checked it today - it's about 75 mm. Any rider attempting it would need nerves of steel.

Making an impromptu single track is a way more appealing option.

Crikey, I can't even get DOWN the HB steps/ramp without assistance LOL

Sort of related topic, work has now commenced on the path widening between the end of the bridge cycle path and Rhodes Station.

I will still ride on the road for this section, however this will mean that the foreshore paths will all link up properly with the station, great work again by the council.

I'm trying to understand why the rail is even there. I'm guessing its to allow people to avoid having to cross the road by the bridge can be my only guess. Probably good for kids to get access to the foreshore around Rhodes.

wombatK wrote:Narrow width seems like its designed if for the Martyn Ashton skill level...

Slightly off topic... but I didn't see anything mentioned on here about Martyn Ashton being permanently paralyzed in an accident during the time he was making this film . Only realized while listening to an interview on the BBC.

toolonglegs wrote:Slightly off topic... but I didn't see anything mentioned on here about Martyn Ashton being permanently paralyzed in an accident during the time he was making this film . Only realized while listening to an interview on the BBC.

http://road.cc/content/news/93511-trial ... ing-spinal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/artic ... ury-38408/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://road.cc/content/news/109094-para ... k-handbike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Whats wrong with carrying your bike up or down steps?

Cossie Phil wrote:Whats wrong with carrying your bike up or down steps?

Nothing, particularly, but this particular bike path continues on to a road which takes you past the bottom of the stairs. They are the most useless set of stairs for bikes to use, since you can avoid the stairs with a 100 m ride. I do it daily.

Cossie Phil wrote:Whats wrong with carrying your bike up or down steps?

One reason is you can trip and get an injury. I did this when I tripped running up stairs. The bike went forward, bounced off the above steps and the handlebar came back and fractured my nose.

Agree, the steps really are useless for cycling. They are clearly intended to give pedestrians access from the Rhodes foreshore to the shared pathway across the bridge, without the need to cross the road.

It would have just as simple, and maybe less costly, to build a shared path across the hill and down to the foreshore at a more gentle angle. This would give a continuous cyclepath all the way from the foreshore all the way to Meadowbank.

That would be useful.