The best Brisbane cycling routes are the Veloway 1, the Redcliffe ride over the Ted Smout Bridge, the Brisbane River loop, Mt Coot-tha, Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious. This guide gives you checked distances, a map link and an early-opening coffee stop for each. Summer is coming: start at first light, carry two bottles, and be off the road before the afternoon storms.
- 6routes
- 6coffee stops checked
- May to Sepbest months
Coffee stops confirmed open in October 2026. Distances and elevation are approximate. Plot a route before you rely on it.
Riding Brisbane in summer: start early, drink more
Heat and storms shape every ride from now until March.
Brisbane summers average around 30°C, and the humidity makes it feel hotter. January to March are also the wettest months, and storms tend to build in the afternoon. The fix is simple. Brisbane has no daylight saving, so in midsummer the sun is up before 5am. Be rolling by then and you get the coolest two hours of the day and quiet roads.
Carry two full bottles on anything longer than an hour, with electrolytes in at least one. Water is scarce on V1 and in the D'Aguilar Range. Wear a light-coloured jersey, sunscreen on every bit of exposed skin, and check the radar before you head for the hills. Our guide to what to wear cycling in Australian summer covers the kit side, and mastering the 5am start covers the routine.
Brisbane cycling routes at a glance
| Route | Distance | Climbing | Level | Coffee stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veloway 1 (V1) | ~34 km return | Low, rolling | Easy | Espresso Hut |
| Redcliffe via the Ted Smout Bridge | ~30 to 35 km return | Flat | Easy | Butcher Baker Coffeemaker |
| Brisbane River Loop | ~35 km (20 km short loop) | ~280 m | Moderate | Yonder Espresso |
| Mt Coot-tha | ~20 km loop from the city | ~400 m | Moderate | Bardon Thyme |
| Mt Nebo | ~43 km return | 500 m+ (approx.) | Hard | Happy Days Food Co |
| Mt Glorious and the D'Aguilar Range | ~64 km return | ~900 m+ | Epic | Mount Glorious Cafe |
Veloway 1 (V1)
Brisbane's cyclists-only spine to the southside, and the best place in town to hold a steady effort.
- Distance
- ~34 km return
- Climbing
- Low, rolling
- Start
- Woolloongabba
- Effort
The Veloway 1 is a cyclists-only path that runs beside the Pacific Motorway from the inner southside to the Gateway Motorway off-ramp at Eight Mile Plains. The state transport department puts the built path at about 17 km, 3 m wide, squeezed between the motorway and the busway. Ride it out and back and you have roughly 34 km of uninterrupted riding.
Newer stages added overpasses that cut most of the road crossings, which is why it suits tempo work and intervals. The terrain rolls rather than climbs. Expect a few short rises through Greenslopes and Holland Park West and nothing that needs a small chainring.
The city end is the weak spot. The link down to Lower River Terrace is steep, winding and narrow, and the planned velobridge there has not been built. Take it slowly or join and leave V1 at Woolloongabba instead.
Espresso Hut
Just off the southern end of V1 on Padstow Road, so it works as the turnaround on an out-and-back from the city. Open from 6am on Saturday and Sunday, which suits a dawn start in summer.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Traffic: none on the path itself. Watch for commuters on weekday mornings, when it gets busy and fast.
- Surface: sealed the whole way.
- Water: do not count on refills along the path. Leave with two full bottles in summer.
- Bail-outs: busway stations sit beside much of the route if you need a train or bus home.
- Safety: the narrow, twisting section near Lower River Terrace catches people out. Brake early.
Kit for this one: summer kit, a white bidon that stays cooler in the sun.
Redcliffe via the Ted Smout Bridge
Flat bay riding over the water. The old Hornibrook Bridge is gone, but the ride is still one of Brisbane's best.
- Distance
- ~30 to 35 km return
- Climbing
- Flat
- Start
- Shorncliffe
- Effort
Plenty of riders still search for the Hornibrook Bridge ride. The old timber bridge closed in 2010 and most of it was pulled down in 2011, leaving a short stub at the northern end as a fishing platform. The crossing you ride now is the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge: 2.74 km over Bramble Bay from Brighton to Clontarf, with a 4.5 m path walled off from the traffic by a concrete barrier.
Start at Shorncliffe, roll down to the Sandgate foreshore, then out over the bridge. On the Redcliffe side the Moreton Bay Cycleway follows the water for about 11 km from the bridge, past Woody Point and the Redcliffe jetty, to Scarborough. Turn at Scarborough and you have a flat morning of roughly 30 to 35 km.
Wind is the only real climb. The bay is exposed, and a stiff northerly on the way home makes the bridge feel twice as long. Sea breezes make it one of the cooler rides in summer, but there is almost no shade.
Butcher Baker Coffeemaker
Across the road from the water at Woody Point, a few kilometres after you come off the bridge. Open from 6am on weekends. It fills up later in the morning, so get there early or order to take outside.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Traffic: the bridge and most of the foreshore are on separated paths. Sandgate has a few short road sections.
