https://photos.app.goo.gl/jrDn5KkAnnwUsBa26

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When a brisk southerly buster wind storm rolled into Sydney, I decided to test a theory: Could an eBike, with a massive tailwind pushing it along, beat the winding, “round-the-horn” T4 train trip from the Shire up to Bondi Junction?

The strong wind was behind me the entire way, acting like a booster rocket for the eBike and clearing the bike paths of meandering walkers who preferred to stay indoors. Tracking my journey using my Google Maps timeline, I compared three different ways to make the trip.

The Beat the Bus Series

The Contenders & Results

Option 1: The Pure Train Trip (The Control)

• The Route: Walk from North Cronulla beach to the station Train all the way to Bondi Junction.

• Time Breakdown: 67 minutes on the train + 10 minutes of waiting/transferring.

• Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes

• The Verdict: The Winner on Speed. Purely on raw time, the train takes the crown. Sydney is just too sprawling for a bike to beat a long train unbroken line.

  

  
  

Option 2: The Pure eBike Ride (The Hard Way)

• The Route: Cycling the entire distance from Cronulla to Bondi Junction.

• Total Time: 1 hour 33 minutes

• The Verdict: 16 minutes slower than the train. Even with a powerful southerly tailwind clearing out the paths and pushing me along, a full bike commute over this massive distance falls short of the train.

  

Option 3: The “Cheater’s” Hybrid (eBike + Train)

• The Route: Ride the eBike from Caringbah to Wolli Creek. Catch the train from Wolli Creek to Bondi Junction.

• Time Breakdown: 57 minutes of cycling + 28 minutes on the train.

• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

• The Verdict: 8 minutes slower than the train, but the best overall experience.

Final Verdict: Why the Hybrid Wins

While the train is technically 8 minutes faster than the hybrid option, the Bike + Train combo is the smartest way to travel.

Why it works: The bike leg from the Shire to Wolli Creek is flat, fast, and highly enjoyable—especially with a brisk southerly blowing you north. However, the final cycling leg from Wolli Creek to Bondi Junction takes 40 minutes on a bike and gets much hillier and the cycling paths are less than perfect.

By pulling the pin at Wolli Creek and letting the train do the heavy lifting for the last 28 minutes, you bypass the worst hills and still get a great, wind-assisted cruise for the first half of the trip. It completely beats sitting on a train for over an hour!

Nostalga - GSBT with my wife

My very first lap of Sydney which has become the famous Greater Sydney Bike Trail included a very casual ride with my wife from Wolli Creek to Cronulla on day 2. That looked something like this. The Cronulla Ride truly is a great part of Sydney

Check out the video of the Eastern section that you will not get on a std Shimanami Kaido

The tour includes the Shimanami Kaido, the Shimanto River, quiet mountain roads, fantastic local food, and the spectacular Pacific coastline of Kochi, along with plenty of opportunities to experience rural Japan away from the crowds.

I hunted the maps of the Sydney northern beaches for two years and gave up on ever finding a half decent trail between the great Manly trail and the super Dee Why/Narrabeen Lake. Then I ran into Richard, the eBikerDiary guy in Gladesville and recognised his bike instantly. A few days later, we decided on a tour of the Northern Beaches, a place where Richard has ridden for 30 years.

See the connecting trail in Google Maps here in my Northern Sydney Maps >>

I arrive in Seaforth, Richard arrives a minute later like the phantom but sitting astride a Shimano electric double shock MTB and all the bells and whistles. It looks very similar to my Cube Reaction MTB and runs the same size battery. We took off on the lovely Seaforth to Manly trail and when we got to Manly golf course we took off up Manly Creek for a couple of kilometres and then joined Pittwater Rd and used the cycle path there for a bit. We then headed to Greendale Creek and at Griffen Rd, we ran out of official track. You then need to ride up the road to Dee Why for a couple of kms or bail out to the footpath if you have teens in tow. Once you get to Dee Why, you have many great kms of riding across to Narrabeen Lake and beyond. We choose the eastern side of the lake which is more interesting in my view. We completed our outward journey thru Warriewood and ended up in Mona Vale.

Our return journey was via the two golf clubs that have been kind enough to allow bike tourists to ride around the perimeter, Mono Vale and Long Reef. The trip down Colloroy Beach on the roads is fine as its mostly shared path with a lot of car driveways. From Long Reef GC we struggled down Pittwater Rd. I suggest using the council bike track which is one street back from Pittwater Rd.

We then returned whence we came back towards Manly and cruised through town and back up the harbour side trail to end up in Balgowlah. A journey of 55km. Both eBikes had 3 bars left out of 5 though I suspect we probably had 40kms left rather than 60 before a recharge was necessary. So a win to both Shimano and Bosch engines and a win to both our wide wheeled MTB ebikes as this setup is suited to an urban backstreet and shared pavement environment. Richard wins with the extra luxury of 2 shocks and a shock soft seat. Thanks to Richard for his detailed knowledge of the great phantom paths of the North Shore.

Trail Notes. Very flat except for around Manly headlands and Mono Vale. This is one area of Sydney where you have to ride back as there are no trams or trains to bring you home.

