CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

More of 'us' ?

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  1. Frenchy
    Member

    Bike racks at my work place were definitely emptier than usual today. This is probably related to people skiving off working from home.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    Posted 6 years ago #
  3. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Meanwhile, in another galaxy.

    Copenhagen’s residents cycled a total of 1.4m km last year, with 41% of people – including 63% of MPs – cycling to and from work or school, and 32% of all city-centre journeys being made by bike.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  4. jules878
    Member

    Spoke to a regular (cycle) commuter today who had been encouraging his wife to do the same. He said ...

    "We were almost there, but after yesterday's tragic event on Princes Street cycle commuting is now off the agenda for her."

    Posted 6 years ago #
  5. fimm
    Member

    On a more cheerful note:
    Yesterday, as I walked along the platform at Livingston North, I noticed a chap unfolding a very nice, very blue Brompton. I said hello to a new fellow-member of the Brompton Owners Club and didn't think much more of it until I got the the office and Mr Blue Brompton followed me into the car park! I did recognise him once he'd taken his helmet off...

    It turned out that the Brompton was a present from his (adult) children and his wife, and the colour was their choice! He said he's been walking to the station and taking the train a lot recently for the exercise, but a bike will be quicker (and useful when he has to go to meetings at the Gyle).

    Posted 6 years ago #
  6. unhurt
    Member

    My friend is definitely not going to start cycling in from Corstorphine area now. Just as she was starting to warm up to the idea. But the thing is, what can I say to her about Haymarket and the west end? They ARE frightening.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  7. Stickman
    Member

    Someone in work has decided that the two mile drive to the station is a waste of her time and that she can cycle it instead. Two key factors in this decision:

    - there is a shared use path from her house to the station, so no traffic to deal with
    - an afforable e-bike through CycleToWork means the hill that was putting her off is no longer an issue.

    She specifically said that wet/cold weather was *not* a barrier for her as she has a good jacket.

    I've pointed her to the Start on Friday site.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    "Someone in work has decided that the two mile drive to the station is a waste of her time"

    Interesting.

    Takes a long time because of traffic/parking?

    Presume 'secure' cycle parking?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  9. Stickman
    Member

    Traffic.

    It's a station in Fife -not sure which one or if there is secure parking.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  10. chdot
    Admin

    Might be D Bay - uphill from large part of settlement.

    Lots of empty bike racks, presume there is CCTV.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  11. acsimpson
    Member

    Plenty hills within 2 miles of Dunfermline Town and Inverkeithing too. Cycle Lockers and on platform racks available at Dunfermline and large new 2 level facilities in Inverkeithing too.

    I suspect most stations in Fife will have hills within 2 miles of them though, those are just the two I regularly use. I would also guess that with new racks at both stations there is probably provision at most stations on the circle.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  12. sallyhinch
    Member

    IS this a new game? Name that station, based on topography, cycling facilities and county. If CCE ever collectively created a pub quiz it would be well nigh impossible

    Posted 6 years ago #
  13. Hopey
    Member

    My wife picked up an e-bike today to get her into cycling. Means we can cycle to work together now, going to be nice. If anyone sees two unfit looking folk on a road and e-bike between Loanhead and Gorgie, give us a wave!

    She rode herself from Straiton to the house today. 5 minute cycle but I was nervous for her! Hopefully getting a babysitter on our day off tomorrow so that I can show her the ropes and practice the route with her.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  14. gembo
    Member

    @hopey, good news. I have council e-bike booked out tomorrow, to run over to tollcross in my tea break to pick up the battery for the other counci e bike. It is the future.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

    "It is the future."

    Nah, the future is e-cars on new dual carriageways.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  16. Trixie
    Member

    *waves* I have an e-bike too. I love spotting more and more of them out and about. Definitely the way ahead. Changed my world not having to worry about my wee legs clapping out before I make it home. Headwinds and hills - begone!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  17. chdot
    Admin

    "I love spotting more and more of them out and about."

    There really are more, generally better quality (and expensive) ones too.

    "Definitely the way ahead"

    Let's hope so. If only the Gov(s) thought it was worth subsidising e-bikes like the are willing to do with e-cars...

    "Changed my world" good to hear.

