Commute route needed from Seven Hills to Olympic site

[RonMcLay]

I've just moved to Seven Hills and am still struggling to find the best way to get from Seven Hills to the city via Olympic park. Can anyone suggest a commute that links up with the bike path on the M4?
Thanks
Ron

[isabella24]

Hi Ron, Welcome to Seven Hills!
I commute from Seven Hills (the Toongabbie side) to Neutral Bay (or to Strathfield Station if i'm lazy! ).
I go via Parramatta, Olympic Park, Strathfield and Sydney CBD and I also use the M4 bike path for some of my ride.

The link is here:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/150190491

Alternatively, you can go via the bike path along the Old Windsor Road T-way (bus lane) from Seven Hills (starts on the north side of the railway lines, not far from Toongabbie Station) to get to Parramatta and then make your way through Parramatta onto the M4 cycleway entering under the M4 just off Church st. This is a good option if you ride when it is busy - I leave my place at 5am so, i don't worry too much about riding on the roads at that time in the first link.

The link is here:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/150191225

[MoeJoe]

Hi Ron, Welcome to Seven Hills!
I commute from Seven Hills (the Toongabbie side) to Neutral Bay (or to Strathfield Station if i'm lazy! ).
I go via Parramatta, Olympic Park, Strathfield and Sydney CBD and I also use the M4 bike path for some of my ride.

The link is here:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/150190491

Phwoar.... That is one big commute at 5am . How many days per week do you do this route?

[isabella24]

I try and commute 3 days a week - yes it is long, and I am slow, but beats a 20 min walk + train + bus to get to work!

[hugh stone]

I've been doing the Toongabbie to Sydney CBD commute about twice a week since the start of the year, but I have been through Parramatta park and then following the Parramatta river to Sydney Olympic Park.

Is the M4 route a better option - keen to hear your thoughts.

[thomashouseman]

I commute Toongabbie to S.O.P. most days of the week. (Just sold the car so soon to be daily! - eek!)

Here's my map. I follow the M4 cyclepath almost the entire way and don't divert like Isabella24 above.

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/172503468/3107769

I leave at about 5am, but if you're up that early, I'd be happy to show you the way.

T.

[isabella24]

I commute Toongabbie to S.O.P. most days of the week. (Just sold the car so soon to be daily! - eek!)

Here's my map. I follow the M4 cyclepath almost the entire way and don't divert like Isabella24 above.

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/172503468/3107769

I leave at about 5am, but if you're up that early, I'd be happy to show you the way.

T.

Hi thomashouseman, I leave seven hills at 5am and I'm pretty sure I've seen you a few times now. I get on the m4 cycle path at church st. I thought that if you go much further west on it (just past the new part that stops near Burnett st) you were faced with a very narrow, unlit, dilapidated, cracked footpath? This is what has put me off using it much further west as I ride a road bike.

In response to heuston, I have ridden the path on the northern side of the river and then crossed the bridge at meadowbank if that's the way you mean? The route is nice but it does take longer (not that it's a problem, apart from being late to work)

[thomashouseman]

I commute Toongabbie to S.O.P. most days of the week. (Just sold the car so soon to be daily! - eek!)

Here's my map. I follow the M4 cyclepath almost the entire way and don't divert like Isabella24 above.

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/172503468/3107769

I leave at about 5am, but if you're up that early, I'd be happy to show you the way.

T.

Hi thomashouseman, I leave seven hills at 5am and I'm pretty sure I've seen you a few times now. I get on the m4 cycle path at church st. I thought that if you go much further west on it (just past the new part that stops near Burnett st) you were faced with a very narrow, unlit, dilapidated, cracked footpath? This is what has put me off using it much further west as I ride a road bike.

In response to heuston, I have ridden the path on the northern side of the river and then crossed the bridge at meadowbank if that's the way you mean? The route is nice but it does take longer (not that it's a problem, apart from being late to work)

Ahh so that was you at the Silverwater road lights that morning?

Yes it's a bit dilapidated, but I'd prefer that over the M4 / Great Western Highway / Church St. I guess I should experiment a bit more on back streets, but I got horribly horribly lost once (and then it thunderstormed on top of me whilst lost!) and I don't plan on repeating that.

[isabella24]

Yep, that was me at the silverwater lights
I must admit, I go via the great western highway / church st only because its so early in the morning, I am lucky to have 2-3 cars pass me at that time. Although lately ive only been riding on the highway from Bridge rd, Westmead to Burnett st. I turn right off the highway at Burnett st and take the first left and the zigzag my way down on the back roads to Church st. On the way home (4:30-5pm), I go a totally different way - back streets to parra park. There is no way I'd use the highway or church st at that time.

[hugh stone]

Thanks. I had a rides long the western part of the M4 cycleway over the weekend - have to agree that the condition west of Burnett St is pretty average. To date i've gone through Parramatta park, grose st, maccarthur then followed the river, crossed at silverwater taken the busway up to the jail then on to Australia Ave. To SOP
thinking I might be able to pick up a couple of minutes by taking the M4 route.
I might give it a try tonight and see how it compares.

[hugh stone]

Tried the M4 option - not much in it in terms of distance. I think my vote stays with the Parramatta river option - it is a bit if a nicer ride (although a bit more undulating).

[Xplora]

Cmon ladies... straight down Gilba, Dunmore, through Westmead then through Parramatta Park, down Victoria and down Elizabeth, Thomas, behind UWS and then down the river path. I go to Rhodes, that's the quickest way through. SOP is another 2-3kms south.

I've gone down Magowar and past Wenty Leagues, up some of GWH then M4/under the M4 through Auburn and I find I prefer my way as it actually has less hills and it's a lot less busy - less opportunities to be t boned and cut off while riding fast (40+). I felt Magowar was constantly stressful because it was always busy in peak hour, but I was riding with a friend so there was more to think about.

Going down the Tway path along Windsor is ridiculously safe and reasonably freeflowing. You can get away with riding some of the Tway if you like doing 60kmh...

[hugh stone]

Cmon ladies... straight down Gilba, Dunmore, through Westmead then through Parramatta Park, down Victoria and down Elizabeth, Thomas, behind UWS and then down the river path. I go to Rhodes, that's the quickest way through. SOP is another 2-3kms south.

I've gone down Magowar and past Wenty Leagues, up some of GWH then M4/under the M4 through Auburn and I find I prefer my way as it actually has less hills and it's a lot less busy - less opportunities to be t boned and cut off while riding fast (40+). I felt Magowar was constantly stressful because it was always busy in peak hour, but I was riding with a friend so there was more to think about.

Going down the Tway path along Windsor is ridiculously safe and reasonably freeflowing. You can get away with riding some of the Tway if you like doing 60kmh...

Agree - but I take Binalong Darcy at the start.

[Xplora]

I think if I was leaving at 5am I'd probably just go GWH/M4 too but then the temptation would be to just go thru parra park and ride down Victoria - I've got the KOM for westbound Park Rd to James Ruse drive, and it's a MUCH quicker route than UWS backstreets. Just hardcore diabolical... then again, I rode home from the bunch all the way down Old Northern Road to Seven Hills, so maybe I've more badass than most, even if the road worries me