See more photos here >>

This was written 6 years ago. Nothing much has changed. It is still a great area for exploring.

This is a Top 10 Sydney Ride

Here is a link to Richards Archives. He was a writing pioneer for the Sydney Cycling community. He plays pickle ball these days and probably gets around on a smart ebike still.

The Cooks River Cycleway is one of the oldest and most established off-road paths in Sydney, offering a remarkably flat, family-friendly ride. The trail follows the river as it transforms from a concrete urban canal into a wide tidal waterway, passing through a landscape deeply scarred by its industrial past. While the factories and tanneries are gone, the river hasn't totally recovered; its murky depths still hide a multitude of historic sins, and plastic flotsam can still spoil a view after rain. Yet, beneath the terrific tree canopy that lines the path, a vibrant green spine has emerged—offering a great, mostly unbroken ride where the local pelicans and cormorants are always fun to spot. Lets break the 24km ride up into its 4 distinct segments 🚲 (See 3D 📹 )

1. Powells Creek to Strathfield Golf Course

To get the most out of this ride, we don’t actually start directly on the Cooks River. Instead, we kick descriptions off at the Concord West playground in Olympic Park, right next to Powells Creek. Here, you’ll ride the brilliant Powells Creek cycleway, which transformed an old concrete eyesore into a vibrant shared path that actually took 3rd place in the inaugural 2018 CycleSydney Infrastructure Awards. See this ride section 📹

Heading south from Powells Creek, you’ll travel up Pomeroy Street, cross a couple of roads including the busy Parramatta Road, and bump down Bridge Road. From there, take the newly fixed shared path along the railway side of The Crescent, pass through Airey Park, and cross Arthur Street towards Hudson Park. You can ride around the little lake here or head straight up Mitchell Road. After ducking behind some fences 📹 for a brief stretch along Centenary Drive, you’ll find yourself on Barker Street. Follow the painted bikes down Newton Road and Melville Avenue until you hit Ada Avenue, which drops you right at the edge of the Strathfield Golf Course—the official start of the Cooks River path. Find the full trail here on the map »

2. Western section ending at Lang Bridge

Now that you are on the Cooks River path proper, you will ride along the concrete drain past Ford Park and the tennis courts. You’ll pass under Punchbowl Road and roll by the playground in Deans Park (a great spot for a toilet break or to use the water fountain). Be prepared for a couple of awkward road crossings at Lees Avenue and Burwood Road as you make your way into Croydon Park. See video 📹

The path continues through Lees Park and goes down the side of the Canterbury Park Racecourse, passing under the railway line that is soon to become the new Metro. One of the absolute highlights of this section is the new 100-metre-long Canterbury Road Tunnel 📹 (a 2024 Infrastructure Award runner up), which lets you safely bypass the heavy traffic above. Keep your eyes peeled as you pass Boat Harbour, a favourite hangout for local pelicans. Finally, after rolling through Ewen Park and past a groovy new children’s climbing area, you will arrive at the Lang Road Bridge. (Note: If you look to your left here, you’ll see the turn-off for the highly popular Greenway 📹).

3. Eastern Section Ending at the Alexandria Canal

Instead of taking the Greenway, we cross the Lang Road Bridge and follow the river around Beaman Park. Keep an eye out when you reach the hook in the river opposite the Marrickville Golf Course—if you catch the sun right with a few cyclists going past, it is one of the best photo and video spots 📹 on the entire ride .

Continuing on, cross the bridge at Illawarra Road over to Steel Park. We stick to the cycleway on the north side of the river, riding up to Mackey Park. From here, head under the railway line at Tempe Station (Bayview Avenue) and tackle the large, annoying crossing at the Princes Highway. Once you are safely across, the path sweeps around the Tempe Recreational Reserve and deposits you right at the edge of the Alexandra Canal.

4. Airport across to Wentworth Avenue Cycleway

This final stretch is a true modern treat. You’ll join the spectacular Sydney Gateway Airport Cycleway (a joint winner for the 2024 Infrastructure Awards) which follows the pipeline along the Alexandra Canal. While most riders head out onto Coward Street to deal with heavy trucks, this new traffic-free path lets you ride all the way along Airport Drive and Qantas Drive.

Take your time to enjoy the massive pedestrian bridge over the canal, the tiled tunnel, and the fantastic plane-spotting vantage points—you might even get a jet flying just 150 metres above your head. The dedicated path eventually leads you past the Domestic Terminal, under the freeway, and down Baxter Road, finishing up at Wentworth Avenue where you can connect to the East of Sydney (this is part of the GSBT).

The Fab Airport Shared Path 📹 Tempe Recreational Reserve to O’Riordan St

Note: If you watch the video to the end, you will see a way to cross the extremely complex crossing near Sydney Domestic Airport

Cooks River Awards
2022 Cyclecover Built Environment & Urban Design Award Cooks River Bikeway 2024 - Airport Cycleway - Joint Winner CycleSydney Infra Awards
2024 Canterbury Road Tunnel - 2nd place CycleSydney Infra Awards
2025 The Crescent - Homebush Honorable mention CycleSydney Infra Awards

The Cooks River Cycleway is clearly important to Sydney. When you look at all the trails that intersect it, you find out how important it is. Two of them have been fully documented under the new mapping model.

