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Ride Australia’s southern-most road

Our new longer Alt-Fondo rides are getting down and dirty this fortnight with a ride down the channel on gravel from Southport to Cockle Creek and back on Australia’s southern-most road.

Sandy Bay Social Climber - Saturday 2 July

Here is your chance to climb up the social ladder with ride leader Greg going from South Hobart to the really hilly bits of Sandy Bay, between Churchill Avenue and Sandy Bay Road.

You didn't think it was possible? Well it is. Come and find out, and explore some places in between you have probably never been.

Suitable for experienced cyclists, or those who wish to become so, with a mixture of tracks and roads and some steep climbs. Your bike will need low gears (or electric assist) and tyres wide enough to go on gravel paths.

Outdoor coffee stop planned so you get to meet other cyclists.

Meet at 9.15 am at Hamlet Cafe and RSVP via https://ridewithgps.com/events/184825-sandy-bay-social-climber

Women on Wheels: Tunnels and Bridges – Sunday 3 July

The July Women on Wheels ride is heading out along the Intercity Cycleway on Sunday 3 July, with lots of side trips and loops to export shortcuts and lesser-known paths.

Meet ride leader Mary Anne at 9.45 am at the Cenotaph car park for the 25 km ride up the cycleway with loops off through New Town and Montrose and back along the cycleway and a coffee stop along the way.

Please RSVP in case of cancellation via https://ridewithgps.com/events/182670-women-on-wheels-tunnels-and-bridges

E-bike Coffee Cruise: Agent Cooper – Thursday 7 July

The twin peaks on this ride aren’t exactly mountains but the coffee at the end of this fortnight’s 21 km e-bike cruise on Thursday 7 July will meet expectations.

Meet ride leader Di at 9.45 am at the Cenotaph car park to head out along the cycleway before hitting the road through Lutana and onto GASP then coffee at Agent Cooper. Returning along the cycleway, including the detour through New Town because of bridge investigations.

RSVP in case of cancellation: https://ridewithgps.com/events/183123-e-bike-coffee-cruise-agent-cooper

Knocklofty Knee-trembler – Saturday 9 July

The 26 km Knocklofty Knee-trembler on Saturday 9 July is a solid workout for your legs while also enjoying our beautiful natural areas.

Meet ride leader Greg at 9.15 am at the Cenotaph car park to head up to West Hobart, Mount Stuart via Mount Knocklofty, around to Lenah Valley, down the New Town Rivulet, and back along the Intercity Cycleway.

There will be a coffee stop along the way, please RSVP in case of cancellation: https://ridewithgps.com/events/182895-knocklofty-kneetrembler

Alt-Fondo: Whale of a Time – Saturday 16 July

Starting from the Southport Jetty and finishing at the end of the southern-most road in Australia, Whale of a Time on Saturday 16 July isn’t your usual Saturday bunch ride.

Leave your road tyres at home and join us on a 62 km gravel ride past the white sandy beaches of Recherche Bay to the iconic Cockle Creek Whale Lookout and back.

South Cape Road is heavily corrugated in places, with reasonably rough gravel for several kilometres. Standard road tyres (<32mm) are highly puncture prone over this surface – Gravel/CX/XC MTB bikes are recommended.

RSVP to ride leader Logan: https://ridewithgps.com/events/182401-bnt-alt-fondo-round-2-whale-of-a-time

Upcoming rides & events

Social rides are featured in each edition of In the Loop, but if you want more notice visit our social rides calendar, which is regularly updated.

Bicycle Network Tasmania accredits Social Ride Leaders and requires anyone interested in leading rides to be accredited. If you would like to be one of our Ride Leaders, please email our Rides Coordinator with your contact details and what sort of riding you are interested in and we'll let you know when the next Ride Leader Skills Development Workshop is scheduled.

COVID-19 guidelines

Our social rides leaders are following a set of protocols to help make our rides compliant with government directions:

  • Meeting places for rides will have plenty of space for people to maintain 1.5 to 2 metre distancing while unloading bikes, listening to the briefing, and getting ready to ride.
  • Riders are asked to register online or via phone so there is no paper being handed around on the day. 
  • Please have a mask handy if you intend to finish with coffee or snack with other riders.

People are asked not to attend rides if they have fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, shortness of breath or runny nose or are in mandated isolation.

Main image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cockle-creek.jpg