The must-do bike rides in six Australian cities, by Matthew Hurst.

Whether you’re in town on holiday, for business or to visit family, there are bike rides you can do in any of Australia’s capital cities to discover the side of the city that only local riders know. Even cities that may not necessarily be considered friendly for day-to-day cycle commuting on the whole still have great riding routes to be found, and of course, these are often likely to be along riverbanks, around bays and towards beaches. So borrow or hire a bike on your next trip and make a bike ride part of your experience of the place.

Sydney’s Circular Quay to Balmain

Thanks to some major new infrastructure and a proactive local council, bike riding in Sydney has never been better.  Take in some great harbour-front riding en route to the charming inner-western enclave of Balmain, just 7km away by bike.

• At Circular Quay, follow Hickson Road as it loops around The Rocks and into Darling Harbour
•  Cycle over the Pyrmont Bridge, through Pyrmont and follow the shared path over the striking Anzac Bridge
• Turn right at Victoria Road and again onto Robert Street, which runs straight into Balmain East
•  Use Balmain’s main street, Darling Street, to create a loop back to the Anzac Bridge. While it is a busy shopping strip, its speed limit is only 40km/h.

Hobart’s Salamanca Place to MONA

From a quintessential Hobart attraction of old to its newest and most talked about destination, the historic facades of Salamanca Place and the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) are a 12km ride apart.

• Hire a Dutch designed VANMOOF bike for free from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery as part of Hobart’s ARTBIKE initiative
•  Ride around the Royal Botanic Gardens and then follow the Intercity Cycleway for a simple and virtually traffic-free ride.

Brisbane river loop

Soak up the atmosphere in Brisbane’s renowned cultural precinct, take in the impressive Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) or Queensland Art Gallery before or after enjoying some leisurely riverside bike riding.

• A short and relaxing 3km loop can be created using Victoria Bridge and Goodwill Bridge.
• From GOMA, ride west along Riverside Drive for another 4km of riverfront riding.
• Wrap around to Alberto’s Shot Espresso Bar at 462 Montague Street for a caffeine hit before heading back the way you came.

Adelaide centre to Glenelg

Adelaide’s prime coastal strip is an easy 11km ride from the CBD on the Mike Turtur Bikeway. For the visitor with half a day up their sleeve, it’s a perfect Adelaide destination.

• Starting at Whitemore Square, ride south through Lundie Gardens, down Goodwood Road, right at Leader Street, left at Ethel Street and right at Norman Terrace.

• From here, a straight line alongside the tram tracks will lead along Glengyle Terrace, Wattle Terrace, Maxwell Terrace and through to Glenelg, via Jetty Road.

• When you arrive at the foreshore, head south along South Esplanade to enjoy a lovely beach ride.

Melbourne’s Federation Square to Abbotsford Convent & Collingwood Children’s Farm

Hugging the Yarra River as you go, this is a great day out on the bike for any visitor to Melbourne and is enjoyed equally by locals.

• Start on the riverfront around Birrarung Marr, and follow all signs for the Capital City Trail – it’s about 10km to the Abbotsford Convent and adjacent Collingwood Children’s Farm.
• Try to catch the lively farmers’ markets, 8am – 1pm on 4^th Saturday of the month at the Convent and 2^nd Saturday of the month at the Children’s Farm.

Perth to Fremantle

Recognised as the best preserved 19^th Century seaport in the world, if you have a free day in Perth you definitely want to check out Fremantle.

• Utilising the city’s principal shared path, which is signposted (PSP), it’s a 20km ride to the Fremantle coast.
• Commencing around City West station, the path follows Railway Road, Gugeri Street and Claremont Crescent before reaching the coastline along Curtin Avenue into North Fremantle.

Matthew Hurst is the operator of The Humble Vintage bike hire in Sydney and Melbourne and author of The Casual Cyclist’s Guide – Melbourne thehumblevintage.com.

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