Ride 13 Airport and Bourke Rd

Ride 18 - Botany to Zetland (Wentworth Drive)

More details on the Cooks River ride follow for paid subscribers

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As we grow into 2026, let’s wrap up how things have gone this year at Cycle Sydney. First of all, we have to think about the map, because the map always comes first.

Before the start of the year, the map consisted of segments broken up into “Great,” “Pretty Good,” and “Okay”. The “Great” shared paths purple were the ones you’d be happy riding on with your kids and partners. The “Good” paths, marked in olive green, were lovely roads where you’d feel happy riding as a cyclist, but maybe wouldn’t take your friends on too often—like Belmont Street in Alexandria.

This year, we are taking a much longer approach to these rides. Instead of just segments, we are finding all the Great ones, joining them with Good ones and creating a map of long-form rides, starting right in the center of the city and spreading out. The newer rides intersect or end at the city rides if they can, creating a sort of “onion peeling effect” as you navigate outward. As we head further West, we are starting to use the exact same technique moving from Parramatta outward.

Think about this: the total number of rides we have reconstructed for the map this year has reached 66. With an average length of about six kilometers, we are up to 400 km of pretty good cycling—and trust me, we are going to be well over a hundred rides once everything is complete and remapped.

The other notable change to the mapping is also putting the Rides into RideWithGPS collections. RideWithGPS is popular with cycling groups across Sydney (especially BikeNorth).

CycleSydney Map

Check out Riding Together here

Part 2: Breaking Down the Areas

So, we are organizing all of this into 6 areas across Sydney. These boundaries sort of match up with the local council areas, but really, they are defined by the topography.

So far, we have written up the City and the East. I covered the City page a while back, but now we have progressed to writing up quite a few rides across Eastern Sydney.

If you look at the map for the East, you’ll see some great examples. We have the ride from Bondi Junction to Bourke Street. There’s the fabulous Queens Park ride that goes down and around the complete Centennial Park before heading to Bourke Street again. We also mapped the Rose Bay ride and posted it recently. It starts at the Double Bay wharf, runs down along the water at Rose Bay, loops around the back of Royal Sydney, and features a “not for kiddies” ride up to Bondi Junction and over to Waverley Park. Another new post one is the ride from Port Botany, taking the pedestrian bridge over the railways, and heading up through Eastlakes, Rosebery, and into Zetland.

Those are examples of the rides in the East—check the area page for more.

I hope you are enjoying all the posts that have been coming out this year. Remember, the goal for you and I isn’t just sitting at home consuming cycling motivation. The goal is getting out for a cycle, exploring, getting lost, finding your way again, and then relaxing into more motivational stories from Cycle Sydney.

All the best! Garry.

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We had just completed a ride up the railway from his bus at Central Station.

I was glad to show him some of our specials like the Goods Line, Wilson St, the new cafe in Camperdown Park and the Stanmore cycleway. Oh yeah and The Greenway 💚♻️

Enjoy my 🗣️🎙️

If you ride this route, you know the shared path is infamous for its rattling metal joints and booming acoustics. But with the right line choice, a little speed control, and a few clever techniques, you can glide across the river without making a racket.

Old Houses: Stanmore Station to Whites Creek Lane The ride begins by getting from Stanmore Station to Whites Creek Lane. This is an on-road ride heading across Stanmore in a mostly northerly direction. Traffic in this area tends to run east-west, so it is not too bad for riding. Cross Parramatta Road carefully, and you are soon at Whites Creek Lane. Ride starts on Bruce St in Stanmore.

A Great Explore: Whites Creek Lane Riding from Albion St in Annandale to Rozelle Parklands via Whites Creek Lane is relaxing and a bit bumpy. Stretching for 2km, this dead-flat back road only crosses three roads and provides a colorful, surprisingly car-free extension into Annandale.

Functioning as a narrow 10 km/h Shared Zone, the route has you bouncing around behind residential garages, rolling through lovely community parks, taking in local street art, and passing right under Australia’s first reinforced concrete aqueduct.

The path connects conveniently to Rozelle Bay and the Anzac Bridge Cycleway. If you are looking to travel at higher speeds, switch to the adjacent residential streets with white-painted bike symbols.

🗺️ See the RideWithGPS here See the Cooks Collection here Google MyMaps >>

A Big Hill and Old Houses: Rozelle Park to Callan Park

Whilst design work, council approvals and a new shared path are still ahead for the obvious Lillyfield road to Iron Cove connection, we prefer more interesting riding that takes us in a northerly direction to Iron Cove. First up we start on Cecily St which is a steep road heading north. The houses on Cecily street are old and great to look at. Cecily is on the Parramatta to Sydney Foreshore Link.

Then you can earn your coffee and cake by sightseeing around historic Callan Park (Orange Grove Plaza has a couple of nice places) or just follow this ride to the waters edge on Iron Cove Bay.

