Walk or cycle to your favourite Boroondara destinations – it’s a great way to see the City, plus save money, improve your fitness.
Find the information you need about cycling routes in Victoria, places to ride, network planning, infrastructure and more.
Detailed maps containing information on sustainable travel modes including bus, train, tram and cycle routes.
Open Cycle Way Map of Melbourne – a collaborative project to create a free editable geographic database of the world.
Bicycle Network is your one stop shop for all your riding needs. From getting started to keeping up to date with changing road rules,
Explore the Australia wide Rail Trail network on the RailTrails Australia website and plan your next break.
What to consider
When cycling from “A” to “B” there are several aspects of the ride to be considered and prioritised. They are interaction with traffic such as
- Crossing and use of busy roads
- Condition of road/path surfaces Wheel-friendliness i.e. smoothness of transitions in levels
- Gradients
- Directness of route
- Time factor
Generally, the less interaction with traffic, the better. Apart from the safety factor, more traffic means more exhaust fumes and more noise. Also, while there is plenty of room for bikes on some busy roads, especially if they have designated bicycle lanes, others simply feel unsafe and intimidating.
Observation and gut feeling should influence final choice of roads.
Road surfaces can vary. This is where the choice of bike may determine where you can go. Roads are generally maintained with cars in mind; road edges and cycling paths are often neglected.
Take a longer route
Being close to trees, paths suffer from tree-root damage, so this is where suspension is useful. Most bike paths in Boroondara are of a high quality and underpass major roads, but they can meander a bit. It would often be quicker to take a more direct arterial road. When making a trip regularly, it can take months to refine. This can be very satisfying. It’s worth exploring apparently dead-end streets as there is often a way through for bikes, sometimes with a connection through a park and beyond. It’s sometimes better to take a different way home with less climbing, or a safer approach to an intersection. For the same reason, it may be more efficient, safe or pleasant to take a slightly longer route. Always be open to doing something different but do make self-preservation your number one priority.
