Sample Rides
The Blue Range Panorama is an off-road ride in the Gembrook area taken from the 2nd edition ORCA book. It is essentially a non-technical mountain bike ride, taking in magnificent surroundings of tall timber forest and ferns. The trail is mainly a packed gravel road loop. The biggest climb is at the start, about 5km in the middle ring and occasionally granny ring, then continues along a ridge line with a few ups and downs (great scenic views). There are singletrack ‘cut-through’ options off the loop road which, if accessible, could be fun to explore. Due to recent rain (and snow!) there could be muddy sections, so knobby tyres are an absolute must. You will need reasonable fitness to complete this ride.
Details
| Location | Gembrook |
| Date | Saturday 18th November 2006 |
| Meeting place | Mortimer Picnic Reserve, Gembrook (Melway Key Map page 14) |
| Ride start time | 11am |
| Surface | mainly packed gravel road |
| Distance | 37km loop |
| Suited to | Mountain Bikes - knobbly tires! |
| Fitness level | good |
- Details
- Written by: enquiries
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This ride has become a club favourite over the years; it has been about 12 months since we've ridden The Warby Express. So come and get on board!
Details
| Location | Lilydale to Warburton and return |
| Date | Sunday, 5th November 2006 |
| Meeting place (train travellers) | Flinders St Station Platform 3, 8:50am (for 9:05 Lilydale train) |
| Ride start | Lilydale Railway Station car park, on the northern side. Melway 38 D4 |
| Ride start time | 10:15am (or after train arrives - see below) |
| Surface | packed gravel |
| Distance | 75 km (return trip) |
| Suited to | Hybrid and Mountain Bikes only |
| Rating |
endurance |
| More info |
railtrails.org |
- Details
- Written by: enquiries
- Hits: 5195
This week’s ride starts in the city and will follow the popular Capital City trail to Fairfield boathouse, then the Main Yarra Trail to Bulleen, arriving at the Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen for lunch. As we ride, we’ll enjoy the serene bushland and parkland of Melbourne’s inner east all from the seat of our bikes, with almost no use of public roads. It is generally an easy ride with a couple of short hill climbs.
The newly renovated Heide is surrounded by a sculpture garden and open, shady grass areas, perfect for picnicking. Bring your own lunch, or dine at the Heide Café, where they serve up great coffee, delightful cakes and lunchy things. If you’d like to visit the gallery spaces, the admission price to Heide I, II, and III is $12 per adult, or $8 to Heide I only. Concessions are available, and entry is free to the garden area and sculpture park. More info about Heide.
After lunch, a visit to the gallery area (admission price applies), a stroll around the gardens or a lie down in the sun, we will catch a train back to the city at Heidelberg (about 2km from Heide) or from Fairfield (about half-way back to the city). For those with the energy, there is the option to cycle all the way back to the city via the same route, and the total return distance for the day would be approx 52km.
Details
| Location | City to Heide Museum of Modern Art, Bulleen |
| Date | Saturday, 7th October 2006 |
| Meeting place | City, outside Time Out Café, cnr Swanston and Flinders St, Federation Square (opp Flinders St station) |
| Ride start time | 10:00 am |
| Surface | Easy, mainly flat with some undulation, asphalt and firm gravel |
| Distance | 28km one way, 52km return |
| Suited to | mountain bike or hybrid |
| Cost |
Free, or to go inside gallery $12 per adult |
- Details
- Written by: enquiries
- Hits: 6033
This Sunday 24th September we will be returning to an old favourite of the clubs, the Kinglake Canter ride through the Kinglake National Park. It’s a lovely ride through native woodlands along a combination of forest track, fire trails and some stunning single track. We have not been through this area since the fires last year and it will be interesting to see how the area has recovered.
Details
| Location | Kinglake National Park |
| Date | Sunday, 24th September 2006 |
| Meeting place | Melway ref map 510 Q11. Take Westbridge Rd off the Melba Highway, follow this road for 3 kms to the intersection of Eucalyptus and Captain Creek roads (page 25 of the first edition of the Off Road Cycling Adventures give full information) |
| Ride start time | 11:00am |
| Surface | Forest roads, fire trials and single track |
| Distance | 32 km |
| Suited to | Mountain Bikes |
| Fitness level |
moderate (there are a couple of hills involved) |
- Details
- Written by: enquiries
- Hits: 4365
