"It would've been the canal that I was transported to today"
OK, so who chose their heaviest bike today??
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
"Near gale" force winds forecast
(55 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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"OK, so who chose their heaviest bike today??"
If you're going in the canal you want a bike that floats.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I never knew there was a FRB 'shuttle' either. Always had to get the train over. However, guessed (correctly) that bridge would be closed this morning and had another 45 minutes in bed, and got a later train to S. Gyle and cycled from there.
The wind didn't seem much of an issue for me, but all those coming towards me were grimacing.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I was out just about early enough to miss the rain, and the wind didn't seem too bad - not great when heading west, but whenever my route turned north it felt like it was behind me.
Small wheels an advantage in strong wind?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Alas, I had to go to the dentist this morning, which is 9 miles away from my house and nowhere near my work, and at the top of Liberton. Trying to get up Kirk Brae into the full force of a 50mph gusting headwind was not easy. Still, it made my cycle home feel easy despite it still being about 18mph with 34mph gusts.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Still, getting home from Edinburgh Park was a 'breeze' tonight - gridlock due to the Bypass Crash, so cars backed up right into our multi storey car park !!!
Ho Ho ho
Benefits and smugness of the cyclist
Posted 10 years ago # -
getting home from Edinburgh Park was a 'breeze' tonight - gridlock due to the Bypass Crash
Ah. This would explain why it took my wife an hour to drive home the 1 mile from the Gyle. I have twice suggested she cycle already since she finally arrived home, but I think if I suggest it again I may regret it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Stingy rain.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@ mkns
Without intruding too far into family politics - is it that she doesn't want to cycle or considers there's 'no safe route'?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Sounds like I'm missing all the excitement! Only a bit of a breeze here in That London, and this morning was almost shorts and t-shirt weather with a beautiful tailwind all the way across Hyde Park. Not quite so warm here now though.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Was out on the tandem with No.1 son this afternoon, luckily the sun had arrived and the wind dues down considerably. Still too many bus drivers on Princes Street insisting on overtaking to get to the traffic lights 50 metres way, then pulling over shortly afterwards to a bus stop, blocking us again. Not as scary as the express intercity coaches tearing down the outside lane, mind you.
We managed though. Enjoying the sunshine too much to let the buses racing each other bother us.
Posted 10 years ago # -
is it that she doesn't want to cycle or considers there's 'no safe route'?
Merely a lack of confidence in her own abilities than anything else, tbh.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Merely a lack of confidence in her own abilities than anything else"
Depending on route there are good routes from there to build confidence, if she can use path, its a nice safe way for a new rider.
However, if you need to cross Calder road or similar, can understand reticence.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Aren't there ramps down to 'courtyards' under each roundabout along Calder Road? Pretty sure I've been able to easily traverse Calder Road before on bike/foot without having to tackle the actual road at all.
Posted 10 years ago # -
There are underpasses for Calder Road, they're not terribly pleasant places but better than the road. They also have large no cycling signs, though I use them when I've got a passenger rather than risk those roundabouts.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@mkns
Perhaps you should try a change of tack and suggest walking. If you are that close it shouldn't take long.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@mkns
Take 'sport' out of her perception of cycling. Buy her a Pashley* with basket, worked for my wife. She even goes out herself without prompting now.*May even result in n+1 for you, you know you'll need to get one too so that you can't go too fast when out together going to the shops. ;) Did I mention I love my Pashley?
Posted 10 years ago # -
There was a big hailstorm here last night, turning the ground white. Not that you'd know it now what with the sun shining so brightly. Four seasons in one day!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Buy her a Pashley* with basket, worked for my wife.
Paper Bicycles are great too. I test rode a Pashley before plumping for a Paper Bike a year or two ago. I found the Paper Bike much nicer. Edinburgh's Paper Bike dealer is the ever helpful Laid Back Bikes and the shop in Marchmont Crescent isn't too far from the Bike Co-op or Biketrax so you could test ride both in the same trip I dare say.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Perhaps you should try a change of tack and suggest walking.
Tried that. Worked for daughter #1, who now does walk the mile to the Gyle rather that walk half a mile in the opposite direction to get a bus.
Take 'sport' out of her perception of cycling
Alas, if you knew me, you'd know that would be impossible ;)
May even result in n+1 for you
Ha! I have 4 already, and that's already pushing my luck...
Posted 10 years ago # -
I tried and failed to log in when I got in after 5pm to say the bridge was closed to peds and bikes, but I got the site's server problem popping up.
I went over northbound at about 2:20pm and the side gusts were pretty nasty at time, but manageable. Things got decidedly worse as I got into Fife, and all thoughts of doing a long run were put to bed. I passed one of the Fife clubs' races and joked with the marshals that they'd chosen a great day for it!
I headed down Coal Rd in Dunfermline (a long straight downhill road, heading south), expecting the high walls on either side to protect me from the side gusts, but the wind simply whipped up over the wall on my right and whirled around, making for a very hairy ride to the corner at the bottom.
I reached the Bridge at 4:30 to find the gates on both sides closed, so I called the number on the gate (0845 271 3050) once I'd got shelter from the noise up at the hotel. They sent an open top maintenance truck to the bus stop within 5 minutes. The driver was very friendly and we had a good chat on the way back over. He did take up cycling briefly till he was the victim of a hit and run and that put him off unfortunately. He had been commuting from Burntisland.
He drove over at a sensible speed, so I wasn't too concerned about my bike lying in the back. We joked about the worst drivers on the roads. They used to close the bridge to foot/cycle traffic at 65 mph but now it's 45 mph due to legislation, so they err on the side of caution. It was about 55 mph when I was being taken over although I think it was dying down from that.
A guy walking under the Bridge as I rode down had seen me taking the bike off and said I was lucky as they usually wait till there are half a dozen bikes!
Footnote: Last night's plan had been to head to Duns and do 80-100 miles. The winds put me off and boy am I glad. 43 was enough today :-)
Posted 10 years ago # -
>as they usually wait till there are half a dozen bikes!
I guess there is always the option of taking the train across if that wait is too long.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Last time I used the shuttle transport they limited it to two bikes as the flatbed van has only two seats in.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I'm assuming if there were more passengers, they'd either send a car as well or use a truck with a second row of seats.
Posted 10 years ago # -
>They used to close the bridge to foot/cycle traffic at 65 mph
I came back once when the gantry said it was 50mph wind and it felt like I was leaning at 60 degrees the whole way across. Luckily it was blowing constant rather than gusting.Posted 10 years ago #
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