cycle paths

i am starting to think a bike wasnt the best gift after all!!

Snarky

Majura Pines have heaps of trails – access from Majura Road or ride over the Mt Majura / Mt Ainslie saddle from the Watson side.

There’s some good riding in the Isaacs Pines – but more so for the gravity set and if you want to stick your bike in the car there’s Sparrow Hill (rougly 10km east of Queanbeyan on the road to Bungendore) and the Kowen Forest trails – needs a 8km climb in from Sutton Road but worth the effort.

Miz, also agreed. Unless the pedestrian’s wearing headphones in which case you’ve practically got to thump them to get their attention.

I use a small horn, then thank people for their courtesy as I go by. Pretty much everyone thanks me back for letting them know I’m coming past.

Morgan, agreed – there’d be many fewer cranky cyclists and pedestrians if both pedestrians and cyclists obeyed that pretty simple rule of keeping left.

And despite my unwarranted and plain nasty snark above, as a cyclist there really aren’t that many oblivious pedestrians – far far fewer than dickhead drivers. Guess that’s why they tend to stand out when you do come across ’em 🙂

Big Al, very good point re the trails. I’m in Weston Creek, so I know the ones around Stromlo. Where are other good dirt trails in the ACT?

And get a bell, to warn pedestrians of your imminent approach from the rear.

Ride where you want mate, just watch out for the incompetent shit bags on the roads – seems its a badge of honour to admit that you’re too incompetent a driver to deal with a range of other vehicles using the roads.

Most of all, have fun, get some fat tyres and try out the dirt trails as well.

I ama regular walker around the western Burley Griffin path, and I find that it is cyclists that are the fools that try to ride two abreast while my companions and I try to walk in single file when other traffic comes our way. If cyclists knew how to keep left like everyone else there wouldn’t be so many problems.

Use the bike paths or use the road – you’re entitled to use either provided you obey the rules.

Hasdrubahl, the bike path round the lake is pretty good, but like all bike paths its a dual purpose path too. If you’re out training you’ll frequently come across pedestrians and joggers out there iPodded up and oblivious to their surroundings.

Pedestrians are much more like drivers in that their sense of responsibility to others stops about an arms length from their face – just like car drivers they cannot be trusted to be aware of anything else around them, or even to be able to navigate their vehicle (car or pram) in a safe fashion.

In this situation it’s safer for all concerned to ride on the road.

I know there’s not much love on RiotAct for cyclists in general, but we’re generally aware of what’s happening around us, even when some of fools choose to act like dickheads on the road. We know there’s a lot more fuckwits in cars than on bikes, and car driving fuckwits even like to joke about killing and maiming others. Go figure, eh?.

I don’t think people would mind cyclists on the road if they took advantage of the bike path system more.

I ride my bike 10km every day from Ngunnawal around yerrabi pond and back – bikepaths all the way.

I hate the fuckers that use the road when there is perfectly usable bike path adjacent. If i cn – I dunno why they can not – I can ride from Ngunnawal to LYons entirely on bike paths and pedestrian paths. I especially hate when they run red lights all the way up gunghalin drive – then have the audacity to demand the same rights as motorised vehicle users. Fuck those fucking fucks 🙂

Yep

I think we should call hunting season open, eh Ralph?

Oh, and don’t forget your lycras with obscure euroland advertising.

Yep that’s right, ride along the road when there is a perfectly good bike path running paralel to it. Also ride 4 abreast with your mates on the roads too. And go right ahead and ride out onto pedestrian crossings, cars will stop for you.

Just don’t do what I’ve seen lots of cyclists do in Canberra where they ride on a road right next to a bike path. That shits me. And yes, I am a cyclist too.

Hitting cyclists also ruins my tyres…

Braking so you don’t hit a cyclist ruins my cars tyres.

(Couldn’t resist)

apparently the paths are pretty crappy and they ruin the bikes tyres?
well so the guy at the bike shop told me…

Well said gurunik. Can’t understand why cyclists use the Alexandrina Drive roadway when there’s a cycle track just a few yards away. Is there a good reason for this?

just stay out of traffic. use the bike paths this city is blessed with.
i wont get started……….

Without knowing your level of fitness Lenny, I’d start off round any of the lakes.

Gininderra is about 5km around, and if you go clockwise you’ll avoid one very short but evilly steep climb up to the path alongside Gininderra Drive. Should take no more than 15-20 mins.

Tuggeranong is flat all way round. Also about 5km and a very good run.

Burley Griffin offers rides from a very easy 5 km (circuit across Commonwealth Ave and Kings Ave bridges), about 17km around the western end from Commonwealth Ave bridge, also a very good path, or about 15km for the eastern end again from Commonwealth Avenue bridge. Not quite as good a path – through the Jerrabombera wetlands is a bit of a goat track, and you have to ride along Wentworth Ave in Kingston because they haven’t reopened the lakeside path through there yet, but a nice flat ride. Or do the whole lake circuit – about 30km total.

For a beginning challenge try Mount Pleasant. The ride up Northcott from Russell is a bugger, but once you’re into Duntroon the ride up the mountain itself is pretty easy, and you get a terrific view at the top, ‘specially if you’re a Brand Depot fan.

Unfortunately the nicest country ride I know that’s not too steep isn’t open any more – out to Tharwa (well, once you’re past Banks) is a really nice road. But at the moment it’s literally a cow paddock from Lanyon on.

Oh, and if you have lights I *highly* reccommend a night ride down the path beside Bindubi Street from Aranda. No-one around, no street lighting at all and the chance to spotlight a few ‘roos and bunnies at the bottom of a wild, bendy ride all the way down to the lake. I genuinely enjoy this ride – the ride back up is the only drawback.

http://www.bikely.com/