- Surface: smooth sealed path.
- Water: cafes line the Sandgate and Redcliffe foreshores, so topping up is easy.
- Bail-outs: Shorncliffe and Sandgate train stations are at the start.
- Safety: shared paths are busy with walkers on weekend mornings. Keep the speed down and use your bell.
Kit for this one: a light-coloured jersey, sunglasses for the glare off the bay.
Brisbane River Loop
The city ride every local knows. Bikeways, back streets and three bridges, with a 20 km shortcut if time is tight.
- Distance
- ~35 km (20 km short loop)
- Climbing
- ~280 m
- Start
- South Bank
- Effort
The full Brisbane River loop runs about 35 km from South Bank. Head up the riverside bikeway past Toowong to St Lucia and Indooroopilly, cross the Jack Pesch Bridge to Chelmer, then come home through Tennyson, Yeronga, Dutton Park, Highgate Hill and West End. Cut it to about 20 km by crossing the Eleanor Schonell Bridge at the university instead.
It is flatter than it looks on a map but not flat. Route guides list around 280 m of climbing, with a sharp kick up Cemetery Hill at Dutton Park and a steady drag over Highgate Hill. The quiet Chelmer back streets are the best part.
Go early. South Bank and the riverside paths fill with walkers and runners by mid-morning, and weekday school zones slow the on-road sections.
Yonder Espresso
On the St Lucia leg, roughly halfway round the full loop. It opens at 5:30am on Saturday and Sunday, so you can stop for a coffee and still finish before the heat comes up.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Traffic: a mix of separated bikeways and quiet residential streets. Dutton Park to Highgate Hill is the busiest on-road stretch.
- Surface: sealed, with a few narrow shared paths.
- Water: cafes at St Lucia, Indooroopilly and West End.
- Bail-outs: the Eleanor Schonell Bridge halves the ride. CityCat stops line the river.
- Safety: paths around South Bank get crowded. Ride the road there later in the morning.
Kit for this one: bib shorts that sit comfortably on the climbs, the Pinnacle Jersey in Blanc.
Mt Coot-tha
Brisbane's home climb. Two sides, both about 2.5 km, and a view of the city from the top.
- Distance
- ~20 km loop from the city
- Climbing
- ~400 m
- Start
- Toowong
- Effort
Mt Coot-tha is the climb that defines road cycling in Brisbane. Sir Samuel Griffith Drive loops over the mountain, so you can go up either side. The front, from near the Botanic Gardens on Mt Coot-tha Road, is about 2.5 km at roughly 7 to 8%. The back, from the Bardon end, is about 2.6 km at close to 9%, with early ramps of 12 to 13%.
Ride from the city, go up one side, down the other and back, and it is roughly 20 km with about 400 m of climbing.
The summit has a cafe, a restaurant and the lookout. Traffic builds through the day and into the evening, so sunrise is the time. The upper road is shaded and can stay damp and mossy after rain.
Bardon Thyme
On the corner of Simpsons Road in Bardon, on the foothills side of the mountain. There is a bike rack out the front, and it opens at 6am on Saturday and Sunday, which beats the summit cafe for an early finish.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Traffic: shared with cars the whole way. Watch for vehicles leaving the lookout car park at the top.
- Surface: sealed but slippery in the shaded corners after rain, with leaves and debris common.
- Water: fill up at the summit or before you leave the city.
- Bail-outs: it is a short climb. Turn around at any point.
- Safety: descend carefully until you know the corners, and use a rear light even in daylight.
Kit for this one: a race fit Pinnacle jersey, Pinnacle bibs.
Mt Nebo
A long, rolling climb into rainforest from The Gap. Pick your turnaround: McAfee's, Jolly's or the village.
- Distance
- ~43 km return
- Climbing
- 500 m+ (approx.)
- Start
- The Gap
- Effort
Mt Nebo is the gateway to the D'Aguilar Range. Start at the corner of Settlement Road and Waterworks Road in The Gap, follow Mt Nebo Road up into the national park, and turn at Mt Nebo village for about 43 km return. It is a long climb in pieces rather than one steady grind: stretches of up to 2 km, broken by short descents.
Not ready for the full ride? Bicycle Queensland lists McAfee's Lookout at 16 km return and Jolly's Lookout at 35 km return. Both give you the shaded rainforest without the full distance.
This is a mountain road with blind corners, motorbikes and cars on weekends. The shade helps in summer, but the climb back out of each dip adds up in humidity.
Happy Days Food Co
On Waterworks Road in The Gap, close to the start of the climb. It opens at 6:15am on weekends and bakes early, so you can fuel before you go or eat properly after. The cafes in Nebo village are small, keep shorter hours and are not reliable for an early stop.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Traffic: light at dawn, much busier with cars and motorbikes from mid-morning on weekends.
- Surface: sealed, with rough patches, leaves and branches after wind or rain.
- Water: nothing reliable until the village. Carry two bottles.
