Melbourne - Day Trip Rides

[downunderdallas]

Hi All,

I'll be able to compile the Rotorburn MTB Travel guide book by the time I'm finished! Funnily enough Melbourne is easily my most visited city and I have never ridden my bike there, well not properly anyway. So will be staying in Northcote, and will probably only have max 2 riding days.

Where would you ride:
You Yangs
Harcourt - La Larr Ba Gauwa
Plenty Gorge
Lysterfield

Other suggestions? Won't have time on this trip to go as far as Bright unfortunately.

Also may be hiring a bike so bike hire suggestions welcomed!

 

[Sethius]

Wombat and Harcourt could be a good double header for you.

The Silvan + Buxton combo will be good once warburton becomes more developed.

 

[The Reverend]

Redhill.
Lake Mountain and Buxton
Harcourt

And very last on my list would be Lysterfield. And it's right next to my house.

 

[wkkie]

All depends what type of riding you like and how fit you are to get the most out of each place... Any more info?

 

[Daniel Hale]

Redhill.

rode red hill for the 1st time thurs arvo, tree roots galore—now i know hwy macedon became popular late, good descending with little obstacles, bit rough & rocky ..felt like i was getting bounced a fair bit

 

[downunderdallas]

All depends what type of riding you like and how fit you are to get the most out of each place... Any more info?

Like most types of riding other than long techy climbs which is directly related to your second question - not fit, I ride once a week usually for a couple of hours, so have never really built any kind of decent fitness. Having said that when I've travelled I'll push myself a bit to get the most out of a new place.

Ideal trail is probably a dark blue, with a few interesting features, some natural tech. Not a huge jumper so series of big gap jumps is not for me!

 

[yuley95]

Like most types of riding other than long techy climbs which is directly related to your second question - not fit, I ride once a week usually for a couple of hours, so have never really built any kind of decent fitness. Having said that when I've travelled I'll push myself a bit to get the most out of a new place.

Ideal trail is probably a dark blue, with a few interesting features, some natural tech. Not a huge jumper so series of big gap jumps is not for me!

I live in Northcote and would say You Yangs for sure. Hit Travs and Boulder for nice trails with a bit of tech, some good little features but not lots of jumps. From Northcote you can be in the car park in an hour.

Harcourt is a bit of a mission.

Lysterfield is a bit boring (but only 45 mins away)

I don’t know Plenty Gorge well enough.

I would second Red Hill. You can get to the trailhead in about 1:15 mins and if you hit Deadwould and then a combination of rock salt and either fall line or pins and needles, you can session any or those as you like and as your fitness allows.

 

[Chriso_29er]

When will you be down?
This is my take on trails around Melbourne.
Plenty more around that others will be better placed to advise on.

Easy to navigate:
Lake Mountain - Epic steep flow following some techy rocky sections up to and over the summit
You Yangs - Nice mix of tech and flow
Red Hill - Raw enduro style trails
Buxton - XC flow with a couple of big jumps
Hey Hey My My (Warburton) - Short steep all mountain loop with some fun jumps
Lysterfield - XC with two small black trails

Local guide needed to get the best out of it:
Silvan - Dry weather only - raw techy steep natural trails,
Plenty gorge - XC and rocky tech

Personally I would make the effort to try and get out to Marysville for a shuttle up to Lake Mountain and down Cascades trail if the weather is still dry and no snow by the time you come. Epic trail, everyone should do at least once.

Otherwise, You Yangs for most weather conditions and a fair mix of different style fun trails

 

[wkkie]

Ideal trail is probably a dark blue, with a few interesting features, some natural tech. Not a huge jumper so series of big gap jumps is not for me!

Youies sounds like the go for you. There is climbing, but it won't kill you. And then basically the other stuff you described you liked.

Red Hill might be a little to climby, Lysterfield to flat. Plenty gorge, not sure. Harcourt would probably be the next best for you after the You Yang's, but the climbing there is nastier...

 

[downunderdallas]

When will you be down?
This is my take on trails around Melbourne.
Plenty more around that others will be better placed to advise on.

