You are hereForums / Archives / Tentative Planning (MTB) / Beginner's ride advice
Beginner's ride advice
I want to take my 11 year-old son on a mountain bike ride in the Sydney or Blue Mountains area. What would be the best route for a beginner?
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
having to weigh the difficulty of the track with accessibility
and the danger from other road users
a nice easy tour is the lapstone zig zag area
it's off the main roads so no passing dangers
but it's an old rail line so very easy on the gradient
yet you can also do a whole lot of area around lapstone / glenbrook too
Hi Simon,
Check out http://nobmob.com/rides/terreyhills for info on Terrey Hills.
Start with Perimeter track and if you're feeling fit continue, onto Long track (great lookout). Remember, it is an 'out and back' track so factor in sufficient liquid if it's a hot day etc.
A number of ppl head to either Manly Dam or the Oaks trail (in the Blue Mtns) as they are well known, but depending on your definition of "beginner" I would try other tracks before hitting those.
Good luck and enjoy the trails!
There are several options, two of us in the G4'ce have kids under 12, the trails we take them on are
Falconbridge Point out and back with a nice picnic spot at the end - about 14 ks nothing to taxing, takes about 1 hr out and back with kids
Grose Mountain look out again out and back about 10 ks out and back. really easy now it has been graded about 2 hr with kids
If you drive into Glenbrook National park and park at Euroka Bennett's ridge is also a good option about 1 hr with kids
all of these are close to traffic and you will meet an occasional walker and the odd MTB, if it hot take lots of water and rest, your endurance will exceed your sons, so make sure to ask lots of times are "you right to keep going" and as soon as he looks red faced stop and rest, and suggest you go home, kids dehydrate really fast.
have fun its the best day in the world riding with you kids.
Chris
Thanks for that. I'll check those out. I always worry about water.....
Baltza lookout/Hanging Rock at Blackheath isn't a bad option, just be careful of the unfenced cliffs at the look out at the end
There are also some good stuff on the north side of the mountain including various fire trails around Mt Wilson and Mt Banks out to explorers Wall.
If you can organise a car shuttle a nice pleasant ride down Bergoffers pass at Mt Victoria is far from taxing and very fun.
is perfect for beginners or you could do Loftus at the royal national park if that isn't too far to drive , I have seen some familys on Loftus ride , dad had no helmet on too it was too late to tell him off as he went past ..
Where abouts in Sydney do you live?
I think the flattest and smoothest fire trails are:
South: Lady Carrington Drive at Audley (it is in the street directory). This is a nice and cool ride in hot weather as it follows a creek.
North Beaches: Terry Hills perimeter track. This is fairly shaded, follows a contour. Better early or late on a hot day.
North: Bobbin Head Track. This is exposed on a ridge but is absolutely super flat.
West: Yarramundi (a proper MTB traill) is not too bad either, if you live west.
circuit is worth a look, but Perimeter is more interesting and will not be overly demanding on skills so long as your youngster can manage a gear shifter. There's some sand, but it is manageable.
Thanks for all the advice. I feel spoilt for choice now...Hoping to go out early tomorrow (Tuesday 22nd Dec).
Royal national park and Loftus area has great trails to suit all abilities including beginners
Oh and Narrabeen is super flat too, and will be cooler, being near the lake.
Manly dam?
I've taken on the Dam has not come back for seconds. I wouldn't do it again, personally. You want them to come back for more, not run away needing a change of underpants! LOL We forget how scary it can be for the newb.
Terry Hills is a much better option IMO.
I was taken on the dam first time and loved it.
all know where you ended up going might organise a ride there next year for kids & newbs
Thanks for all the advice.
My 11 year old was a but unwell yesterday so in the end I didn't take him. I'll have to try again when he's better. I went out on my own to Manly Dam, which was great but clearly would have been too testing for him, especially on a hot day. I'll probably go somewhere like Terrey Hills with him. Great fun for me though.
BTW I went round the dam with Brazilian guy I met there called Luis who just happened to pitch up as I arrived. He's looking for people to ride with so if you see happen to meet him give him a welcome.
I have not been on a mtb for years, bought myself one for Christmas and hit Manly Dam today. My saving grace was probably being unfit which limited my ability to go too hard. It's a really fun trail but it is pretty full on in parts. You could always stick to bit from the top of Allambie Heights to North Balgowlah, obviously there are issues getting back to where you might have parked your car but that part isn't overly difficult. It is the bit up around the golf course and next to Wakehurst Parkway that gets a little hairy. Still, I survived, coming off only once and it was a doozy that was just me not paying attention. I will be back tomorrow!