CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

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

(2685 posts)

  1. gembo
    Member

    Came down Beech Ave at high speed this a.m. vicious sidewind.

    Might go up Listonshiels tomorrow unlikely to be anyone there and new path

    Posted 4 years ago #
  2. ARobComp
    Member

    Saturday we did a loop out from Colinton around Harlaw reservoir and back with a short break to have a cup of tea.

    First time my wife has been back on the bike since second bubs and she loved it. First time also with both kids in the trailer now little one is more robust. They loved it too. Thanks to Algo for selling that one through CCE. I shall have to endeavour to sell the trailer again here once everyone has grown out of it. Keep it in the CCE family.

    Must say towing trailer up Kirk Brae was a bit of a task even with the big cassette I've got on my CX bike right now. But the kids had a blast. I had a blast and it wasn't TOO cold.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  3. LivM
    Member

    Our son (5) has got the hang of the tagalong during lockdown so we can get out daily and go on a nice ride. Yesterday we did 8 miles down to Silverknowes and back via Morrison's at Granton. It's quite wonderful to hear his joy of cycling. Wheeee!
    In other news, thinking of selling our trailer. (Croozer plus for one, with all attachments). Where's best to post details?

    Posted 4 years ago #
  4. Greenroofer
    Member

    Mini-G and I are just back from a circuit of south Edinburgh, including climbing Comiston Road to Fairmilehead and going over the Braid Hills. She was on the e-cargo bike (with a 25kg weight handicap) and I was on my 'gravel' bike. Very pleasant: all the roads quiet, every driver very considerate, quite a few bikes out (mainly with quite 'normal' riders, rather than Lycra whippets), but only one other family group on the road. We rode side-by-side and chatted much of the way.

    I could have put this in the e-bike thread too: it's lovely how an e-bike (even a mahoosive 25kg cargo bike) is such a leveller. It allows people of vastly different abilities to ride comfortably together without either having to compromise too much.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  5. LaidBack
    Member

    @greenroofer - agreed it does change cycling for many. Great that putting an e bike in the mix makes a practical ride possible on hilly route for a family outing and 'evens up' abilities.

    With that in mind quite happy to lend out our basic Nihola Shimano Steps solo e-bike (model as used by @Dave) to anyone on forum (or friend of) to enjoy chance of cycling e-xercise or e-commute for key worker. Ideal for doubters too as many still think they are a pointless invention. May put this offer up on e-bike thread.

    Note Evans have stripped all display models from their shop window for closure period.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  6. Arellcat
    Moderator

    This afternoon while the sun was out I went exploring the Bush estate. My Dad was consulting there at one time and always said how nice it was for walks. Of course, my interest is more about what was once and what remains.

    Bush was actually merely a pleasant diversion on my way to the Crawley spring and Glencorse reservoir, in respect of what was once and what remains, for maybe a ten mile loop. The police were patrolling the road up to the reservoir. I got a wave of thanks as I moved to let them pass me at the car park, and a thumbs up as they returned down the hill much later.

    I went old school and dusted off my old Stumpjumper. Hoo boy, that's a riding position and a half. 24 lbs of Tange Prestige is good on the trails though.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  7. gembo
    Member

    @arellcat, near where King David had the bet about the deer?

    Posted 4 years ago #
  8. Arellcat
    Moderator

    @gembo, King Hezekiah and the City of David perhaps?

    Posted 4 years ago #
  9. gembo
    Member

    @arellcat, no David I of Scotland who brought in the Davidian Revolution and invented Scottish version of Feudalism.

    He loved deer hunting and had a bit of a fiery cross expierence with a white hart in Holyrood Park. BUt also a bet that they would /wouldn’t catch the deer before the Flotterstone burn or some such. On a sign near where you parked up.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Section 5(8)b'd my way down Minto Street along Princes Street up Lothian Road, Mornngside Road to Fairmilehead and Captain's Road and Gilmerton Road.

