Commuting in Scotland

daviesee

Fife to Grangemouth?
Decent enough route.
Watch out for the dog walkers in Kincardine though.
I am convinced one beast (the dog ) has been trained to go for cyclists.
Maybe just a natural dislike for Lycra

PS:- Went round a corner on a back road near Blackburn, Aberdeen once and came face to face with a cow. Still not sure who was more surprised

suzyb

I used to work in that area (Carronshore) so know the roads your talking about and it does seem a pretty decent commute. Unfortunately my commute was a 60 mile round trip by car and partly the reason I quit.

BoardinBob

Another Glasgow commuter here. Shawlands to St Vincent Street. In all weathers - missed maybe 3 days in winter

Wallace1492

SVS here too mate!! But in from north side, down the scary Maryhill Road.

ownworstenemy

Clydebank/Bearsden for me - all year round. I quite like cycling in the rain, which has come in handy lately! There's a certain masochistic charm to it...although the carpets at home are a blummin' mess.

I find they keep the roads ice-free enough in winter so it generally doesn't stop me - until I get to the car park at work which has invariably turned into an ice rink. I've landed on my a**e more than once...

Worst thing is the number of pot holes!

i_am_lono

I commute 5 days a week in Edinburgh, small blast from Broughton Road up to the Royal Mile. All uphill, and I'm on SS, 46x16. Really works the old legs. Since we operate the "Four Seasons in One Day" weather policy up here, I have no choice but to ride all year round. Usually switch to fixed for icy days.

No showers at work but then again I work in a skate shop so don't think anyone really notices. A few sprays of Tesco's own seems to do the trick.

On another note, since the Festival's been on it's been total wacky races dodging tourists. On a GOOD day I have 3 or 4 near misses, especially at the St Mary's St/Royal Mile junction. Had a guy walk across on the red light as I was turning right with a baby on his shoulders, right out into the middle of the road. My new response is just to scream like my hair is on fire, then ride off laughing. Anyone else riding through this funzone?

cee

i_am_lono wrote:

I commute 5 days a week in Edinburgh, small blast from Broughton Road up to the Royal Mile. All uphill, and I'm on SS, 46x16. Really works the old legs. Since we operate the "Four Seasons in One Day" weather policy up here, I have no choice but to ride all year round. Usually switch to fixed for icy days.

No showers at work but then again I work in a skate shop so don't think anyone really notices. A few sprays of Tesco's own seems to do the trick.

On another note, since the Festival's been on it's been total wacky races dodging tourists. On a GOOD day I have 3 or 4 near misses, especially at the St Mary's St/Royal Mile junction. Had a guy walk across on the red light as I was turning right with a baby on his shoulders, right out into the middle of the road. My new response is just to scream like my hair is on fire, then ride off laughing. Anyone else riding through this funzone?

yip...but usually go through holyrood park now after a I got knocked off on the North Bridge 18 months ago.

i_am_lono

Cee: Yowsa, what happened?

I find myself taking more and more elaborate routes to get home these days. Yesterday I tooled it up to Lothian Road, down past Charlotte Sq, on to Queen St then Leith Walk- Macdonald Rd. Guy drafted me all the way to Leith Walk and it was raining dogs yesterday. Fortunately he couldn't keep up with my bunnyhopping and I dropped him. Only after I said "Are you following me?" stopped at the lights. No sense of humour, these nodders.

roger_merriman

Kieran_Burns wrote:

-null- wrote:

lol that's one advantage the country has I guess. You may have to dice with death as cars pass at 60mph but cows can't throw snowballs :P

Cows aren't entirely safe you know?

You try wheeling your bike through a herd of the mooing monsters when one spooks and EVERY damn' one panics. I try to explain I'm a vegetarian but it doesn't seem to matter!

Then when one cow gets on the bridleway and... gets scared. Then the 'scared' gets spread all over all the damn' path and somehow at least 6' up the hedges on each side. :shock:

mudgaurds on my soon to be starting commute I pass though what is known locally as dog sh*t alley, so guards are very very useful....

moray_gub

i_am_lono wrote:

On a GOOD day I have 3 or 4 near misses, especially at the St Mary's St/Royal Mile junction. . Anyone else riding through this funzone?

I walked through it p*ssed last night does that count ?

moray_gub

daviesee wrote:

Fife to Grangemouth?
Decent enough route.
Watch out for the dog walkers in Kincardine though.
I am convinced one beast (the dog ) has been trained to go for cyclists.
Maybe just a natural dislike for Lycra

PS:- Went round a corner on a back road near Blackburn, Aberdeen once and came face to face with a cow. Still not sure who was more surprised

Actually i live in Kincardine and i know that dog well , anyway yea a decent route made better by Sustrans tarring the stretch of road by the Powfoulis hotel meaning i can go from Kincardine Bridge to the edge of Grangemouth on virtually traffic free roads. Talking of animals recently in the early hours of the morning on a couple of occasions Red Deer have jumped out in front of me on that road down by the Forth shore scaring the sh*t out of me.

gavmac

Hardly ever missed a day in the past 10 -15 years apart from the last few months where I have switched to running instead. My commute is only 3 miles in the middle of Edinburgh on mostly cycle paths and I needed more exercise but didn't fancy extending the cycle by rolling the dice on the roads waiting for an ignorant motorist to take me out. I'm convinced some X5 bumper has my name on it. My office has excellent facilities for bikes though, secure underground parking, lockers, showers kitchens with microwaves for my porrage when I get in. A high percentage of the staff cycle, in the summer it get's up to about 10%, even in winter it's 5%. When the employer makes the effort it can make a big difference.

