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.
Saturday - Melrose and back to visit someone in hospital. Quite a nice route in the end, despite Kirk Brae.
Head wind out, thankfully mostly tail on the way home when it was needed.
That hill on the Edinburgh side of Innerleithen must be a candidate for the 50mph discussion, I managed 46 before I ran out of gears. Am going to have another crack at it on Tues on the road bike.
"Roibeard - "a thing" entirely at CalMac's whim. There are no cycle reservations possible (unless in a "large group") and drivers get priority. On my one and only attempt at this, I was refused access to the Brodick ferry,
A constant worry if you are trying to link up routes. We got the feeling that CalMac tolerate bikes - bit like ScotRail on a good day. Green travel is stressful."
There were over 35 bikes on the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry. I know this because that was the number the man who was counting had got to when we passed him. Two big bike racks plus more stacked at the sides.
That was the only ferry where it felt like there might be any sort of issue getting on. Admittedly the weather forecast wasn't that good, so I can imagine it could be busier.
I have to come to the defence of Calmac crew here. Just in case a director stumbles across this I won't mention which crossing, but last week a group of us did the 5 Ferries - we were fairly well spread out but the crewman was amenable to a request from the leading riders to delay departure to allow the rest to get aboard.
Many years ago the chap in charge of the car deck refused to operate the lift to allow us aboard the much delayed last Saturday ferry from Craignure but the officers allowed us to ride the motorcycles up the pedestrian gangway and park on an upper deck. Don't suppose that would happen nowadays though.
It's hard to see how a craft the size of the Brodick ferry can't have room for one more bike - the first time I did the 5 Ferries an earlier crossing had not taken place so the vehicle queue for the next crossing was massive but every one of the dozens of cyclists (it was a very good day weatherwise) got on.
Bet you're richt glaid o they waterproof sheen?
@Frenchy
Fairly that, aye. Keepit the watter in grand.
Here we go:
20170701_083446
A few of the bikes on the Glasgow Central - Ardrossan train. Ours are not in this photo.
20170701_093453
Bikes on the Ardrossan - Brodick ferry. Hardly being considered an inconvenience. Our bikes are not on the rack, they are stacked against the wall with other bikes, behind the car with the bikes on the roof.
20170701_142427
Bikes stacked up on another ferry - possibly the Tarbert - Portavadie one. Our bikes aren't in this photo either...
However, had a driver wanted to use the space occupied by these bikes, the driver would take priority. I'm not saying that CalMac won't take bicycles on the deck, just that if there are drivers wanting the space, the drivers get it regardless of the number of cyclists booked on, waiting, etc.
When I attempted the crossing, only one of the two boats had dedicated cycle spaces (10), the other had nothing, so there would be no cycles carried if the sailing was full of motorised vehicles.
I'm glad you got across safely, just warning others that this will be entirely dependent on vehicular demand.
Of course, getting stuck on the mainland was definitely the lesser of two evils - getting stuck on the island for an unplanned overnight stay would have been much, much worse!
Robert
I disagree. Can you imagine the hassle of getting 30+ cyclists and their bikes off a ferry when they were already on? Just to get one more car on? I know we're a car-centric society but I simply don't believe they'd do it. They've got a schedule to stick to. They'll book a number of cars on, and if you drive up without a booking you may or may not get a space.
On all the other ferries our bikes were not in spaces that cars could use, as can be seen by the other photo.
I'm not saying that there is no risk that you could be turned away from an extremely busy sailing, but I do not think that the risk is anything like as big as you are implying.
"If you are travelling to Arran on a bike, we would like to advise that due to high demands being placed on our sailings on the Ardrossan to Brodick service, particularly at the weekends, space on the car deck for bicycles is limited.
We will do everything we can to accommodate all cyclists and their bicycles, however, we cannot guarantee shipment on busy sailings. If you do not get on a particular sailing, we will do everything we can to get you on the next available sailing."
That can be read as "3 bikes and you're off": I can only say that my impression was that this was not the case, and that they did their best to get us all on and that we were not seen as an inconvenience.
I was over in Arran for a weekend in May. On the ferry back to Adrossan on the Sunday, all the cyclists that were waiting got their bikes on - there must have been 20 or so. There were cars on standby (they don't book every space, to allow for the possibility of emergency vehicles etc) and not all the cars got on. I know that because our friends were driving one.
