Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

le_quiet_uno
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Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby le_quiet_uno » Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:29 pm

Hi all,

The winter is now over and the gong is just around the corner, I thought I'll get some kms under my belt by commuting to and back from work. Have previously tried the Pacific Highway but couldn't get comfortable with it especially on the way home.

Thought that I'll seek another option via Epping as it seems like the it has a dedicated cycle path pretty much to the city.

Have checked google maps and have found a way through the back of Beecroft station but wasn't sure if it is suitable for road bike.

Seeing that there a few people commute to work on the forum, thought I'll seek some advise from all.

Any tips with the route would be appreciated. :)

Cheers,
LQU
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queequeg
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby queequeg » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:15 pm

What is your start point? I am commuting from Dural to Nth Sydney. I take Sutherland Rd from Beecroft Station through to Epping, then the M2 detour to Pittwater Rd and down Epping rd to Lane Cove then Pac Hwy.

My Inbound Route is: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250549
Coming Home: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250543

Most days I use Sutherland Rd. Heading into work I tend to enjoy the quiet rolling hills (heading towards Epping you have enough speed to almost roll over all but one hill). I use Beecroft Rd mostly during wet weather, since the tunnel under the M2 on Sutherland Rd will flood if the rain has been heavy.
Coming home I will always use Sutherland Rd. Beecroft Rd is just a bit crazy during the evening peak, whereas Sutherland Rd is quiet. I'd be lucky some days to have more than 3 or 4 cars pass me heading towards Beecroft. Again, however, during wet weather the tunnel is impassable. On those days I will take the official M2 detour from Epping via Kandy Ave and take that up to Pennant Hills Rd near Murray Farm Rd, then along the SUP to the M2, then hop over the Western Path to get up to Castle Hill Rd and from there back onto New Line Rd. (heading to Thornleigh you could probably take either Kent Rd or Midson Rd/Kirkham St back up to Beecroft Rd).

Once the M2 reopens I will look at some different options to mix up my commutes.
Last edited by queequeg on Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

duncanm
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby duncanm » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:47 pm

I commute from Westleigh to Macquarie park.

My route inbound is basically the Esplanade, Yarrara, Pennant HIlls Rd, Beecroft Rd down to the old bus underpass just after the M2 (opposite Kandy Ave - you can hop straight off the road up the dropped curb at speed onto the path). I do a bit of a naughty at PH road onto the footpath between Trebor Rd and the Beecroft Rd turnoff to avoid trying to keep up with traffic uphill).

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/We ... pping-Path

I used to do Sutherland.. but you can pretty much keep up with the traffic down Beecroft Rd.. and shave a good 5min off the descent down to Epping. If you don't like mixing with the traffic, take the overpass at Pennant Hills Station, then Hampden, Ligouri, Azalea, Clement and up the stairs to Tristiana/Sutherland Rd, then follow Sutherland all the way down to the M2 underpass. See here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/We ... to-Balmain

On the return, take the M2 underpass and Sutherland. Then I cut across the railway at Cheltenham, which avoids some of the up/downs on Sutherland... more naughty bits on the footpath along Beecroft Rd from Albert around to Trebor. Then join the traffic again by exiting Trebor on a traffic light.

That gets you to Agincourt Rd in Marsfield. From there, you probably want Agincourt, Kent, Coxs the across to the Epping Path.

EDIT: I just realised... my path through to Balmain gives you another option, which is city via Gladesville/Iron Cove/ Anzac Bridge.

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queequeg
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby queequeg » Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:30 pm

duncanm wrote:I commute from Westleigh to Macquarie park.

My route inbound is basically the Esplanade, Yarrara, Pennant HIlls Rd, Beecroft Rd down to the old bus underpass just after the M2 (opposite Kandy Ave - you can hop straight off the road up the dropped curb at speed onto the path). I do a bit of a naughty at PH road onto the footpath between Trebor Rd and the Beecroft Rd turnoff to avoid trying to keep up with traffic uphill).
Have you ever used the path from Timbarra Rd (off Quarter Sessions Rd) through to Bellamy St? It looks like a paved path on Google Maps/Nearmap. I'll have to get down there and take a look as it means you can cut almost directly through to Boundary Rd and up the short hill to Pennant Hills Rd.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

duncanm
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby duncanm » Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:39 pm

queequeg wrote:
duncanm wrote:I commute from Westleigh to Macquarie park.

