Another visitor coming

[jotjepoes]

Hi!

I posted a reply yesterday, but for some reason it didn't come up.

Anyway, here is the substance of it again:

Melbourne is a great place for cycling! But beware of going on main roads as drivers are not always tolerant nor vigilent of cyclists.

My best tip is to check out the Bicycle Victoria Website, especially this link which has stuff on places to hire bikes:

http://www.bv.com.au/find/4/6/

I suggest you e-mail each of the shops to find out what sort of bikes they hire out, as some may only hire out clunky bikes for tourists intending to have a short peddle around. Also be careful, Melbourne is a very spread out city, so don't hire a bike which is 20 km from where you are staying.

You could also go into Bicycle Victoria (Level 10 / 446 Collins Street, Melbourne) and ask for the free maps showing bike paths and popular bike routes. Although some bike shops have these maps as well.

If you want to get into the bike scene, hire a road bike and join everyone else early Sunday morning riding up and down beach road. Starting from Port Melbourne you can go all the way down to Sorrento, which is over 100 km one way.

After your bike ride, have fun eating the great Melbourne food in our fantastic restaurants and cafes!

If you have any specific queries, PM or e-mail me.

Have fun!

[midlife]

If you are staying in the CBD in Melbourne you could head down to the Yarra River (just cross it at St. Kilda Road) and they hire bikes there to ride along the Yarra Trail. It's pretty busy, especially weekends, but would give you a good gander at the city and surrounds. Bit hard if your other companions dont cycle though! You could always send them off to the art gallery or the museum! Not sure where you'd hire bikes out of the city though, except some bike shops, but if you only have 4 days you won't have much time for riding.

Maybe some of the hotels you stay in have gyms and you do a session on an exercise bike. I'm sure you will be doing lots of walking anyway, so that should keep you fit.

Hope you enjoy Australia.

[mimitabby]

I would love to visit you guys some day as well. thanks for the singlet explanation. I knew it was a british word for some kind of clothing,but now I know what it means.

[jotjepoes]

Ride down beach road early on a Sunday morning - now there's the biking community!

There's a website which I've been trying to put on, but I thing it keeps getting vetted, but I've PM'd it to you.

[mtkitchn]

Thanks for the tips, jotjepoes! Less than two weeks and I'll be on my way to OZ...can't wait!!!
I hope to find some cycling somewhere!