cycling in sydney, new south wales, australia takes place for recreation, commuting and as a sport. sydney has a hilly topography and so may require a slightly higher level of fitness from cyclists than flatter cities such as melbourne and canberra. sydney depends heavily on motor vehicles where traffic and public transport operate at capacity. this means that cyclist are often competing with motorists for limited space on busier roads, and for limited government resources for expenditure on road infrastructure. in its favour, sydney has a generally mild climate and there are active cycling groups.