Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Just wondering if anybody has rode here. I heard that it was completed recently and I'm wondering if it's worth a visit.
Curious as to what the conditions are like (ie flat, hilly, windy, straight, etc).
Also, how busy does it get and how wide is the path?

I rode from Wodside to Charlston with my missus about 4 weeks ago on a Sunday arvo. We saw about 5 other riders on the track, we were doing about 10kph and the ride was over in well under an hour. Not worth a special visit unless you happen to be in the area for something else (shopping at Pony). If I had been on my roadie I would have stayed on the road rather than use the path. I believe the path is being extended but I saw no signs of that while I was there.

Yep, it is being extended over the next few years. one section every year, which will eventually go from Oakbank to Mt Torrens (or Mt Pleasant - cant remember). On the weekends its usually quite busy with kids, and mums with strollers, etc. consequently I dont use it. Preferring to stay on the road and do 35-45 k/h. You do get a bit of abuse from motorists who think you shouldnt be on the road given that the bikepath is there. But I dont think its good to do 40k/h when lots of pedestrians around.

Its all sealed, but the Oakbank - Woodside section is pretty lumpy. which is good if you want to practice for Paris Roubaix.

In saying that I would still come up and ride through the hills, there's some great riding around, and gorgeous scenery. The bike path is nice for a stroll - at 10k/h.

Do you still have to give way at every side road, or have they changed that?

Still have to give way to everything. Which is another thing to stuff up your ave. speed if you are out for a fast one.

Damn, this is all sounding pretty negative. I think I just had some delusions of a nice gently sloping, windy track amongst picturesque hills, with no other people ,where I could ride as fast or as slow as I wanted without stopping... This has really brought me back down to earth

paolo_ski wrote:Damn, this is all sounding pretty negative. I think I just had some delusions of a nice gently sloping, windy track amongst picturesque hills, with no other people ,where I could ride as fast or as slow as I wanted without stopping... This has really brought me back down to earth

It got a lot of negatives at the opening time too. I was not aware that it was not a continuous path and that surprises me after some of the hype. To their credit SA cyclists seem to be able to differentiate between that an reality.

I don't bike anymore and I have never ridden in SA much anyway. But it seems to me that Adelaide hills riding gets a good wrap by both croweaters and visitors. Maybe you should askabout these instead.

Yeah, theres some great riding in the Hills - so get out there.

I think the Bike Path is sensational in that it is getting a lot of families and young kids outside exercising, enjoying bikes rather than sitting inside getting obese. So full support for that and like to see more of it.

I reckon i've had to give way to , ohhh, about three cars in six months of riding the AGBP almost weekly. No shoulder on that very busy road means this track rocks to get from north to south across the hills.

When I finally get the motivation/endurance to go on huge hills rides, I will definitely check this out. Maybe a ride up greenhill road to oakbank and then through the Amy Gillett track and back home to Lockleys... I cringe just thinking about how hard that would be!

I remember last year one of my friends hit the deck and slid after riding through a very large patch of oil along this path. (It was a rainy day and the oil wasn't distinguishable)

ouch! a similar thing happened to me once when I was skating along linear park, quite painful. I can only imagine how much worse it could have been on a bike.

I road to Lobethal on Sunday then saw signs for this path on my way home via Woodside, Bridgewater and thought I'd give it a go...there was no-one else on the path despite being an awesome day. I rode it for a few kms then pulled back onto the road. The surface is crap and slowed me down. Good for kids or those on MTBs, roadies dont bother, unless you really want to ride on it.