[Closed] Riding Melbourne Australia

Have a look on [url=rotorburn.com]rotorburn[/url] for a local perspective.
But from my experience, you need to drive or take a train to the best trails. But they're worth it.

can only help you with sydney trails - but i am fairly sure you will need a car to access trails

Canberra is the capital of MTB in this country - fantastic trails all around Canberra.

I've ridden up at Dinner Plain a few hours away (local by aus standards really). Given the nature of Victoria there must be some awesome natural trails around.

Thanks for the information guys. Don't mind driving to trail centres at a weekend but kind of like my midweek jaunts from my front door.

Will have a root through Rotorburn and see what the locals think.

Thanks again.

Depends where you're going to live in Melbourne. Cycling is huge there.
There are a few spots with decent out the door riding, Green Lake, Lysterfield or the Dandenongs. But you are getting a fair way out of the city.
I'm a small town guy, so it's all relative. Here in Hobart, the mountain is over the road & it's a 5 minutes ride into the city.
Oh, & Cafe Racer in St Kilda is a pretty good place for breakfast.

Cheers John. Looking at the SW side and as far as the Mornington Peninsula ATM. I have seen there are plenty of man made trails/ trail centre type routes. What I was most concerned over is the equivalent of footpaths;-) bridleways etc. closer to home.

I seem to remember some of the paths in the australian alps being no bikes? might be wrong though and this was 2009.

Not so much in the way of bridleways down here, but there are of sorts all over the city. Most riding is in state parks, forests, reserves etc. Also private land where a blind eye may be turned.
West of Melbourne are the You Yangs. Some of the best riding close to the city.
I used to live down Mornington, don't remember much riding down there.

If you want to live in the city try and live near the yarra river on the eastern side lots of unofficial riding basic xc but fun. Or live in the outer suburbs near the Dandenong's or near the you yangs (on the way to Geelong). We also have weekly dirt crits close to the city every week and a good endro scene you won't be short of riding.

The You Yangs are pretty fun - I saw kangaroos there which was nice too! Doable by train from the city (was a couple of miles ride from the atation I think).

As I understood it while I was out there, like in the USA, basically they don't have a bridleway or footpath network, so really you're often going to have to travel to get to any good riding. I think the places with the good riding were probably a little further out than you'd want to live generally (although depends on what sort of a commute you're happy with obviously).