Hey. I’m wondering if anyone has experience of leaving their bike overnight on the racks at Haymarket station. I’m about to start cycling to Leith for work along the cyclepath from Haymarket and i come in by train from Fife. If possible i’d want to minimise the hassle of getting bikes on and off trains during rush hours so wondering if it is too risky to leave the bike overnight at Haymarket a couple of nights a week. I have good D-locks so it would be well secured... but don’t know if that is secure enough or how frequently thefts occur from the Haymarket stands.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
Overnight parking at Haymarket
(14 posts)- Started 5 years ago by podgypedaller
- Latest reply from acsimpson
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Posted 5 years ago #
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Hi podgypedaller, my gut instinct is probably not a good idea?
What about a folding bike to ease the train hassle?
Posted 5 years ago # -
My gut reaction says fine.
(Especially If a ‘commuting bike’).
I’m sure there are people on here who have some idea how many bikes are left overnight.
Posted 5 years ago # -
my gut aligns with chdot's gut. but i wouldn't leave a 'good' bike there.
Posted 5 years ago # -
So only leave a bike that wont get stolen as if you leave a bike that will get stolen it will get stolen. Is that the hive gut?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Thanks everyone. My bike is a £600 or so touring bike so its probably not worth risking if there is any likelihood of theft. I’m not keen on folding bikes unfortunately, and with five bikes already in the garage (between me and my wife, not all mine!) not sure I want to invest in another.
I think will just give the train a go and see how i get on.
Posted 5 years ago # -
“I think will just give the train a go and see how i get on.”
Partly depends which station you use - and when you travel.
I’m sure you already know how busy various trains are.
For rush hour leaving Edinburgh, better to get on at Waverley.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Your bike might be more secure at Waverley. You have two or more places to park it overnight and varying the spot will help guard against anyone checking out which bikes appear not to move, whether they be thrives or staff who place signs on and then finally remove bikes which have been left or abandoned.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Waverley good idea, could still alight at hay market, then use the off road route to Leith on the way to work. Coming back you could still use the NEPN then quiet route to Waverley from Roseburn.....
Posted 5 years ago # -
I would think double D locks at Waverly would be fully secure and being covered will really help the longevity of your bits!
You may also be surprised how doable just on road cycling to and from Leith is..
Posted 5 years ago # -
Bikes to appear to stay quite a while in the Haymarket bike racks - when I've been putting PoP leaflets on them there are always a couple with old Spokes leaflets attached which therefore haven't been moved for a while.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Thanks for all the comments, very helpful. I’ll try the trains first and look at other options if that is proving annoying.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I leave a bike at Haymarket. I come in by train from Dunbar, either through to Haymarket or transfer from Waverly, then cycle out to Saughton.
My commuting bike is similar to yours price-wise. It is pretty nondescript, a charcoal colour amongst a sea of other charcoal-coloured bikes. If you have a secure D-lock I think it would need to be pretty special for someone to go to the trouble - that is my gut feeling.
My feeling is if you can find a space on the top line of stacking racks, that's just one extra faff for a potential thief to deal with, though I don't speak from experience!
I would agree that it's easier and probably safer to tie up at Waverly if you have the option, but my own personal experience (knock on wood) with the Haymarket racks is positive, apart from the usual one of their just not being enough of them. They seem pretty full most of the time, never more than say half a dozen spaces, sometimes none, depending on time of day. More churn at arriving and leaving times.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I haven't heard of anyone loosing a bike from the racks at Haymarket. I suspect that the amount of CCTV in the area would stop most people from coming with the tools required.
As much as a £600 commuter feels like a lot to buy it's resale value without any provenance would be well under £100 so not at risk of anything other than petty theft.
For extra security you could get it marked and on the bike register. That reduces the value to a potential criminal further.
Posted 5 years ago #
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