    Non-cyclist to ride bike rider or fading rider to energised rider?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  18. Trixie
    Member

    30 years of non-cycling to regular pootler-abouter. I use the assist less and less but it's so comforting to have. I've got an old mountain bike as a loaner (for now) but I've not had that out much yet.

    I'm a total convert, I'd forgotten how much fun cycling is.

    Edit: And I'd pootle a lot less if I'd not found this site and the journey planner to guide me. Cheers!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  19. LaidBack
    Member

    @Trixie As e-bikes will allow more people to enjoy personalised commuting without taking a big box for four people into the city then I'm all for it.
    Have two Nihola E-Treking 10 speed bikes here now at shop.

    More of us...
    Had a wee glance in one underground car park beneath a block in Quartermile. A huge number of bikes on proper racks. Not one car. Then again it's £1800 pcm if you rented a flat there...
    They can't be all 'unused'.
    Noted the stolen and re-captured Christiana trike at Söderberg is now an immobile planter. Bad advert for cargo bikes.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  20. chdot
    Admin

    "Bad advert for cargo bikes."

    Waste of money too.

    Make an offer...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  21. LaidBack
    Member

    :-) Someone did but I heard they want too much.
    It's their equivalent of the non moving balloon tyred bike parked outside 'the Outsider'.
    These are important to show a business is progressive / green / continental. They should never be ridden though!

    Posted 6 years ago #
  22. gembo
    Member

    Tonight chap on pavement riding Raleigh brand electric bike, maybe he had come off canal towpath. He came off the pavement after the footbridge over a70. Tucked in behind me and I towed him up to nearly gillespies X road. Slightly nervous? At one point he tried to undertake me by going up the pavement again?? Once through Gillespie, he maybe switched off the battery as I caught him easily. None of this was at any particular speed given my legs, lungs and the wind.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  23. amir
    Member

    I went home of the Innocent last night. There was only one other cyclist in its entire length but lots of joggers. A festival or Mo effect?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  24. dessert rat
    Member

    @amir - must be just timing - as on my Innocent trundle home I was thinking I'd never seen as many on an evening.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  25. dessert rat
    Member

    2 people in my my office acquired bikes this weekend, with a further 1 person promising to do so.

    1 lovely city hybrid from Bike Co-op, hydraulic brakes etc... over spec'd for what it will be used for but nice, and one BSO hand-me-down.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  26. Hopey
    Member

    Update: my wife's Ebike is her new favourite thing. She's discovering the joys of all the cycle paths around Midlothian. Is now cycling to work by herself on days when I'm elsewhere, on the road. Even tried exploring alternate routes. Another one of us!

    Unfortunately she has surgery this week (hospital had a cancellation so she got offered an early spot) and won't be able to ride for a couple of weeks. Pleasing to hear that her biggest regret about the op is that she won't be able to cycle!

    More on topic: Might just be me but town HAS seemed somewhat quieter on the bike front this past month.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  27. So many more people on bikes this morning (my first commute of the week) on the NEPN heading Leith-wards.

    This was especially surprising given that it was grey and raining, until I realised that the teachers were all back at school - and perhaps they're all teachers heading to their respective schools?

    Stopped to ask one chap attending to his bike beneath a bridge if he needed help (looked like a puncture), but he said he was fine and "was going to get some of this stuff in and hopefully that'll sort it". I assume it was either tubeless sealant or Slime...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  28. acsimpson
    Member

    If not teachers then perhaps parents who are no longer on holiday.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  29. Greenroofer
    Member

    At Morningside Station this evening there were bikes waiting at every leg of the junction. There was a Deliveronian, a woman in roadie gear on a drop-barred road, a chap dressed in bike commuter garb and (best of all) one man and two women on sensible city bikes in ordinary clothes.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  30. ARobComp
    Member

    Dropped hire car at airport this morning and rode back from there at 8am along Gogar Station Road and along the canal. It was sunny so I even took off my magic plastic hat. Absolutely super ride, and lost count of the number of cyclists I passed pretty much all . I actually counted pedestrians though, only 4 pedestrians from Gogar Station Road to the aqueduct. Interesting.

    Lots of kids walking to school who seemed less than bothered about the cyclists. One mother looking kind of worried

    Posted 6 years ago #

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