It looks like I will have a weekend in Melbourne as part of a work visit soon. Does anyone happen to know if there's any decent off-road biking in the immediate area and anywhere to hire bikes?
Thanks
(I'm not on here much owing to a dead pc at home and it's difficult to get to the site at work - but I will read any responses as soon as I can!)
Not exactly immediate area (in UK terms anyway!), but the You Yangs (~30 miles from Melbourne) looked to have some decent trails (I was walking though).
Ah - quick Google reveals they do have trails, but they've been flooded! open July apparently
I was gonna say there too.
You yangs are brilliant fun but flooded right now. You can get a train out from the city, I went for an afternoons ride out there. I saw proper big kangaroos. The ride from the station is good too, it is a lot like those Marlboro Country adverts, desolate and sandy, in a really cool way.
There is also loads of riding round Castlemaine and Daylesford, I think I got there by train somehow, although I might have blagged it on a bus. Nice bike shop in Castlemaine who will let you know about trails. Brilliant wildlife (parrots, snakes, wallabies etc. round there too, although no full sized kangaroos I think.
watch out for magpies
When I went there we loaded up the Ute and drove out into the Bush. It was Bonzer, apparently. Which was Fair Dinkum.
You'll need to travel some way out of town, as already stated, to find any decent amount of off-road, but there are cycle trails around Melbourne itself which are very pleasant for an afternoon's relaxing pootle. Along the Maribyrnong River is nice.
If you are in Melbourne then the easiest thing to do would be to get hold of a road bike and join the roadies cruising up and down Beach road from St Kilda to Mordialoc. There are two shops on Church St, Brighton although never noticed any rentals. Quite a few shops in central Melbourne. Once finished hang your bike up at Cafe Racer and sip espresso (15a/15 Marine Parade, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia +61 3 9534 9988). North Point Cafe is another good shout if the Lycra clad brigade put you off your food.
If you are in Melbourne then the easiest thing to do would be to get hold of a road bike and join the roadies cruising up and down Beach road from St Kilda to Mordialoc.
But then you'd miss all the amazing wildlife and bizarre scenery that is what makes Australia so different from anywhere else. Be crazy to just stay in the city. Especially since it is dead easy to get out of the city on trains / buses etc.
Castlemaine is ace. Rode there a few years ago and got to chase wallabies down the singletrack 
I think it hosted the SSWC a while back too.
Thanks everyone - terrific stw response. Looks like you yangs, castlemaine or maribymong then - I'll contact the castlemaine shop too. Cheers again
I'm told Forrest is good too but a bit further out.
+lots for the You Yangs, Forest off the Great Ocean Road if you can get there and have narrow bars. Nip over to NW tassie if you can 45mins on the plane!!
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