Railway Reserves Heritage Trail

[bjohnson]

I'm keen to get out into the hills,

I like the look of the railway reserves trail http://www.railwayreserves.com.au/Documents/Railway%20Reserves%20Heritage%20Trail%20brochure.pdf.

I'm pretty keen to incorporate it into a longer ride. It looks quite smooth on a lot of the images.
For anyone that has ridden it before, is it doable on a road bike or am I dreaming?

[mitzikatzi]

Road bike "ya dreamin"

Forum MTB Ride-Railway Reserve Midland to Mundaring and back

[Baalzamon]

CX can do it, but road bike naah. My trike could do it as well

[Phil]

A few bit gets a bit loose in summer, but now its a very decent surface. Doable on a hybrid or anything running 32+mm tyres currently.

[bjohnson]

Cheers.

While I was hopeful, that's pretty much what I expected

Good excuse to save for a CX bike I guess

[Pravda]

The roads running adjacent to the trail are reasonably good for roadies. I went up there this weekend just gone. It's not the most direct route into the hills but it ain't bad.

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[bazilicus]

Very much ridable on a road bike

http://youtu.be/geOFzYjV4O4

[fixed]

My first ride on the heritage trail was on Ricardo Viva roadie running 27x1 1/4 tyres.
Two sections were slightly more difficult:
The cutting into Glen Forrest going uphill, and downhill the exposed railway ballast once in John Forrest National Park.
The tunnel is always fun regardless of which bike you're running.
Larger cross-section tyres do make it easier

[Sprocket]

I grew up out that way and used to ride a ladies 3-speed with something around 30mm tyres (Can't quite remember but certainly narrower than 35mm and wider than 25mm ) along the railway reserve and all through John Forrest. Rarely had to get off and push along the Railway path, and was usually due to the blue metal rather than the pea gravel, and they've removed a lot of this.

[RobertFrith]

You can do most of it on a roadie easily. While it is gravel much of the surface is surprising smooth. Being an old rail track the grades are very mild. The worst of it is on the north side through the national park, the tunnel is rough, dark and can be wet. You'd probably want to walk a roadie through there (or take the route that goes around it). My review of it is here

[Pravda]

Anyone know what kind of time you're looking at for a return journey of the full track (out to Worooloo and back). From memory its about 57km so I'm thinking around 4 hours depending on how often you were to stop.
Thinking of giving my CX bike a christening with a ride out there.

[Phil]

Just doing the loop of Bellevue to Mundaring to Stoneville to JFNP to Bellevue is 41 kms, usually work on just on two hours normally.

Out to Wooraloo has got to be a fair bit further. From Mundaring Sculpture Park to Bakers Hills and return is 84kms and a relatively flat easy run with a decent food stop.

And whilst some people have done it on roadies - I wouldn't be abusing my rims with that sort of treatment, your bike - your choice.

[sambo3]

I did this ride today 110km round trip from Woodlands on my Alan CX bike. I would echo what others have said and would say you could do it on a road bike.
As Robertfirth has described in his great review the Nth section has an area of about 3-5kms that would give some trouble to road bikes.

Its not the pea gravel being soft that is the problem or excess use of this area, rather the fact that the base consists mostly of rail base rocks. You know those pointy edge ones . Even on the Alan I had to take extra caution through this section but it does only last for those 5ks or so.

I went up the nth side then down the south side, the easterly was a PITA getting there but great comming home. The only other section that may be a problem was between Darlington and Boya. The pea gravel had a few extra soft sections here (this would only be a hassle if going east west). Overall a great ride on the CX and will do again in the next few weeks as prep for my Kep track run. I will also hook up the GoPro and take some vid of the good and bad sections.

I did notice two water fountains on the Nth side, basically on the track so could you top up water on your trip. Also if doing this on a road bike there are tarmac roads beside most of the track which would enable you to bail to the tarmac if needed.

A few pics only had a crappy phone camera with me next time will shoot some of the scenic nth side but was pressed for time.


