Garry Robinson, founder of BikeTrail.blog, has extended an invitation to ride the Greater Sydney Bike Trail, a 230km loop around the outer edges of the metropolitan Sydney area that pieces together some of his favourite paths.
‘Why not ride around Sydney?" asks Garry. "The two big loops I developed will hopefully inspire you to explore the world's premier city on two wheels and see lots of places you probably have never seen close-up."
After spotting Bicycle NSW's 2023 articles about Garry and the Greater Sydney Bike Trail, the Sydney Morning Herald wrote a great piece that took the ride to a wider audience. The numbers tackling the Trail have rocketed over the summer, with many riders sharing stories on the dedicated Facebook group.
Recently a few ‘good men’ from Bicycle NSW Bicycle User Group (BUG), Sydney Spokes accepted Garry's invitation and what a ride it was!
Stage 1 started from the Horse Trough by the Robertson Gates of Centennial Park
‘We renamed it the 'Tour de Sydney'," said BUG President David Mackey, "and divided the ride into five stages or Étapes. Distance ranged from 37km to 65km."
Each stage was held on almost consecutive Sundays.
Stage 1 from Centennial Park to Tempe
"From the Horse Trough by the Robertson Gates, we followed the route to Coogee Beach. From there is was a scenic trip around the coast to Maroubra Beach, Long Bay, Little Bay, La Perouse and Yarra Bay before heading inland to end at Tempe Station," reports Mackey.
The first stage of the Tour de Sydney: Looks like it was a fab day
Tour de Sydney gets underway
Each stage commenced at the train station where the last finished.
Stage 2 was from Tempe to Sutherland via Cronulla
Sydney Spokes added the Cronulla loop (Ewas and Nicholson Parades) to this section to make it easier to cycle out of Cronulla and onwards to Sutherland Station via the National Camelia Cardens.
Beside Wanda Beach
Happy to have reached Sutherland, the end point of Stage 2
Stage 3 Sutherland to Casula
Participants left Sutherland for Casula with lovely cycleways along the Georges River. The ride finished with lunch at the magnificent Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.
Stage 4 Casula to Parramatta - the longest at 65km!
Riders enjoyed more scenic cycleways leaving Casula before linking to the M7 cycleway.
"It's a gradual uphill cycling from Casula towards Parramatta, so good for a workout," said David Mackey.
To break the journey, the group stopped at a cafe in Western Sydney Regional Park and rejoined the M7 cycleway further down after following part of the Water Canal Shared Path.
"We ended this ride at the rainbow in Parramatta Square."
Tour de Sydney Étape 4: Casula to Parramatta
A small but dedicated group completed Stage 4 in Parramatta Square
Stage 5 Parramatta to Centennial Park
David described the final Étape, from Parramatta to Centennial Park, a being "very scenic and full of icons", before adding "it was also the toughest section" of the entire journey.
"Étape 5 of our Tour de Sydney was 55km and involved 800m climbing including the hill at Fullers Rd - 21% gradient for 200m! We rode from Parramatta to Lane Cove National Park via Epping, then to Chatswood, North Sydney to Circular Quay and back to Centennial Park," says David.
From Parramatta to Epping train station is easy cycling using the excellent new path alongside the Parramatta Light Rail and some attractive residential streets. "But after Lane Cove National Park there is a whoppa of a hill (Fullers Road) before arriving in Chatswood!"
Just enough time for a refreshment at Lane Cove National Park before tackling the ‘whoppa of a hill’
Participants found a really nice cafe in Lane Cove National Park for a brief stop before pedaling up the challenging hill.
Chatswood marked a change in course from the official route as David explained, "via St Leonard's, Waverton and Wollstonecraft there are lots of hills and a detour at Newlands Park. We chose instead to follow the cycleway along Flat Rock Creek from Chatswood all the way to West St where it ends and then into North Sydney to the Harbour Bridge."
Sydney Spokes surge on across the Sydney Harbour Bridge
The final leg took the BUG past the Opera House, Mrs Macquarie's Chair and then up the Bourke St cycleway back to Centennial Park.
Reflecting on the tour David said, "this series of rides really introduced our club to parts of Sydney we've never explored before. We will be running this series again next year as part of our cycle program."
About Sydney Spokes
Sydney Spokes is the home of LGBTI cycling in Sydney. You can cycle with Sydney Spokes whatever your level of fitness or riding experience.
Want to join right away? Go to ‘Membership’ and send in your completed application form and start riding now.
Prefer to check them out a little? Go to the ‘Rides Guide’ section and see what is on offer. Come on a ride or two or just ‘Contact Spokes’
Why not join your local BUG and benefit from free local guided group rides in your area and regional tours?
Then become a Bicycle NSW Member and support our advocacy campaigns for e-bike subsidies and the roll out of Rail Trails in regional NSW. We hope you like this article? You can now buy Bicycle NSW a coffee for articles and posts you enjoyed and would like to support.
All photos: Sydney Spokes
