Advice needed: Mountain biking in Sydney / need riding buddies

[Pdiddles]

Hey Guys :welcoming: ,

I have just recently moved to Sydney from the UK as I am starting my Ph.D here in a few months. I rode DH and freeride back home and sold up before coming out.

As I have now established a decent income from a current job I am looking to purchase a new bike in the next 3/4 weeks once I get paid. I am curious to know what kind of riding Sydney offers? I am familiar with knowing there are trails at Manly Dam and Oxfalls (sp?) however I want to know are there any more and are there any on the west of the city?

I have been thinking about my options and I want to start riding ENDURO/ DH/ XC so should I be looking a well-speced hard tail with a good set of wheels and forks or would I be better going for something like a Giant reign etc? I was thinking of a 2 ring set up either way...but I need advice as I don't know what the trails are like here/what I can get away with.

Also once I get more settled would anyone ever be so kind to introduce me to the trails/ riding groups as I want to make some biking friends who ride each weekend??

Many thanks

 

[ChopSticks]

Hey Guys :welcoming: ,

I have just recently moved to Sydney from the UK as I am starting my Ph.D here in a few months. I rode DH and freeride back home and sold up before coming out.

As I have now established a decent income from a current job I am looking to purchase a new bike in the next 3/4 weeks once I get paid. I am curious to know what kind of riding Sydney offers? I am familiar with knowing there are trails at Manly Dam and Oxfalls (sp?) however I want to know are there any more and are there any on the west of the city?

I have been thinking about my options and I want to start riding ENDURO/ DH/ XC so should I be looking a well-speced hard tail with a good set of wheels and forks or would I be better going for something like a Giant reign etc? I was thinking of a 2 ring set up either way...but I need advice as I don't know what the trails are like here/what I can get away with.

Also once I get more settled would anyone ever be so kind to introduce me to the trails/ riding groups as I want to make some biking friends who ride each weekend??

Many thanks

what PhD are you doing? if youre doing Engineering (civil) i would be keen to show you around

where abouts in Syd are you living in. Do you have a car?

 

[Pdiddles]

what PhD are you doing? if youre doing Engineering (civil) i would be keen to show you around

where abouts in Syd are you living in. Do you have a car?

Hi Chopsticks, It will be in marine biology my friend I am situated in Balmain currently but will prob move in a few weeks time. What about you?Where do you ride in Sydney?

 

[Fatman]

Hi Chopsticks, It will be in marine biology my friend I am situated in Balmain currently but will prob move in a few weeks time. What about you?Where do you ride in Sydney?

Hi mate, Chopsticks is a bit busted up at the moment but should be back on board soon. There are a few places to ride, depending on what you are into they can range from fairly pedestrian to pretty full on.

We do a few trips around the place and always happy to have another person along, most of our guys are around the Hornsby area.

 

[Pdiddles]

Hi mate, Chopsticks is a bit busted up at the moment but should be back on board soon. There are a few places to ride, depending on what you are into they can range from fairly pedestrian to pretty full on.

We do a few trips around the place and always happy to have another person along, most of our guys are around the Hornsby area.

Really appreciate it mate. I haven't got a car though but i'd be willing to getting to places if there is a group going out. As I said I like the DH, I raced a bit back in the UK and Ireland, however past 5 years or so I've just ridden for fun. I do want a bike though that can climb and descend.Will prob be mid May once I get set up with a rig.

 

[JTmofo]

Alrite mate, I was in a similar situation as u a few months ago. Moved here from Ireland, bought a bike to keep fit (never raced or anything) and have been spending the last few months trying to get around and ride as many trails as possible.
There are loads of trails/tracks within an hours drive of sydney!
Have a look at trailflix and nobmob for rides and trails, you can check the status after rain/bush fires etc.

It's fairly tough to get out to the trails without transport, but I'm sure there'll be people living close by that can help you out with lifts and transport.

 

[foxpuppet]

even without a car there are a lot of tracks within short riding distance of a station. the problem for you is that there no real close train stations to balmain, so you'd have to pedal a bit, but hey that's all part of the journey!

 

[Danieleire]

Hey there. I'm from Ireland . Got into MTb about 8 months ago from a mx background. I'm a bit sick at the moment but once right again I'd be on for trips to Hornsby , manly , ourimba. I'm on Drummoyne so only a few Kms from u and have a ute so can transport bikes

 

[Pdiddles]

Hi Danieleire, hope you get better soon. Glad to hear you live nearby. What do you ride and what kind of bike would you recommend for the trails around Sydney? I have my mind set on a long travel hardtail set up or an endure type bike. Let me know when you feel better. I should have a bike in the next couple of weeks!

 

[Danieleire]

Hey ya. I'm only kinda new to all this really. I have a cheap ish $600 hard tail but in talk with a guy about buying a second hand giant reign. Ya I'd be interested in going for a ride once ya get sorted with a bike. So keep in touch . Dan

 

[JTmofo]

Hey lads,

I'm living in Annandale at the moment (moving in 2 weeks tho) and would be up for meeting up for a ride out some day. Get in touch when you lad are up and running an we can get a group going!

Johnny.

 

[Danieleire]

Ya sounds good johnny. Where do you ride when you get out ?

 

[NUMBER5]

Hey Guys :welcoming: ,

I have just recently moved to Sydney from the UK as I am starting my Ph.D here in a few months. I rode DH and freeride back home and sold up before coming out.

