Cycle straight into Nature and Leave the City behind
Taking the gravel bike up to Uetliberg, riding along the ridge via Buchenegg and Albispass to Hinteralbis, then heading back through the Sihlwald forest and following the Sihl river right back into Zurich city.
A few brief sections require solid riding skills; otherwise, you might need to briefly push your bike. Just a heads-up: this is not a beginner-friendly route.
In the forest within minutes by bike
The Triemli stop is a great starting point because almost everyone knows it. Right from the start, it goes steeply uphill, but in return, you dive straight into the forest within moments. There is an alternative route through the residential neighborhood with a no-entry restriction, that fine once cost me 30 francs, so I highly recommend taking the short detour up the steep path instead. Just a quick crossing over the railway tracks, and off you go into the wild.
Now, you head up the path that turns into the sledging run during winter. There are countless ways to get to the highest point of the Uetliberg. Knowing your way around this mountain is actually not as easy as it seems; even I switch things up and ride different paths all the time. This is simply the route that I really enjoy.
Total climbing: 940 m
Total time: 03:19:32