CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
I test rode the Elephant Bike at the York Rally last year. I did a circuit or two of the grounds of the rally, mostly in 1st gear, trundling along.
My impression was that it was wonderfully docile, it had a natural speed of about 10mph, and it didn't really do acceleration. It was like riding a cross between a tractor and a stately home.
We had a lovely cycle round our Stow - Heriot - Innerleithen - Clovenfords loop yesterday. Weather was fantastic. Saw loads of cyclists out with the same idea.
My wife's first longish cycle in quite some time - hot off the back of the midweek recumbent tandem test ride with @LaidBack during the week, she was complaining bitterly about the discomfort of her MTB seat. I chuckled quietly as I chuntered along on my 'almost lying horizontally' Fuego chaise longue.
@Arellcat - yup, riding the Elephant Bike feels exactly like you describe it.
Yesterday. Bathgate Alps. 100.4k.
Convoluted route, New Town to Bathgate, lunch @ the Cupcake Cafe Bar and back via pretty much every hill (or so it felt).
Was lovely.
Legs still sore this morning, couldn't face the long commute.
BOFFOF and I rode the "Four Abbeys Cycle Route" yesterday.
We got the train to Tweedbank - first time on the Waverley Line for us. When we got to the train there were two other cyclists in front of us - they tried to get their bikes into the narrow cupboard space but gave up. They went down to the other end of the train but that space was already full. So then we went back to the cupboard space and got our bikes in and the other cyclists were left behind...! Apologies to them, but we got the bikes into the space they rejected...
Melrose was a touch busy due to the Melrose Sevens. After a slight initial diversion (there's a Borders Abbeys walking route as well as the cycling version...) we had a good ride. The route is mostly well-signposted but you definitely need a map of some kind as well for the few places where it isn't (or there's a sign missing).
There's a slightly odd bit in Jedburgh where they take you on a (very pleasant, tarmac) riverside path to a slightly awkward crossing of the A68 rather then have you cycle on the A68 where it has a 30mph speed limit. And there's a completely bizarre bit of off-road with a ford which avoids 2-3 km of roads just like the roads you've already been cycling on.
Most of the roads were very quiet, and there's lots of lovely and varied countryside - mostly farmland along the route itself, but views into the Cheviots as well. My Garmin recorded it as 95km (including the out-and-back to Tweedbank station, which isn't quite on the route) and 1140m of elevation gain. (It also claims I hit 60km/h down the last hill into Melrose...)
A grand day out in lovely spring weather.
@fimm must get the route off you.
We did a family ride to cramond, home via the granton loop. Very civilised once we got past the kilomathon folks at craigleith.
Spent some time on the prom as mini-srd practiced her roller- blading. It was stunning and not too busy at the start. Had a big pot of tea and some flapjack etc at the cafe - our first visit. Lots of cyclists at the cafe - nice vibe.
I managed 2 lovely rides this weekend and 106 miles. Weather was stunning, Borders roads were deserted and I noticed for the first time this year that the pheasant suicide squads are starting to gather for opportunistic attacks on the wheels of unwary cyclists...
@SRD and anyone else who is interested, the route is here:
http://cyclescottishborders.com/route/4-abbeys/
The website has lots of other routes on it too, of various lengths. In fact one of out navigation challenges sometimes was trying to work out if the blue cycle direction sign was one we needed to follow or not!
Where's the ford detour?
Ford detour (shortcut) is by Bewlie.
That's correct. And the totally untarmaced section is just from the junction in Bewlie up to the junction just the other side of the ford (where it becomes poor quality tarmac). I just thought it was a completely pointless shortcut - why not just go round by the B6400/B6359? I'd get it if it was the only way to keep you off the A68 or something like that.
Mrs amir and I had a lovely ride along the Dalkeith-Penicuik old railway. It is nice and dry under wheel at the moment and the woodland flowers are out.
There is nearly always glass along the stretch in Bonnyrigg from Dundas St to Sherwood Cresc. It's always been that way since I first tried this route (must be 10 years or more). However I found a quiet diversion along Durham place that bypasses this - a useful top tip!
Had a run out to Heriot via the Granites on Saturday. Really encouraging to see so many cyclists of all abilities in both directions taking advantage of the weather.
@amir - Looking at a map, an alternative to Durham Place would be Sherwood Place/Sherwood Park. Short section of pavement to be traversed, but shorter detour and the right turns are on quieter streets.
@fimm - I think it's in keeping with SBC's standard operating procedure of putting cyclists on the most minor possible road (or as you found "almost road") regardless of the inutility of doing so.
It wasn't today, but earlier in the week...
Just back from a long weekend Guernsey, which is a very pleasant place to cycle. I didn't plan to ride a bike there, but after two days of seeing lots of people on bikes I cracked, and sought permission from Mrs G to hire a bike for 24 hours.
