Links to other potentially useful websites

BIKE HIRE

Canberra - Capital Bicycle Hire - Peter and his team at Capital Bicycle Hire offers high quality bike rentals and guided tours for schools and corporate groups, and professional staff are always happy to advise on the best places to ride. Or they'll suggest you take a look at The Berm and join a ride.

LOCAL GROUPS

Canberra Off-Road Cyclists - Keep up to date with the local MTB racing scene including 24 hour events, plus find out where you can lift a shovel and help maintain those trails you so lovingly ride.

Vikings Cycling Club forum - OK some people ride bicycles with oddly shaped handle bars and talk about that sort of stuff - I get that. So check out the Vikings CC forum to see what people who use electronic gears could possibly want to discuss!

Pedal Power - Pedal Power is a community organisation in the Australian Capital Territory. Our objective is 'More Canberrans cycling, more often, for a better community'.

Cycle Education - teaches a variety of cycling courses including various mountain biking sessions, road safety and cycling skills workshops for work place, schools or community groups.  They are about 'teaching people to be capable, confident cyclists'.

ONLINE SHOPPING (But don't forget the benefits of your local bike shop too)

Chain Reaction - Proclaim to be Europe's largest online bike store,very easy to sign up and order and if you get the spend right, pay no GST or freight. Plenty of people, including your humble host, have used them and they're ace.

Qbike - Brings together all products from 35+ online bike stores into one place.

Cycle Underground - Small Sydney based company that builds frames, and makes excellent chain rings to order, tools and other parts. Brilliant service.

Cheeky Transport, Sydney - OK, it's an online resource because we're in Canberra, but this bike shop is ace. Mainly because I can order Rohloff parts through them. Hey, I didn't say these links will appeal to everyone did I? Anyway, they sell some pretty cool other stuff aswell and their website is interesting.

WHERE TO STAY

This is a list of cycle-friendly, and budget end, accommodation in the ACT. If you want motels or more upmarket places there's tons of places to stay and you might as well grab a decent deal through Wotif, Lastminute.com etc. If anyone has stayed at and can recommend places that are better than others though, pop a comment on this page and we'll add them in.

Cotter Campground - About 10 minutes by car from Stromlo, this camp ground is well known and well used. Check out the link for more info.

Canberra Carotel - This is a caravan park on the northern outskirts of Canberra (like, 10 minutes from the CBD, 15 from Majura Pines and 20 from Stromlo). It's basic but if you've got a group and want some cheap as chups dorm style accommodation the large family cabins can be good value.

Camping at Exhibition Park in Canberra - About the same distance out from town as the Carotel but this is purely a campground (tents and 'vans). Good idea to check what's on there first because it's the home of a number of shows and events throughout the year.

KEEP THE DOMESTIQUE HAPPY

OK this is a bit random but there are a couple of nice places to go to settle down the dust in your lungs after your ride so we thought we'd throw them in. Purely personal opinion - we haven't been anywhere else so add a comment below to get your favourite establishment added.

The Wig and Pen, Civic - Socialising as it should be done - in cosy, down to earth surroundings reminiscent of an English pub (minus the cast of Eastenders) with home-brewed beerchoices in PINTS and food that comes with a belt-snap warning. A wonderful place to make a crusty old Pom feel right at home.

The Parlour Room, New Acton - At the other end of the spectrum The Parlour Room is the place to go for small, expensive portions and fine wines. Be prepared to spend a lot but if you like your wine bar stylish, this is the place for you. Can be tricky to find but persevere!

Picnic by the lake, Yarralumla - (No link). If it's hot after your morning ride, grab your picnic rug, head to the bakery at Yarralumla shops (nr cnr of Bentham and Novar Streets, Yarralumla), grab a couple of croissants and a coffee roadie style, then trundle along Novar Street to the lake. Turn left or right and bag a grassyish spot. Hint-if you turn right and head into the next car park there's a 'beach' - have a dip if the green algae slept in. BTW, if you can keep your coffee warm there are tons of other places to chill out by the lake.

Brodburger, Barton - If you hear people talking about "that red burger van down by the lake", this is it. Half the enjoyment is the experience of being in the queue, half is the taste of the burgers. Not sure the Service Level Agreement on the opening times have been signed off yet, but if you've got the munchies on a cold night, head down there and you should be OK. Update 13/9/10-keep an eye on their website as there's some shenanigans going on about the'aesthetics' of the caravan in the area.....

Silo Bakery, Kingston - Put on your Crocs and Ralph Lauren polos people - this yuppie central. However, this bakery has the best pastries and coffee in just about the whole southern hemisphere and everyone in Canberra knows about it, so it is ALWAYS packed so plan on getting takeaways or waiting quite a long time for a table. There's a newsagency that carries a decent range of MTB mags just down the road and a park a few minutes away for you to get away from the madding crowd.

Idelic, Kingston - Here's the in depth analysis from our resident eating house reviewer - "silo is overrated. try idelic or velo republic".

Velo Republic, Eyre Street, Kingston - (no link) a cycling (OK, roadie) themed cafe around the corner from the main area of Kingston. The Coffee Bitch, whoever he is, gives it 3 and a half beans in their review. Our own expert reckons it's better than Silo. There's only one way to find out - the Kingston Croissant Off!

Ona Coffee - A Canberran coffee making business with 3 outlets in the ACT (Manuka, Tuggeranong & Belconnen-I would posit that Manuka would have the nicest location) and one, of course, in Coolangatta. Try the coffee then buy it online when you get home.

Zierholz Premium Brewery, Fyshwick - Ahhh, Fyshwick. What do we know about Fyshwick. Actually, nothing we can put on a family oriented website. EXCEPT Zierholz Premium Brewery - brewers of German beers, open for tasting and (preferrably via a booking), tours.

OTHER MTB WEBSITES

26INCHES.COM - Our Mission - To report and document a more mature and philosophical side to life on the bike (especially but not exclusively mountain bikes) from a broader aspect than the mainstream ‘tabloid’ bike media. Our opinions are ours based on what we, not advertisers want us to, think. We don’t exist report on the latest and greatest V100.5 of big brand X, preferring to search out ideas, people, organisations and brands that offer something unique to the community. You read it here first, so check it out.

RIDING OVERSEAS

Whistler Bike Guide - These guys are great and for anyone travelling to Whistler wanting a guided ride, coaching, rental or just trail status updates their website tells you all.

OTHER GENERAL CYCLING WEBSITES

- Take advantage of the most comprehensive Australian cycling directory and an active and friendly cycling community. From novices to experts, from consumers to trade, easily find bicycle shops, clubs, brands, services and more in your local area.