Finding a safe cycling route close to Sydney can be challenging but it is possible if you get a bit creative… and take advantage of some public transport options to help you avoid some of the typical hassles that come with traffic on busy roads.
‘Roads to ride’ – part one of a new series. By Rob Arnold
(Click the link below to watch a Relive flyover.)
A week after returning home to Sydney following a week of cycling in the stunning surrounds of the Ehime prefecture in Japan, I was keen to get on the bike and take advantage of the stunning late-spring weather. What I didn’t want, however, was any of the hassles of traffic, ignorant motorists, and the stop-start routine that is so much a part of a bike ride in my town.
On Saturday morning, I woke early and got a little creative with my route planning. Instead of setting off from my base in Alexandria, I plotted out an itinerary that began with a short ride to Central Station and catching the Metro from the city before sunrise.
At that time of day, it’s not at all busy on the fantastic new Metro network but track work on the weekend called for a minor compromise: rather than setting off from my local station (Waterloo) I had to pedal the short distance to the main station near Broadway. No worries: just 3.1km rather than 1.5km – and that, I’m pleased to say, was the only portion of what became a 170km adventure that I had to do in (very mild) city traffic.
Tap the Opal Card. Walk the bike through the gates. Onto the platform. Make myself comfortable. Sit back and relax.
The metro journey takes 50 minutes (and costs $6.20 for off-peak travel, $8.85 during busy times – and bikes travel for free). I could catch up on the news and plan my cycling route once I got to the Hills District on the outskirts of the city.
Out of town: time to ride!
Arrived at Rouse Hill. Jumped on the bike. Turned on the Wahoo Elemnt Roam. Followed the directions as per the GPX file mapped out while on the metro… and settled into a rhythm while on the bike paths that led me even further away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
There was a light cloud cover early in the morning and no wind. Ideal cycling conditions.
The opening stanza of the route was on the separated bike path off to the side of Windsor Road. It’s wide, relatively smooth but with concrete seams and, sporadically, the typical deviations for cyclists at main intersections. Again, at that time of the day, it wasn’t busy on the road. So, I rolled onto the smoother bitumen and picked up the pace a little, passing through traffic lights that somehow (miraculously) happened to always be green.
Already I felt like a winner… but the best parts of what became a glorious ride were still to come.
Resting on the roadside… this red bellied black snake was warming up under the morning sunlight. I thought it had been killed by traffic but soon after this photo, it raised its head – and I took my cue to scamper away quickly.
The motivation for the day came from an enjoyable recent ride along River Road from Wisemans Ferry towards Lower Portland. (You can watch the 20-minute ‘Story Of My Ride’ for that day on Ride Media’s YouTube channel.)
If you time it right (ie. avoid the busy, peak holiday periods when – I’ve been told – the waterskiing set turn up in numbers) the roads along the Hawkesbury River are largely free of traffic. The locals seem to accept cyclists and I’m yet to experience any of the typical Sydney angst from motorists while riding near Wisemans Ferry.
Respect begets respect
On the stretches of road that do get busy (eg. Pitt Town Road or Gattai Road, which steer you away from Windsor and towards the river), I’m mindful of other road users. If I hear a semi-trailer or bus coming from behind, as happened a few times on my Saturday morning ride, I opt to get off the bitumen and onto the gravel on the edge of the road – or even onto the grass – to allow maximum passing room.
The result of this cautious approach this weekend was a friendly toot from several drivers and a sense of camaraderie with truckies going about their business.
No, it’s not obligatory to offer room to other road users.
Yes, there is a minimum passing distance regulation in NSW which dictates that motorists need to give at least a metre of room to cyclists… but I prefer to use respect rather than assume that everyone will adhere to the rules.
No, it’s not always possible to get off the road and out of harms way but when other road users see cyclists at least trying to keep the flow going smoothly, I think it benefits everyone. (Of course, this is part of a longer, ongoing narrative about how we can make bike riding safer; and that topic certainly needs to be explored if I consider some of the antics I’ve seen from other cyclists lately*.)
And yes, the road rules in NSW have other provisions to keep things safe – including, for example, that cyclists “can ride two abreast (side by side) as long as they’re within 1.5 metres of each other” – but surely, in some instances, a little bit of leeway and logic can be applied. The friendly ‘toot responses’ I got from the truckies on Saturday highlight the benefits of a little give and take.
*Note: I raise the rule about being allowed to ride two abreast largely because I think cyclists really do have to think about how they interact with other road users.
During my ride on Saturday a couple of bunches were going in the opposite direction to me. One of the larger groups were riding two abreast… and behind them was a long line of cars bunched up until they could safely pass. Surely, at some point, it’s better – and safer – to ride single-file…
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See the route on Strava
What began as a simple idea on Saturday morning – ie. to get out of town on public transport, and then go somewhere that I know is glorious for cycling – turned into a great day on the bike. There was a certain level of planning but it wasn’t complicated, nor was it expensive.
There was a minor investment for the metro trip before riding, and another few bucks spent to catch the train back to Sydney from Wyong. Other than that, the only cost consideration related to food and time.
I’m pleased that I made the effort to ride and happy to say that it all went smoothly, beginning to end. There were some stories collected along the way, and – as per usual for me – cool footage recorded to remind me of what became a fuss-free journey with some exercise, time to think, and glorious sights, sounds and smells.
I wasn’t racing. I wasn’t training. I was just riding my bike and enjoying the simple act of pedalling.
It is something I highly recommend. And if you are tempted to follow some of the cues from my experience, take a look at the route on Strava (link below) and ignore the occasional deviation here and there. (I’m not great with following directions. And I’m prone to getting lost and/or distracted.) But I like finding nice places to ride, especially if it’s possible to do so easily, safely, happily… and still be home in time for dinner.
More riding stories coming soon…
It has been a little quiet on the Ride Media site (and socials) for a few months, and that’s comparatively new for me. I’ve been reporting on cycling for many years and not often does so much time pass without me writing a story, doing an interview, or sharing a video about something to do with cycling.
Thanks to everyone who has checked in while I’ve been quiet. I can assure you I’ve not been idle. And I’m still collecting plenty of content: much of it relates to the experiences I have while riding my bike, some is about professional cycling, and there are also plenty of cool products that have been put to good use in preparation of doing some reviews.
I’ve recently moved my office and that’s one reason for the disruption to the usual flow of content on Ride Media. There have been a few trips away – with the bike, of course – which have taken me away from the computer and editing duties. And I’ve also taken a bit of time for me and my family, while focussing more on riding than writing about it.
The hiatus has served me well. I’m enjoying my cycling. I’m feeling refreshed and energised, and hopefully I’ll soon start catching up with some of the ‘work’ I’ve been meaning to do over the last little while.
I’m settling back into the office chair, reviewing all the content collected, and preparing it for features and/or videos. Soon I’ll start sharing more stories about the cycling life. For now, I’ve written this little summary of Saturday’s ride to help me get back into the rhythm again.
– Rob