Jay dubbleU

My only serious accident was with a cow in the dark about 10 years ago - I got distracted by a car on the other side of the road which had hit one and ran smack into it - totalled front wheel and to add insult to injury the bl**dy thing stepped on my ankle.

the article don

Hi

Carmunnock to St Vincent Street for me, 3 days a week. Secure parking for bike and changing facilities at Hilton hotel gym. Started in January this year and planning to keep going all winter.

I go down Cathcart Road which is basically queued from Govanhill to the town centre because of the M74 development - sailing past all the cars is half the fun.

White Line

iainm73 wrote:

Hi

Carmunnock to St Vincent Street for me, 3 days a week. Secure parking for bike and changing facilities at Hilton hotel gym. Started in January this year and planning to keep going all winter.

I go down Cathcart Road which is basically queued from Govanhill to the town centre because of the M74 development - sailing past all the cars is half the fun.

Such a boring route. :P You should go down Carmunnock Rd, Aikenhead Rd, then at the roundabout take the first exit and go along Farne Dr (the view is preety good), then fly down Old Castle Rd, along Delvin Dr, then Holmlea, along Battlefield Rd and Victoria Rd, etc. etc.

Much more fun route. Plus, I could use some more people on part of my route - nobody to scalp.

nick1962

Moved to Glasgow from Manchester in January and haven't missed a day's commute due to weather yet,only 3 miles each way though- Pollokshields to Blythswood Square.My commute in Manchester was 6 miles each way so I used to get changed at work but don't bother now except for shoes as I wear waterproof ones when riding. Carry waterproofs and use as required,every other day
Route-Got hit by a taxi on Eglington Street in my first week-he didn't stop either and i got sick of being cut up by white vans and impatient motorists in the bus lane so I just hop on the pavement avoiding the roadworks then cut down Salkeld St., across a couple of side streets ,across the new foot bridge then up the hill. The one way system is a pain but you can find shortcuts down the alley ways.Don't bother trying to FCN me, I take it easy and enjoy the ride! I save my energy for off road at weekends.
I echo the earlier comments about potholes though,they are worse here than anywhere .You take your life in your hands using some of the more rural roads out of of town though.

suzyb

nick1962 wrote:

I echo the earlier comments about potholes though,they are worse here than anywhere .You take your life in your hands using some of the more rural roads out of of town though.

Oh you better believe it.

People are regularily complaining to our local paper because of the roads around here. And I had to replace a suspension spring on my car earlier this year.

If the roads are bad enough to brake a cars suspension wtf will they do to a rigid bike frame.

BoardinBob

The boring route http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/219764

The fun route http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/220376

Wallace1492

Milngavie to St Vincent Street for me. Way in down Maryhill Road and Garscube Road, way back is across Clyde, through Govan, onto Clyde side walk way, out to Renfrew, ferry to Yoker the up through Drumchapel and Bearsden. Love getting the ferry back, great views and well worth the £1.20!!

Agree that the potholes are pretty bad, Maryhill Road seems particularly bad. And the cycle lane provision in Bearsden is not very smooth at all, more noticable now on the new bike.

the article don

Agreed about those routes - the "non-boring" route is the one I went used at first ( indded I grew up in Kilmailing Road, Cathcart) but I felt the double whammy hills at King's Park secondary then up to Carmunnock were a better fitness challenge (however I know the middle bit of Old Castle Road is very steep).I was just thinking about reverting back so I think you've made up my mind.

What sort of bike do you have and I'll look out for you? I'm usually on a Specialized Tricross but if feeling adventurous I can sometimes be found on a Scott Scale MTB or a massively customized Specialized Hardrock.

leither

First time poster - hello everyone!

Leith through to SW Edinburgh is my usual cycling route. In winter it's fine as long as you wear a thermal layer close to your body and maybe a Buff around the neck to keep the cold oot. I find that I get warmed up within a minute so it doesn't really matter how cold and pish it is. Scotland isn't that cold!

In any case, I hope you enjoy commuting by bike. It's the best way around, even on the darkest winter's night!

White Line

iainm73

Aye, the the hill up past King's Park is good, but it doesn't get steep enough until just before the top, beside the school. Plus, with the roadworks there at the moment it's a pain.

Old Castle Road is definitely steep in the middle. I reckon all these online maps have the gradient wrong! It really gets the heart pumping and the legs burning if you try and hammer it up Old Castle and Farne Drive!

I'll keep an eye out for you. I ride a Trek 1.2, with some lovely lime bartape! Hard not to notice to be honest. If I'm commuting I'll be rocking a pair of jeans, t-shirt and a manbag. Until uni starts back I'll only be commuting between 1100 and 0100 hrs, then I'll have a more conventional time in September.