Braving the Pacific Hwy on the North Shore

[AUbicycles]

It was about 15 years since I last rode the Pacific Hwy into to the city - and never liked it. Today, out of necessity I braved the road - (after morning peak and before afternoon peak against the flow) and it certainly isn't very nice. I was visible with bright lights front and back and rode cautiously without issue but I have always thought that it is a pity there isn't a nice road into the city.

As I was dropping the car off at the panel beaters and then returning to pick it it, strangely all of the issues with the traffic were while I was in the car, not the bike - with other vehicles trying to come into my lane a number of times.

I thought about whether to find some back routes though they are messy with cars also racing past and chatwood is not that easy to get through. I hope not to return anytime soon but would love to have a safer route to ride regularly to the city - like the old idea for a bikepath alongside the railway line, that works so well in other cities around the world.

[Fresh]

Only time I ever ride it is early Sunday morning going to/from Mona Vale/Bobbin/Galston area. Even then it is a crap road full of cracks, holes and shocking drivers.

[toolonglegs]

I always liked the bobbin head turn off to crows nest run ... claim the lane and hammer. I probably wouldn't like it so much these days ... too many strava runs making it oooh so dangerous .

[Ozkaban]

Not so bad riding towards to the city where it trends downhill - heaps easier to keep up with traffic and as TLL said, you just hammer. Homeward bound is another matter. Lovely little spots like pymble hill really suck - narrow, 2 lanes, no shoulder, you're going slow and the cars are hammering. Not fun.

I'll ride it with my bunch ride from Telegraph Rd all the way north. Not so keen on my own though.

[AUbicycles]

Particularly around Chatswood / Artarmon the road surface is dodgy but yes - claim the lane and go for it.

TLL, since you were last in Australia they put in traffic lights so that slows you down a bit

[trailgumby]

There's a Bike Bus that departs eastern side of Gordon Railway Station 6:45am weekdays. Good opportunity to find the safer back streets route.

[BastardSheep]

Is that bike bus largely people with yellow and red jerseys? I've been trying to figure out what club/group that jersey is for, but when ever I see people with them in Crows Nest / Artarmon I can never get close enough in time to read it.

[george-bob]

Is that bike bus largely people with yellow and red jerseys? I've been trying to figure out what club/group that jersey is for, but when ever I see people with them in Crows Nest / Artarmon I can never get close enough in time to read it.

the yellow red jerseys are likely the 'easy riders' who are from hornsby/turramurra area. they head down the pacific highway in a bike bus a couple of days a week.

AUbicycles, if you are interested I have a reasonably good route that is almost entirely on back streets that goes from hornsby to the city. it basically follows the train line along the parallel back streets. it is a good ride, with some decent hills.

[zero]

I've never found it to be a particularly troublesome road to ride on - all the roads are busy during peak, there are finite valley crossing roads - and on the pac highway my speeds are more compatible with cars than say climbing up from northbridge, and there are more lanes for motorists to choose to get around me.

[AUbicycles]

I spot a lot of the commuters on Werona Rd and Rosedale road. In Chatswood you could go down Archer street, but also down any other Parallel street (once you have braved boundry road) and then head over Mowbray road into Artarmon / Willoughby heading down onto the bike route to the city.

Thank goodness it is not regular, I could think of a number of more pleasant commutes where you are not stuck inside traffic. It is also a mental thing really differentiating from a training ride and a start/stop ride which I am not used to any more.

[vazzwells]

AUbicycles, if you are interested I have a reasonably good route that is almost entirely on back streets that goes from hornsby to the city. it basically follows the train line along the parallel back streets. it is a good ride, with some decent hills.

george-bob,

What route do you take between Wahroonga & Gordon?

[sogood]

It was about 15 years since I last rode the Pacific Hwy into to the city - and never liked it. Today, out of necessity I braved the road - (after morning peak and before afternoon peak against the flow) and it certainly isn't very nice.

