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Northern Beaches Commuting
Hi all - sorry this is probably slightly off-topic but I'm considering moving to the Northern Beaches, specifically Allambie or Allambie Heights and interested in your experiences of commuting to the city by bike and by bus (I hope to do both) or other means? How do people do it (routes etc) and how long does it take?
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I commute a couple of times a week from Forestville into the city. I am very weary of cars and take a slightly longer route so that I spend more time on bike paths and not on the road. From Forestville there are two options. 1- via Roseville Bridge, through the back of Chatswood and then onto the bike path next to the Gore Hill freeway. From there it's mostly bike path into the city. The only dodgy on road bit is making your way through Nth Sydney. Option 2 would take you over the Spit Bridge and through the back streets of Mosman / Cremorne (all marked as a cycle route) and then into Nth Sydney. There are heaps of riders who ride along Millitary Rd but that freaks me out tooooooo much. I have been commuting for just on a year now and find it a great way to travel to the city. The mornings are spectacular watching the sun rise and in summer the ride home is equally breathtaking as you make your way across the harbour bridge with the sun setting. Very nice. From Allambie you could always drop down Allambie Rd into Manly then grab a jet cat / ferry into the city. Now that would be very nice !
I ride to Ultimo from Manly Vale every morning. Takes roughly 45mins give or take. I've bussed it in a couple of times this year when the rain was particularly bad and the missus needed the car. Ended up taking the best part of 2 hours. I'd rather ride in the rain than get the bus again. (though on a normal day the E66 is the fastest bus in).
Riding in couldn't be easier. I prefer to chase buses than ride them, so my route takes me screaming down Military Road in the mornings.
To city
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Manly-Vale-...
From city
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/BWM-to-Harb...
Hope this helps?
Phil
Hi Peter, I live in Allambie, have always caught to bus in but have just started cycling in. So far, I have only done so during daylight hours but when my lights arrive this week, I will be doing so all the time. It is a pretty easy ride, you stay off the main roads and there are only a few parts where cars cannot really pass safely and have to wait for you. It is around 17 kms from Allambie Heights and in my semi-unfit state, not going at it very hard, it takes around 40 minutes. This is the route that I am taking, pretty standard I believe - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid....
I rode to Coogee yesterday and took the same route to the city as the commute and it is a glorious thing to be riding around the back of Mosman/Neutral Bay, near the water, in that sort of whether with the Bridge crossing the icing on the cake.
The bus to the city is actually pretty good (E66) but very limited in terms of it being strictly peak-hour only, no bus before/after 6:40 AM/8:20 AM and no bus before/after 4:20 PM/6:20 PM. It can also get a little busy on the later buses although I catch the first one in the morning.
If you're keen to ride and leave kind of early-ish I would always been keen to have someone to ride with.
Chitts and I are going to be riding in 3 times a week as from tomorrow.
I have been riding in during Daylight Savings. Chitts and I are going a slightly longer route in for more training though.
Supreme Cycles offer you to join them
http://www.supremecycles.com.au/index.php/produc...
Just a bought a bike from Supreme (awesome, but does not belong on this site!) and was going to join them but gets me to the city a little later than I would like to. Still, great idea and sounds very popular.
Thanks for the info guys!
Riding looks like a superb option but for rainy winter days the public transport could be a problem. The express bus from the city stops running a bit early for me as I usually work late. I currently ride the commute but just from Lane Cove so I have the admin in terms of work wardrobe etc sorted. The suggested routes look like a nice ride and excellent for avoiding the traffic. May be time to harden up and commit to all-weather commuter status (but this wet winter hasn't been encouraging!).
daveh - would be keen to join up if/when I move out there. Just have to sort out the small matter of buying a house first! This is all part of the process of working out if the beaches are a feasible option for us.
Quite a few folks I know ride to the city from AH. Very close to Manly Dam, so what's not to like?
City public transport options from AH are pretty good, in fact much faster than driving, but both are slower than the bike. E69/169 is another option if you miss the last E66. Another option is to park your car down near Miller's Reserve and catch the Pittwater Rd / Condamine St buses to and from the city. If you have young kids, the public school in Allambie is very well regarded, and there are several excellent private and public high schools nearby. The public school has a privately operated day care centre on site.
There are a couple of cycling route options to the city depending on how much you feel like climbing hills. As for winter bike commuting, there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!