Countdown to Cairns #1: Three reasons why you should bring your bike


CYC11171_LEADERBOARD_728x90_LOOP_FA

WEB_Feature_QLDCairns_0427
BRING. YOUR. BIKE.

If you’re sitting on the fence, wondering whether or not to bring your bike up to Cairns, let us make that decision on your behalf: BRING IT. The riding in and around Cairns is status-update-worthy stuff (“OMG! Just rode Kuranda! #sick”), with legendary downhill tracks littering the escarpment and a great network of easily accessible cross country trails within Smithfield Mountain Bike Park too. And, from our experience, watching others race is just about the best riding inspiration there is, so bring a bike and satisfy your urges!

Smithfield:

Flow was lucky enough to spend some time on the Smithfield trails last year, not long after they’d received a revitalisation at the hands of Glen Jacobs and the World Trail crew. These magnificent jungle trails are world class – rolling, rhythmic and funky, with more than enough of offer to keep you busy in between sessions trackside.

Signed, mapped and well marked. Lucky, as the jungle is thick and riddled with trails.
Signed, mapped and well marked. Lucky, as the jungle is thick and riddled with trails.

View the trail map here, along with some vision from our session on the trails, below.

Buffed perfection. This berm was so perfectly polished and hard packed you could almost see your reflection in it!
Buffed perfection at Smithfield.

WEB_Feature_QLDCairns_0425

Atherton:

But you’d be foolish to confine your riding just to Cairns. The whole Tropical North Queensland region has evolved into a serious hot bed of mountain biking goodness, from the rocky Douglas Mountain Bike Park in Townsville up to Cooktown (finishing point for the legendary Croc Trophy), particularly with the recent blossoming of Atherton into one of Australia’s leading trail centres.

Feature_Flow_Nation_Atherton-57
Leasie’s Lookout in Atherton.

Atherton is a special place to ride; just an hour’s drive inland from Cairns, up in the cooler air of the tablelands, this gem of a town has one of the best trail networks we’ve ever encountered in Australia. There’s well over 40km of professionally constructed singletrack already in-situ, with more than 30km still to be developed. We were fortunate enough to spend three days there, in paradise, recently. See for yourself what it’s all about.

Feature_Flow_Nation_Atherton-78
Waterfall, a must-ride in Atherton.
Feature_Flow_Nation_Atherton-62
Dropping in on Ridgey Didge in Atherton.

Marathon racing:

If you’re feeling inspired by the World Cup, Atherton will also be playing host to round #5 of the Real Insurance XCM Series on ANZAC Day, April 25. We can think of fewer better ways to see all the trails, so if you’re marathon inclined, make sure you check out all the details here.

Feature_Flow_Nation_Atherton-77

 

 

 

 

It appears you're using an old version of Internet Explorer which is no longer supported, for safer and optimum browsing experience please upgrade your browser.