If you have an eBike and don’t like Lillyfield Rd much, this hilly alternative is a bit of fun. More on Callan Park for paid subscribers

The Iron Cove Loop: More Than Just the “Bay Run” If you’re looking for a picturesque, flat, and family-friendly ride in Sydney’s Inner West, Iron Cove is a must. While local runners and walkers focus on the famous 7km “Bay Run” loop, cyclists can easily stitch together 15km of connected, wide trails throughout the area. The super popular Greenway is a standout but other options include exploring Balmain and Ride 54 - Abbotsford Waters.

Iron Cove Tips:

Timing is Everything: It is stunningly picturesque, but if the sun is out after 8:00 AM on a weekend, expect heavy walking and running traffic.

Family Tip: If you’re riding with younger children who might struggle to “hold a line,” stick to the south side of the cove—there are no adjacent roads to worry about.

Road Bike : The unofficial local technique for those on road bikes is to loop anti-clockwise, utilizing the paths on the Rozelle side and transitioning to the road on the Russell Lea (north) side. Take it easy on the paths, in dogs we don’t trust.

Whether you’re after a high-speed lap or a slow meander with the family, you won’t be disappointed.

Here is the trail on our Eastern Suburbs Maps >> . Look for the suburbs of Stanmore and Annandale and the loop around Iron Cove

Check out some street art and cool frog infra in Whites Creek Lane

That’s most of what you need to know, once again the ride links follow. Paid users can dig a a little deeper with the following videos.

See the Cooks Collection here Google MyMaps >>

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The Journey Map:
The Fish Market Connection: Starting near the edge of Blackwattle Bay.

The Lift Hack: Crossing Wattle St without breaking a sweat.

Quarry Green: Navigating the leafy (and slightly confusing) one-way maze of Jones St.

The Secret Link: Finding the hidden bridge at Upper Fig Lane that runs right alongside the freeway.

The Descent: Taking the final lift down into the 'paradise' of Darling Harbour, with a clear run all the way to King St or the water’s edge at Circular Quay.

It’s one of those 'local knowledge' rides that turns a hectic commute into a mathematical tour. Let’s roll!"

0:00 Starting near the Fishmarkets
0:35 Lift to get to Quarry St and Park
1:47 Heading north on a one-way road
2:20 The hidden bridge across to Darling Harbour

🗺️ CycleSydney Map Link

Map link >> RideWithGPS Link Full Ride Video on YouTube

Double Bay to Rose Bay

We kick this ride off at the Double Bay Wharf ⛴️, cruising along the tiny beach before heading over to William Street. While we start on the road, it’s not long before we hit New South Head Road and jump straight onto the shared path near the Red Leaf Pool. Be prepared to share this stretch with a lot of walkers and runners who are also out enjoying the scenery.

Make sure to keep an eye out for Red Leaf Beach. It’s a council area with a fantastic, shark-netted beach and a terrific little cafe hidden right under the cliffs—the perfect spot to snap some photos of Double Bay out towards Clark Island 📸. After popping back onto the slightly bumpy New South Head Road shared path, you have the option to take a on-road detour around Point Piper via Wolseley Road. It’s usually a quiet stretch where you can catch glimpses of the water, the Harbour Bridge, and what the really rich and famous like to call home.

Heading back to the main route, we hit the Rose Bay area. The path along Rose Bay is good but busy with walkers for good reason. The boat scenery is magnificent. This terrific cycleway shared path starts at the police station and goes down to the Rose Bay Wharf, which is a great destination if you want to jump on a ferry with your bike or end your lime bike journey.

We cross New South Head road at Kent Road near the massive Royal Sydney Golf club house, and a bouncy track follows New South Head road for a bit. Check the photos

The Rose Bay cycleway was a contender in 2022 for the Sydney Infrastructure Awards. That was a great year for the Eastern Suburbs with the Bondi Cycleway and Queens Park in the top 3 that year.

Rose Bay to Bondi Junction

We tackle the shared path on the south side, ducking through the apartment blocks on Norwich Road and Lane to find the shared path that wraps around the eastern side of the golf course. It’s a nice stretch offering glimpses of the famous greens ⛳.

When you pop out at O’Sullivan Road, you’ll need to head up the road for just a bit to find a safer crossing. Now, brace yourself for Birriga Road. If you’re heading up, you’re going to hate me because it’s a steep, on-road climb all the way. There is a cycling section that is ok. Take note of an unusual little off road notch on a tight corner where you can hop onto a small path to catch your breath. If you’re heading down Birriga, you will be tempted to go really fast going down it. Be less tempted.

At the very top, you’ll find Bellevue Park (a small detour) which offers some fantastic, long-distance views to the east and north towards the harbor. From here, we join the Old South Head Road shared path, which is a bit bumpy and heavily populated with walkers heading toward Bondi Junction.

Bondi Junction to Waverley Park

Instead of fighting the foot traffic and the bumpy shared path all the way up to the Bondi Junction cycleway, we take a turn down Paul Street and head towards the Waverley Council building. Traffic really thins out here as we roll into Waverley Park. The shared paths through Waverley Park do the trick.

