Out of Towner looking for Brisbane Redcliffe rides

#1

Just finished a 9 month contract and I’ve decided to leave the family behind and drive up to Redcliffe, which means I have to go though Brisbane which is a pain but can’t be helped. Reddy is my home town. I went to Scarborough State and Redcliffe High then Griffith Uni before I moved to Melbourne.

Why the fuck the original settlers moved from Humpybong to Brisbane is beyond me, maybe they just weren’t good enough to make the Dolphins A grade team.

Anyway I’ve packed the Soma into the Hyundai and I’m planning to just park the car at a brother’s house and just ride around.

I will probably be staying at Red Hill, Bracken Ridge, Deception Bay, Kuraby and Lawnton depending on how long each relative lets me stay and how long it takes before they kick me out.

I’m also going to rent a room in one of those high rises on the beach in the penisula just to see if I can find some old school mates. Pity the Scarborough pub burned down, finding them in the front bar was never a problem.

I’ll probably want to ride from Red Hill to Kuraby and back again in a day. I know I could just google it, but is there a preferred route? I’m looking for local knowledge. I’m not commuting, just tootling along during daylight hours.

I am driving up this weekend and probably staying for 3 weeks so if you guys are organising any rides that might suit a slow old codger please let me know.

#2

I went to Humpybong kindy, played soccer on the Dolphins oval for clontarf as a under 6, I always thought Humpybong was such a great name.

#3

If you want to treat yourself, stay at the MonComo. V nice.

#4

Hey Bob,

If you want some bikepath creek action on the way, you could link Enogerra Creek Bikeway up and over Kedron Brook Road to Kedron Brook Bikeway, then along to Toombul, cut through Nundah to Virginia via the roads near the train tracks, or just nut it out with the traffic on Sandgate Road, jump back on the bikeway at Deagon at Muller Road, follow it up to the Houghton Highway Bridge, follow the esplanade bikeway along to The Belvedere Hotel and then work your way around the peninsula on the roads to Redcliffe.

I probably have a couple of rides I’ve done out that way I can hunt out for you from Strava, will post them up if I can find them.

#5

That’d be great. What’s the best way over the river? I don’t really fancy going through the valley and the city but I would assume that the Storey bridge is the best option. Is there any problem taking a bike on a cross-river ferry? I actually drove a taxi for B&W cabs for a while so I know the old road system pretty well, but all those new tunnels and roads have been added since I left. And there were bugger-all bike paths to speak of back then so I got no idea where they are.

#6

Hey Bob,
I’m at Runcorn, a suburb over from Kuraby. I’d be happy to meet up for a ride and show you some good ways around the south side. There is a pretty good bikeway from The Glen Hotel into the city, it follows the highway most of the way along.

Red Hill to Kuraby without the city / valley is easy, Brisbane River bikeway leads to the southside. The Go Between Bridge and Goodwill Bridge (avoids most of southbank) are both bike friendly ways across the river.

Google Maps is pretty accurate for it’s cycling route, there’s not many local short cuts what make it a better ride. Heading through Milton to the river avoids the Roma Sr area (depending which art of red hill). The only deviation from it’s route I could suggest is exiting the bikeway after Kessles Rd, its a bit slower but will be slightly flatter and avoids Warrigal Rd which isn’t great to ride on.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Red+Hill+QLD+4059/Kuraby+QLD/@-27.5882629,153.0827323,15.25z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x6b91574e21b3fd3f:0x502a35af3de9620!2m2!1d153.0071295!2d-27.4549143!3m4!1m2!1d153.0747959!2d-27.586808!3s0x6b9144e8b97de551:0x1302a35acc3865e0!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b91448976349b59:0x502a35af3de8e20!2m2!1d153.0903308!2d-27.6044616!3e1

Redcliffe is a nice ride from Brisbane / Kuraby too.

https://www.strava.com/activities/278272657

#7

Thanks for that Dan, it looks like you think Logan road is a safe route? I do know all of the “old” road system pretty well so if Logan Road is a safe option then I’d be comfortable on that. And I’d love to meetup for a nice cruise around the area. I still got the Conti Cross Kings fitted so I’m not afraid of a bush track.