My route inbound is basically the Esplanade, Yarrara, Pennant HIlls Rd, Beecroft Rd down to the old bus underpass just after the M2 (opposite Kandy Ave - you can hop straight off the road up the dropped curb at speed onto the path). I do a bit of a naughty at PH road onto the footpath between Trebor Rd and the Beecroft Rd turnoff to avoid trying to keep up with traffic uphill).
Have you ever used the path from Timbarra Rd (off Quarter Sessions Rd) through to Bellamy St? It looks like a paved path on Google Maps/Nearmap. I'll have to get down there and take a look as it means you can cut almost directly through to Boundary Rd and up the short hill to Pennant Hills Rd.
Yep, that path is a nice wide concrete job all the way through.

I don't use it, however, as its is a fair drop down to the zig zag gully and back up - steep on both sides - I don't feel up to it so early in my ride. Its very similar in elevation change to the Brown's waterhole path.

I have also cut through Edmundson Close a couple of times, small footbridge across the creek, then behind the waterboard pump station (short gravel path), through to Dale Close. Not as deep as the dip down to zig zag gully. If you go down the end of Edmundson its pretty obvious where to go.

Once on the other side, I find Rosemount/Weemala/Trebor is a better way to get to Pennant Hills Rd, as Bellamy is pretty Heavily trafficked.

le_quiet_uno
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby le_quiet_uno » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:22 pm

Many thanks guys!! :D

The combination of your route is exactly what I am looking for! Am not too keen to get on busy roads like Pennant Hills and Beecroft Road but the back streets like Sutherland Road and Pembroke Street is just perfect!

Will give it a few run over the weekends just to familiarize myself with the route!

Many thanks once again! :D
2009 - Current - BMC SL 01 [2009]
2008 - 2009 - Cervelo R3 [2008]
2007 - 2008 - Trek 1.4 [2005]

le_quiet_uno
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby le_quiet_uno » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:25 pm

queequeg wrote:What is your start point? I am commuting from Dural to Nth Sydney. I take Sutherland Rd from Beecroft Station through to Epping, then the M2 detour to Pittwater Rd and down Epping rd to Lane Cove then Pac Hwy.

My Inbound Route is: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250549
Coming Home: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250543

Most days I use Sutherland Rd. Heading into work I tend to enjoy the quiet rolling hills (heading towards Epping you have enough speed to almost roll over all but one hill). I use Beecroft Rd mostly during wet weather, since the tunnel under the M2 on Sutherland Rd will flood if the rain has been heavy.
Coming home I will always use Sutherland Rd. Beecroft Rd is just a bit crazy during the evening peak, whereas Sutherland Rd is quiet. I'd be lucky some days to have more than 3 or 4 cars pass me heading towards Beecroft. Again, however, during wet weather the tunnel is impassable. On those days I will take the official M2 detour from Epping via Kandy Ave and take that up to Pennant Hills Rd near Murray Farm Rd, then along the SUP to the M2, then hop over the Western Path to get up to Castle Hill Rd and from there back onto New Line Rd. (heading to Thornleigh you could probably take either Kent Rd or Midson Rd/Kirkham St back up to Beecroft Rd).

Once the M2 reopens I will look at some different options to mix up my commutes.
Hi Queequeg,

My starting point would be at the Thornleigh station. :)
2009 - Current - BMC SL 01 [2009]
2008 - 2009 - Cervelo R3 [2008]
2007 - 2008 - Trek 1.4 [2005]

le_quiet_uno
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby le_quiet_uno » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:27 pm

duncanm wrote:I commute from Westleigh to Macquarie park.

My route inbound is basically the Esplanade, Yarrara, Pennant HIlls Rd, Beecroft Rd down to the old bus underpass just after the M2 (opposite Kandy Ave - you can hop straight off the road up the dropped curb at speed onto the path). I do a bit of a naughty at PH road onto the footpath between Trebor Rd and the Beecroft Rd turnoff to avoid trying to keep up with traffic uphill).

