Nightcliff Pool - Roma Bar Café Ride

6 am start from Nightcliff Pool, finish at Roma Bar Café @ 8:10, Cavenagh St, Darwin City

Distance: 75km

Ave Speed: 35-36km/hr

Strava Route: Here

This ride now usually involves around 10-15 strong riders. The official finish is at Roma Bar, but some riders may ride home to the northern suburbs afterwards. The ride goes hard most of the time and the pace really ramps up along Roystonea Ave and Tiger Brennan Drive. The hills through Palmerston and Berrimah are also sprint sections. The bunch regroup after the Palmerston hills (just past the roundabout on Chung Wah) and after the section through Berrimah with an opportunity for water at the corner of Beaton Rd and Hidden Valley Rd.

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***

Nightcliff Pool - Café Central Rides

6:02 and 6:30 am starts from Nightcliff Pool, finish at Café Central, Rossiter St, Rapid Creek @ 8:30 - 9:00

6:02 am ride

Distance: 87km

Ave Speed: 33-35km/hr

Strava Route: Here

This ride began during the 2022 Dry Season, partially by 6:30 am riders who were looking for a few more kms and by ex-6 am riders who were finding the 6 am Roma Bar ride too fast. The route is similar to the Sat 6 am Roma Bar Café ride route with a few minor changes such as doing a 'hook turn' onto Temple Tce, a regrouping after 'Death Hill' (corner of Chung Wah Tce and Lakeside Blvd) and a stop near the bus bay opposite the Bakewell Shopping Centre on Lambrick Ave. There is another regrouping and water point after the section through Berrimah at the corner of Beaton and Hidden Valley Roads. The ride turns left at the top of Hughes Ave and continues onto the Esplanade, Daly St/Stuart Hwy and along Bagot Rd to Café Central. This ride leaves the pool 2 minutes after the 6am Roma Bar ride so that anyone dropping off the first group can join back onto this (somewhat) easier ride.

There is an alternative route on the first Saturday of every month.

6:30 am ride

Distance: 65km

Ave Speed: 30-32km/hr

Strava Route: here (NB. old route)

This ride has became problematic with most riders now joining the 6:02 am ride above. If the ride becomes activated again, there is a regrouping and water point after Berrimah hill at the corner of Beaton and Hidden Valley Roads, and another at the Goodstart Early Learning Centre at the end of Bishop St. Riders go hard at times with sprints along Tiger Brennan Drv, through Winnellie and along Bagot Rd past Jape.

*** Note: These are not Darwin Cycling Club rides ***

Sunday Ride

6 am start from Kimmorley Bridge on McMillans Rd (outbound near Charles Eaton Drive): Usually around 5 to 10 riders. Around 50 km, averaging around 30 kph. This is a relatively easy ride and is often treated as a recovery ride after the more taxing Saturday bunch rides, although there are a few sprint points for those wanting to have a hit out too: one at the end of the bike path up to Howard Springs Rd (where's there's a stop and regroup point), another through the hills of Leanyer (also a regroup spot), and a final sprint along Rocklands Rd up to Trower Rd. Finish is at Café Central.

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***

Darwin BuMpS

5:45 am start from the Shell servo, cnr Progress Drv & Dick Ward Drv, finish at The General cafe, 161 Mitchell St, Larrakeyah @ 7 am.

This is a short 'hills' (or 'bumps') ride which includes doing several hills around Darwin 3 times each after riding straight from the servo to Cullen Bay. Some riders start directly at Cullen Bay, meeting the group leaving the servo at around 6:00 am.

Hills include: Cullen Bay hill (Marina Blvd), Cullen Bay Cres hill, Larrakeyah hill (Temira Cres), Doctor's Gully hill and Govt House hill (Hughes Ave). The ride is about an hour. There can be anywhere between a couple and 10 or more riders do this ride. Strava route here.

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***

Hour of Power (HOP)

5.40 / 5:45 am - Hour of Power (HOP) ride, starting from Blue Cycles, Totem Rd, Coconut Grove. Finish at the corner of Bagot Rd and the Stuart Hwy. As of mid-2020, the Thursday edition of this ride has become less reliable.

40 km, averaging 40-44 kph. Not for the fainthearted!

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***

Hour of Some Power (HOSP)

5.45 am - Hour of Some Power (HOSP), starting at Nightcliff Pool.

37 km, averaging 37-41 kph.

Note, this is a slower and slightly shorter version of the HOP. It leaves the pool just after the HOP group goes past, which is usually around 5.50 am.

Depending on numbers, the group usually splits into a HOSP 'Heavy' bunch and a HOSP 'Light' bunch with the Heavies averaging around 40-41 kph and the Lights around 37-38 kph.

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***

Hills of Darwin (AKA HuMpS)

6 am start from the Fannie Bay Coolspot*, finish at Ray's Café and Patisserie, 66 Smith St Darwin City @ 7 am.

This is a short 'hills' ride which includes doing several 'hills' (AKA 'humps') around Darwin 3 times each - Darwin High School hill, Gardens Hill Cres, Cullen Bay hill (Marina Blvd), Doctor's Gully hill and Hughes Ave hill, although the final Hughes Ave hill is ridden after looping past the ABC studios, taking RH turns onto Bennett St, McMinn St and Kitchener Drive. After the final ascent of Hughes Ave, it's back along Cavenagh St, turning left onto Searcy St and then to the café. The ride is generally about an hour. There can be anywhere between a few and 10 riders do this ride. Strava route here although note that this group is now using Temira Cres to travel from Cullen Bay to Dockers Gully.

*Some riders go straight to the Darwin High hill at around 5:50 am to get a head start on the group leaving the Cool Spot, with the latter group generally going a bit faster.

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***

Hidden Valley Crit training

6 pm Hidden Valley Raceway (gates open at 5:30 pm)

This involves several laps around the race circuit (2.82 km laps). It can be intense, but you can also ride at your own speed on a really smooth race track. Club membership is required.

More information at Hidden Valley Crit Training.

Dates for 2024

• 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (race) February
• 7, 14, 21, 28 (race) March
• 4, 11, 18, 25 (race) April
• 2*, 9 ,16, 23*, 30* May
• 6*, 13*, 20* (race), 27* June
• 4, 11, 18*, 25 Jul
• 1*, 8, 15*, 22, 29 August
• 5, 12, 19, 26 September
• 3, 10 (race), 17, 24, 31 October
• 7, 14, 21, 28 November
• 5, 12, 19 December

* Held at the Go-Kart track

Lucky Bat Ride

6am start from the Nightcliff library, Pavonia Place, Nightcliff, now finishing at Ruby G's Canteen, 2 Tang St, Coconut Grove (corner of Dick Ward Drive), at around 7 am.

25 km/hr easy loop around town. Strava route here (note: route has old finish location at Lucky Bat cafe, which is now Flora's Temper).

This is a great introduction to group riding for newbies, and a good recovery ride for more experienced/fit riders.

*** Note: This is not a Darwin Cycling Club ride ***