Exiting the park drops us onto Henrietta Street, which features one of the more unique cycleways in Sydney. It’s an unusual two-way bicycle and one-way car street, boasting a green contra-flow path that lets riders go directly against the traffic. Keep your wits about you at Victoria Street, where there is a little crossing and the road magically changes direction for the cars in the middle.

The dedicated path stops at the end of Henrietta Street, as it is all on-road from then on. You’ll end up on Bronte Road, and if you want to cap off the ride with a swim, simply turn off at Gibb Street and cruise straight down to Bronte Beach 🌊.

For our paying subscribers, here are a few extra local tricks and alternative routes to conquer those Eastern Suburbs hills!

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First up, we tackle the pedestrian bridge over the busy Foreshore Drive, which drops you straight down into Sir Joseph Banks Park. We’ll talk more about this famously long, skinny park in a bit, but before we leave, make sure to check out the local wildlife. The geese are real enough, but you’ll have to settle for the life-sized statues of the gorillas and wild elephants—a quirky nod to the park’s history as a zoological garden. Photos of the trail

Cruising out of the park, we head down Wilson Street in Botany and pass the terrific Botanix Lifestyle Cafe. Keep an eye out directly opposite the cafe: this building was the set for the 2023 ABC documentary series Back In Time For The Corner Shop. Hosted by Annabel Crabb, the show followed the Ferrone family as they lived and worked in an authentic corner store, watching it transform through the eras from the 1850s all the way to the 1990s. It’s a great piece of local trivia.

Next up is the notoriously windy bridge crossing the freight railway line on Banksia Street. After a short, punchy climb, you pop out onto Wentworth Avenue. It’s all road riding for this stretch across Botany and Pagewood south, but the upside is that the heavy traffic mostly steers clear of this pocket.

Wentworth Avenue & Rosebery

Pagewood We join a shared cycleway on the edge of a busy Wentworth Avenue that ducks right under the Southern Cross freeway. While cruising this section, you will catch a glimpse of the water hazards at Eastlakes and The Lakes golf clubs. It’s also the perfect spot to dream about tackling the massive Greater Sydney Bike Trail, which you’re actually rolling on for this short stretch. An extended version of The Cooks River cycleway ends at Wentworth Avenue

As we hit the Mascot & Eastlakes area, its time to show you the ride on a map so you can get your bearings.

You can check out Ride 18 over here on RideWithGPS and find it in the Eastern Suburbs Collection here.

Through Rosebery to Zetland After crossing Wentworth Avenue, we zag back along the edge of The Lakes golf course, using Sparks Street* to find and slip through a graffit clad tunnel straight under Gardiners Road.

*Now, if you’re in a tearing hurry, you can just turn at Hicks Road and beeline for Primrose Avenue in Rosebery. But that’s not our style. We much prefer to stick to the quieter pockets of Rosebery, utilizing a neat little park along Southern Cross Drive and weaving our way through some clever paths between the buildings.

Nearing Zetland, we hop onto Dalmeny Avenue and navigate through the slick new medium-density apartment blocks. The finish line for this leg is the terrific Gunyama Park Swimming Pool and Sports Field—a great spot to pull up and cool down. It has a really good Hydrotherapy pool. From here, Ride 9 takes over the baton.

Lets check out the Ride in 3D in this video. Remember we start at the north end of Botany Bay, the large less popular bay that gives Sydney its water character.

Zetland Library and Station and a great pool

For paying subscribers, lets return to Sir Joseph Banks Park

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There is a specific kind of satisfaction in watching a once-stressful commute transform into a scenic tour of Kensington’s best-kept secrets. For years, Doncaster Avenue was known as a popular but high-stress thoroughfare where the risk of “car-dooring” was a constant shadow for local riders.

That narrative changed in 2023 when the corridor was reimagined as a premier, protected link. This isn’t just a path; it’s an award-winning example of how urban streets can be repurposed for people, taking you from the edge of Kingsford straight to the gates of Centennial Park.

The Ride Breakdown

1. The Banks Avenue Preamble

The Ride 16 journey kicks off at Banks Avenue. While the start here is still a bit “rough” around the edges, think of it as the necessary “backstreet shuffle” before you hit the high-quality infrastructure waiting ahead.

2. Houston Road: Finding the Flow

Halfway down Houston Road, the vibe shifts as the dedicated, separated cycleway begins. This is the transition point where you leave the road behind and enter a protected environment. See the first pic above. Many stay on road at this stage and enter the separated path further down. Crossing Day Avenue is probably the biggest annoyance of the path on Huston.

3. The Main Event: Doncaster Avenue

The hero of this ride is the 1.6km separated path on Doncaster Avenue. This stretch is a masterclass in urban repurposing:

• Safety First: The wide street layout was redesigned to eliminate the “car-dooring” risks that previously plagued the route.

• Tech-Forward: Keep an eye out for the innovative dual cyclist and walker lanterns at crossings, designed to keep both pedestrians and riders moving intuitively. This was one of the first time these lanterns were used in Sydney.

• Kingsford Link: The path provides a smooth run that reaches almost to the Centennial Park including crossing the Kingsford tram line on Anzac Pde.

