GSBT

The Greater Sydney Bike Trail (GSBT)

"230 Kilometres. 2,000m of climbing. 80% shared paths. The Greater Sydney Bike Trail is the ultimate way to experience this amazing city on two wheels. Discover hidden gems, master the 'Four Marker' challenge, and explore Sydney's diverse landscapes on a route designed by locals, for everyone. Can’t do 230, Sydney has fantastic bicycle ready trains and the shorter 150 Orbital is just as good. "

Google Maps

🚴 Essential Logistics (The "How-To") 🚴

1. Choose Your Mission

First, decide which version of the loop fits your schedule. Both are epic, but they offer different vibes:

  • The GSBT Classic (230km): The full “Round Sydney” experience. Most riders tackle this in a day, your author took 5 days on the first ride.

  • The Sydney 150 Orbital: A tighter, highly scenic loop that goes via the Carlingford Rail Trail and Prospect Reservoir and skips Cronulla and La Perouse.

RideWithGPS

2. The “Bail-Out” & Multi-Day Strategy

The best part about the GSBT? You don’t have to do it all at once. Sydney’s rail network is your ultimate safety net. Bicycles travel free on all Sydney Trains, and most major stations now have lifts.

  • Sectional Riding: Many riders treat the GSBT as a series of weekend “day trips.” Ride 60km, hop on a train home, and start at that same station next weekend.

  • Key “Bail-Out” Stations: These stations sit directly on or very near the route:

    • South: Wolli Creek, Sutherland, Glenfield.

    • West: Rooty Hill, Bella Vista (Metro), Westmead.

    • North: Meadowbank, North Ryde.

3. Respect the Four Markers

To officially “claim” a completion of the Greater Sydney Bike Trail, you must pass around these four markers. How you navigate between them is your choice, but these are good targets for your journey:

  • Centennial Park The spiritual home of Sydney

  • Under the Woronora Bridge A spectacular engineering highlight.

  • Western Sydney Parklands Pass through Lizard Log or around Sugarloaf Ridge.

  • Lane Cove National Park Ride the National Park almost car free.

Need advice or a riding buddy? Whether you need a real-time update on path conditions or you want to post your "Finisher" photo at the Harbour Bridge, our community is active and ready to help.

Ask 4500 Members on FaceBook

See all the videos of different versions of the trail here

See photos of the trail here

This great ride was first featured in an article by Bicycle NSW . That was so popular it then featured in the Sydney Morning Herald on November 2023 and in the first edition of the huge Ride On Magazine.

Article about Riding Around Sydney on the GSBT

Finally get the best How to Guide (24 minutes in) by Sydney cycling’s favourite YouTuber, Josh Kwan where he explains how he used the map in this hugely popular video

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts about the GSBT and the rest of the Sydney network, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.