So in my experience they certainly don't throw cyclists off in order to accommodate an extra car. And if warned in advance of a party of cyclists, they are pretty good - ask anyone who did the Port Navigation Audax at the start of April. There were more like 70 bikes on one Craignure - Oban ferry that day.
I've always found CalMac to be most helpful and accommodating when I've been travelling with a bike. But that's just my experience of course.
Can you imagine the hassle of getting 30+ cyclists and their bikes off a ferry when they were already on? Just to get one more car on?
They boarded the bikes after the cars for this very reason...
With or without bookings, the vehicles in the queue got on - yes, if the queue was empty and a driver rolled up after the bicycles had boarded, I'm sure that would have been a different matter.
@panyagua "all the cyclists that were waiting got their bikes on... and not all the cars got on."
That wasn't my experience, but yours is more recent, so perhaps they've improved, but as Fimm notes their website still is not promising and you still can't book your bicycle space...
Indeed last summer, the only way I could ensure my family and I traveled on a particular CalMac sailing was to book (and pay for) a car crossing. In the end the sailing wasn't full and I was able to cancel the car for a refund, but it was crazy that I had to strap a car to the bicycles to ensure that plans weren't disrupted!
Robert
today - Innerleithen and back.
Friend doing solo LEJOG, Day 7 Moffat to Perth leg. We met there and pedalled back together. Never have I been so wet on a bike.
Saw a hedgehog.
Basically had a good ride today.
Just around town, but way quicker and more conveniently than those in vehicles - seemed to be many extra who (presumably) didn't want to be out in the rain.
Had to be extra cautious -
More vehicles, more congestion, more frustration.
Lot of police action down Holyrood way, princess Anne up at the fudge house?
Up at 6a.m rode round the rolling hills of Bedfordshire with guy who just failed to get into team GB Paralympic team. I say with, I could see him in the distance. Lovely villages, Harold, Milton earnest, Newton blossomvile, Oakley, Bromham.
Too hot now to cycle also Bedford drivers are mental so good to be out when most asleep.
Went as far into the Pentlands as my road bike would go, then climbed up Scald Law.
Lovely afternoon for it, although a bit breezy up the top.
85k (well, 84.4) with Edinburgh Belles into East Lothian with lunch at Archerfield.
Very civilised, except for the headwind on the way back. Discovered 2 new off-road path/links.
Discovered 2 new off-road path/links.
Whereabout?
SRD
Moderator
Is this new, or have I just not been paying attention before now?
One from Dirleton (near the Church) to the Archerfield estate, and then a back route from Archerfield up to the main road.
And the bits of John Muir way/roads that cut behind Aberlady.
We also used an excellent path that leads to the St germain level crossing so you can avoid the dual carriageway/bumpy cycle path, which I learned about a few weeks ago. it is a really lovely route.
I think there was one more too - will have to check the map and remind myself.
'moderator' - I've bene promoted/allowed to help
Ta.
It seems normal to say "congratulations" on forums when someone becomes a moderator, but I think "Thank you!" is a bit more appropriate. Thank you!
Thanks Frenchy, but others are doing the heavy lifting.
I had my first ride in more than 6 months yesterday. Not very far (2 miles each way) or fast (snails were overtaking) but I towed the toddler and went along Ravelston Dykes, down the Roseburn Path, Russell Road, round the back of Tynecastle (bonus: road closed for works!) to get to the city farm. I even managed to cycle up the Russell Road Ramp with the trailer (turning circle equivalent to a small bus...) although no such joy heading up to Ravelston Dykes.
Toddler towing miles count double
Went as far into the Pentlands as my road bike would go
So right to the top then?
So right to the top then?
Touché. Correction: I went as far into the Pentlands as I was able to take my road bike.
@Frenchy
I'm really intrigued by the whole cross bike thing. People seem to ride them into totally mad places and up hills I wouldn't even look at without a tiny inner chain ring.
"I'm really intrigued by the whole cross bike thing."
Not sure "cross" is the point here.
"
The original off road cycle touring and mountain biking club
"
@chdot
Indeed. My best mate at school was a member of the Fellowship in the early eighties, taking his mum's Moulton shopper far into the Cairngorms. Ironically, given my later antics, I'd no interest at all in his mountain cycling.
Touring bikes in Knoydart? Territory for wild goats that, not bicycles. Be better off taking a wheelbarow.
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