Haymarket and Bike Parking

[silkishuge]

Hi,

I will be going to Haymarket for the first time in my bike to do the weekly grocery shopping this Saturday. I will be riding down Pacific Highway from Hornsby Heights and stopping over at the Sydney Fish Market before I head off to Haymarket. I am pretty sure I can pack the bike at the Sydney Fish Market but not sure about Haymarket. I will heading into the fruit and vegetable market on the ground floor and was wondering if I could bring the bike in.

1. is there a rule that prohibits me from bringing my bike in to the market area. It will be used to carry my panniers pretty much like a shopping trolley so I don't see why it should not be allowed.
2. If I can't bring the bike it to the market, is there a place where I can safely park my bike while I do the grocery shopping?

Thanks,
J

[Chanboy]

Hey,

You'll have no problems at the Fish Markets - you'll just have to chain the bike to one of the railings - probably one near the outdoor eating area. Lots of people passing by - should be pretty safe.

For Haymarket. Not sure if there is any rules about actually taking the bike into the market place, but I would suggest it will be difficult to do so. It can get very crowded in there... and some of the walk ways can be very narrow.

Not sure about good parking places in that area - especially if you have fresh fish going off in your pannier... (there are of course plenty of street signs and poles around the place.

[silkishuge]

Thanks for the reply Chanboy. I will only be in the market for a short while and will pick up some ice from the fish market and will be putting the fish in a cooler bag. I will not be cycling home but will take the train so my timing has to be pretty spot on. I should not take longer than 20 mins in the fruit and vege market. Typically I hunt for bananas and apples and at this time of the year, some yummy stone fruits. I have a 60kg weight limit...... 10 kg of apples, 10kg of nectarines, 10kg of peaches, some ginger and about 10 kg of seafood. The fruits will last a week, but seafood will last a month. I will only be doing this trip on a monthly basis.

J

[goneriding]

You could try going to the markets at Flemington as they have good fresh fish and fruit. The market opens very early (I go at 5.30am on Saturdays) and you can chain your bike to pretty much anything. There is also an excellent coffee shop where you can get an authentic Italian espresso.

Getting back to Hornsby is easy as you can ride to Strathfield Station and catch the train from there.

[silkishuge]

You could try going to the markets at Flemington as they have good fresh fish and fruit. The market opens very early (I go at 5.30am on Saturdays) and you can chain your bike to pretty much anything. There is also an excellent coffee shop where you can get an authentic Italian espresso.

Getting back to Hornsby is easy as you can ride to Strathfield Station and catch the train from there.

Thanks for that. I have never been to flemington and have no idea where it is. I have to give that a go one of these days. Perhaps when time is not a constraint. Sounds like something to do with the family. At 5.30am, I will probably be out riding somewhere.

J

[goneriding]

Flemington is about 5 minutes away from Olympic Park along Parramatta Rd. If you know how to get there from Hornsby then the Market is easy. It is the main distribution centre for Sydney's fruit and veg so the quality and pricing is very good. I spend $100 a week there and get pretty much everything the family needs for the week.

The reason for going early is that you get the best quality whereas if you go later, even though it is much cheaper, the quality is not as good. I think the markets actually open around 3am so you can get in real early and then go riding!

Parking is a pain but if you are riding you'll be fine. Strathfield Station is about 10 minutes from the market and has services directly to Hornsby.

[gavinr]

1. is there a rule that prohibits me from bringing my bike in to the market area. It will be used to carry my panniers pretty much like a shopping trolley so I don't see why it should not be allowed.

The only rule against this is common sense - it will be crammed with people in the market, no matter what time you go in!

2. If I can't bring the bike it to the market, is there a place where I can safely park my bike while I do the grocery shopping?

There is a University building opposite the entrances to the market in Quay Street, there are some handrail type things outside there which I have successfully chained my bike to in the past. I'm not entirely sure if they are designed for bike parking but they certainly fit the bill. They are also in the shade, which might be good for your fish

I also think there may be some cycle racks at the bottom of Quay Street near to the tram line, can't actually remember now. I used to work in that area but haven't been there much in the past 18 months so my memories are fading!

Also worth noting is that there is a fish section in the Haymarket market (Paddy's Markets) too. They have a fairly limited selection but it's worth considering if you want to avoid the madness that is the fishmarket at the weekend.

[wombatK]

There is a University building opposite the entrances to the market in Quay Street, there are some handrail type things outside there which I have successfully chained my bike to in the past. I'm not entirely sure if they are designed for bike parking but they certainly fit the bill. They are also in the shade, which might be good for your fish

+1 on parking next to the UTS library building. Don't know about the safety of leaving panniers on the bike - I'd carry them with me.

Fish markets shops will give you a bag of ice - my ride home takes me around an hour, and there's still plenty of ice in my pack when I'm done.

Cheers

[silkishuge]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will be carrying the panniers with me. They have a carry sling I can use. I might have to unlaod the contents to put the panniers back on though. I have been to the fish market at PADdys and it does not have the stuff I need. Sometimes yes, but usually no. I miss Vic market....... bikes have alot of space to move around in the market.

Flemington market looks great. It is nearer by train but I can't really get there by bike. It will save me an hour of commute time. I'll see how I go.

Thanks again.
J