I’ll send you a PM after I’ve arrived and completed a few of the obligatory visits to family.

#8

Logan rd is quite good off peak. During busy times the left lane is often extra wide and there’s three lanes in some parts, I’ve commuted in morning traffic without issue.

There’s tonnes of dirt around to ride, Karawatha is just near Kuraby (rocky walking paths / fire trails with some hard to find single track) and Underwood Park has a new single track course and Toohey has some stuff to explore.

Bike week night CX is on Wednesday the 18th http://www.qldcx.com/?tribe_events=bq-bike-week-cx-sram-cyclocross-series-bonus-round

#9

Found one of my rides out to Woody Point.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/469883263

Kurilpa, Goodwill and Go-Between are good between the city and Southbank/West End. Elleanor Schonell bridge in St Lucia across to Dutton Park as well. Storey is fine as it’s accessible by bikeways from both ends.

Bikes on Cross River ferries are fine, I use the one from New Farm across to Norman Park. They’re also fine on City Cats if you want to go up and down the river.

If you want to see Bike Paths, try this:

http://www.ridethecity.com/brisbane or

http://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=14&lat=-27.46908&lon=153.0235&layers=B0000

#10

Thanks for all the info guys. I just settled in a motel in Coonabarabran. Looks like tomorrow I’ll be headed to sister number 3 at Elimbah just north of Caboolture.

#11

Will wave as I go past, heading to Cooroy tomorrow, and maybe the Eumundi market.

#12

I have to come one day, just for the crazy place names.

#13

I had a great day yesterday. I’m currently staying with sister 3 at Elimbah and I realised that the Gympie train stopped just down the road, so I jumped on with my bike and got off at Eudlo. I rode up the hill (nice 12% gradients) through the rainforest to brother 4 who has a couple of acres on Wilson road. After a nice visit I headed back via Chevallum to Palmwoods. A quick beer in the Palmwoods pub while waiting for the train back to Elimbah.

I got off at Glasshouse Mtns station just to ride around a bit. I see that there is an MTB trail around the base of Tibrogargan. Is that doable on a CX bike with 33mm tyres?

http://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=14&lat=-27.46908&lon=153.0235&layers=B0000

The train staff were all so relaxed and helpful it was amazing. The train even had a conductor as well as the driver. As I was getting the bike on he shouted “Take your time mate, I’ll wait for you”.

Melbourne Metro trains and V line could learn a thing or two from these guys.

#14

That’s great news, the Caboolture and north train is the last bit of QR to keep an old school feel.

I can help on the MTB Trails, yet to ride there. Anyone else?

#15

AFAIK the track you are referring to is a walking track, paths where bikes are allowed are blue in Open Maps, with a blue overlay for on road routes and a purple overlay for bikeways like the V1 or Bicentennial, MTB trails get an orange wider overlay over the track, check out Parklands Conservation Park, http://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=15&lat=-26.59368&lon=152.98195&layers=B0000

#16

There’s a bloody steep track at the back of the glasshouse mtn lookout

#17

Well today I went to Bribie. Not much for the gravel rider because anything offroad seems to be designated 4WD only and it’s too sandy for a CX anyway. It was nice to cruise around the coastline though. A sprinter’s paradise, as flat as something that is very flat indeed.

#18

Sister 3 lives in Murray St Red Hill. Very steep. The front wheel was lifting with every push. I was in the 34 ring and 32 cog and I stalled, the gutter was too deep to put my foot down so I went over. I will try again later.

#19

Easy access to Enogerra Creek bikeway, nice.

#20

Yeah, I just rode it into the city. Got lost around the hospital and the Ekka grounds. Loops, underpasses and signs pointing everywhere but where I wanted to go.