Cairns 2019

[caad9]

Hi all,

I'm heading to Cairns on a family holiday in late July/early August this year.
Will be in town for 10 days and believe we are staying in Palm Cove.

It's likely i'll only get one day to do as I please whilst away, so I'm thinking of hiring a bike and spending a day at Smithfield.

I'm pretty happy to try and ride as many trails as I can in the day. Would be happy to pedal for 4-5 hours.
To maximize the fun, i'll hire a long travel bike for the day. It should be noted, I'm happy to ride gravity based trails but am not a full blown DH rider.

Anyone been and done similar who can recommend trails/hire shop etc?
Note: I will take my own helmet'pedals/shoes etc - It seems most hire includes these additional things

Cheers

 

[scblack]

I did exactly that in 2017, and used the shop right next to the Smithfield tracks. Rode from the shop to the trails. They were GREAT. Good bikes being Norco Sight. Good riding, good tour leader.

By the sound of your riding preference, the tour they took me on would be ideal for you. Some DH sections included, but b-lines or walking is all fine.

I recommend these guys. I even got off the bus to them at the wrong shopping centre, and the lady came and picked me up in her car.

Cairns Mountain Bike Tours | Mountain Bike Hire | Bike Shop | Coffee Shop | Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Cairns Mountain Bike Tours offer Guided Mountain Bike Tours & Mountain Bike Hire. Located just 200 metres from the Cairns Mountain Bike Park in Smithfield.

cairnsmountainbiketours.com

 

[caad9]

That sounds spot on, thanks so much.
I think I'll get in touch with those guys shortly and see what they recommend.

 

[Haakon]

With that amount of time I personally wouldn't bother with the tour unless you're after a riding buddy. Study the trail map before and you'll be right - its not that big a park. My first time there I just followed my nose for a few hours and found all the good stuff. Second time was with a mate that lives there (he works at the uni there and gets to ride the park during his lunch break the lucky sod...).

It is bloody good though and at that time of year actually ridable!!

 

[dancaseyimages]

With that amount of time I personally wouldn't bother with the tour unless you're after a riding buddy. Study the trail map before and you'll be right - its not that big a park. My first time there I just followed my nose for a few hours and found all the good stuff. Second time was with a mate that lives there (he works at the uni there and gets to ride the park during his lunch break the lucky sod...).

It is bloody good though and at that time of year actually ridable!!

I almost considered moving to Uni there, how awesome is the location?

 

[caad9]

With that amount of time I personally wouldn't bother with the tour unless you're after a riding buddy. Study the trail map before and you'll be right - its not that big a park. My first time there I just followed my nose for a few hours and found all the good stuff. Second time was with a mate that lives there (he works at the uni there and gets to ride the park during his lunch break the lucky sod...).

It is bloody good though and at that time of year actually ridable!!

Appreciate the advice. I'd be pretty content following my nose

 

[Haakon]

Appreciate the advice. I'd be pretty content following my nose

And if you can possibly find the time, head out to Atherton!

 

[caad9]

And if you can possibly find the time, head out to Atherton!

Will see what I can do

 

[downunderdallas]

I took my own Diamond Back hardtail with cantilever brakes in 1996 to the world champs, learnt a couple of things.

You need good brakes in Cairns, when it rains, trails are not only steep, they are also slippery. Canti = major fail and offs on most sharp corners down the hill. They are heaps of bloody prickly trees everywhere, discovered largely as a result of the former point and excursions into the bush!

Other than that my experience is probably 25 years out of date. Is the woolshed still a place, awesome time there with Scandanavian back packers dancing on the tables to John Denver!

 

[nelsti]

I'm also visiting the Cairns area soon and planning on riding Smithfield and Atherton, any suggested loops or tracks I shouldn't miss?