Easy to navigate:
Lake Mountain - Epic steep flow following some techy rocky sections up to and over the summit
You Yangs - Nice mix of tech and flow
Red Hill - Raw enduro style trails
Buxton - XC flow with a couple of big jumps
Hey Hey My My (Warburton) - Short steep all mountain loop with some fun jumps
Lysterfield - XC with two small black trails

Local guide needed to get the best out of it:
Silvan - Dry weather only - raw techy steep natural trails,
Plenty gorge - XC and rocky tech

Personally I would make the effort to try and get out to Marysville for a shuttle up to Lake Mountain and down Cascades trail if the weather is still dry and no snow by the time you come. Epic trail, everyone should do at least once.

Otherwise, You Yangs for most weather conditions and a fair mix of different style fun trails

Thanks I am there Anzac Day weekend and a day either side, the Lake Mtn shuttle seems to finish mid April which would be a bummer.

 

[caad9]

Lake Mountain will be a fair task for someone that rides once a week.

You Yangs seems like the choice for fitness and experience level

 

[Calvin27]

My votes are

1. Buxton
2. Harcourt.

Both doable for once a week rider.

 

[wkkie]

My votes are

1. Buxton
2. Harcourt.

Both doable for once a week rider.

Buxton, yes, but not really much tech.

Harcourt, northern end, yes. Southern end, to much climbing...

Youies still a better fix for his tech yearning. But all good places to ride.

 

[Calvin27]

Buxton, yes, but not really much tech.

I guess it's relative. Dark blue and average fitness would rule out youies. Most of the good stuff at youies is black.

Having said that though, some of the tech climbs I would rate as black at harcourt.

 

[gillyske]

I guess it's relative. Dark blue and average fitness would rule out youies. Most of the good stuff at youies is black.

Having said that though, some of the tech climbs I would rate as black at harcourt.

A youies Black is like a bike park blue though.

International at Buller and Thunderbolt at Falls creek are so much harder than Travs, Cressy, Boulder, Lactic etc.

 

[rextheute]

Hmmmm, coz I’m biased - I’d say a day at Lysterfield to warm the legs up - as it not tooo hilly
Then rent an e-mtb from Russell @ Woodend cycles and do the Wombat Forest .

Happy to take you on a Wombat adventure - the Wombat classic trail will still be cleared and it’s a cracker - I can link you a Hell ride if you like !

 

[Daniel Hale]

Then rent an e-mtb from Russell @ Woodend cycles and do the Wombat Forest .

Happy to take you on a Wombat adventure - the Wombat classic trail will still be cleared and it’s a cracker - I can link you a Hell ride if you like !

wombat doesn’t require an e-bike if doing a normal ride

 

[downunderdallas]

I guess it's relative. Dark blue and average fitness would rule out youies. Most of the good stuff at youies is black.

Black is fine, I do ride the blacks and sanctioned double blacks in WA, blacks at Derby were also generally fine. As someone noted it all depends on who is doing the grading I think there was a green at Maydena that was as steep as a good deal of blacks here. Just prefer something where the flow isn't dependent on massive bunny hops through big rock gardens.

Cheers

 

[ozzybmx]

I think there was a green at Maydena that was as steep as a good deal of blacks here..

Thats the IMBA grading at play, a lot of trails are graded black because of the steepness.

Maydena's blacks are true blacks, then they lift the bar with Black on orange... and red triangle. What a place !

 

[Kerplunk]

Black is fine, I do ride the blacks and sanctioned double blacks in WA, blacks at Derby were also generally fine. As someone noted it all depends on who is doing the grading I think there was a green at Maydena that was as steep as a good deal of blacks here. Just prefer something where the flow isn't dependent on massive bunny hops through big rock gardens.

Cheers

You yangs is the best fit for what you like. Lots of flow/tech and really well built trails. Stockyards side.
If you like that then harcourt is the obvious next choice, very similar to you yangs but more choice. If you are hiring an ebike harcourt is where you will want it, the climbing is solid. 800m elevation gain over ~20km ride.