Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Why not post some details of your favourite ride (or rides) in and around Canberra?
It can be a downhill bash, a killer climb or a leisurely pedal around town. You should point out where it starts (and finishes), how far it is and how long it would take. If there are some special things to see / do along the way, point them out - even if it's just where there are toilets or a good place for a rest!

I hope to put a couple of my favourites up here, but until I do, here's some links to other lists of rides around Canberra

PedalPower has a 'Library of Rides' at http://www.pedalpower.org.au/services/c ... ContId=127 (it's the inspiration for this thread).

Surely the best ride in Canberra would be the one that takes you out of the place and never turns back

europa wrote:Surely the best ride in Canberra would be the one that takes you out of the place and never turns back

Apparently, Europa's never been here
I 'rode' out of Adelaide in my early 20's and have lived and worked all over the place since, but Canberra is the best place to live and work that I've found. It may be a big country town, and we may have to put up with a bunch of 'blow-ins' (where else are the local 'intinerant workers' responsible for governing the country ) from time to time, but it has its compensations.

Like many people who live here, I rise to the 'Canberra-bashing' bait pretty easily, so score 1 to you Europa, if that's what you intended

Mate, I've been to Canberra, cruised around Lake Barely Tolerable, been to see the Spoggy on the Stick (American embassy - the eagle emblem), etc. Got an Aunt who lives there, but never ridden a bike there. Maybe that's something I'll have to change.

As for keeping score ... why bother, it'll only embarress me over time

Richard

Pine island is a good spot or also a ride up MT. Taylor...ive always loved those rides with my oldest brother we love it we have awsome fun...what are ur favourites??
cheers, Mark

My current favourite short training ride takes in the descent into the Lower Molongolo Water Treatment Works (and the climb back out). It's only 20 kms, but there are plenty of opportunities for loops into suburbs along the way to add distance and variation. Like all good rides, it has a reasonably long, gentle downhill to the finish!
I've put it up on Bikely.com at http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Lu ... ining-ride.

peterrjleach wrote:Like all good rides, it has a reasonably long, gentle downhill to the finish!

Gawd, you'd hate my area then. The best I can manage is a gentle climb with most offering either a ferocious climb not far from home or a mad, down hill dash.

Bikely is glitchy but it's fun. I just wish you could put up a decent description of the ride at the start - I'm having to incorporate that in the notes for the first point. And the nits who just call their ride 'my commute' and then don't give any suburbs. Sheesh. Wouldn't it be nice if the rest of the world was as perfect as me

Richard

Go one better than 'Twin Peaks'!
I did a 'Three Peaks' ride yesterday. I've put it on bikely.com at http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Lu ... hree-Peaks.
Some work colleagues had planned it and I tagged along. I've come away with a renewed appreciation for the endurance (and determination) of my fellow riders. I was the only one on a road bike, but a pair of mtb's and a folding bike made it too!:)
It's the most climbing I've done in one day (so far) and it mades today's ride to Lower Molongolo a doddle.
I think that I will have to organise some more - there's plenty of climbs to choose from.

me and my mate tim were looking for a bit of a down hill thrill and off in the southernmost part of lanyon and we rode over a hill and there was a trail that looked alright but nothing special, so, both of us breakless we went screaming down this hill on our 20" ers when around the corner it went to about 45* angel and erotion ruts so we shove our feet in out tiers trying to slow down but started to speed up. Around the next corner and at the bottom of the hil (were it got steaper) there was a gate with no way though. needless to say we looked like pretsils at the end but i thought i would share this with you all to remind everyone to look at the track befor you go down it, wear head gear and use breaks.

This thread has posts far between...

Luckypierre ... just tried out your posted ride Lower Molongolo Water Treatment Works, I have to say that this would make a nice morning training ride before heading off to work.

I didnt realise how close I now live to that ride, I am in Latham.

Anyway ... one of my fav rides is the ride to wallaroo, the ride out of wallaroo road onto Barton hwy is deceptive.

thomas_cho wrote:Anyway ... one of my fav rides is the ride to wallaroo, the ride out of wallaroo road onto Barton hwy is deceptive.

I've never heard of Wallaroo so I had to look it up on Google maps. As it turns out I ride past Wallaroo Rd on the Barton Highway at least once a week on the way up to Hall .

Looking at the map it looks like there is only one road into and out of Wallaroo. Is that right?

As far as I know, just one way in and you can ride all the way to the end of wallaroo rd, and then turn back.