4. The Grand Finale: Kensington Ponds Bridge

The newest highlight is the fantastic new bridge over the Kensington Ponds. It provides a seamless, “no-interruption” entry into Centennial Park, delivering you from the suburban streetscape directly into the greenery of the parklands. Your coffee awaits though you may have to do a couple of laps to earn it.

Here are your map links

RideWithGPS Eastern Sydney Ride Collection (ride 7) On CycleSydney Map

Award-Winning Infrastructure

This route didn’t just improve the local commute; it earned official recognition for its design excellence:

• 2023 Cycling Infrastructure Awards: 2nd Place

• The Competition: In that year it stood alongside other major projects like the Carlingford Rail Trail and the Rozelle Parklands

Ride Details & Media

• Distance: 3.3 km.

• Terrain: Flat and accessible for all ages.

See it in 3D

Check out this 3D flyover of Ride 16, tracing the path from Banks Avenue all the way to the park:

Where to next?

• 🌳 Centennial Park: Your are 99% likely to be heading to Centennial. Great scenery and you can pretty well ride till you drop and not stop.
  https://cyclesydney.com/p/ride8

Now some more in depth places to go for Paid Subscribers

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University and Victoria Park

The ride kicks off at the University of Sydney’s Cadigal Green, where the grand sandstone architecture and wide-open campus grounds set a stately, relaxed tone. It’s a casual start, but you’ll soon reach the edge of the university precinct where the city’s pace picks up. Crossing City Road (Princes Hwy) is the first major “slice”—be sure to use the lights to cross safely before rolling into the leafy sanctuary of Victoria Park. As you pass the pool, the noise of the traffic fades, replaced by the greenery of one of Sydney’s most established parklands. It’s the perfect transition from the academic hub toward the residential heart of Glebe.

Getting to Johnstons Creek

Leaving the park, the route transitions into a solid on-road link via Arundel Street. This is a vital piece of the puzzle for local riders; Arundel is notably two-way for bicycles, allowing you to bypass the heavier traffic of the surrounding main roads. You’ll navigate a quick “dog-leg” through the Forest Lodge streets—crossing a busy Ross St with care and turning at Short Street, moving onto Johnston Street, and crossing Bridge Road using a new crossing. A final run down Hereford Street marks the end of the suburban street-work as the horizon opens up toward the canal.

Johnstons Creek and the Tramsheds

As you join the paths on the Canal Reserve, the atmosphere shifts from urban navigation to a paths under trees and a bridge crossing or two. A dog is likely your biggest hurdle. You’re now following the Johnstons Creek trail, passing right under the massive arches of the 📷 historic (dare I say sewage) aquaduct.

The trail brings you right to the doorstep of the Tramsheds, the beautifully restored heritage site that serves as the area’s premier pitstop for coffee or a meal. The journey concludes at Jubilee Park, the home of local AFL and Cricket, right at the water’s edge. It’s a fantastic spot to end the ride, though keep in mind that this a weekend favorite with the locals.

Distance: 3.8 km | Duration: 18 minutes
Avg Speed: 15 km/h
Total Climb: 15 m | Total Descent: 36 m

Where to next?

If you’ve completed the Forest Lodge Traverse, you are perfectly positioned to link up with several other key routes in the City sub-collection. Ride 15 is a little complex, you may also be well served to retrace your tracks to get used to it.

At the Start: Connect to Ride 7 The beginning of this route near the University puts you right on the doorstep of the Wilson Street Cycleway, a major piece of Ride 7. That ride covers the “Railway Run” from Lewisham West tram stop (The Greenway) all the way to Redfern Station. It’s a bit higgledy-piggledy to start with, but the final stretch along Wilson Street is a genuine cycling treat and a great way to extend your journey toward the inner west or the city south.

At the Finish: Connect to Ride 10 Rozelle Bay is a feature of Ride 10, the meandering best of City photography ride. If you feel like some fish and chips, you can pick up that route to explore the scenic foreshore and the intricate details of the local bays.

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I disembarked and rode down to the fabulous Woronora Bridge where a wonderful path beckons cyclists under the huge busy bridge. From there it was shared paths all the way to Padstow Heights. It was stinking hot, I had coffee and a sandwich and headed to Revesby Station. At this point I could have continued around Sydney. I use an eBike and I had barely used a 1/4 of the 500wHour battery. I returned to my start point at Centennial Park. My journey had begun.

That night I committed to the full ride, I found an express train that went from Green Square to Edmonsons Park via Revesby. I boarded it at 6:20 and arrived Edmonsons Park at 7am. There was no one on the train. Now I had to ride up the M7 and as the heat was due to hit at at 11, I was glad I started early. I made my way 45km up the M7 and up to Bella Vista. Its a pretty decent slog with solid hills including Sugar Loaf Ridge, a go around point on the Sydney lap. Breakfast at Bella Vista and then I jumped on the Metro all the way to Macquarie Park. If you haven’t been on the Metro trains, they are sensational and terrific for bicycles.

