Tips for riding from Belconnen to Tuggeranong?

I’d just go via the parkway.

Takes 20 minutes or so, depending how far you twist the throttle.

dungfungus said :

Maya123 said :

dundle said :

*snip*

*snip*

But then again I could just get in the car and add to the congestion.

“….add to the congestion…”?
Where in Canberra is their road congestion?

Road congestion is identifiable when you are unable to keep to the speed limit due to the presence of slower traffic in front of you. Congestion is a relative term. Absolute congestion (traffic at a standstill for extended periods) could be defined as a “Parking Lot”
A few examples that I know of In the AM:
Parkes way Eastbound into the city
Belconnen Way Eastbound into the city
Northbourne Avenue
Pialligo Avenue

switch said :

dungfungus said :

Where in Canberra is their road congestion?

Didn’t you read about that balls up a few weeks ago when they dug up the road for a sewer pipe?

That was temporary.

dungfungus said :

Where in Canberra is their road congestion?

Didn’t you read about that balls up a few weeks ago when they dug up the road for a sewer pipe?

Maya123 said :

dundle said :

I’m surprised how many people recommend e-bikes. Many of them cost almost as much as a car. They are also extremely heavy. 26km is not far if you cycle regularly.

As you can’t go on the Parkway I find the best way to Tuggeranong is via the shared paths which go past Lake BG, Woden etc. it is not very hilly and takes about an hour. Bussing back would be a pain as the bus takes probably longer, but you’d probably get empty racks starting at Tuggeranong. Of course you could leave your bike at work and bus in the next morning then bike back the next day for some changes. There are probably also some more creative routes you could figure out with Google Maps – it depends where exactly in Belconnen you are from.

No one should discourage someone from getting an electric bike. They replace getting in the car and driving. You must also have a very cheap (seen far better days) car to compare the price of an electric bike to a car. Also the car is a lot more expensive to run, gives no exercise, takes a more room on the roads and to park, makes more wear and tear on the roads and pollutes more. So don’t stop people recommending electric bikes.
I am considering one. I don’t ride as fast or as far as I used to ride and it will keep me on a bike longer.
But then again I could just get in the car and add to the congestion.

I was just surprised to see e-bike suggestions dominated the comments when OP has demonstrated they are perfectly capable of commuting 16km on a regular bike so far, didn’t ask about ebikes, is considering putting the bike on a bus and presumably doesn’t have 3 grand lying around. Given that my post was about regular bike routes for regular bikes, I’m not exactly suggesting cars.

Maya123 said :

dundle said :

I’m surprised how many people recommend e-bikes. Many of them cost almost as much as a car. They are also extremely heavy. 26km is not far if you cycle regularly.

As you can’t go on the Parkway I find the best way to Tuggeranong is via the shared paths which go past Lake BG, Woden etc. it is not very hilly and takes about an hour. Bussing back would be a pain as the bus takes probably longer, but you’d probably get empty racks starting at Tuggeranong. Of course you could leave your bike at work and bus in the next morning then bike back the next day for some changes. There are probably also some more creative routes you could figure out with Google Maps – it depends where exactly in Belconnen you are from.

No one should discourage someone from getting an electric bike. They replace getting in the car and driving. You must also have a very cheap (seen far better days) car to compare the price of an electric bike to a car. Also the car is a lot more expensive to run, gives no exercise, takes a more room on the roads and to park, makes more wear and tear on the roads and pollutes more. So don’t stop people recommending electric bikes.
I am considering one. I don’t ride as fast or as far as I used to ride and it will keep me on a bike longer.
But then again I could just get in the car and add to the congestion.

“….add to the congestion…”?
Where in Canberra is their road congestion?

dundle said :

I’m surprised how many people recommend e-bikes. Many of them cost almost as much as a car. They are also extremely heavy. 26km is not far if you cycle regularly.

As you can’t go on the Parkway I find the best way to Tuggeranong is via the shared paths which go past Lake BG, Woden etc. it is not very hilly and takes about an hour. Bussing back would be a pain as the bus takes probably longer, but you’d probably get empty racks starting at Tuggeranong. Of course you could leave your bike at work and bus in the next morning then bike back the next day for some changes. There are probably also some more creative routes you could figure out with Google Maps – it depends where exactly in Belconnen you are from.