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/We ... pping-Path

I used to do Sutherland.. but you can pretty much keep up with the traffic down Beecroft Rd.. and shave a good 5min off the descent down to Epping. If you don't like mixing with the traffic, take the overpass at Pennant Hills Station, then Hampden, Ligouri, Azalea, Clement and up the stairs to Tristiana/Sutherland Rd, then follow Sutherland all the way down to the M2 underpass. See here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/We ... to-Balmain

On the return, take the M2 underpass and Sutherland. Then I cut across the railway at Cheltenham, which avoids some of the up/downs on Sutherland... more naughty bits on the footpath along Beecroft Rd from Albert around to Trebor. Then join the traffic again by exiting Trebor on a traffic light.

That gets you to Agincourt Rd in Marsfield. From there, you probably want Agincourt, Kent, Coxs the across to the Epping Path.

EDIT: I just realised... my path through to Balmain gives you another option, which is city via Gladesville/Iron Cove/ Anzac Bridge.
Thanks Duncanm! :)

Ideally I prefer to head down to Lane Cove as it will become easier for me to get into autopilot mode to get into the office. :)
2009 - Current - BMC SL 01 [2009]
2008 - 2009 - Cervelo R3 [2008]
2007 - 2008 - Trek 1.4 [2005]

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queequeg
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby queequeg » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:52 pm

le_quiet_uno wrote:
queequeg wrote:What is your start point? I am commuting from Dural to Nth Sydney. I take Sutherland Rd from Beecroft Station through to Epping, then the M2 detour to Pittwater Rd and down Epping rd to Lane Cove then Pac Hwy.

My Inbound Route is: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250549
Coming Home: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250543

Most days I use Sutherland Rd. Heading into work I tend to enjoy the quiet rolling hills (heading towards Epping you have enough speed to almost roll over all but one hill). I use Beecroft Rd mostly during wet weather, since the tunnel under the M2 on Sutherland Rd will flood if the rain has been heavy.
Coming home I will always use Sutherland Rd. Beecroft Rd is just a bit crazy during the evening peak, whereas Sutherland Rd is quiet. I'd be lucky some days to have more than 3 or 4 cars pass me heading towards Beecroft. Again, however, during wet weather the tunnel is impassable. On those days I will take the official M2 detour from Epping via Kandy Ave and take that up to Pennant Hills Rd near Murray Farm Rd, then along the SUP to the M2, then hop over the Western Path to get up to Castle Hill Rd and from there back onto New Line Rd. (heading to Thornleigh you could probably take either Kent Rd or Midson Rd/Kirkham St back up to Beecroft Rd).

Once the M2 reopens I will look at some different options to mix up my commutes.

Hi Queequeg,

My starting point would be at the Thornleigh station. :)
As with my commute from Dural, the first fewkm is going to be the most "tricky" for you. I think the Esplanade/Yararra Rd/Pennant Hills Rd is the most Direct. Personally I avoid Pennant Hills Rd. Even when I riding to work at 5:30am, it is full of B-Double Trucks flying along in narrow lanes. Quite often they don't stop for the red light where I cross, so you have to pay careful attention.
I come up New Line Rd and go towards Castle Hill Rd, then take a short detour to Cardinal Ave before climbing up Hannah St to Beecroft station. I have also previously done New Line Rd, then Boundary Rd all the way up to Pennant Hills Rd. I avoid that route because tradies in utes fly through there at crazy speeds. Cardinal Ave/Hannah St is much more pleasant!
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

le_quiet_uno
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby le_quiet_uno » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:08 pm

queequeg wrote:
le_quiet_uno wrote:
queequeg wrote:What is your start point? I am commuting from Dural to Nth Sydney. I take Sutherland Rd from Beecroft Station through to Epping, then the M2 detour to Pittwater Rd and down Epping rd to Lane Cove then Pac Hwy.

My Inbound Route is: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250549
Coming Home: http://app.strava.com/rides/16250543
As with my commute from Dural, the first fewkm is going to be the most "tricky" for you. I think the Esplanade/Yararra Rd/Pennant Hills Rd is the most Direct. Personally I avoid Pennant Hills Rd. Even when I riding to work at 5:30am, it is full of B-Double Trucks flying along in narrow lanes. Quite often they don't stop for the red light where I cross, so you have to pay careful attention.
I come up New Line Rd and go towards Castle Hill Rd, then take a short detour to Cardinal Ave before climbing up Hannah St to Beecroft station. I have also previously done New Line Rd, then Boundary Rd all the way up to Pennant Hills Rd. I avoid that route because tradies in utes fly through there at crazy speeds. Cardinal Ave/Hannah St is much more pleasant!
Hi Queequeg,

The beginning is where I'm kind of stuck as Pennant Hills road is not the most cyclist friendly area due to its busyness with traddies and truckies. But with your tips, I think I can get a bit further by trying different routes out to see which one that I'm most comfortable with.