As part of running this SubStack as a donat-able knowledgebase, I plough some of the funds back into charities related to Cycling around Sydney. To this end, Dungog is on a city line train and you can get your bike there. I purchased quite a few tickets. They get a new flow track, I might win. All good Raffle Tickets here

At Macquarie Park, I rolled up to the blue Lachlans Line Bridge. You can also go through Lane Cove National Park and climb up the easier Plassey Entry Rd to see this bridge. To finish off the ride you head to Milsons Point (or North Sydney). Arriving at Milsons Point is so good, I highly recommend going clockwise around the city just for this pleasure. Then its over the Coat Hanger and make your way up to Centennial Park, the final go around marker.

Join this Facebook group, make a pledge and and ask others how they rode around Sydney. You can ask questions and review answers in the group. Read what Bicycle NSW said about the challenge here

This is the version of the trail I did to get to 100lm. See the legend on the side of the map[/caption]

Below is the map that contains a variety of different options to go around Sydney. Check the map out here in Google My Maps >>

Here are the rules for going around Sydney. Go around the four yellow markers in the map above. End of rules. You can do this using trains as long as your bike accompanies you. Here are the markers in more detail.

Use the legend in the map, there are a lot of rides on the map that are hidden to make it simpler. People tend to ride it different way because of what they know, what the sort of bike they are riding. One day there will be a fully supported decent trail around Sydney, for now its a big explore. This was my third time around the city, my first ride of 220km included a train from Cronulla to Sutherland. My second was 150km and was close to the shortest way around the four markers. Read more on The Greater Sydney bike trail here >>

Here is the video of the Ride and Train journey

Here are all the Greater Sydney bike trail videos in a YouTube play list.

Date: April 15, 2026

1. Executive Summary: The 220km Vision

The Greater Sydney Bike Trail (GSBT) is an under-recognised asset—a 220km continuous loop that defines the geography of our city. Rather than a future project requiring full construction, the GSBT is a largely complete circuit where 85% of the infrastructure is already delivered via high-quality shared paths and dedicated cycleways. The remaining sections utilize functional on-road connections that are already being navigated by a growing community of riders.

At 220km, the GSBT outscales international benchmarks like the Stelling van Amsterdam (170km) and the Berlin Wall Trail (160km). With over 750 riders already completing or attempting the circuit, the appetite for this experience is established. We believe local councils along the GSBT would welcome targeted assistance to maintain or upgrade existing paths that form part of this prestigious loop.

2. Rivers, Bays, and an Insight into Our Massive, Diverse City

The trail’s strength lies in its ability to link Sydney’s vast geography into one continuous journey. The route is defined by the rivers and bays that give the city its soul, moving from the lush Parramatta and Georges River valleys to the sweeping vistas of the coastal south. Along the way, the trail passes through established cycling meccas like Centennial Park, the M7 Cycleway, Lane Cove National Park, and La Perouse, which act as massive drawcards for thousands of riders every weekend. These hubs serve as the trail’s anchors, culminating in a world-famous finish at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

3. High-Impact Connectivity Opportunities

To maximize the value of this existing asset, we have identified three priority areas where targeted design assistance will provide immediate returns for both the local community and the continuity of the loop:

• The Liverpool-Casula Link: This is a major opportunity to transform the neglected riverfront parkland along the Georges River into a marquee segment of the GSBT. By leveraging existing bridge supports, a seamless connection can be established between Liverpool Station, Haigh Park, and the Papermill. Much of this exists but lacks focus that would come from an over weir connection and maybe a lift to the station.

• The North Sydney nightmare: Addressing the current fragmentation in North Sydney will create an intuitive, world-class approach to the Harbour Bridge, ensuring the “final mile” of the loop matches the quality of the regional network.

• Lane Cove NP Approaches: We suggest a clearer definition of the on-road corridor from Shrimptons Creek and a protected transit zone on the steepest part of the climb from Lane Cove National Park up Fullers Road towards Chatswood.

  

  

4. User Experience & Community Advocacy

The GSBT has achieved significant mainstream recognition, evidenced by a two-page spread in the Sydney Morning Herald, a popular Bicycle NSW feature, and a dedicated article in RideOn Magazine.

Established advocacy groups like Bike North, Western Sydney Cycling Network, and Bike Leichhardt—leveraging the 4,500-strong GSBT Facebook community—provide the "ground truth" to accelerate formal planning. By leveraging these networks as a primary data source and live consultation platform, Government can streamline discovery and reduce consultancy costs through pre-verified site insights and deep local stakeholder knowledge.

5. Multi-Modal Integration & Economic Impact

The GSBT is uniquely positioned as a high-access “segmented” loop. Frequent intersections with heavy rail and metro networks—specifically at hubs like Wolli Creek, Revesby, Glenfield and Bella Vista Metro—allow the 220km journey to be completed in manageable stages, maximizing accessibility for a wide demographic of riders.

Drawing on performance data from successful regional rail-trails, formalizing the GSBT will act as a consistent economic stimulus for local hospitality along the route. We have already seen this in practice, with hotels in Tempe and Cabramatta being utilized by large cycling groups. Official recognition will serve to convert existing recreational transit into measurable economic activity, supporting local accommodation and "staycation" tourism by providing a world-class urban adventure right on the doorstep of 5 million residents.

