CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread

(2685 posts)

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  1. acsimpson
    Member

    Not quite today but I headed out with a friend on Monday with the aim of finishing the year on a century. We had planned to take a wide loop of the Pentlands with lunch in Carnwath...

    However as we hit the first climb on Dalmeny his derailleur made contact with his spokes. Walking back to Cramond gave us time to realise that an earlier crash had slightly bent the hanger. Not to worry he had a spare bike in the garage.

    Take two and we made it almost to Winchburgh when a loud crack announced the end of the spare bikes derailleur hanger and the friends ride. I took his offer of abandoning him to scoot home and continued onwards.

    I picked up some Veloviewer squares around the Calders in damp blowy conditions and turned towards Carnwath. It wasn't raining but the wind was blowing the damp air so hard that it might as well have been. After about a mile I realised how little enjoyment I was getting and stopped to replan.

    The weather was OK as long as I kept my back to the wind so I meandered east picking up squares with a combination of paths and minor roads before dipping onto the A70 for some quickening. After a lap of Glenbrook I headed to Long Dalmahoy Road.

    Ouch.

    There are few bits of tarmac which I have experienced which I enjoyed less. It was so rough that it was impossible to carry any speed. The bumps sapped the energy out of the bike despite the tailwind.

    Picking up a late lunch in Currie the sun finally came out so I turned up Kirkgate with the aim to get to Bonaly and tick my second last Edinburgh square. Finally the stars aligned, I don't think I have ever past Clubbiedean or Torduff reservoirs before but now rank them as some of the prettiest spots in the Pentlands.

    Given the start to the day it was a great salvage ride. It ended up a nice round metric century and left some plans to tick off early this year.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  2. gembo
    Member

    @acsimpson

    Some highs and lows there

    The torduff reservoir bit of the pentlands is lovely.

    Did you go round the farm road on a road bike? That is surely lumper than long dalmahoy?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  3. acsimpson
    Member

    @gembo, Yes technically Long Dalmahoy wasn't even close to the worst on the ride. I think it was Selm Muir which had ankle deep mud and Lin Park where the tree roots almost unseated me.

    However neither of those advertised themselves as a road and as such I wasn't disappointed by either. Long Dalmahoy on the other had was a tarmac road going almost directly downwind and I was expecting something closer to the quickening sensation but instead felt more of a slowening caused by excessive rolling resistance. It may or may not have been a fair assessment but I wont be rushing back to form a second opinion.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  4. gembo
    Member

    @acsimpson. I came in it a few sundays ago on lovely sunday afternoon on the tricross commuting bike i had been returning from car park at work. Had been on towpath then backroads. Had good tailwind. I turned off at ravelrig hill. Tarmac has been relaid to the east of that.

    Will need to check this out as did not seem bad the other week.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  5. acsimpson
    Member

    The worst part was definitely towards the western end. From Memory between Ravelrig and the level crossing road was fine in both directions.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  6. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Do we have a "The "I had an unlovely ride today, thankyou", thread" thread? Today's ride fell somewhere between lovely and unlovely.

    I wanted to buy a new hat and had seen one I liked in the big shop in Port Edgar. I thought it unlikely that they'd be open on New Year's Day mk2, but their FB page said they were open, so I headed out into the gales. After 17 miles I was unamused to find the shop all lit up, but the doors locked, and the sign saying 'open tomorrow'.

    So I turned around and went along the South Queensferry-Dalmeny railway path that Laid Back and I used to do a lot, many years ago. Then the rain really started coming on. The bridge looked amazing, don't you think?


    On the not-shopping run

    For old time's sake (like, 15 years ago) I took the old railway path from Dalmeny to Kirkliston to Newbridge. I'm sure it's nice in the summer. In the winter it's covered in broken sticks, thick mud and general skog. I had a nice couple of chats with people out walking their dogs, though. At Kirkliston the way was blocked by a parked car and no dropped kerb, so I diverted up to the main road and belted along to the A8, instead of trying to find the last bit of path to the big bridge (which is velomobile-impossible anyway). I should've just stayed on the A8 all the way back into town but I opted to try the resurfaced section, which is great, but having to go down the slip and navigate two roundabouts and ride up the other slip, and then eventually cross back over again via the RBS bridge is just stupid planning and highly wasteful of energy.