    All in rush hour just for the craic. Pretty surreal, couple of complete turnips going at 50mph otherwise largely deserted, especialy the city centre.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  11. acsimpson
    Member

    Took my daily dose last night for the first time in a few days. Keeping it local I decided to ride round the block. We live in 1970's cauliflower central though so it was 20 miles of dipping into cul-de-sacs and turning in front of lockups. I think I witnessed less than 10 cars moving and half of them were on Maybury Road. It was a very strange view of my local area.

    I came up with the concept of a rides coronumber. Divide the ride length by the distance of it's two furthest apart points. My ride scored a benchmarking 19.8 points.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  12. gembo
    Member

    @acsimpson that is a bit like rosie’s walk around Roseburn

    My number is a much lower 2.5

    Posted 4 years ago #
  13. Rosie
    Member

    Lee Craigie had a tweet about going out even if you did feel depressed/down as you'd feel better afterwards.

    She's quite right. I've skipped a couple of days, excusing myself for the cold east wind/can't be bothered, but I've slept worse and felt grumpier. I always come back from the cycle/walk feeling better.

    A cycle up to Ravelston Dykes, which is full of cherry blossom; a pootle around the grounds of the Modern Art Gallery, and then along Queeensferry Road and over Dean Bridge - something I'd never dream of doing in ordinary times. An unaccustomed noise and shadow falling over me - a bus, I haven't been stalked by one of those for weeks. It gave me quite a jolt.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  14. neddie
    Member

    I came up with the concept of a rides coronumber. Divide the ride length by the distance of it's two furthest apart points.

    What about that French guy who ran a marathon on his 7 metre balcony? What would he score?

    I reckon around 6000

    Posted 4 years ago #
  15. acsimpson
    Member

    My neighbour's nephew ran a marathon on the driveway. I'm not sure how long it was but he ended up doing 28 miles as the turns hadn't been calculated and added the extra 1.8 miles. He will also have a stonkingly high number.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  16. acsimpson
    Member

    My neighbour's nephew ran a marathon on the driveway. I'm not sure how long it was but he ended up doing 28 miles as the turns hadn't been calculated and added the extra 1.8 miles. He will also have a stonkingly high number.
    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/best-sporting-event-weeks-edinburgh-man-livestreams-driveway-marathon-aid-local-hospice-2538453

    Posted 4 years ago #
  17. dessert rat
    Member

    Prestonpans and back with miniMcr on the back and MrsMcR.

    Best fish supper I have ever had. Probably more to do with the sun, the fact was able to actually buy fish & chips and the tiny beach next to the chippie.

    Have pedalled past dozens of times and never noticed the set of steps down to a small, 25m long section of beach. Glorious sun-trap.

    here

    Posted 4 years ago #
  18. gembo
    Member

    Yes found that little cove by sticking to the coastline between Musselburgh and the pans once when going to north berwick. Starting from the mouth of the esk on the east bank quite a lot of. Off road or abandoned roads down to the power station and round. WOuld be nice on a summer night, just me and the rabbits. Seems to be under used due to being in The Pans?

    Posted 4 years ago #
  19. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    It's odd what you see these days when some attention can be spared from trying to stay alive. I'd never noticed this whole street system before.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  20. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Edinburgh’s Beverley Hills innit. You’ve clearly penetrated their cloaking device.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  21. fimm
    Member

    Cycled out the A702 to West Linton and came back via the "moor road" on Sunday. Should have gone the other way round as there was a bit of a headwind on the way out and the A702 was a touch demoralizing going into it.

    I've never ridden the A702 beyond the turning to the A701 before so thought that I would take the opportunity of the reduced traffic - it was OK if you are used to fast busy roads but I would not recommend it to novices or families with children!

    The "moor road" was fun with the tail wind.

    Posted 4 years ago #
  22. Greenroofer
    Member

    Opened this thread 30 minutes ago, but got distracted reading old posts (mine and others'). If you're a regular contributor to this thread (and perhaps even if you're not) then can I suggest that you scroll back half a dozen pages and have a browse: you may find that you feel uplifted as a result.