- Bail-outs: turn at McAfee's or Jolly's Lookout.
- Safety: blind corners on the descent. Stay left and keep your speed in check.
Kit for this one: arm warmers for winter descents, a gilet in the pocket.
Mt Glorious and the D'Aguilar Range
The big one. Carry on past Mt Nebo to Mt Glorious for one of the hardest morning rides near Brisbane.
- Distance
- ~64 km return
- Climbing
- ~900 m+
- Start
- The Gap
- Effort
Keep going past Mt Nebo village and the road rolls on through the D'Aguilar Range to Mt Glorious. From The Gap and back it is about 64 km, and mapped versions of the ride come in at around 900 m of climbing.
Bicycle Queensland rates it hard and does not recommend it for inexperienced riders. The climb home from Mt Glorious back over Nebo is the part that hurts, and the descents are steep and technical.
Want more? Carry on to Wivenhoe Outlook for about 84 km return. Dropping down the Northbrook Parkway to Lake Wivenhoe makes for a much longer day and a brutal climb back.
Mount Glorious Cafe
The turnaround and the traditional stop at the top of the range. It opens at 6:30am on Saturday and Sunday (7:30am on weekdays) and gets packed with car and motorbike clubs later on, so arrive early.
DirectionsRide notes: traffic, surface and bail-outs
- Traffic: car and motorbike traffic grows quickly on weekend mornings.
- Surface: sealed, narrow in places, with debris after storms.
- Water: refill at the Mount Glorious Cafe. There is little else.
- Bail-outs: turn at Mt Nebo village to cut it to 43 km.
- Safety: carry a phone, a spare tube and food, and tell someone your plan.
Kit for this one: Pinnacle Bib Shorts for a long day, arm warmers from May to August.
What to wear cycling in Brisbane
Averages from the Bureau of Meteorology's Brisbane station. Range days run a few degrees cooler.
Humid, with afternoon storms. Dress for heat and sun first.
- Summer jerseys in light colours
- Bib shorts and two bottles
- Sunglasses for the glare
The best riding of the year. Cool starts, warm finishes.
- Short-sleeve jersey
- A gilet for dawn starts
- When a gilet earns its place
Mild in town, cold on the range descents before 8am.
Our jerseys are race fit: snug and close to the body when you are in position. If you prefer more room on a long, humid ride, size up one. The jersey size guide has the details, and the bib shorts buyer's guide covers what matters on a four-hour day up the range.
Pinnacle Jersey, BlancWhite for summer sun
Pinnacle Bib ShortsFor long range days
Solo Bidon, WhiteTwo of these, always
Thermal Arm WarmersWinter dawns on Nebo
Brisbane bunch rides and clubs
- Kangaroo Point Cycling ClubQueensland's oldest cycling club, founded in 1905. Social rides, structured training and racing, and the home of the Cunningham Classic road race.
- Balmoral Cycling ClubA racing club based at the Brisbane International Cycle Park in Murarrie, with weekly criteriums and junior, women's and masters programs.
- Brisbane Bicycle Touring AssociationWeekly group rides at a range of paces, including a regular run from Nundah over the Ted Smout Bridge to Redcliffe for coffee.
- Bicycle QueenslandThe state riding body. Its where-to-ride pages are a useful starting point, including the full Mt Glorious ride with turnaround options.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best cycling routes in Brisbane?
The six most popular Brisbane cycling routes are the Veloway 1 cycleway, the Redcliffe ride over the Ted Smout Bridge, the Brisbane River loop, Mt Coot-tha, Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious in the D'Aguilar Range. The first three are flat to rolling and suit newer riders. Mt Coot-tha is the classic short climb, and Nebo and Glorious are the big mountain days.
Is it too hot to cycle in Brisbane in summer?
Not if you start early. Average summer maximums sit around 30°C with high humidity, and storms often roll in during the afternoon. Brisbane has no daylight saving, so the sun is up before 5am in midsummer. Ride at first light, carry two bottles with electrolytes, and be home by mid-morning.
How long is the Veloway 1?
The built Veloway 1 is about 17 km of cyclists-only path beside the Pacific Motorway, from the inner southside to the Gateway Motorway off-ramp at Eight Mile Plains. Ridden out and back it makes a ride of about 34 km.
Can you still ride across the Hornibrook Bridge?
No. The Hornibrook Bridge closed in 2010 and most of it was demolished in 2011, leaving a short section at the northern end as a fishing platform. Riders now cross Bramble Bay on the separated path of the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge between Brighton and Clontarf.
How long is the Brisbane River loop by bike?
The full loop from South Bank via Indooroopilly and the Jack Pesch Bridge is about 35 km with around 280 m of climbing. Crossing the Eleanor Schonell Bridge at St Lucia instead cuts it to about 20 km.
Sweating through your jersey by 7am?
Brisbane summers need kit that breathes and dries fast. Start with a light-coloured jersey and bibs you can sit in for three hours.
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Route details checked October 2026. Roads, closures and cafe hours change. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we will fix it.
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