We were hoping we wouldn’t have to do another post like this, but here we are again. We hope everyone is staying safe and staying positive.
As we all know, Melbourne metropolitan area and Mitchell Shire are back in lockdown. This means only leaving home for essential shopping, medical care or caregiving, exercise and recreation or study and work if you can’t do it from home.
When making choices about exercise and where to ride, keep it simple - you should only ride as far as you need to get your daily exercise and keep it close to home when you can. This may mean changes to your normal riding routine.
To help you find the best place close to home to ride we've put together a list of riding routes and some key resources to help you identify local paths and trails in your area.
Get all the important info on riding during lockdown here:
Notable closures
The bad news for a lot of keen roadies is that Kinglake is outside of the Melbourne metro area, so if you were thinking of hitting the hills, the Dandenongs are your best option.
The Darebin International Sports Centre Velodrome at Thornbury will also be closed to all users for the next six weeks, with exceptions for professionals.
It appears most bike shops are remaining open during lockdown for sales and servicing, but operating under new restrictions, so please contact your local bike store before dropping in.
Luckily for riders of all ages and abilities, there are still plenty of great places to ride around Melbourne. We’ve listed just a few below.
Some top riding spots in Melbourne
These rides are offered as suburban suggestions. You should not ride if you are feeling sick or have been directed to self-isolate. You should carefully plan your rides to and from your residence during lockdown to avoid any unnecessary contact with other people.
Always refer to government resources for up to date information.
Maribyrnong River Tail
Distance: 21km one way
Difficulty: Easy to medium
Follows the twists and turns carved out by the mighty Maribyrnong River through the inner west suburbs, past the Felmington Racetrack, Pipemakers Park and the Lily Street lookout.
Capital City Trail
Distance: 29km loop
Difficulty: Easy
Travelling past some of Melbourne's top attractions, the Capital City Trail circumnavigates the city along leafy shared trails, following the Yarra River in the east past Abbotsford Convent and Dight Falls.
The Bay Trail and Beach Road
Distance: 26km one way
Difficulty: Something for everyone
The Bay Trail is a popular foreshore shared, off-road path that travels along the coast from Port Melbourne down the peninsula. It's great for people of all ages and abilities.
Next to the Bay Trail is the famous Beach Road from Brighton to Beaumaris. Road cyclists who want to ride at a faster pace can take Beach Road.
Gardiners Creek Trail
Distance: 17km one way
Difficulty: Easy
This popular commuter path runs between Melbourne's southeastern suburbs and the city centre, following Gardiners Creek through Melbourne’s leafy eastern suburbs from Burnley to Box Hill.
The 1 in 20
Distance: 6.8km (hill)
Difficulty: Hard
The 1 in 20 is Melbourne’s most popular cycling climb. Winding its way up Mountain Highway from The Basin to Sassafras this notorious climb provides a fantastic way for cyclists of all abilities to test themselves.
Main Yarra Trail
Distance: 38km one way
Difficulty: Easy
Stretching from the city all the way to Elthan this is the perfect hop-on-hop-off green corridor that follows the banks of the Yarra River, and intersects with a number of other popular paths and trails.
Yarra Boulevard
Distance: 11km loop
Difficulty: Medium
'The Boulie' is an iconic spot for Melbourne riders. Snaking through Kew and alongside the Main Yarra Trail, the Boulie can be lapped numerous times. It does includes some hills that will get the heart pumping, but we like that, and you'll be rewarded with views of the city skyline while also feeling like you're in the country with gum trees lining the road.
Maps and guides
This handy Google map shows all bike riding trails in Melbourne. You can check boxes on the side to show only off-road trails and easily find your closest trail.
You can find more resources for great places to ride in Melbourne here:
- Melbourne's top family-friendly bike trails
- North, south, east, west – Riding into Melbourne
- People who ride bikes – Melbourne, Facebook Group
- Cycling maps - local government areas
If you're thinking about taking up riding during the lockdown, these resources might be handy:
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