Signage that is throughout the trail


Wildflowers


Morning Tea at Mt Helena


Darlington Train Station

[Thoglette]

Very much ridable on a road bike: http://youtu.be/geOFzYjV4O4

But out your Paris - Roubaix 28mm dugasts on. 27 x 1 1/4 are better (or 700C/32).

[Pravda]

Rode the trail on my cross bike yesterday morning. Its easily doable on something running slightly wide tyres. That said i wouldn't take my readied on it. Too much chance of a stack on loose surfaces.

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[Phil]

Did this yesterday with my usual crowd who are a bunch of die-hard roadies.

The only comments afterwards were when we were going to organise the next one, and what time is the Bakers Hill pie Shop open?

I think the rain the night before did a great job of keeping the dust down.

[Sprocket]

I rode part of this trail yesterday as well, picking the trail up at Swan View and out to Parkerville - on my steel frame tourer with 35mm (1.4") slick tyres. No problems except going through the railway tunnel - just had to see if it could be done.... it can, but it wasn't fun. Wouldn't recommend the tunnel on anything less than MTB tyres. The rest was just fine and a very nice ride.

[Phil]

I rode part of this trail yesterday as well, picking the trail up at Swan View and out to Parkerville - on my steel frame tourer with 35mm (1.4") slick tyres. No problems except going through the railway tunnel - just had to see if it could be done.... it can, but it wasn't fun. Wouldn't recommend the tunnel on anything less than MTB tyres. The rest was just fine and a very nice ride.

yeah went through yesterday - the surface is quite lumpy - like rocks that have been glued down?

No dramas though on the 29er at 30psi. Dark though.

[conche]

Hi,
I am heading out for my first venture riding the heritage trail sometime early this week. I currently have a set of Conti City Contacts tyres (28 x 1 3/8 x 1 5/8) on my 29er, but have a spare set of Maxxis MTB tyres that came with my bike when I originally purchased it. Will the Conti's be suitable for the terrain on the trail or should i swap to the Maxxis'.
Here is a link showing what the conti city contacts look like. http://www.cellbikes.com.au/Continental ... -Bike-Tyre


Any recommendations as to where to start the trail and park my vehicle (safe area) ?

Your comments are appreciated

[mitzikatzi]

Hi,
I am heading out for my first venture riding the heritage trail sometime early this week. I currently have a set of Conti City Contacts tyres (28 x 1 3/8 x 1 5/8) on my 29er, but have a spare set of Maxxis MTB tyres that came with my bike when I originally purchased it. Will the Conti's be suitable for the terrain on the trail or should i swap to the Maxxis'.
Here is a link showing what the conti city contacts look like. http://www.cellbikes.com.au/Continental ... -Bike-Tyre


Any recommendations as to where to start the trail and park my vehicle (safe area) ?

Your comments are appreciated

I would fit the Maxxis MTB tyres but I suspect you could do it on the City Contacts. I did it today on Maxxis MTB tyres.

Today I parked at Sculpture Park in Mundaring (nice toilets)

On Sundays I have parked at Bellevue Returned Services Community & Sporting Club, : Purton Place, Bellevue WA 6056

You can park at any number of places.

Here is a Map linked above map here parking is noted

[Phil]

Today I parked at Sculpture Park in Mundaring (nice toilets)

On Sundays I have parked at Bellevue Returned Services Community & Sporting Club, : Purton Place, Bellevue WA 6056

Agreed seen too much broken glass in the carpark at the top of Morrison Road to be comfortable parking there.

Sculpture park is a good spot too - close to Dome for a coffee after the ride.

[conche]

On Sundays I have parked at Bellevue Returned Services Community & Sporting Club, : Purton Place, Bellevue WA 6056

You can park at any number of places.

Here is a Map linked above map here parking is noted

Thanks Mitzikatzi. Is it possible to park at the Bellevue Returned Services Community & Sporting Club any time of the week? Looks like a great place to start....cheers!

[mitzikatzi]

No idea if the RSL get grumpy if you park in there car park.
You can just park in the Park where the trail starts. There is a info board there.