Today I could only manage to ride about 2km past the monastry. Lack of fitness ... suffered a big headwind on the way back. Pretty popular route, two groups rode past me ...

Round the lake ain't bad for a lesiurely ride...Gotta try the water treatment ride, sounds good

I am just back from Canberra (i live in Sin-City) & wanted to rave about how pleasant the cycling was.

Fab cycle paths, the hills are close (i tried Lucky Pierre's three peaks route a few times) & even your cyclist-abusing-yobs are kinda nice (the worst thing I was called was a "wally", which I shall take on the chin).

Have 2 come back in Feb for work & have decided to take car instead of plane so i can do it all again.

thomas_cho wrote:As far as I know, just one way in and you can ride all the way to the end of wallaroo rd, and then turn back.

Yep -- all the way down to the river (did 71km/h down the hill today), and then all the way back up (4km climb). I rode out there today with the Pedal Power Sunday Wanderers group -- the ride back from the river to the Barton Hwy is a bit of a slog, particularly the first climb. Once you get to the top of the first climb, there's enough rolling road to be able to attack the other climbs.

It's a lovely ride.

The best thing about the Can is that you can do whatever you like and you don't have to "ride to the start" of rides.... they all start right at your doorstep.
Flat:
To Goulburn and back along the highway. 190km-ish, easy to make up the 200 and feel like a legend when getting ready for something big. Nice wide shoulders and decent surface. Goulburn has nice places for food at half way.
Little hills and short:
THE quick loop that I do if I don't want to think of something else. Cotter-Urriara-Stromlo loop, with out and back through Coppins as a tack on lactic acid inducer. some big ups, some nice downs and a lot of rolling hills. And its beautiful. If you haven't done this ride and live in Canberra, you should. you can even do a few laps to make a long ride that you can opt out of if you're feeling less than top notch. I do this on the way to work some mornings... its about 90mins form my place through the loop and to work.
Big Hills:
Out to Tidbinbilla and onto Corrin. Corrin is a pretty long climb and there isnt much flat between here and there, going through Cotter. It's the perfect course to get brave, go out hard and suffer all the way home.

And thats only road...

I'm from Gordon, so my rides all originate from that area.

Cotter loop. Ride up Drakeford/Tuggeranong Parkway, then down through cotter/tidbinbilla/tharwa, then back up to Gordon. You can add in Corin dam for a bit of extra fun. Basic loop is about 70kms, one short but tough climb out of cotter, then a bunch of rolling hills the rest of the way. Adding in Corin Dam adds about an extra 30kms, maybe (I'm not sure on that distance).

Honeysuckle tracking station. South from Gordon, out to Apollo Rd, then up to the tracking station. Great 7km climb which takes you to the top. Nice rest spot, then home. 56km return trip.

Rendevous Ck. South from Gordon, out and over Fitz's, keep riding til your legs are broke then try and make it home (not sure on distance).

BR

What about Bunch Rides?
Which are the best?

Roadie rides starting/finishing Weston Creek area...

- Do a bit of a warmup around Hindmarsh/Streeton/Dixon/Warragamba then over to Stromlo for 1x repeat then back home. Takes just on an hour. Increase time by doing more repeats.

- Uriarra/Cotter loop (or vice-versa), with or without extension to the end of the bitumen up past Condor Creek (Brindabella Rd).

- Riding around the lake is much more pleasant on weekdays.

- Bike path loop from Glenloch Interchange through Cook, around lake Ginninderra, up to Nicholls then thru Palmerston and Mitchell to North Lyneham and along Sullivans Creek bike path (starts in Mouat St opposite playing fields) to ANU and back.

- Bike path loop from home to Woden, then up bike path along Athllon Drive and over to Tuggeranong, around the lake then back home via bike path past Kambah adventure playground and BMX track to Chapman. Optional extension past Bonython to Lanyon shops (or Lanyon homestead cafe). When Tharwa bridge was still closed, it was nice to ride all the way to the river and back.

Mountain bike rides...

- Modified middle stage of the Triple-tri. Get yourself to the bike path crossing of Lady Denman Drive near Glenloch Interchange, ride thru the Cork Oaks, over Dairy Farmers Hill, out to Coppins along the northern side of the Molonglo, up through Bluetts (well what used to be Bluetts), cross Uriarra Rd out near where paintball used to be, up and over Stromlo, around or over Narrabundah Hill (what used to be Duffy pines, Narrabundah Hill is miles from Narrabundah suburb - go figure), across to Chapman and up the northern end of the ridge then along the back of the houses, across Namatjira Drive and around the back of Stirling and down the bike path to finish near the underpass of the Parkway. Hobble home. This would probably take me 3+ hours these days.

