CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
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With the weather nearly breaking my resolve last night it made me think what are the worst conditions for cycling in.
I suspect non-cyclists would think rain/snow was the worst? But last night's headwind/ice chips was pretty bad.
Where is everyone's resolve breaking point?
It's hard to say this without sounding like you're trying to be hardcore, but the weather, in all the time I've been commuting in Edinburgh, has never actually put me off.
Illness, broken bones and having to ferry about large items have taken me off the bike. But not the weather...
But then again we all know you as captain awesome who can break pedals at a single push :P
Does having a selection of bikes help?
My City Contact tyres (which i love due to their reasonable robustness) were a bit slippery on the slushy stuff this morning.
Wind is definately the main problem for me though snow stops me riding round the city, only because of the fear of other road users though. Otherwise I love riding in snow.
The worst conditions I have ever ridden in are -get this- 80mph winds with 100mph gusts in the pitch black. Took me 45 minutes to cycle five miles. And I had to do it again the following night but with slightly less wind.
It's the sideways gusts that get me. I just hate that feeling of being blown into traffic, curbs etc.
Holy heck Min, I think thatd've been a chain it up and walk. SRD, you do sometimes get that feeling your wheels are just going to get blown out from under you!
"you do sometimes get that feeling your wheels are just going to get blown out from under you!"
That's one of the advantages of bikes with small wheels - less to catch the wind.
illness taking me off the bike this week
that and my MTB doesn't have the seat holder for the nursery run.. plus it would be reckless enough me going out in high wind without risking the bairn
worst cycle was the solid ice on the railyway paths without the MTB wheels
Yup. Passengers definitely complicate these decisions - and make the bike less stable in these conditions.
I don't like gusts, very strong headwinds, torrential rain. Realistically these are reasonably rare.
Worst thing for riders is being cold - enough clothes and eating (on longer journeys) is usually enough. If you're cold cycling think of the people standing at bus stops with office clothes and a light coat!
Nastiest conditions are icy 'showers' - seems I missed them yesterday.
Back in my yoof it was 9 hours a day in the saddle rain wind snow hail if you didn't cycle you didn't earn any money. Did that for 4 years...4years with a wet @r5e and trenchfoot. And people think courier life is glamerous? Tell that to the kids today and they wouldn't bekeive ye!!!!
Ice, and strong winds. I once experienced me (no light weight) and the bike (no light weight) being picked up and blown across the road and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. I don't ever want to get blown under a lorry, so when it's that windy I get the bus. Headwind/tailwind I can deal with, but not unpredictable side gusts.
@recombodna - trenchfoot? luxury...
When it snows, having seen the incredibly bad driving antics of so many people this winter, it makes me uncomfortable to be on the road (although like Min I quite enjoy snow biking per se).
I didn't cycle today but did yesterday. When there is a great deal of snow on the road (Balerno to Slateford) it becomes very hazardous if there are additional high winds. Somewhat gallingly, conditions often improve from slateford in to town.
I once cycled on North Uist on a very windy day. From Solas to the back road to the hotel on the way to Benbecula (I am forgetting the name tragically as I used to phone my pal there as he had no phone). Had to leave the bike and walk back as it was not possible to cycle into the wind, the bike did not move.
I also cycled yesterday, but the prospect of sharing the snowy road with barely controlled cars didn't enthuse me today.
Generally I find strong winds the most unpleasant weather, that could be down to my general lack of fitness though!
Ice just means it's time for the trike. My trike isn't good in gusty winds because on an upright trike anticipation is everything.
Freezing fog can build up on your eyelashes and make it hard to see where you're going. A cotton cap with a skip is useful.
Brakes can freeze and, if you're using cleats, your feet can freeze to the pedals.
Water above axel height means stripping the hubs when you get home. I don't know what you do with cart bearings, I don't have a lot of wheels with them and I've never taken them through deep water.
Be prepared.
Wee folding bike - those are harsh examples. You sound like the Chris Ryan of cycling. I've turned back because I had the wrong tyres. I won't ride on sheet ice. And I did once see the cyclist in front of me give up and turn back because of the head-wind (presumably).
I did used to keep a car and sometimes I'd be lying in bed thinking how cold and dark it is outside and I could have another 30 mins in my bunk.
A few years ago the water pump broke and I didn't bother mending it.
This meant I didn't have the option of using the car. I got a second Brompton to cover inevitable technical problems. One year of no VED and insurance covered a lot of the cost.
Since then the only day I haven't used a bike for getting to work was in January 2009 when I had to pick someone up from the airport after work.
I keep different tyres on different machines because they have different uses. Ice isn't a big deal on a trike. Camber is interesting but ice is fine.
OK, that rambled a bit. I think the bottom line is that I don't have an option. I have to use a bike to get to work so I do.
Was lovely this morning (if bitterly cold!) on holiday but an urgent job to do in town first thing :-/
First time in years I've been through central Edinburgh on a bike at morning rush hour, how many bicycles are there!!? it was great, came down Lothian road and I found myself in a gaggle of five, then six bikes waiting at the lights, safety in numbers has arrived :-) though I did notice all the others had helmets on and I was conspicuous by my protective safety wooly hat :-o
Every one of them with full mudguards too (bike shops take note ;-))
Also stopped at Cafe Noir on Morningside road for a cuppa, very friendly fast service and a very nice coffee :-)
Much more pleasant than earlier in the week. Holidays are fab ;-))
ps. To all those who say "what, only six?" Last time I regularly rode in town was.. err.. over twenty years ago ( :-o ) as a reckless cycle courier, and then the only bikes I regularly saw away from universities were other couriers!
"Cafe Noir on Morningside road"
Caffe Nero?
http://tinyurl.com/MorningsideCafes
'other cafés are available'
@smudge Who did you work for 20 years ago? I was with city and QED around the same time.
oops, yeah Cafe Nero(!)
Worked for Pony for a couple of years and then QED, I was mostly on the motorbikes but spent a long summer on the pushbikes till lousy technique gave me knee problems :-/
Little guy who at the time had long hair (no more.. sniff) and bikes were Z200, GS550, 400/4, CG125 (and other odds and sods)
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