    Anyway, I came here to say that I got the fancy audax bike out for the first time this year, and did a 10 mile circuit of Colinton and the Braid Hills this evening with Mini-Greenroofer. She was, again, on the e-cargo bike (it was her birthday today, and she specially asked to come on a ride with me).

    I now remember quite how wonderful the fancy bike is to ride. We both had a lovely time. The views from the top of the Braid Hills were absolutely spectacular. I've been kind of missing the bonkers long-distance adventures of last year, but today's ride was a pretty good alternative.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  23. Arellcat
    Moderator

    I will probably look back on today's ride somewhat fondly, but right now my bed seems particularly inviting, not least because I've not done a lot of cycling in the past seven weeks and only this week have I been more active again.

    The other week I took the torpedo for a quick run out to Leadburn via Penicuik, in order to try the rollercoaster return run along the B7026 via Loanstone and Auchendinny. Today I had it in my head to perhaps go a bit further. Actually, my work is taking part in the Step Count Challenge, so in despite of the crippling 4:1 conversion factor of bike miles to walking miles, I had an idea to blow some competitors out of the water.

    Fortified with a too-large bowl of porridge with genuine Sugarbush Farm maple syrup I headed out to Leadburn again, thinking if I didn't feel up to it I could just whizz home again. But I felt ok, so I pressed on. 25 minutes from Leadburn I rolled into Peebles; 25 minutes later again, taking the A72 and not the fiddly bike path that Laid Back and I used five years ago, I rolled into Innerleithen, and I made a beeline for NCN1 northwards. I didn't stop for a rest until I was well past the golf course. I don't know if gels actually contain any energy, but I like them.

    Reaching the top of the Granites took 40 minutes and it was hard work. The last time I went this way was on a Spokes ride in about 2006. The sun was very warm too. I stopped for a proper sit down and had a bit of food and chatted to an elderly but very fit couple on spotless carbon Trek Domane bikes.

    The descent to the A7 was why I'd made the trip, and it took me precisely 5 minutes. I nearly broke the national speed limit but had to scrub off speed for the tricky left-hander. And 45 minutes later I was rolling back into my driveway, having absolutely thundered down the A7 through North Middleton, Newtongrange and Gorebridge, and past Dobbies and Gilmerton Station Road to pick up the cycle path to Roslin.

    The cycle path was kind of a mistake, as it was really busy with people out walking, people walking with their dogs, people on bikes, people riding bikes alongside other people riding bikes...but I tootled and blasted in equal measure.

    51 miles in 2h 37 moving with a 19.4mph average is why I have just eaten an entire pizza.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  24. steveo
    Member

    I can eat an entire pizza with out a 3 hour ride.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  25. gembo
    Member

    That is some average speed particularly given two big climbs. @arellcat

    Also @steveo that is.a lot of pizza,

    Posted 3 years ago #
  26. fimm
    Member

    Kudos for getting the torpedo up the Granites - that's tough enough on a DF bike!

    I have got into Veloviewer square bagging and had a fun cycle collecting squares around Creichton Castle - unfortunately I missed two, one due to missing a turning and one due to incompetent route planning, so I will have to go back. Which is fine as it is nice round there.
    Came back via Pathead and the big climb over to Dalkeith - nice views over Edinburgh from the top.

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

    Is 'DF' diamond frame?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  28. fimm
    Member

    IWRATS yes, DF = diamond frame.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  29. LaidBack
    Member

    @Arellcat - quite a ride - caused Strava to break in places!

    People noticed that many QoMs were taken in one clean sweep. You were faster down the Granites than @nobrakes too - and that's his local patch ;-)

    Well done though - pleased to see the Quest in the hills!

    Posted 3 years ago #
  30. nobrakes
    Member

    That sounds like a challenge. The M5 is super slippery but taking on a velo is a foolhardy enterprise.

    I'm in :)

    Posted 3 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply »

You must log in to post.


Video embedded using Easy Video Embed plugin