This is a ride and women and non-binary riders of all ages. Join us for a relaxed social ride on Sunday 13th Sept as part of the Ride Wollongong Festival of Cycling! This ride is aimed at women of all bike riding abilities and will be supported by Illawarra Bicycle Group members Tess Handby and Rhonda Hunt. We will be travelling at a social pace to encourage conversation between riders while enjoying the scenic coastal trail from Bellambi to Wollongong. 

Before the ride the group will meet for coffee at Olive’s café Bellambi so we can get to know each other and run through some safety tips.

The ride will finish in Lang Park so everyone can join in the Family Fun Day, marking the last day of the Festival of Cycling. There will lots of activities for people to get involved in as well as stalls and food vans. 

If you can’t join for the cycle, you’re also most welcome to just join us for a coffee at Olive’s Café before we head off at 9.10am.

THE RIDE

The ride is 9.5km with approximately 20m in elevation. We will be riding on the shared coastal path, avoiding roads. We'll take a relaxed pace of 10-15km/hr, so the ride will take about 40-50 mins.

Please note: We will cycle together as a group with an experienced ride leader at the front and a sweep at the end, making sure no one gets left behind. We are exclusively off the road for this bike ride, sticking to the coast shared path. However, this path can get busy on weekends so bring some patience. We will stop whenever necessary to regroup if we get separated while navigating other path users. 

THE PLAN

8:20am Meet for coffee at Olive’s Café Bellambi

9.10am Start riding south

10am Arrive at Lang Park Wollongong 

MEETING PLACE: Meet at Olive’s Café in Bellambi under the SLSC. Use this Google Map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ewHdbD82j89dkiKHA

Tess and Rhonda will be cycling from Bellambi station at ~8.10am when the North and South trains arrive. We will wait in the carpark on the beach side of the station for anyone who wants to join us. https://maps.app.goo.gl/FpCyGEqqVjbWgeGf7

GETTING THERE

• By train - Use Trip Planner to plan your trip: https://transportnsw.info/trip#/trip

• By car - For those that are driving, there is a car park next to the Bellambi Surf Life Saving Club.

SAFETY: Please bring a permitted bike (e.g. pedal-assisted e-bikes are ok) and a helmet in good working order. Learn more about permitted bikes: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/.../bicycle-riders/ebikes

By law, your bike must be fitted with a working horn or bell and at least one working brake. Learn more: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/.../road-rules-for...

INSURANCE: Please read the following disclosure statement. You ride at your own risk. Remember, Bicycle NSW Membership includes Personal Accident and Public Liability. You can use this referral code to get 25% off your membership: REF454025. Learn more about Bicycle NSW membership: https://bicyclensw.org.au/bnsw-membership/

You can also get a 15% discount by becoming a member of the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (iBUG) for just $10 per year.

Learn more about iBUG here: https://ibug.org.au/

WHAT TO BRING:

• Bike and helmet in good working order

• Bike lock

• Sun protection (e.g. hat, sunscreen, long sleeves)

• Wind protection (e.g. neck gaiter/Buff, lip balm)

• Water bottle

Disclaimer - Please read before registering.

Cycling can be an enjoyable and exciting activity. However, like many recreational activities that require physical exertion, cycling carries with it the risk of physical injury. The risks associated with cycling include the risk that:

• you may be involved in a collision with people, animals, objects and/or vehicles;

• you may lose your balance;

• you may suffer from the effects of heat, cold, wind, rain and other weather conditions;

• you may suffer from physical exertion;

• you may become separated from the cycling group; and

• you may fall from your bicycle.

These risks may result in death, bodily injury, disability, property damage and economic loss. There are other risks to which you may be exposed. You should ensure that you wear appropriate clothing and safety equipment, including a helmet.

By participating in the cycling activities provided by the organising Bicycle NSW Affiliated Bicycle User Group, you agree:

• to obey all Australian and NSW road rules;

• that your bicycle and equipment is in good mechanical order.

• to comply with all directions given to you by Bicycle NSW employees or agents of the organising Bicycle User Group;

• to take full and sole responsibility for any person under the age of 18 years who accompanies you in these cycling activities;

• that you participate at your own risk; that the agreement for services provided to you by the organising Bicycle User Group does not include any implied or express warranty that the services of the organising Bicycle User Group will be rendered with due care and skill or that any materials provided by the organising Bicycle User Group in connection with the cycling activities will be fit for the purpose for which they are supplied;

• that the organising Bicycle User Group has no liability to you for personal injury or death arising from the services that the organising Bicycle User Group provides to you; and

to indemnify organising Bicycle User Group against any claim, loss, damage, liability, cost and expense that may be incurred or sustained by the organising Bicycle User Group in connection with any act, matter or thing done, permitted or omitted to be done by you or which was in any way connected with your involvement in the cycling activities.
An approved Australian Standards helmet is required to be worn on all rides. No helmet, no ride. No exceptions. Please ensure your bike is in good working order and bring a spare tube, a pump, tyre levers, a full water bottle and any other tools you may require. It is also recommended you bring money for food and/or fares and your mobile phone.

Children – these rides are not a child minding service. Every rider under the age of 18 must be under the direct supervision of a parent/guardian. The parent/guardian must watch and control their children for the duration of the ride. The parent/guardian agrees to take full and sole responsibility for their children’s safety. Please contact the Ride Leader in advance to discuss the suitability of a ride for your children.