I've heard from several people that biking in Sydney is really dangerous. Is this really true or is it possible the people telling me this might simply be inexperienced? We really like renting bikes when we travel, especially in busy cities where car traffic can be bad. Also we like to eat and drink A LOT so the exercise is a good trade off. I figured Chicago would be bad but while it is no Seattle or Portland, it was really quite nice.
If Sydney is really that bad, fine. Somehow I find it hard to believe. Manly is a 30 minute ferry ride from Circular Quay and a place you would probably visit anyway on your trip to Sydney. Sydney imho is not really geared for bike riders like Montreal or Amsterdam but I would not class it as dangerous. There are, I am sure thousands of bike riders and many who ride to work and around the inner city every day. I will leave it to these bike riders to give you information about "bike parking" around the city and some helpful information.
There is no way any of my bike based family would ride in the CBD during the day. It is a mobile chicane with buses pulling out, pedestrians doging the traffic and drivers who hate cyclists. It is illegal to ride on the footpath, and IMHO just as dangerous as being on the road due to pedestrian traffic. Most times the footpaths are too crowded anyway.
It isn't just the fact that the traffic and conditions are chaotic it will be the fact you are on the opposite side of the road and your instincts will lead you to swing into more problems when things go pear shaped.
There are some lovely rides from Bicentennial Park on a combination of bike track and road, less traffic. The fact that our lovely mayoress has inserted bike lanes in congested city streets does not an appropritate or safe environment for cyclists or motorists make! I wouldn't recommend bike riding in the CBD - follow the good advise from above posters.