Although there are 60,000 people and 80,000 vehicles on an island of 25 square miles, the speed limit is 35mph on the 'main' roads, 25mph on most of the rest and 15mph on the smallest roads. The main roads are narrow. There are lots of recreational cyclists, and drivers are incredibly patient. I'd regularly see a queue of 10 cars following a single bike, waiting calmly to get past on one of the main roads on the island. Only in the 'capital' was the traffic anything approaching the levels of aggression that you'd expect in Edinburgh.
I did a very pleasant circuit of the whole island on a hired hybrid (a rather nice brand new Dawes). 25 miles or so. Next day, with an hour to kill, I did the bottom half of the island again.
There seems to be a strong culture of road cycling on the island: lots of people in lycra on fancy bikes who spend their weekends riding in complicated circles to achieve a 50-mile ride.
I think I'd get bored if I lived there (it would be a bit like being Amanda Coker) but definitely a place where it's nice to ride a bike.
Day 2 of cycling in from South Gyle. I absolutely retract the title of this thread.
yes, yes, I know it will get easier again.
I heard there was some fun & games this morning in the Gyle due to someone forgetting to unlock the NHS car park...
#carmageddon #gridlock
So it seems!
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Fiona (@BadBlintz)
18/04/2017, 07:33
Someone forgot to open up the NHS building and car park on south gyle crescent. Madness out there.
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Ross Byers (@rossbyers)
18/04/2017, 09:00
Avoid the gyle like the plague!! Normal 10-15min drive has taken well over an hour! All because of some NHS building
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Shame the NHS doesn't encourage ActiveTravel more...
Found this after a google search for Loanhead loops
https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/183/loanhead_roslin_circular_cycle_path.pdf
Popular route; saw a lot of other riders on the way. Made for a nice end to the day. Will also help me get used to the Old Pentland Road for the new commute. Still dirty the breeks on that initial descent...
Managed to get 10½ miles out of the wingpiglet with three hours at the Skelf in the middle, with a cake and coffee and milkshake in the middle of that. Also went past the new Innocent Playpark at Magdalene Glen, at which we were the only people. The thing you hold onto on the zipwire has already been forcibly detached.
Two hours in Midlothian without swearing at a single driver. New record!
Went to California in error this morning. Having missed the turn on the right after climb out of avonbridge. Not great. Took in back fence of HMYOI Polmont, then Brightons which is quite nice wee place then back up to Maddiston which is not so nice. Then a village with nO name (Whitecross has no signs in or out) Then down to Linlithgow bridge which looks to have a nice pub. Then Linlithgow itself to a new cafe The granary which was good. However, as I was unsure of prices (4.50 for espresso, all their espressos are doubles, and slice of courgette cake I took a spare tenner which I Appear to have lost. So anyone around Linlithgow, oat ridge, ecclesmachan, mid Calder, Pumpherston, uphall station, kirknewton or Balerno who finds a tenner, it is mine.
Accompanied Madame IWRATS on a roundabout off-roadish route to the consulate to vote in the presidential election. The citizens are nervous but hopeful on this fine day.
Looks like the French chose common sense (aka Macron). Madame IWRATS might be pleased I assume. Peak Le Pen has occurred for now (ever?)
Euro will go up now :-(
I'm impressed that the French enable their overseas citizens to vote in person on the day of the election, rather than having to get a postal vote in advance. Though I suppose that is less convenient if you don't live within easy travelling distance of a place you can vote.
Though I suppose that is less convenient if you don't live within easy travelling distance of a place you can vote.
Friend of mine had a 100 mile round trip to vote each time. Probably quite small compared to some others'. Postal votes are also available, but have their own disadvantages.
@LaidBack
Madame IWRATS might be pleased I assume.
Think more tears of relief. M. Macron is a right-wing technocrat millionaire. Imagine if Mr Blair were suddenly to become prime minister without the structures or strictures of the Labour party.
@fimm
The French conception of citizenship is quite different to our hybrid notion of subject/citizen/consumer. All citizens are registered to vote automatically, about one in thirty has stood for election and voting is serious and ceremonial. In Edinburgh the Consul General is at the ballot box and pronounces 'Madame IWRATS has voted!' as the voting slip goes in. They are acutely aware of the blood shed to acquire and preserve their democracy and their republic.
Frenchy: A friend of mine posting a picture of the giant queue to vote in London, commented that the French Government weren't/don't allow Postal Votes?
@chrisfl
You can have a postal vote but you need a very good reason like in the old days here.
Deal is; elections on a Sunday, polling places everywhere so turn up and do your civic duty unless you're the skipper of an oil tanker.
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