Australia?

djhnz
djhnz Posts: 50
edited November 2017 in Road general
I know this is a UK based Forum, but does anyone have experience riding around a Australia? Specifically Melbourne/VIC.how does it compare to the likes of the areas around London like Kent? Ignoring the terrible drivers for now..

Comparable in terms of both the riding and general cycling lifestyle?

Comments

  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,699
    djhnz wrote:
    I know this is a UK based Forum, but does anyone have experience riding around a Australia? Specifically Melbourne/VIC.how does it compare to the likes of the areas around London like Kent? Ignoring the terrible drivers for now..

    Comparable in terms of both the riding and general cycling lifestyle?
    Not ridden in Kent, but done plenty in Melbourne. Depending on which part of town, it can be pretty good. Popular, a fair few cycle lanes and some dedicated pathways, drivers are okay. The area from Port Melbourne round the bay east is hugely popular for bikes. Pretty flat, you can do a return loop of 50km on a weekend morning with about 10,000 others. Loads of cafes too. Google Beach Road cycling Melbourne...

    Some beautiful areas outside city for riding too, hills in the Dandenongs, the Great Ocean Road, all very scenic.

    Its pretty decent all round for riding.
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    There are LOADS of bunch rides around Melbourne, some are a bit mental with huge numbers turning up and smashing it along the beach roads like they're in the bloody TdF. Can get dangerous. General cycling lifestyle is much better and there's no shortage of great cafes to start, end or break up your ride (Rapha cafe just on the edge of central Melbourne). Lots of clubs too. There can be the odd bogan ute driver that will abuse you and ignorant close-pass drivers, but it's nothing like inner London!

    Helmets are compulsory all across Australia.

    Not sure about bells in Victoria (they're compulsory in Qld and the police often hand out fines).

    I'm down in the depths of Tasmania though, where there are no rules...... lol :twisted:



    Oh and watch out for crazy mofo magpie attacks in the Spring!

    9443968.jpg
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • papad
    papad Posts: 23
    It's a nice place to ride and cycling is very popular. The drivers are horrendous though.

    There's plenty of great places to ride outside the city too. The winters are cold but nothing like the uk, so it's easy to ride through them. Plus it barely rains...
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Just beware of Holden driving, wife beater wearing bogans and you might live.
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  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    cooldad wrote:
    Just beware of Holden driving, wife beater wearing bogans and you might live.

    In Melbourne it'll be more the inattentive vanilla-soya-frappe-cino sipping hipsters too busy fiddling with their new iPhone X walking out off the pavement without looking that you'll need watch for...
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • djhnz
    djhnz Posts: 50
    Thanks for the replied. Is cycling popular amoung younger people in Aus yet? When i lived in Auckland, it was mostly people in their 40's turning up for rides. Would like to meet some similar aged people to myself. In my current club, the average age is around 30, so hoping for some kind of similar group.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    MiddleRinger wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    Just beware of Holden driving, wife beater wearing bogans and you might live.

    In Melbourne it'll be more the inattentive vanilla-soya-frappe-cino sipping hipsters too busy fiddling with their new iPhone X walking out off the pavement without looking that you'll need watch for...

    Fair point.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    djhnz wrote:
    Thanks for the replied. Is cycling popular amoung younger people in Aus yet? When i lived in Auckland, it was mostly people in their 40's turning up for rides. Would like to meet some similar aged people to myself. In my current club, the average age is around 30, so hoping for some kind of similar group.


    Last time I looked NZ was not part of OZ.

    Buy a mountain bike and you'll meet nicer, younger people.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • antonyfromoz
    antonyfromoz Posts: 482
    Have a look at this site for information on organised rides, current laws and insurance etc https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/ If you like the idea of supported camping, socialising and riding for a week or so then the Great Victorian Bike Ride is usually a fun event if you are over there towards the end of the year. You will find riding clubs all around Melbourne and there is a lot of Audax rides but these do tend to attract a slightly older crowd in my experience. Areas like the Kew Boulevard are lovely to ride and probably much quieter than Beach Road (at least it used to be, many years ago). HTH

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