The best thing about riding in Derby is that it is flat. Real flat.
The worst five things about riding in Derby are the flies, the aging roads, the lack of understanding from local drivers, the packs of roving dogs biting at your ankles and the heat. The next worst five things about riding in Derby are the mosquitos, the puddles, the mud, the humidity and the wandering drunks.
There are three rides around Derby. And all of them are out of town.
THE WHARF
The first ride is to the wharf. It is a 7km round trip, not nearly enough to even get warmed up. So you have to combine it with a ride to Dinner Camp, then through snob hill out the back of town and then back down the main street to the wharf again. Despite traversing the entire town of Derby the closest you come to a rise is the slight gradient up to the water tower. If you want to combine the ride with some hill work you have to go at low tide and ride up and down the boat ramp.
There are two routes to the wharf.
The wharf road has a sealed shoulder for about three quarters of the way back. There is night lighting. Expect the odd ute or four wheel drive to close in rapidly from behind and decide that a metre doesn't matter on the way past.
The pedestrian path to the wharf is part mud, part gravel, part sand, part footbridge. It is completely impassable in the wet and completely dark after sundown.
The best thing about the wharf ride is the wharf. It is the most beautiful scene in Derby and a ride passing the wharf at sunset brings its own rewards.
Rating : - Flat Tyre
OUT OF DERBY VIA THE GIBB RIVER ROAD
The only other way out of town you would want to take your bicycle is the Gibb River Road. You can take the Highway out of town towards Broome but the threat of regular 50 metre long road trains is enough to turn off even the most daredevil cyclist.
The Gibb River Road is 700km, most of it unsealed, so you aren't going to cover it all in a day ride from Derby. It is a challenging off road ride for the committed. Once a year the Police organise the Gibb River Ride which is a supported ride for mountain bike teams. Check out
Gibb River Challenge
The Gibb River Road is a one lane sealed carriageway for 100kms out of Derby and we have covered the first 40kms of the road. It is uneventful to say the least. There are no towns, buildings, vistas, rivers or lakes to look at. The road is largely flat until the 20km mark when the road turns up slightly and then keeps going up at the same gradient for about 20kms. Because it's Derby, the fact there is a gradient is a little exciting.
On one of our GRR rides Cassy broke her arm. You should ask her about it.
Usually the road is fairly deserted and you can ride for 20kms without seeing another vehicle. The road is only one vehicle wide and because other vehicles are few and far between we tend to ride two abreast and take up most of the road. On one ride a ute came driving up behind Cassy and I at the speed limit which is 110 kmh. They didn't slow down or beep their horn and we were forced to scatter either side of the road in the few seconds we had before they roared between us. Scary times.
Rating: - Flat Tyre
THE MUD FLATS
During the dry season, when there hasn't been rain or a king tide for at least a fortnight you can ride out of town on the mudflats. The best ride is past Dinner Camp, past the airport and then on towards the lagoon. Rumour has it that you can ride as for as the 20km lagoon which is a beatiful setting, but we never found it.
Not much to report about the ride. If the mudflats are dry and firm then a mountain bike will cruise along without sticking. But any hint of dampness and you will feel the pull of the mud.
Obviously there are no hills on the mudflats.
Be sure to wear insect repellant as the sandflies and mosquitos are deadly at dawn, dusk and most of the rest of the day around the mangroves. And make sure you are back by dark because that is when the king brown snakes come out and the bogans like to race drunk around the mudflats in their utes.
The best thing about this ride is that it is not the other two rides in Derby. And the sunsets are beautiful. But you get that on the wharf ride anyway!
Rating: - No Seat
