Wheely excited: "Fantastic" is how competitive cyclist Matt De Pomeroy described the new Hornsby Mountain Bike Trail in Old Man's Valley. It will be open to the public from noon this Saturday. Picture: Mike Sea
HORNSBY finally has a mountain bike trail that you don't have to travel more than an hour to get to.
This was the overwhelming response of local riders when they heard stage one of the Hornsby Mountain Bike Trail in Old Man's Valley would officially open this Saturday.
"Previously I rode at a few fire trails near where I live at North Rocks or at Lake Parramatta," Matt De Pomeroy, a bicycle mechanic and personal trainer at Hornsby Cycles, said.
He placed 14th in last year's cross country marathon series.
Alfred Tfang of West Pennant Hills said he normally rode the Oaks Firetrail — the main trail running from Glenbrook to Woodford — with uni mates.
"For me, it's a social thing," Tfang said.
For the past three years he has also entered a 12-hour race in Yarramundi each September, but he and his mates have never medalled.
Both riders plan to attend Saturday's launch by Hornsby mayor Steve Russell.
Synergy Trails managing director Adrian Main has ridden every inch of the track, a privilege he gets as the man who oversaw its construction on behalf of Hornsby Council.
"They're very flowing trails, with lots of berms, rollers and other features positioned in a manner that's challenging to ride," Main said.
"This is northern Sydney's first legal purpose-built trail."