    I was actually on an extended mission to find a passport photo machine. The good place at the Drum Brae Tesco was shut, so I went to Decathlon and bought some energy gels. I found a photo machine at the Tesco, but by then I was so wet I decided to go home instead, have a wash, and then go back out.

    Gels can get in the bin. My legs pretty well died on the climb up from Morningside, so my usual speeding-up along the A703 wasn't spectacular. A hot shower and warm dry clothes once home was great. 41 miles all in, and that's enough for one day.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  7. LaidBack
    Member

    @Arellcat Varied route and did well using velo on the Dalmeny Newbridge path. Not been on that for years as reckoned it would be too muddy.
    Bridge over Newbridge has top bollard placing to stop anything non standard.
    I just got bakfiets through a few weeks ago.
    Airport slip is pretty poor and prone to flooding (as seen on tv report when a cyclist could be seen cycling through).
    Then the roundabout bridge at Gogar.
    Have you improved drum brakes on now?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    @arellcat are you back at port Edgar for your hat today?

    I was at Marchmont for a sofa yesterday. Sofa.com set up in what I remember as Napier’s photography dept. In the former church. THeir website suggested they might not be open so phoned them and they were open. Free coffee, just like Toppings Bookshop (but not as nice). Will be years before we get a sofa that wAY AS THERE are too many variables

    Posted 4 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    Was grand out today, save some near misses from bad driving and a chap in a very light olive van - maybe Volkswagen - who felt he had to stop his van and stand in middle of road.

    Mud road was muddy, Forth was closed, Braehead pub has painted beach pillar box red, apple pie taking the decorations down. Made it back from Carnwath in one hour with wind assist.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  10. Arellcat
    Moderator

    @LaidBack, I think we used that route northwards once, on a Spokes ride? Maybe to Aberdour, when I was riding my old red mountain bike and you were on the Focus. Pretty sure I never rode it with my Windcheetah. I haven't had a chance to do the brakes yet!

    @gembo, not today; I had other things to do, and my legs were still feeling tired. Perhaps I will go tomorrow.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  11. gembo
    Member

    @arellcat, ok, update us on hat progress. I was in Fabhatrix at start of Grassmarket over new year. But the size of heads was in excess of the size of hat, so my brother in law was taken to walker slater and paid way more for what looked like the same hat. I mentioned this in walker slater. The staff member said It won’t be the same hat. (Purple herring bone peaky blinders flat cap).

    Posted 4 years ago #

  12. Frenchy
    Member

    Fairly short ride today on the Gilmerton-Roslin path, didn't even as far as Roslin before turning round.

    However, I did cycle all the way across Bilston viaduct with hands off the handlebars, a feat I am unashamedly proud of.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  13. Greenroofer
    Member

    Coming back into town along the towpath this evening, the wind was behind me, eliminating the roaring noise I get in my ears when riding into the wind. I was on the commuter bike with its freewheel-less hub gear, with a chain that I had recently oiled and a rattly mudguard stay that I had recently tightened up after several years.
    The ride was therefore completely silent. No squeaks, rattles, wind noise, chain noise, freewheel ticking or anything.
    It was rather lovely.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  14. Arellcat
    Moderator

    My lovely bike rides this year so far have tended towards the bloodyminded. So with a day off, I did some shopping. I had a great tailwind to help me ride home carrying a bench grinder. The wind had felled a couple of trees, which the council had already mostly cleared but I found some pannier rack sized bits left that I might carve rather than keep for fuel. On the last mile or so I started laughing because the bike was so heavy.


    Loggage

    Posted 4 years ago #

  15. gembo
    Member

    @arellcat - any hat updates?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  16. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @gembo

    Suggested joke: 'Tell us about your trip to Port Headgear.'

