The City of Sydney is one of the better inner cities for cycling in the world. This page covers the City Centre and all of these suburbs – These are all managed by the City of Sydney council and this is their cycling page. They have a great team dedicated to active transport and they lead the way in NSW.
Riding around and staying away from cars is difficult, hopefully this page will help you out. The easier way is just to ride early Saturday or Sunday morning before everyone heads out for morning coffee.
Darling Harbour is a treat for the visitors, Glebe is close by, there is Sydney Park which is a great place for the kids and the complicated trails to Wolli Creek on the Cooks River Cycleway Read on, this area has many paths including The Goods Line, Erskineville and Woolloomooloo. The Goods Line (article link) is a really cool inner city place and here is one of its residents. Check out the map >>
Note: All links to Google MyMaps are shown with a >> You will need either a PC or a Google Account to make this work
Suburbs include Alexandria, Annandale, Barangaroo, Beaconsfield, Camperdown, Centennial Park, Chippendale, Darlinghurst, Darling Harbour, Darlington, Dawes Point, Elizabeth Bay, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Haymarket, Millers Point, Moore Park, Newtown, Paddington, Potts Point, Pyrmont, Redfern, Rosebery, Rushcutters Bay, St Peters, Surry Hills, Sydney Park, The Rocks, Ultimo, Waterloo, Woolloomooloo, Zetland
Here is a playlist of videos in the city of Sydney area and one more link to the CycleSydney map zoomed into the City of Sydney
NEW – Find the City Of Sydney Rides in RideWithGPS here
City Ride 1 – Bourke St to Pitt St
This 4.6 km ride from Zetland to Circular Quay involves a total climb of 63 m (from the city), utilizing a strong network of inner-city cycleways.
The route incorporates: Bourke St Cycleway (See photos).
The excellent reinstated College St and Oxford West Cycleway, which is noted for its integration into the King and then the Pitt St Cycleways (See video and Pitt St).
The Pitt St Cycleway and King St East section, which is a spacious path that allows movement across the city at Martin Place (See from Martin Place to Hyde Park: (See Video).
Ride 2 – Waterloo station to Castlereagh Street via Prince Alfred Park
This ride offers an excellent connection from the inner-south to the Sydney CBD, largely utilizing dedicated cycle infrastructure. Starting from Waterloo Station, the route quickly transitions onto George St in Redfern, a popular cycling artery. It then flows through the green spaces of Prince Alfred Park and proceeds along the east side of Central Station, passing Belmore Park. The final and most significant segment of the journey is on Castlereagh Street, which now features a terrific inner-city cycleway, providing a safe and efficient run directly to the intersection with King St. This ride provides a clear, separated path through several key inner-city landmarks.
The Inner City
Sydney is increasingly embracing cycling as a key mode of transport and recreation. Beyond the impressive cityscape and established infrastructure, discover the growing network of cycling paths and initiatives making it easier than ever to explore the city on two wheels. This page provides comprehensive information on cycling in Sydney, alongside its other attractions and amenities. Lets have a look around 
Darling Harbour
Check out The Goods Line and then ride through Darling Harbour to Barangaroo
Darling Harbour is not a fast ride but it sure is scenic
If you can get out early, this is a fabulous ride. Once the tourists and workers start heading off for lunch, the crowds are huge. Its dead flat, the trail is generally loaded with people, there is a bit of road riding near the bridge.
See photos of Darling Harbour here A most appealing 10km each way ride that takes you from the Anzac Bridge in Pyrmont to the Sydney Harbour Bridge via Darling Harbour. The photos explain the obvious, its a worthwhile ride for locals and tourists. What you have to think about is How am I going to get there? When is a good time to go? Lets start with the getting there. If you were to come by train with your bike, you could get off at Wynyard, Circular Quay and Milsons Point. Town Hall could also be an option but its a bit trickier. From Wynyard Station head to Barangaroo. From Milsons Point, head up to cross the bridge on the western side and from Circular Quay, carefully make your way around to the base of the bridge and you are away. If you come by car, best parking would be Glebe and there is metered parking around Pyrmont. Now what is the best time to come? You really need to be there when everyone is not interested, so arrive early on the weekend or when its cold or raining. Otherwise you will have a good time but you will have to dodge a lot of people. You probably won’t do this so your best riding is closer to the Anzac bridge through to the Harbour Bridge and slowly through to the Opera House. Naturally travel on trains and but coming in by cars to the adjacent suburbs is much better when its early. Forget train travel in peak time with your bike, you will need a fold-up bike. From the Anzac Bridge right around to the end of Darling Harbour, you can ride freely on the super wide paths. Don’t plan on going fast, lots of people. Once you pass the Casino at Barangaroo, the trail opens up a bit and the lack of shops makes the riding easier though it still can be busy. Its good fun riding around Barangaroo and when you travel onwards to the Harbour Bridge you need to ride in a cycle lane on a road. This is pretty good on the weekend as the road is very wide. During the week it will be worse. An alternative is to ride around some of the wharfs near the bridge, a bit bumpy but fun. This ride is suited to all bike styles.
