CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

New to commuting and city riding - My god it's fun!

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  1. Mabs
    Member

    Hi there folks.
    Just moved to Edinburgh a few weeks ago to start term two down at The SAC at Kings Buildings.
    I've been driving the route since I got here but since the steering in the car has started to go and I've put on some podge for the first time I decided it's time to get fit and rolling.

    Up to a year ago I was BMX'ing a heck of a lot but since my wrist decided to die on me I had to give that fun lark up.

    So on Saturday I popped along to the Bike Station and got my self an EBC Cullin. My first hardtail and although the suspension is too soft and it's a bit too small (or so I've been told) it's great fun to ride.
    Had my first cycle that afternoon and went from Caledonian Crescent up to Kings Buildings and even with my asthmatic lungs I got there quicker than it takes me to drive.

    I really hadn't noticed how slow the traffic moves down Morningside until I was speeding past it all.
    Only had one idiot that day overtake me justto cut me off as he pulled into a junction.
    I think I'm going to enjoy it here and I have at least 4 years of Edinburgh life ahead of me so I better.

    Cheers Folks.

    Michael

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Welcome to the fold Mabs - all that BMXing will come in handy when trying to negotiate the Telfer subway.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. wingpig
    Member

    Welcomes. Hopefully you picked up a Spokes map at the same time so that you can start exploring straight away.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. SRD
    Moderator

    "went from Caledonian Crescent up to Kings Buildings"

    Yet more evidence that 'all' of CCE lives near Harrison park :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "Yet more evidence that 'all' of CCE lives near Harrison park"

    Doesn't count - wrong side of the WAR.

    It's almost north....

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. Mabs
    Member

    Am I not West? ;)
    God knows where I am...
    Dropping the girlfriend off at George Square this afternoon and heading out for a cycle. Any recomendations? I'll get a spokes map the day if they're in the bikey shops?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. SRD
    Moderator

    Southwest according to the Council.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. Morningsider
    Member

    Welcome Mabs - my old commuter was a Cullin 400 - set up with fast-rolling slicks (Specialized nimbus armadillo). It gave years of good service until it was nicked (not in Edinburgh). Pretty good for off-road and xc mountain biking too.

    Who told you it was too small? Assuming your knees aren't hitting your chin and it feels comfortable after a few longer rides then you should be fine.

    From George Square you might want to take a run down the old Innocent Railway path and out towards the coast. You can join it near the Engine Shed cafe just off St Leonards.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Any recomendations?

    To help get your bearings around town you could head out and about the old railway line cycle paths. If you go to Roseburn (Russell Road) and up onto the old railway line you can potter around the town all day without ever leaving the city limits and quite easily clock up 15, 20 miles. You can get west to Cramond then along the foreshore or North and East to Leith. There's a number of options so you don't have to go and come back the same way. Or strike out west along the canal and then onto the Colinton / Balerno path along the water of Leith. All off road.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    http://edinburghpaths.info/leaflets.htm

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. cb
    Member

    Can't see the links to those leaflets from here, but if they are the ones that split the city into North, South, South West etc. then I rate them v. highly. Better than the Spokes map in may ways and much less cumbersome (why do Spokes print the map on the reverse side? Very annoying).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    "if they are the ones that split the city into North, South, South West etc. then I rate them v. highly"

    You probably mean these ones -

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/385/cycling_in_edinburgh/542/cycling/6

    Here is the Pentlands one from the other series (originally articles in Outlook) that wasn't made into a leaflet -

    http://edinburghpaths.info/pdf/outlookpent.pdf

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. wingpig
    Member

    The full-size map has that nice foldy-uppy-mappy-feel, though. It's nice to be able to view an entire cross-city route without holding bits of paper together, too. I'm still using my DIY-waterproofed V7 version even though it's slightly out of date as it's much sturdier and nicer to look at than the free TBS copy I picked up during a BWTW promotion at my work.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. cb
    Member

    "You probably mean these ones -"

    Yup, those are they. I picked up real life copies at Treefest a few years back.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Maps? Just follow the pigeons and keep the sun a few points to starboard of the bow. Failing that, just head uphill, sooner or later you'll get to the top of Arthur's seat and from there you can see where it is that you want to go.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    Not forgetting http://edinburgh.cyclestreets.net when you know where you want to go, but not sure of some of the options.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. Kim
    Member

    Careful Mabs, I give up my car when I started Uni in 1994 and took to the bicycle as my full time transport. Four years later I found I didn't want to go back to owning a car, and still don't want one...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. DaveC
    Member

    Hi Mabs,

    I recently startd cycling in to work too. Its (not) much cheeper than the train (Bike, plus lights, plus toys etc.. :D ) but I feel better for it.

    Defo get a cycle map (Spokes - I have an old clue one) and you can get one for Lothian too to extend your rides out of Edinburgh.

    Dave C

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. Mabs
    Member

    Popped down to Leith this afternoon from Dalry then up to Morningside for a wee trip.
    Legs jellied but it's great getting out on a bike again. Fingers crossed for improvments in fitness.

    If any one see's someone on a blue EBC Cullin with a yellow/black brooks running jacket, black giro helmet and a wee rucksack on feel free to say howdy.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. SRD
    Moderator

    If any one see's someone on a blue EBC Cullin with a yellow/black brooks running jacket, black giro helmet and a wee rucksack on feel free to say howdy.

    There's another thread for this :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  21. steveo
    Member

    what the H*mt thread... ;)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  22. Mabs
    Member

    Ahh brilliabt. Cheers for the heads up.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  23. Kim
    Member

    Helmets? I have always though they are a waste of time, but then it is personal choice...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  24. kaputnik
    Moderator

    but then the time-wasting helmets are balanced out by the time-giving aero helmets, so all is at peace in the helmetsphere

    Posted 13 years ago #

  25. LaidBack
    Member

    Welcome to Edinburgh. A mix of some great (and not so great) routes awaits!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  26. nearefare
    Member

    Of course living around Harrison Park means you can pootle out the canal and back, or take turning up into the Dells(Collington) along the WOL to Pentlands, head to dalmey -> newbridge and back onto canal, wait for the next big freeze and cycle "the canal" itself , so many choice so little time :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  27. spytefear
    Member

    Welcome to the community.
    The Canal is a great route as is the Roseburn - Ocean Terminal Railway path is a fun and quiet ride through greenery if you haven't discovered it yet, with the option of turning off before Granton and heading out to Cramond or South Queensferry, too

    Posted 13 years ago #

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