    You're welcome.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  17. Greenroofer
    Member

    I have heard a lot about "gravel riding", which mainly seems to be an excuse to sell more 'gravel-specific' gear. However on some of my long rides this year I have come across bits of Sustrans route that where I've though "I'm really annoyed by this rubbish infrastructure because I'm on a mission against the clock and can't be doing with this rubbish, but I recognise that if I was in less of a hurry, on a more suitable bike, it might be quite fun"

    So I put some 32mm knobbly tyres (Panaracer Gravel King SK, since you ask) on my old B'Twin endurance bike that normally lives on the turbo trainer, and took it for a spin the Pentlands today. Up the WoL path to Balerno, then along gravelly tracks beside various reservoirs to Bonaly. It was rather fun. An initial rain shower died off, to leave a 20-mile ride in pleasant temperatures and light winds amongst lots of folk enjoying a Sunday morning outing.

    I see what all the fuss is about now: with knobbly tyres the bike coped really well in the mud and gravel, but on the road it could still put on a turn of speed (I overhauled a chap on an MTB grinding up the hill by the SSPCA place and he grimly remarked that I had the bike for it). It was tremendous fun. I came home caked in mud and grinning from ear to ear.

    I need to practise my dismounts and get a mudguard on the back...

    Posted 4 years ago #

  18. gembo
    Member

    @greenroofer, looks like you went round the back of the farm then down the alpine road to torduff and torphin. Is a great descent with almost no climbing from my house. Always fun.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  19. Greenroofer
    Member

    It was fun. I've been looking at the John Muir Way and the Go East Lothian Trail, so will be exploring those next.

    Today has taught me that I'll have to lower my expectations though: the John Muir Way is 90 miles from Helensburgh home. That would be a pleasant day ride for me on the road, but I think it might be a bit more of an undertaking off road...

    Posted 4 years ago #

  20. gembo
    Member

    @greenroofer, you can gravel it up to the West Kip. Saddle now and down tother side to nine mile burn. Also fun.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  21. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I came home caked in mud and grinning from ear to ear.

    Even Dylan went electric eventually. You'll be packing a bed roll and smokers' requisites next.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    Traversing central Edinburgh.

    Haymarket Station - Dalry Road Colonies - cross the canal - Gilmore Place - Meadows - Buccleuch Street - Gifford Park etc.

    If I didn’t know, how would I find it??

    Posted 4 years ago #

  23. gembo
    Member

    Is there not one sign at top of those colonies? Better at bottom of course

    Posted 4 years ago #

  24. chdot
    Admin

    What sort of sign?

    Don’t think there are any even pointing to the WAR crossing, which is not visible from the housing area.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  25. gembo
    Member

    I was going to say a blue one that gave mileages but now I am opting for a Cyclist Dismount Sign - for my sins I ignore that one but ca’canny through the chicane and slowly roll down to the barber’s I favour at the bottom.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  26. Rosie
    Member

    @chdot - I've shown this useful cut-through to a few cyclists. It's stupidly not signposted, neither at the Dalry end nor the Morrison Street end. There should be signs pointing to the NCN75.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  27. chdot
    Admin

    “There should be signs pointing to the NCN75.“

    That would perhaps help.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  28. wingpig
    Member

    I wonder how I first found it. Did it once have blue signs, even just saying "pedestrian route to Morrison Link" or something? Has it ever been purple on a Spokes map?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  29. jonty
    Member

    Spokes map a distinct possibility for me - when I first cycled in Edinburgh that was my bible for figuring out loops which included the NEPN. Helped that that was the way I walked to Haymarket at a previous flat though, come to think of it...

    I think Google Maps will take you down that way too.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  30. Greenroofer
    Member

    I stayed on trend this morning and went for a spin in the Pentlands on my old road bike with knobbly tyres (which I am going to rename my 'gravel bike'). It was just as much fun this time as it was last weekend. I did exactly the same route, but it was different, mainly because there were some substantial icy patches. The nice thing about riding off road is that ice is a challenge rather than a generator of sphincter-tightening fear, although discretion prevailed on the ice on the steep sharp turn at the top of Torduff Reservoir, where I walked the bike down the hill.

    I have a mudguard now, so was less mud-splattered. I was again grinning when I got home.

    Posted 4 years ago #

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