Kent St Cycleway
The most direct way from Central Station to the Sydney Harbour Bridge is using the Kent St Cycleway. It starts at the northern end of the station on Eddie Avenue. You head up Castlereagh St from Belmore Park using the protected shared path. At Liverpool street head west across to Kent St. Then follow the shared path all the way to the bridge. Can be slow at times if the lights do not work in your favour. Photos here and map view here >>
Pyrmont
This suburb is for exploring – this video of snapshots will give you a taste. Here is a video of a sneaky way from Harris St to Darling Harbour
The Bourke Street Cycleway from Woolloomooloo to Taylor Square is an important part of getting around the east, especially if you live in Potts Point, Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo and want to get to Lady Macquarie’s Chair or the north end of the city. Starting in Woolloomooloo, cyclists can enjoy the cool morning breeze along the waterfront. Riding towards Surrey Hills, first up you will find a turnoff to a small lift and a bridge over the freeway that takes you to the museum and the Brett Whitely Matchsticks. Further up you can head up Cathedral Street to join the cycleway through The Domain. Approaching William Street, it’s important to stay alert for cars turning into the tunnels. On the way you will enjoy the mini green spaces and charming two-story terraces. Watch this video to find out.
Bourke St Redfern and the Stations
On the map I have shown to get to the well protected green bike path on Bourke St. Getting from Centennial to Redfern station is important for Eastern Suburb cyclists. It involves the use of one of the two bridges over South Dowling st and then Telopia. Check the map below. I use Redfern station a lot to move around the city by train. Redfern only has a lift on two platforms, for the rest you have to carry the bike. Its easy to get a the bike on Sydney trains except peak times. It doesn’t cost anything to put a bike on a train. Go for it… See the commuter trail to Redfern Station >>
At the south end of Bourke St in Waterloo, you can use the Crystal St and Gadigal Avenue cycling options to go to Zetland and Rosebery – See on map >>
You can also keep on going down Bourke St ( See the video starting at Phillip St) which becomes very messy near Green Square.
Wilson St – Redfern Station and Central Station
What a marvellous shared path this is. It starts at Redfern Station and heads most of the way to Newtown where the western side of the road goes up the one way road. Here it is viewed from a Brompton folding bicycyle Here it is on the CycleSydney map >>
Just to the north is Central Station which you get to riding up George St and thru Prince Alfred Park. Check out what it is like to ride past Central station on the East side. It is good fun and amazingly smooth for such a busy area Map Link >>
Glebe Area is adjacent to Darling Harbour. This is a great area but the cycling can be more balancing as it gets very popular on the weekends. Around Jubilee Park is an area called The Tram Sheds and a little creek trail called Johnstons Creek with a great viaduct. This is a great place to take mini kids cycling as there are good play parks as well as some easy tracks for the them to ride. See the trail here >> and read more in the following article. Here is a video of Glebe during the tunnel project and the huge fishmarkets upgrade.
https://cyclesydney.wiki/2019/01/10/glebe-and-balmain/
Belmont Rd – Alexandria
Starting on George St in Waterloo, heading past the Metro Station, past Alexandria Park. Then a lane takes you to Belmont St which has these two wonderful dead-ends that you can ride on thru.
Newtown to Stanmore
Great narrow road riding and then a terrific cycleway into Stanmore.
Sydney Park
If you live near Erskineville or are on a trainline to St Peters Station, Sydney Park is a place for a bit of casual bike riding. Ten years ago, we regularly used to head to Sydney park because they have a great traffic light bike park for the kids. Our kids also used to enjoy a big hill where they could roll down and there is lots of grass to kick a ball. Nowadays the whole park is a mecca for walkers, kids cyclists, skateboarders and dog lovers. Its also a very pleasant place to ride a bike if you enjoy the experience of going slowly past the 101 Dalmatians. It can also be great place to practice short hill climbs. The paths up the hill tend to be a lot emptier and if you want real exercise, 20 times up the five different tracks will sort you out more than a tread mill.
See photos and See the map, tracks criss-cross the park >> Given that two times around the park is only 6 km’s of riding, you should head down Huntley St to get to the markets and cafes of “The Mills Of Alexandria”. Take a bike lock if you go there as you cannot drag the bike into the cafe areas or markets. Once you are on Bourke Rd, head south down the special bike bath and you will be at Mascot Station and then the bike trail to Brighton le Sands. Anyone on the Cooks river can ride down that trail to Mascot then Bourke Rd and end up in Sydney Park, have a snack and then catch a train home from St Peters station. St. Peters Station has quite a few steps to get to all platforms and no lifts. Starting at the Northern Carpark and heading in a clockwise direction
Here is a challenge, ride all the tracks and do it in less than 10 kmExternal Links: Sydney Park is home to Sydney Cycleways and their program of bike maintenance and bike skill workshops. They have a page on the Sydney Park tracks here. There is now a giant skateboard park and a small kids cycling track.
See a video about cycling to the Cahill-expressway
Read how you can beet the bus from Alexandria to Darling Harbour
Here are all the videos to give you an idea of what is around the city
Read about the Sydney Airport and Cooks River here or Read about the Grizzly history of the Alexandra Canal here
Viewing The Harbour Bridge and Opera House
Ride down Pitt St from the city, arrive on a train, ride around from Barrangaroo (metro). You are totally allowed to ride under the harbour bridge and around to the Opera House. What you cannot do is ride in the botanical gardens. Another alternative is to view the Harbour Bridge from above the crowds and then ride to the bridge using the the shared path on the Cahill Express Way.