http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: My promised public transport whinge en Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:07:39 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934&page=2#post-91525 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:08:51 +0000 kaputnik 91525@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>With the paint off, on that workstand, it's got something of the Old Faithful about it </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934&page=2#post-91509 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:38:10 +0000 crowriver 91509@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Smudge, aye but the Twenty brings its own issues.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16542007@N00/6112838126/" title="Project Twenty"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6198/6112838126_19c99c685d_n.jpg" alt="Project Twenty" /></a></p> <p>This a (non-folding) frame I picked up for pennies, I was aiming to transform it into a small wheeled road bike.</p> <p>However, there are several obstacles: first, THAT bottom bracket shell; then the strange fork/headset/stem interface; oh and the 451 wheel size with not much choice in rims/tryres; oh yeah the OLD on the front and rear forks.</p> <p>All of which will take either lots of expense or marathon fettling/bodging/light engineering to sort out. Hence the build is on the back burner... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934&page=2#post-91499 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:24:53 +0000 Kirst 91499@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>However I thought this when they built the SECC and after thirty years it could be that this has happened tho most still drive to the huge car park </em></p> <p>Going to evening gigs at the SECC is a pain in the neck by public transport. The trains from the SECC stop running about 15 minutes before gigs end so you either have to miss the end of what you paid £60 to see, or you have to do your best to leg it back into town just in time to miss the last train from Queen Street and then leg it up the road to get the last bus. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934&page=2#post-91497 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:16:04 +0000 Smudge 91497@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><img src="http://home.comcast.net/~cheg01/20_light_1.jpg"></p> <p>Much more individual, some might say cooler and almost certainly cheaper! ;-)<br /> Though I'd have a different colour myself!</p> <p>(full details here: <a href="http://home.comcast.net/~cheg01/r20.html" rel="nofollow">http://home.comcast.net/~cheg01/r20.html</a> ) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934&page=2#post-91485 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:50:32 +0000 Min 91485@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You should all crawl there on your hands and knees. No food, no water until you get there when you may have a piece of stale bread and a drink from the Clyde. Don't know you're born you lot. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91481 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:46:47 +0000 crowriver 91481@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Smudge, I sent the wrong link (now fixed). The yellow Chameleon Performance Sport is £1899, though if you shop around can probably get for less*. There are cheaper models, some with drops, in the Joey range, like this:</p> <p><a href="http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b41s19p2743&amp;z=3432"><img src="http://www.spacycles.co.uk/smsimg/41/2743-8565-full-joey_explore_drop-41.jpg"></a></p> <p>More of a tourer than a performance road bike, and not bad for the price I'd say.</p> <p>*EDIT -There's always fleaBay for a second user bargain:</p> <p><a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Airnimal-Chameleon-Folding-Race-Touring-Bike-Byclce-/251184488961">Airnimal Performance Sport</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AIRNIMAL-PERFORMANCE-CHAMELEON-LIGHTWEIGHT-10-KG-FOLDING-BIKE-/160923267925">Another one</a>, could always train it down and bring it back in a large suitcase... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91471 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:07:18 +0000 LaidBack 91471@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Public transport is often poor on Sundays.</em></p> <p>Public transport is almost always poor on Sundays?<br /> Odd as we're told that we live in a 24/7 economy. This does not extend to public transport obviously. Hence Sundays are 'drive your car day' with free parking on the bike lanes. The less frequent buses are often barely able to get through the resulting mess. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91468 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:52:20 +0000 Baldcyclist 91468@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You could buy a car for that! &lt;ducks&gt; ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91465 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:48:10 +0000 Smudge 91465@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Crowriver OVER THREE GRAND :-o (goes for a lie down)*.</p> <p>For that price why not spend a grand on a nice roadbike, leave it at friends house in the borders and use the other two grand for something sensible...?