If you start at 5:30, you must be at work by 7:00am then! Wow! :)
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queequeg
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby queequeg » Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:27 pm

le_quiet_uno wrote:


Hi Queequeg,

The beginning is where I'm kind of stuck as Pennant Hills road is not the most cyclist friendly area due to its busyness with traddies and truckies. But with your tips, I think I can get a bit further by trying different routes out to see which one that I'm most comfortable with.

If you start at 5:30, you must be at work by 7:00am then! Wow! :)
Well, if you were on a Mountain Bike you could commute to work via Pennant Hills Park & Lane Cove National Park (http://nobmob.com/rides/lcnp).

I think your best on-road option is to use the Pennant Hills Rd overpass and duck down the back to Sutherland Rd and follow that through to Epping. From here you can join up with the M2 detour and follow that to the Epping Rd Path and into the city.

I leave at 5:30am and I am in Nth Sydney anywhere from 6:30 to 6:45am, depending on weather conditions and whether I extend my ride a bit or just take it easy. Today's ride in was a ripper though...54 minutes with the tailwind, doing almost 60km/h down Beecroft Rd. Plus, I wasn't even on my "fast bike". My record for Dural to Nth Sydney is 45 minutes.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

le_quiet_uno
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby le_quiet_uno » Tue Sep 11, 2012 7:00 pm

queequeg wrote:
le_quiet_uno wrote:

Well, if you were on a Mountain Bike you could commute to work via Pennant Hills Park & Lane Cove National Park (http://nobmob.com/rides/lcnp).

I think your best on-road option is to use the Pennant Hills Rd overpass and duck down the back to Sutherland Rd and follow that through to Epping. From here you can join up with the M2 detour and follow that to the Epping Rd Path and into the city.

I leave at 5:30am and I am in Nth Sydney anywhere from 6:30 to 6:45am, depending on weather conditions and whether I extend my ride a bit or just take it easy. Today's ride in was a ripper though...54 minutes with the tailwind, doing almost 60km/h down Beecroft Rd. Plus, I wasn't even on my "fast bike". My record for Dural to Nth Sydney is 45 minutes.
Thanks Queequeg! Was trying that out without my phone over the weekend. Got lost before the Sutherland Road. Will give it another crack over the next couple of weeks.

Wow!! I would hate to imagine what sort of time you can do with your go fast bike!! :)
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queequeg
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby queequeg » Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:50 am

le_quiet_uno wrote:
Thanks Queequeg! Was trying that out without my phone over the weekend. Got lost before the Sutherland Road. Will give it another crack over the next couple of weeks.

Wow!! I would hate to imagine what sort of time you can do with your go fast bike!! :)
There's lots of factors in play, but as I noted before, my best time from Dural to Nth Sydney is 45 minutes, which worked out to 34km/h avg speed. It helped massively that it was early on a Sunday morning and I was able to take all the main roads (New Line Rd, Boundary Rd, Pennant Hills Rd, Beecroft Rd, Epping Rd, Pacific Hwy). The only time I used the bike path was from Mowbray Rd (Lane Cove Tunnel Start) to Pacific Hwy at Lane Cove.
I'll see how my time goes this weekend as I am heading into Nth Sydney for the start of the Marathon.
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duncanm
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Re: Commute From Thornleign to City via Epping

Postby duncanm » Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:17 pm

Thought I'd dredge this thread up to point out a hazard up at the corner of Pennant Hills rd and Beecroft rd.

The other day, I was riding down the footpath (naughty.. but its the only safe route) north from Beecroft Rd along the East side of Pennant Hills Rd when I picked up a bunch of thorns in my tyres.

Noticed I was going flat down near City-View Rd Thornleigh, pulled over and found thorns all through my tyres. Picked them out, changed both tubes and made it home - one tube ended up having 7 patches on it!

I couldn't work out where the thorns were, as I passed that point a few times over the subsequent days without incident.. until yesterday evening, when I left the footpath to let a pedestrian through... blammo. thorns.

So.. it turns out the grass patch here http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=-33.74 ... 1&t=h&z=21 is chockers with big motherf'in thorns.. DO NOT ride through it!

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