As I have now established a decent income from a current job I am looking to purchase a new bike in the next 3/4 weeks once I get paid. I am curious to know what kind of riding Sydney offers? I am familiar with knowing there are trails at Manly Dam and Oxfalls (sp?) however I want to know are there any more and are there any on the west of the city?

I have been thinking about my options and I want to start riding ENDURO/ DH/ XC so should I be looking a well-speced hard tail with a good set of wheels and forks or would I be better going for something like a Giant reign etc? I was thinking of a 2 ring set up either way...but I need advice as I don't know what the trails are like here/what I can get away with.

Also once I get more settled would anyone ever be so kind to introduce me to the trails/ riding groups as I want to make some biking friends who ride each weekend??

Many thanks

Migh be an idea to put yourself down for some of the various demo days before you lay down your hard earned... Good way to get a feel for the tracks and test some bikes at the same time..... Everyone's idea of the right bike for given track varies greatly....

 

[uzzi]

MTB in Sydney

I'll get on this band wagon, I've been living in QLD for the past 13 years and am moving back to Sydney in Sept. I too need places to ride and quite frankly don't want to line up to ride at Manly, heard it gets very crowded.
I have a Ute and will travel to pick up riders who want to spend a day in the dirt. I'm riding an Intense Uzzi and prefer trails that give the suspension a good workout, rock gardens, fast runs, scrubbing that sort of thing.
I never rode when I lived in Sydney, QLD has a stack of great places to ride and am really looking forward to hitting trails in my home state, will be great to get the best of both states. So where do we go, like i said, have a ute will travel, will be moving to the "burbs" - Parramatta / Northmead.

 

[Dazzo]

I'll get on this band wagon, I've been living in QLD for the past 13 years and am moving back to Sydney in Sept. I too need places to ride and quite frankly don't want to line up to ride at Manly, heard it gets very crowded.
I have a Ute and will travel to pick up riders who want to spend a day in the dirt. I'm riding an Intense Uzzi and prefer trails that give the suspension a good workout, rock gardens, fast runs, scrubbing that sort of thing.
I never rode when I lived in Sydney, QLD has a stack of great places to ride and am really looking forward to hitting trails in my home state, will be great to get the best of both states. So where do we go, like i said, have a ute will travel, will be moving to the "burbs" - Parramatta / Northmead.

I've never seen a 'line up' at Manly... I'm not even sure what that would look like since people start the track from a number of places. I've never had a problem with 'crowds' there, so i'm not sure who told you that. A lot of people go there, but on any given Saturday or Sunday morning you might come across a few groups of riders, but definitely not 'crowds'. The start of The Mont 24hr race, thats a crowd!

Nonetheless, I live in Epping, fairly close to Parra (5 mins drive), send me a PM when you move if you want some company to ride with. I'm always keen to ride with new folks!

Dave

 

[uzzi]

I've never seen a 'line up' at Manly... I'm not even sure what that would look like since people start the track from a number of places. I've never had a problem with 'crowds' there, so i'm not sure who told you that. A lot of people go there, but on any given Saturday or Sunday morning you might come across a few groups of riders, but definitely not 'crowds'. The start of The Mont 24hr race, thats a crowd!

Nonetheless, I live in Epping, fairly close to Parra (5 mins drive), send me a PM when you move if you want some company to ride with. I'm always keen to ride with new folks!

Dave

That'll be great, look forward to, the things you hear on the trails are not as real as they appear, Glad to know as I'm quite looking forward to riding at Manly Dam, totally different terrain than on the trails in QLD. What are you riding

 

[Dazzo]

That'll be great, look forward to, the things you hear on the trails are not as real as they appear, Glad to know as I'm quite looking forward to riding at Manly Dam, totally different terrain than on the trails in QLD. What are you riding

Got out for a few laps of Manly this morning, absolutely cracking weather today! I usually ride a 2013 Reign 1 on the weekends and I race with an Anthem 29er at 24hr and the occasional 100 or 50km race. I prefer the Reign at most tracks as it climbs ok but descends much better than the Anthem, and really, that's where the fun is!

 

[uzzi]

Got out for a few laps of Manly this morning, absolutely cracking weather today! I usually ride a 2013 Reign 1 on the weekends and I race with an Anthem 29er at 24hr and the occasional 100 or 50km race. I prefer the Reign at most tracks as it climbs ok but descends much better than the Anthem, and really, that's where the fun is!

Reign is the ticket to mastering technical climbs and the roughest descents, nice one. Recently sold my inventory and am left with my Intense Uzzi, like the Reign its feels perfect on the climbs and on the descents, although the weight of the Uzzi would be at least 4 kilo's more than the Reign,
I'll have to search some vids on Manly Dam, your right the weather is perfect this time of year for riding

 

[Tigger75]

ourimba or awaba for xc

Heading back up the coast have a few hours free on thrsday where is best to ride ourimba or awaba? Riding 5 inch 29er not huge on uphill but believe in earning the decent. Looking for fast flowing trails that will put a smile on my dial.

 

[bowtajzane]

Tigger, rode both of these tracks last weekend and had an absolute ball at both, Ourimba has a bit of everything (xc , dh)
Awaba is more xc but you can get a really good flow going as there is no real rock gardens or drop offs
if you have time (or fitness ) do both if not choose the one that suits your style of riding
Grant