</p> <p>*says he who keeps on doing custom builds that creep steadily into the four figure price range :-o </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91463 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:43:21 +0000 crowriver 91463@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@steveo, <em>I'm not doing a 40 lap of the borders on a folder! </em></p> <p>Not even if it looked like this?</p> <p><a href="http://www.airnimal.eu/cham_perfsp.php"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T60KZy7CgNY/UAGPn2fGskI/AAAAAAAAADc/GdK1H-s__N8/s1600/Airnimal.jpg"></a></p> <p>There are folders, and then there are folders.</p> <p>@WC, to be fair I'm not sure I'd want to be on the Airdrie line train after 11pm. As kaputnik alludes to, the prospect of Buckie fuelled Lanakshire youth carousing in the aisles is a wee bitty offputting. Having said that, Sunday night probably pretty quiet.....just stay near the bike as the train goes through Easterhouse, Lanarkshire, etc. and be preapared for some 'banter'.</p> <p>I'm with SRD on the train vs. car thing. Trains are better for family travel - as long as the place you're going has a train station. Don't forget a Family Railcard gives 1/3 off the fare. No.1 son has been violently sick all over the back of friends' cars when travelling longer distances, and on longer coach trips too (must have inherited it from me as I was similarly afflicted as a kid). That just doesn't happen on the train. It's the way motor vehicles are thrown around bends, I reckon... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91460 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:37:03 +0000 kaputnik 91460@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In defence of the train, it's easier to take a snooze on the train than at the wheel of a car or the bars of a bike!</p> <p>Coach/bus just makes me feel queasy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91432 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:49:02 +0000 steveo 91432@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This is what puts me off. </p> <p>If travelling my self I'd rather take public transport than tie up the car just in case the wife needs it. But getting bikes on the train is a gamble odds are you'll be fine but you can't <em>rely </em>on "odds are". Plus individually the train is usually cheaper more than one in the car and the costs go the other way. </p> <p>On top of this the main place I drive is visiting my mates in the borders, usually to go for a ride, and getting down to Gala for a couple of hours is just not feasible on the hopeless bus service and you can't take the bike. I'm not doing a 40 lap of the borders on a folder! All in I'm not sure the bus is much quicker than riding down. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91430 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:41:02 +0000 Smudge 91430@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@WC, if I were going to a major cycle event by train I'd def take a folder, cycle space is there on most scotrail trains, but very very limited. The majority of train staff are very onside, but some can be anti-bike and you never know who you will get (though obviously a positive and polite demeanour can help lots!) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91428 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:35:51 +0000 Smudge 91428@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@SRD fair point, we would rather take Smudge minor on a long train journey than a long car journey. For us though the cost of two tickets for most of our potential train journeys tends to be significantly more than the cost of diesel and wear and tear, (and having two drivers reduces the fatigue). Also Mrs S doesn't cycle so we are stuck with using public transport for "onward travel". That and of course the car is sitting in the drive ready!<br /> That is not to say we always use the car, we use public transport where practical, (practical in our opinions!), but too often it can appear an expensive hassle :-/ </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91427 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:34:35 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 91427@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em> If only the joined-up-ness (or bike carrying) worked better so that we could arrive somewhere in the Highlands (eg) and not have to rely on taxis.</em>"</p> <p>That's something we can all agree on. There were two people with bikes coming back from Glasgow. They <em>did</em> get on, but had to move people from the bike bit etc. If there was 'proper' dedicated bike space it wouldn't be a worry, but when I saw how busy the trains coming back were I was glad I hadn't cycled through in the morning and then have to fight onto the train with the bike.</p> <p>Shouldn't be like that.</p> <p>Though again, I'm presuming the train to Bellgrove would be much quieter, and if going on my own in future I think that will be my option. Bike either side + 'decent' train. That really is how easy it should be.</p> <p>We need a Pedal on Scotrail... ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91425 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:12:20 +0000 SRD 91425@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I had resolved not to get into this one, but just in response to Smudge's last post, I have to say that I much prefer the train with kids. They like it too. No being strapped into car seats, much more scope for activities and reading. Less car sickness, and the people who would be driving arrive more refreshed as parents too. If only the joined-up-ness (or bike carrying) worked better so that we could arrive somewhere in the Highlands (eg) and not have to rely on taxis. </p> <p>We drive a lot when we visit grandparents. one lot lives in city and the other lot is rural. Neither have good public transport. This wasn't a problem until they started having sight problems, and other health problems that preclude driving, but is now approaching a crisis. Even the enthusiastic drivers find it more tiring and worrying at once they get over 70 (and if you say 'i'll be fine', then you're just being optimistic - macular degeneration and other issues hit even the healthiest among us.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91424 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:01:53 +0000 Smudge 91424@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd say that the train is actually not too bad on the whole, I find buses to be a pain in the proverbial, especially in unfamiliar locations though.<br /> I'm shortly going to go down to London again and the journey from Edinburgh down, instead of being eight to ten hours of staring at motorway can be done at least as fast, for the same or less money with the option to stroll around, read a book, do some work or have a snooze.<br /> For local local, I use the bike, for moderate distance I use bike and train (folder if I'm unsure of the trains bike capacity or it's peak time), long haul train and taxi/bus (or bike if practical).</p> <p>Of course that's for travelling alone, if there are two or two and a half(!) of us then the cost difference (and extra luggage required) means enduring the car... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91423 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 09:57:24 +0000 cb 91423@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>"If the Airdrie route trains were running, then one could get the train from Edinburgh via Bathgate and get off at Bellgrove station, about 2km from the velodrome."</em></p> <p>Or Carntyne, the previous stop. A tiny bit further from the velodrome but you get off the train three minutes earlier. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91420 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:33:02 +0000 gembo 91420@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I used to go to Parkhead as a student following my team DUFC. Never easy to get there. Walking, bus, train, driving (wee boys paid not to break the car). You can cycle out the Clyde and then aim for Parkhead which you can see but this is not hugely advisable even in daylight. Looks like velodrome leading the way. However I thought this when they built the SECC and after thirty years it could be that this has happened tho most still drive to the huge car park </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91419 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 02:01:22 +0000 kaputnik 91419@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The overweight, unfit, non-cycling person that was I around 5 years ago got neatly around the problems of public transport not taking me places by just not going places. It wasn't an altogether satisfactory solution. I never imagined I could just jump on a bike and be almost 20 miles away in around an and without really feeling like I'd done much exercise. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91418 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 01:05:35 +0000 Instography 91418@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kappers sums it up nicely - if you don't have a car you don't make the comparison - but if you do have a car (and most households do) then public transport isn't a principle. It's not a scout badge that you've sewn to your jumper. Journeys are judged in terms of the most effective mode. And far too often public transport is a failure.</p> <p>Since I discovered that I could, as a morbidly obese bloke, cycle to Edinburgh faster than I could do the trip by public transport, public transport has been a failure. That was 10 years ago. I've lost weight since then so in real terms, public transport has only got worse. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91417 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:57:18 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 91417@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>Crikey this discussion around cars is starting to sound like the EEN comments page, or maybe the Top Gear site.</em>"</p> <p>p.s. I once started a <em>proper</em> 'I like cars' thread in the debate section, with invitations for people to post about their favourite cars. Which got pulled. I unashamedly do actually like cars, no apologies for that. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91416 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:54:58 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 91416@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>Crikey this discussion around cars is starting to sound like the EEN comments page, or maybe the Top Gear site.</em>"</p> <p>Hardly.</p> <p>"<em>If the Airdrie route trains were running, then one could get the train from Edinburgh via Bathgate and get off at Bellgrove station, about 2km from the velodrome.</em>"</p> <p>Interestingly not mentioned on the <a href="http://www.glasgowvelodrome.co.uk/glasgow-velodrome-location/">Glasgow Velodrome</a> website, which says Dalmarnock is the nearest station, which (according to the Scotrail site) is around a 2 hour journey from Waverley and involves a change at Queen Street (where the shuttles were going from), walking to Central to continue the journey.