- Dirt loop of new Parliament House. Lots of fun, especially under a full moon .

Bunch rides...

Oh boy it's been years since I did a bunch ride. Weekdays I rode with the southside bunch (6am at the Bike Shed in Phillip). There used to be a bunch ride leaving the carpark at Scrivener Dam at 8am on Sunday mornings and public holidays. Particularly notable was the Boxing Day version which consisted of a LONG loop out via the Cotter to Tharwa and returning along the Monaro Hwy - not one for the faint-hearted!

Steph

My favourites; These rides will take as long as you like. The Bicentennial National Trail has taken me 20 years so far and I still haven't completed all of NSW. There are so many great places and interesting dirt tracks to ride here in this region we are totally spoilt for choice.

The Old Coach Road at Mulligan's Flat Nature Reserve into Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve and return, mixing up the tracks a bit makes for great riding in the reserves, include the Border Track at some stage during a visit. Fantastic wildlife.

Beside the Old Coach Road, at Mulligan's Flat.



The Bicentennial National Trail from Jenolan Caves to Yaouk and from Yaouk to Tom Groggin. The trail has recently had several changes here in the ACT, changes which mostly appear in the new BNT Guide Book #10 'Jenolan Caves to Yaouk' and #11 'Yaouk to Tom Groggin'. Soon further changes that missed being in the new publications will appear as amendments on the BNT site. From Yaouk ride into Oldfields Hut and camp. Sitting on the veranda in the morning, sitting in the sun at Oldfield's is stunning for the atmospherics. I'm a coordinator of the Bicentennial National Trail, you can always drop me a line and get all the goss.

The BNT on the Frost Plains near Oldfield's Hut. Excellent double track.




The BNT from Mount Werong is mostly down hill heading south back to Canberra. If you are a touring mountain bike rider the BNT is the longest self-reliant, remote trail, on this planet. 5,330 kilometres long. If you like the right to ride in true wilderness ... get onto the BNT.




BNT also incorporates quiet country back roads on the Great Divide, north of Canberra.




I don't usually ride on tarmac except for the Barton Highway - Murrumbateman Road - Nanima Road - back to the Barton Highway. Very popular for Sunday riders. I see sizable bunches of riders out that way on weekends. Nanima Road is very good but has no shoulder if you are on slicks. If you have a MTB add Spring Range Road to the route. Park at the Church opposite Church Lane (called Church Road on Google Maps) just north of Hall, if you want to make it easy.

An early start on Nanima Road.




I like all the trails out on the western face of Stromlo, except for Black Snake Gully which I find to be a destroyer of new paint jobs on nice bikes. The shot below is at the cliff edge, on 'Double Dissolution' (?).




At Boorowa is the southern portal to the Travelling Stock Route network of Australia. The TSRs are a most under utilised resource for riding and still a valuable part of the working life of rural Australia. The remaining TSRs contain the original vegetation of Australia prior to European invasion. They are ribbons of genetic inheritance. Camping on a TSR is free for cyclists after agreement from an LHPA regional Ranger. The best of the TSRs are those described as having unformed roads.

Kangaroo Grass on a TSR, up to the handle bars.



The fire trails of the Northern Budawang Ranges like the Redgrounds Track, Quilty's Mountain Firetrail and Newhaven Gap Road (which are bike legal) are kick arse scenic rides only 90 minutes from Canberra. There is good water in the creeks on these tracks.

Crossing the upper reaches of the Endrick River on the Redgrounds track.




Warren.

Looks like some great photo's Warren.

MaximumINC, thank you Mate.

This is an extraordinary region, and most fortunate to still be relatively people free when only kilometres from a first world city. More images of how I've interpreted the Canberra region ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/

Warren.

Howdy Pilgrims,

My favourite ride at the moment starts at the Dunlop end of Ginenderra Drive with any side lopps I feel like taking along the way. There are some great lake and 'burb' side routes to be had just to mix things up. Most of all I like the false flat heading up GD from Dunlop, feel that burn. After many years off the bike (and on the couch) my first roll up that way was torture!

This one's just over the fence (ie; NSW) ..... Long Plain Road [off the SM Highway near Yarrangobilly Caves] into the Brindabella Valley 44k all up, the last 18k is just a huge downhill scream 1400m down to 700m a great ride. The tricky bit is getting up to the start point.