No one should discourage someone from getting an electric bike. They replace getting in the car and driving. You must also have a very cheap (seen far better days) car to compare the price of an electric bike to a car. Also the car is a lot more expensive to run, gives no exercise, takes a more room on the roads and to park, makes more wear and tear on the roads and pollutes more. So don’t stop people recommending electric bikes.
I am considering one. I don’t ride as fast or as far as I used to ride and it will keep me on a bike longer.
But then again I could just get in the car and add to the congestion.

I’m surprised how many people recommend e-bikes. Many of them cost almost as much as a car. They are also extremely heavy. 26km is not far if you cycle regularly.

As you can’t go on the Parkway I find the best way to Tuggeranong is via the shared paths which go past Lake BG, Woden etc. it is not very hilly and takes about an hour. Bussing back would be a pain as the bus takes probably longer, but you’d probably get empty racks starting at Tuggeranong. Of course you could leave your bike at work and bus in the next morning then bike back the next day for some changes. There are probably also some more creative routes you could figure out with Google Maps – it depends where exactly in Belconnen you are from.

Wow what an interesting question.

If you’re now riding between Belconnen and the city, that means you’re already riding (very) uphill in one direction, and probably have nous about rain, tyres, clothing etc. Riding Belconnen to Tuggeranong is longer but quite easy because there’r fewer uphill rides. At the end of the ride, you’re welcomed by the Tuggeranong Lake which is nice.

I like electric bikes, but think that one is unnecessary if going that particular one way. Note that it also disallows you from using the bike racks (unless it folds, in which case you’d need a bag, and it’ll be heavy to bring onto the bus).

Personally I would not rely on bus racks in a commuting situation—i.e. they’re fine on weekends or for private trips. But I have had 3 Blue Rapids pass by without racks, I think since the newer extra long buses came into use. In your case, you’d be going home on a bus, so at worst you’ll be late home, but not late for work.

The Blue Rapid from Tugg to Belco takes a surprisingly long time since it goes via the city. But it’s reliable and saves a uphill ride.

Cycle paths exist all the way. Depending on which Belconnen suburb you’re from you can save a little time descending on Caswell Drive, and end up at the entrance of the Arboretum, but I would not recommend it.

If you go via Woden, you have the option of riding via Kambah or via Farrer. Farrer I think is easier hill-wise, but I prefer the Kambah route scenic-wise. If you like the Kambah route, you have the option of riding the cycle path through Weston Creek (see next paragraph).

Now, if you have a mountain bike-type bicycle (e.g. mountain bike or cyclocross) you could consider several firetrails. The easiest would be a detour at the Aranda Snow Gums at a signed route into Cork Plantation. That’d take you into the Arboretum. Then you can continue riding through the Arboretum (I believe it’s labelled Totara Road or River Road, and it’s a really nice ride). That’d put you north of Tuggeranong Parkway. You’ll emerge at the new Molonglo housing estate area around Kirkpatrick Street/Cotter Road. From there, a cycle path will take you to the cycleway through Kambah—either via Waramanga/Fisher (shorter), or along Hindmarsh Drive (longer). There are several other firetrail options.

In future, if you decide to ride both ways, consider a good bike. As in rack, good gear range, dropbars maybe. Dynamos are nice. Personally I’ve ridden that route on a Brompton (easier to bring on bus), which was slower than a full sized bike but doable.

Here’s an OK map: http://osm.org/go/uNlQISC–?layers=C
The firetrails are not marked.

thatsnotme said :

Maya123 said :

I’ve occasionally put my bicycle on a bus and there have been times when the bus has arrived with full bike racks already. You must be prepared that you mightn’t get on the first bus to come. The racks hold two bikes. It increases your chances if you ride to a stop where more than one route passes through.

I’ve used bike racks on buses a lot, and it’s been very rare that they’re full already. I’d think that seeing as meggsy is talking about busing home from Tuggeranong, they’d be leaving from the Tuggeranong interchange, right at the beginning of the intertown section of the run. I’d think they’ll almost always be first bike on. Nxtbus has made life easier too, because it tells you whether a bus will have a rack fitted or not, making it easier to plan your trip.

I tend to catch buses not at the end of its run, but after it might have already been to two terminals and had the chance to pick up bikes. I have never had a problem when catching a bus at an end terminal. That’s different.