Which section of Pacific Hwy? Between Artarmon (where there a congregation of car repair shops) and CBD, you can try the slower bike path along Warringah freeway until North Sydney. No good options going north of Chatswood.

[J-Mars]

AUbicycles, if you are interested I have a reasonably good route that is almost entirely on back streets that goes from hornsby to the city. it basically follows the train line along the parallel back streets. it is a good ride, with some decent hills.

I'm interested! Actually just created a similar thread as I didn't see this one.

I was looking at joining the bike bus, but wasn't sure if I'd embarrass myself by being too slow. Also they seem to meet at Gordon... So that still leaves the Wahroonga/Turra/pymble gauntlet to negotiate.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[queequeg]

AUbicycles, if you are interested I have a reasonably good route that is almost entirely on back streets that goes from hornsby to the city. it basically follows the train line along the parallel back streets. it is a good ride, with some decent hills.

I'm interested! Actually just created a similar thread as I didn't see this one.

I was looking at joining the bike bus, but wasn't sure if I'd embarrass myself by being too slow. Also they seem to meet at Gordon... So that still leaves the Wahroonga/Turra/pymble gauntlet to negotiate.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Although longer, you can do back streets from Hornsby to Turramurra, then come down Kissing Point Rd and through Browns Waterhole to Marsfield, then join up with Epping Rd SUP to Naremburn.
The Pacific Hwy from Lane Cove to Nth Sydney is pretty good. Other than a few small sections you have a T3 lane all the way in, and only a few buses to share it with. Likewise coming home, just a few sections where the S lane vanishes but it is otherwise a good run.

[J-Mars]

Although longer, you can do back streets from Hornsby to Turramurra, then come down Kissing Point Rd and through Browns Waterhole to Marsfield, then join up with Epping Rd SUP to Naremburn.
The Pacific Hwy from Lane Cove to Nth Sydney is pretty good. Other than a few small sections you have a T3 lane all the way in, and only a few buses to share it with. Likewise coming home, just a few sections where the S lane vanishes but it is otherwise a good run.

I'm bang-smack at the start of the f3, so the Hornsby - turra route is going a bit out of my way, but the kissing pt road route shows some potential... I can tolerate the "thrill" of PAC hwy for a few km. And I've eyed off the Epping rd cycle lanes with envy for a while now.

I'd never known there was a sneaky path to get across the m2, thanks!

I'll do a trial run on the long weekend to see how it goes.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[george-bob]

j-mars, i have replied to your thread with a link to the route (well, a strava segment of the route). if you are at the start of the F3 you can get to turramurra on back roads easily, once you get to waitara there is a quiet road that runs along the train line to warrawee which you can then get to rohini st and turn right onto the highway then immediately left onto kissing point.

once you get through browns waterhole you can go on the epping rd path, but my preference is always lane cove national park, absolutely stunning in the morning.

[slau73]

I was looking at joining the bike bus, but wasn't sure if I'd embarrass myself by being too slow. Also they seem to meet at Gordon... So that still leaves the Wahroonga/Turra/pymble gauntlet to negotiate.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

I understand this thread is quite old (well at least months old) but I only came across it today. I ride with the Easy Riders off and on. Yes the meeting point is at Gordon but a number of members live further up from there. So if you would like to join and like company from beyond Gordon, let the group know and I'm sure someone will meet with you and ride with you to the starting point. And there is no concern about being slow. They Easy Riders motto is OASFTSR (Only As Fast As The Slowest Rider) and they never drop anyone on the ride. The depart time is formally 6:45am and the main path taken is via the backstreets. Arrival south of the Bridge is approximately 7:30am where the group always stop for morning coffee at the Bitter & Twisted cafe. Anyhow, for more info, go to http://www.sydney-easy-riders.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. The website also shows some of the routes taken by the group. There are a variety of rides, from most direct to some not-so-direct (for those who like to get some kms before work!).