6. Strategic Recommendation: A Flagship Project for Sydney and NSW

It is a reasonable expectation that cyclists attracted to regional landmarks, such as the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, will seek equally high-quality options within the state capital. The Greater Sydney Bike Trail is the flagship project to meet this demand and should be championed as the urban centerpiece of NSW’s cycling strategy.

We recommend Bicycle NSW advocate for:

• Official Recognition: Formalizing the GSBT as a premier metropolitan loop to bridge the gap between regional rail trails and urban recreation.

• Wayfinding & Identity: A coordinated signage program at the primary meccas (Centennial Park, M7, Lane Cove NP, and Taylor Square) to anchor the experience and provide official digital navigation.

• Targeted Infrastructure Guidance: Prioritizing design support for high-impact segments—specifically the Liverpool-Casula Link and the Fullers Road climb—to resolve existing friction points through community-led expertise.

By elevating the GSBT alongside regional landmarks, we ensure Sydney and NSW take their rightful place as a premier global cycling attraction.

Supporting Evidence:

• The Deep Dive (200km Loop): Josh Kwan’s 13-hour journey

• The Everyday Journey: Mike Coles’ Holiday at Home

• External description: Bicycle NSW article

• Technical Mapping and Links: CycleSydney.com post on the GSBT here.
  

  

  
  

This video is really for the rest of us—the ones who make progress in fits and starts and often find ourselves taking the long way around. Mike’s multi-day trek shows that you don’t need to be a professional to explore your own world; you just need the grit to handle the rain, the mechanical hiccups, and the occasional hour-long wait for a rescue when things go sideways [11:18]. It’s a great reminder that there is a quiet dignity in the grind, even when you feel “rubbish” at following the map [17:52]. If you’ve been feeling like you’re just wandering or moving too slowly, watching Mike find genuine joy in the middle of a messy, beautiful detour might be exactly the encouragement you need to keep pedaling.

Watch the full video here:

Information on the GSBT on this Page

Maps - GPS Here

So I start this beat the bus trail at the South Turramurra shops. You ride down Kissing Point Road till it turns into a shared path track for walkers and cyclists. Then it gets steeper to the river You cross the river on a weir that can flood so don’t cross it then. Then its a solid climb to the tunnel under the M2 and a ride into Macquarie Park shops and Uni. Pretty good really. Total time 18 minutes at 17km per hour. The great part about this path is the busses and cars have to go the long way round.

If it rains when you are across the creek, you can ride a really long way around via Yanko Rd. The footpath looks ok if you hate busy roads like me. Otherwise leave your bike and catch the bus.

The bus takes about 26 minutes. Driving the car will be a little quicker but free parking is a going to see you walking about 2km to work or the uni.

Summary – South Turramurra Shops to Macquarie Shops is 17 mins by bike at 17km per hour saves 10 minutes on the bus – There are hills in this trail but not for that long.

A great option could be to park on the north side of Lan Cove National Park, pull your bike out of the car and ride through Browns Creek.

The Ride with GPS Trail here >>

I am not making it up

If you think I am making this up - see Josephs Great Video on the same commute here where he blitzes cars as well thru Browns Water Hole. Good for more tips as well

Full analysis of the beat the car at the 10 minute mark of the video above.

Other Cycling Options to Macquarie Park and Uni

From the south there is a great flat 5 km trail from Top Ryde called Shrimptons Creek

From Epping there is a good enough 5km trail called Epping Rd

From the East you can come in through Lane Cove National park on a really hilly route of 8kms

From the South East, Epping Rd Cycleway is a very good route with hills that extends off road all the way to St Leonards

All are on the map of Sydney here >> or will turn up in this Lane Cove collection here

🌧️ What happens when it rains ? 🌧️

If you use the Browns Creek Path after rain, be careful as it could get slippery, worse still it may close or you may think you can cross it when it floods (well don’t). Anyway the obvious option is to ride down to the A3 and cross the bridge on the path on the west side and go up Yanko. This is OK for a bit and then it gets downright dangerous. Would be more so in wet weather. Maybe you lock up your bike and catch the bus.

In the following map snippet I show how you can ride to Lofberg Oval in West Pymple using shared paths. Not a bad ride. The roads in that area north of Yanko are generally all decent enough though they could be rat runs at peak time. See the map >>

Overview: I am writing a series of articles called Beat the Bus in Sydney. The purpose of these articles is to come up with popular ride where you can easily beat public transport whilst not riding too fast. To qualify, a ride needs to be going to a place with a decent sized working population, the roads need to be shared path or at least a decent enough well marked council road. Average speed must be under 20km per hour. And the whole journey needs to be under 45 minutes.

Anyone can do this in any city, just study your maps, do a few practice rides on Sunday morning, get fit and ride some or all the way to work if you can find decent enough roads. If you can’t find a way, can you ride to a station or take your bike part of the way in a car. Give it a go.

🚌 See all the beat the bus articles

Read on at the Proper location of https://www.cyclesydney.com/p/ride14

Notice how each ride has a name ending in the code rideXX eg ride14

🗺️ Map links follow if that is all you want
RideWithGPS City Ride Collection (ride 14) On CycleSydney Map

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