Suitable for all ages, skills and bikes, this gorgeous ride along quiet treets and shared paths has water views galore and plenty of hot-spots along the way.
1. Circular Quay
Check out the Biennale, either at the MCA (140 George St, Sydney) or via theCockatoo Island Ferry (in front of MCA).
2. Walsh Bay
Follow the foreshore west-ward past the finger wharfs, stopping at Café Sopra(Shop 8, 16 Hickson Rd) or catch a Sydney Theatre Company show (Pier 4/5)
3. Darling Harbour
Roll through Bangaroo, sneak a drink or snack at Helm (Aquarium Wharf) then cross Pyrmont Bridge en route to the Maritime Museum (2 Murray St).
4. Pyrmont
Soak up the new Pirrama Park before riding under ANZAC Bridge, walking your bike along Bridge Road to Bicentennial Park and then on to Rozelle.
5. Balmain–Circular Quay
Skirt Rozelle Bay before jumping a ferry at Balmain East Wharf for the short trip back to Circular Quay. Stop off for a pizza at Young Alfred (31 Alfred St, Sydney).

Be a part of the solution
Cars cough, sneeze and splutter into Sydney’s face every day. Every key that ignites an engine detonates an airborne cocktail of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone and hydrocarbons into the environment.
This dark cloud of noxiousness descends on all Sydneysiders daily and contributes to respiratory cancer and infections, asthma, cardiopulmonary disease, and constant irritation of the eye, nose and throat.
Are you part of this problem or a solution to it?
• Riding a bike is a zero-emission transport option.
• Each year, car pollution causes 900–2,000 early deaths and 900–4,500 cases of bronchitis, cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
• Car pollution costs Sydney $1.5–$3.8 billion a year in health costs.
• Sydney’s Regional Bike Network (including the City of Sydney bike network) will save $147 million in health benefits by 2040, and over
Get WheelBuilding a better city
Pedal or petrol power?
Sydney wants to be a city where people are more important than cars. That’s why the City of Sydney is rolling out a high-quality 200km bike network that gets people home faster – whether you’re in a car, on a bus, travelling by light rail or riding a bike. Every extra bike on the road means less car traffic and more seats on public transport. That’s good news for everyone because building an Inner Sydney Regional Bike Network (including the City of Sydney Bike Network) will help:
• Generate more than 7 million bike trips a year by 2016
• Cut car use by 4.3 million trips a year by 2016
• Save more than $97 million in traffic congestion by 2040
• Contribute $147 million in health savings over the next 30 years.
Life cycleHealth benefits of cycling
How many miles are left on your motor?
Riding a bike isn’t just a cheap, convenient, smart and sustainable lifestyle choice. It’s also one of the best and easiest ways to stay fit and healthy. Here’s why:
• Regular bike riders are as fit as a person 10 years younger and live on average two years longer than non-riders.
• Regular bike riding provides a net benefit to health that outweighs its risk of injury by a factor of 20 to 1.
• All other factors being equal, the simple act of riding to work lowers the risk of death by 40%.
• Australians who drive a car to work are 13% more likely to be overweight or obese than those who don’t.
• City of Sydney’s 2016 goal is for 10% of all city trips to be by bike.
Cycle citiesGlobal cities leading the revolution
London
• In 2007 there were more than 500,000 bike trips a day in London – 91% up on 2000.
• London aims to increase cycling numbers by 200% by 2020 and to have 5% of all daily trips on bicycle by 2025.
• In 2009, London announced 12 new Cycle Superhighways with the aim of creating continuous routes into central London by the end of 2012.
New York
• It’s famous as a footslogger’s city but in the past two years, cycling numbers in New York City have jumped 66% thanks to a network of “Greenways” on major roads and bridges.
• In 2009, NYC completed its goal of building 200 bike lane miles in three years for a bike lane total of over 620 miles.
• NYC has more than 8,700 sidewalk bike racks.
Copenhagen
• Every day, 55% of all Copenhageners cycle to and from work and they aim to increase that that by 50% in 2015.
• Copenhageners jointly pedal more than 1.17 million kilometres a day.
• Copenhagen has 340km of bike lanes and the vast majority of major roads have cycle lanes in both directions, as separated bike lanes.
Sydney
• Sydney traffic congestion is forecast to grow 23% by 2025 at a cost of $7.8 billion a year. The answer? A 200km bike network including over 70km of separated cycleways.
• The number of bike riders commuting to work has increased 37% in five years.
• About 1% of all trips in the city are by bike – the City of Sydney goal? 10% by 2016.
More on cycling?Sydney Cycling Guide
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