Baulkham Hills to Pennant Hills - Route?

[dajackal]

Hi guys,

I'm new to cycling so I'm not comfortable sharing on main roads. Can you please recommend a cycle route for my commute? Priority is safety.

I put one together a draft one on bikely:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/commute-145" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-There are bus lanes on Windsor Rd so I should be ok (fingers crossed)
-M2 is supposed to have dedicated cycle paths right?
-I will use the footpath on the short section of Pennant Hills Rd.
-I will go on Hannah St as it is quieter and runs parallel to Copeland Rd
-I will then follow the train track from Beecroft
-There is an offroad path connecting Beecroft to Pennant Hills
-Finish at the business centre at Pennant Hills

[vosadrian]

Are you OK with Hills? I would head Nth on back streets towards Pasonage Rd and then take Hume, Cecil. Take the path up the short busy section of Northern Rd to middle of Castle Hill, and then go down Crane/Castlewood Drv. Go through the walking path at the park to Highs Rd, down highs Rd (wide Verge) to Coonara. Follow Coonara up to Castle Hill Rd (Steep!!). Few hundred metres on path to Victoria Rd. Follow Victoria all the way to pennant Hills.

But that route has some steep hills which may not be what you are after... but good if youa re looking to get fitter!!

[queequeg]

But that route has some steep hills which may not be what you are after... but good if youa re looking to get fitter!!

That is quite an understatement! When I first started commuting from Dural I used to come through West Pennant Hills Valley. There is just no escaping the hills, but the top of Coonara Ave is just totally insane.
If you were inclined to go that way though, I would cross over at the lights into Edward Bennett Dr and take it all the way to the end, hop over to New Line Rd and ride up to Victoria Rd from there.

[dajackal]

thanks queequeg and vosadrian!

is this the route you suggested?
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/co ... astle-hill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

here are a couple of variations i created - which one would be the best balance of safest & least hills?
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/commute-145" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/boognoss-suggested" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Xplora]

The most direct route is ALWAYS the best route, hills or not. Adrian's run through Coonara looks pretty good. You've got the girl ring to get you up there. I personally would not like to take Aiken Road because it's a high velocity rat run. You will be fast, the cars will be fast and it's fairly tight IME. It's a long term problem that will end badly. You don't avoid hills that way either! You will learn to climb like a highland goat... best plan is simply take it easy on the downhills, and push hard on that big climb. Use Strava, you'll enjoy the challenge. You have the alternate routes if you are not well. Rule 5 baby.

[vosadrian]

thanks queequeg and vosadrian!

is this the route you suggested?
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/co ... astle-hill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

here are a couple of variations i created - which one would be the best balance of safest & least hills?
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/commute-145" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/boognoss-suggested" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is basically the route I suggested, but I would go straight though centre of Castle Hill on Northern Rd and turn into Crane rather than Terminus. The middle of Castle hill is low speed limit with speed humps and safer for bikes than Terminus. Also, I prefer to go on the path on Castle Hill Rd to Victoria, but the way you have is OK also.

As stated.... this way has hills. I actually like the hills myself, but they are not for everyone. If you do the top of Coonara every day you will become very good at hills as the last 50m or so is around 15% incline. It is fine if you just go slow and stand up in your lowest gear... it is not far, but it is steep!! The WPH valley and suburbs around it are hilly areas. There is no avoiding them... but some are much steeper than others. They seem difficult at first, but you get used to them and they are great for your riding fitness especially climbing.

[Xplora]

As stated.... this way has hills. I actually like the hills myself, and they are for everyone. When you do the top of Coonara every day you will become very good at hills as the last 50m or so is around 15% incline. It is fine ... it is not far!! The WPH valley and suburbs around it are hilly areas. There is no avoiding them... but some are much more fun than others. They seem difficult at first, but you get used to them and they are great

Adrian telling it how it is. HTFU.

[queequeg]

Well, this is the hills district My daily commute starts with New Line Rd from Dural almost all the way to Castle Hill Rd. It is the easiest part of my ride

[RomanTheCube]

But that route has some steep hills which may not be what you are after... but good if youa re looking to get fitter!!

There is just no escaping the hills, but the top of Coonara Ave is just totally insane.

I used to live on Coonara Ave - There was no escape!

[queequeg]

But that route has some steep hills which may not be what you are after... but good if youa re looking to get fitter!!

There is just no escaping the hills, but the top of Coonara Ave is just totally insane.

I used to live on Coonara Ave - There was no escape!

I have cycled it once, and I as I got towards the to I noticed that cars were queued back from the lights, but the last car was actually down the hill. I had to stop and unclip on the steepest part of the hill, and I nearly fell over trying to get started again!
I now stay on the other side of Castle Hill Rd and use Cardinal Ave, which is also crazy steep but is also very quiet.

[vosadrian]

I live right in the bottom of the valley off Coonara. A typical ride to anywhere for me starts with a 5% 40-50m climb just to get to Coonara near the shops. Then mostly there is another 40-50m climb from the shops up to Castle Hill Rd (via Coonara ave or Glenhope/glenridge), so I normally climb almost 100m within 2km of leaving my house. Good for warming up in Winter!!

If I have time, I take the long way to work. Up to Castle Hill Rd. Down to Cherrybrook. Up and down 2 hills on David Rd. Down New Line, Up Hastings, Down and up old Castle Hill Rd. Down and up Tuckwell. Down and up Showground. Almost 500m climbing in about a 15km ride!! It makes hitting the golden 30kph average speed very difficult.

[queequeg]

I live right in the bottom of the valley off Coonara. A typical ride to anywhere for me starts with a 5% 40-50m climb just to get to Coonara near the shops. Then mostly there is another 40-50m climb from the shops up to Castle Hill Rd (via Coonara ave or Glenhope/glenridge), so I normally climb almost 100m within 2km of leaving my house. Good for warming up in Winter!!

If I have time, I take the long way to work. Up to Castle Hill Rd. Down to Cherrybrook. Up and down 2 hills on David Rd. Down New Line, Up Hastings, Down and up old Castle Hill Rd. Down and up Tuckwell. Down and up Showground. Almost 500m climbing in about a 15km ride!! It makes hitting the golden 30kph average speed very difficult.

Yeah, I am in the South Dural bit off David Rd/James Henty Dr, so in all directions is a hill. I have never done Hastings Rd though, as I usually go via Oakhill Dr and through the backstreets to come out just opposite the Fire Station on Old Northern Rd.
Climbing New Line Rd from Hastings to Sebastian Dr is a killer!

[vosadrian]

I have a good friend who rides who lives in the same areas as you (Heritage). Have ridden there a number of times.

Hastings is OK... not that steep and a rest half way up. I have not done New Line up from Hastings. Looks like a killer. Would like to do it one day, but have avoided it in morning peak hour traffic as I have seen cars doing some pretty dangerous things to get around a slow truck before the lane ends.