Best route City to Campbelltown - M5?

[Greenspoon]

Hi all,

I live near North Sydney and study at UWS Campbelltown. I've been thinking about riding every now and again. I used to ride to work in the cbd and it was a quick hop over the bridge and very easy to navigate.

Getting to Campbelltown I fear is another matter. I have no idea what route I should take and how safe it is. On the plus side I imagine that once through the city I'd be going against traffic so it would be less busy.

Does anyone have a good recommendation? If I was driving I would go City - Oxford St - South Dowling St, past the airport and onto the M5. But I can't recall if the M5 west has a decent provision for bikes, or even south dowling towards the airport? From memory there have been some incidents there

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!

[wombatK]

M5 has cycleway markings on the shoulder - which is generally a good width. This might
change for the worse in some spots with the widening work now started, but so
far, it's not bad anywhere between Prestons and Bexley North.

Main difficulty is the on/off ramps, particularly the ones at King Georges Rd and
the Hume Highway at Liverpool. Just be prepared to stop and wait for a suitable break.

The shoulder can get quite a bit of debris on it, so you will need good puncture
resistant (kevlar or aramid belted) tyres and good spare tyre etc.,.

Best way to get to it would be to take the Burke St cycleway route (from William St,
or Taylors' Square, then pickup the cycleway around Qantas Drive (from Coward St),
through the Park at Tempe, and across Cooks River to Wolli Creek. Then follow the
RMS Cycleway through to Turrella, Bardwell Park and Bexley North, then on to the M5.

For comparison, you might want to look at this route on http://www.ridethecity.com/sydney#2528835" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
It uses parts of the Parramatta River cycleway, and the Liverpool Rail Trail cycle route.
I'm not sure that the route it suggests from Glenfield to Campbelltown is safer than the M5,
although there's some campbelltown commuters here that would be in a better position to comment on
that.

Cheers

[Kev365428]

What he said.

It depends on your needs - speedy commute, or wanting to enjoy the scenery.
The M5 is perfect for a fast, worry-free ride (excluding punctures).

My 40km commute has me on the M5 from Moorebank Av to Bexely Rd and it is by far the safest part of my ride.....and the fastest.

If you want a lesst hectic pace, there is a myriad of backstreet options you can take to get you to Campbelltown Campus. Check out Bikely or Map-My-Ride for alternate routes.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Greenspoon]

Thanks very much guys. Good to know there is at least a good space on the M5 for bikes. Shame it can be subject to debris. Are punctures really likely? I normally head north into national parks so have never ridden on a motorway.
Thanks for the websites. I think the Glenfield Ctown road is a bit touch and go, based on observations staring out the train window at it. A lot less traffic but also not a lot of space for bikes. At first I'd be keen on the speedy straightforward head down ride, but might explore back streets at a later date.

[Saro28]

a bit late but my 2c is..............Wombat is on the money, Bourke st, Coward St, to cycle way and Tempe parklands, Woolli ck etc.
This Maybe a little shorter but another way is via Bourke St and turn right at Huntley ( The Grounds Cafe) towards Sydney Park, Unwins bridge rd and past the Velodrome, short but steep climb to Earlwood, Homer ave, Bexley rd and join the M5. *PLEASE NOTE * The roadworks has had a major reduction of the shoulder that we ride on, it is now less than the width of a car for much of its length. Belmore rd through to toll gates + v/v. My 2nd suggestion is busier with traffic but a little shorter, so either way please be safe.


http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=Wa ... 1,2,3&z=13

[Greenspoon]

Hi guys.
Thanks so much for the posts. I buggered my knee and was of the bike for a while but just tried it this morning.
I spent an awfully long time being lost but I think I found my way. Bourke st connects well to coward and Tempe but from there I had a fun time trying to find the way to the M5!
Eventually found the path behind the woollies on princes highway and through to bexley. I'm not sure if I did the right thing, had to ask a fellow cyclist, but I turned down Bexley rd and then actually travelled along the bike path that runs along he reserve parallel to the m5. This took me all the way to king George's rd, from where I assume I could join the m5 safely?
I actually turned around at that point as Id run out of time, but did I take the right route?

I'm use to cycling on the north side which is quite calm and drivers are very patient for the most part. I found this ride to be quite different and am a little concerned about the on/off ramps on the motorway. Is that justified or can it be quite a smooth ride and ramp crossings manageable?
Thanks heaps.

[skull]

The m5 was good. However my experience if it was from 20 years ago when I last lived in Sydney.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4

[Greenspoon]

Ha I didn't even know there WAS an M5 20 years ago!