</p> <p>"<em>... assuming you know the way</em>"</p> <p>Which is actually quite a barrier. Didn't know about Bellgrove beforehand cos I know nothing really of Glasgow. Checked that one out on Scotrail and that's DEFINITELY the option for the next time (assuming the bike can get on both ways no bother to cycle the remaining 2km - loads of bike parking at the velodrome). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91415 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:38:51 +0000 crowriver 91415@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Crikey this discussion around cars is starting to sound like the EEN comments page, or maybe the Top Gear site.</p> <p>If the Airdrie route trains were running, then one could get the train from Edinburgh via Bathgate and get off at Bellgrove station, about 2km from the velodrome. Easily cyclable, potentially walkable assuming you know the way.</p> <p>Might not 'beat' the car but not too bad. From Fife.....different story. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91414 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:14:57 +0000 kaputnik 91414@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>We went from Waverley - conveniently had been at a family meal in Scotsman Hotel beforehand, so it was just down the Scotsman Steps, hurrying past the riff-raff up to no good down there.</p> <p>Train to Queen Street, walk up the hill to Buchanan Bus Station, then waited in a queue for quite a while. The SPT stewards were cheerful and kept saying "there'll be another along shortly". In the event, it wasn't that shortly, but we got in the doors to the velodrome and up the steps with 5 minutes to spare before start time.</p> <p>Didn't want to get the Merrydown Express 1130 last train home so left the Velodrome in plenty of time to get the 1030. We forewent the women's Omnium elimination race, as it was over-running anyway due to a restart after a crash. Unfortunately the shuttle buses weren't leaving until they were 100% full. So we had to sit on a 1/4-full bus of other people who had nipped out a bit early until the rush from the velodrome began. We were at least the first bus to leave, but it was a bit annoying to have given up 20 minutes of the event to then just sit on a bus for 20 minutes and end up missing the train we wanted to get.<br /> Got the 1100 train and back home around midnightish. </p> <p>If you don't have a car you don't mentally compare your journey to how much faster or more convenient it could have been though, rather you do to how inadequate public transport can be in this country. If they hadn't run the shuttle buses, the new facilities seem pretty cut off from the Public Transport network. I didn't fancy a hike to/from Bellgrove to use the Airdrie / Bathgate route, and I don't think the late night bus service in that part of Glasgow is up to the demands of servicing a large sports facility. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91413 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:51:23 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 91413@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>How'd you get to park there?!?! The official communications said that there was no spectator parking and that Celtic Park was bollarded off! Grrr, would definitely had taken the car if I'd known it was actually open. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91411 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:45:51 +0000 Baldcyclist 91411@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In the end we took the car, not mine I hasten to add. Discovered that Parkhead is the designated overflow carpark, we parked in there without issue. There were even Police Officers on duty at the car park. So about an hour there from Dalgety Bay, and about 45minutes back. By train, that would have been a train to Edinburgh, and then onto Glasgow. Car does win sometimes, well actually nearly always on longer journeys, except when going to work. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91410 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:38:57 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 91410@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When I worked for four months in Glasgow I relied on the train for about three weeks; the bus (once); then drove the rest of the time. But then I've had offers of interviews in Glasgow since then and turned them all down because I knew I couldn't stand the commuting and didn't want to resort to the car. So I guess the answer to the question is "I wouldn't make the journey because I wouldn't take the job..."</p> <p>Total time home was 3 and a quarter hours, give or take. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91409 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:23:49 +0000 cb 91409@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>What do you think you would do if you had to make that journey daily (i.e. to your place of work) for the sake of argument? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8934#post-91408 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 22:59:11 +0000 steveo 91408@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd have taken the car too... Not a big fan of sitting for hours when a single one could be wasted. </p>