Going to Edinburgh - SS friendly?

scrumpydave

So I'm starting work in Edinburgh next month. I'll only be there during the week so I was going to take my old single speed to get around on. Question is will it be too hilly? Last contract was in Bournemouth and that turned out to be a lot harder than expected without gears. Any of you Edinburgh types ride SS/fixed?

popularname

I don't ride one personally, but there are loads around - doubt you'll have a problem (just maybe stronger quads at the end of it )

UndercoverElephant

scrumpydave wrote:

So I'm starting work in Edinburgh next month. I'll only be there during the week so I was going to take my old single speed to get around on. Question is will it be too hilly? Last contract was in Bournemouth and that turned out to be a lot harder than expected without gears. Any of you Edinburgh types ride SS/fixed?

There are plenty who ride fixed and single-speed in Edinburgh - we do have proper hills though. If you struggled in Bournemouth, you'll find Edinburgh a real challenge. That said, if you relax your gearing, you'll probably be fine.

kurako

It's on top of a hill next to the North Sea so don't forget the wind

wgwarburton

Hi,
There are quite a few riding FG/SS in Edinburgh. It's not SS/FG friendly, but we're hard, so we don't care.
If you're a Southern Jessie, you may have to up your game.

:-)


Edinburgh drivers are generally OK with cyclists. Watch out for Taxis, though. The infrastructure is pretty good and it's quite compact. Some excellent bike shops.
You should do some cycling outside Edinburgh. Get a train out to Perthshire and put in a loop round a couple of the lochs or something.

We have Scenery. It's nice.

Cheers,
W.

First.Aspect

I know Edinburgh quite well. I'd say that it depends on where and how far you would be cycling. The centre is lumpy but doesn't seem too hilly to me - but its definitely quite hilly further out. I just had a look on multimap and parts of the city inside the bypass are 100-150m higher than the new town.

A ss might be possible, but its surely not ideal.

anton1r

First Aspect wrote:

... A ss might be possible, but its surely not ideal.

Yeah that about sums it up. It's perfectly do able but you might want to be prepared to play around with your gearing just so some of hills and the wind are a bit more bearable!

scrumpydave

Thanks for all your advice, I live in York so I'm used to a bit of wind, I ride 42x16 at the moment which is enough to get up most hills, just not always fun. I think I'm pretty tough when it comes to my riding but maybe Edinburgh will make or break me! Oh, and if you think Bournemouth is flat think again. The only reason I'm asking about Edinburgh is because of the surprise I got down there!

UndercoverElephant

What's that, about 68 GI? I run 62 on my Day One, and have no troubles with any of the hills round here. That has knobbly tyres, though, so requires more effort. I'd think you'll be fine. Edinburgh. Leith Walk probably going to be the longest decent gradient you'll come across unless you decide to go up Arthur's seat, and that's only a mile or so and tops out at about 8%.

Where are you working and living?

estampida

I commute in the burg ss, its not that bad, as always there are routes to avoid either a total mare of a climb or death roads (leith street), i live in leith and comute to moringside frequently, there is a lot of hills but with flat sections mixed in.

Fixie - not me

check the local bike polo guys out for route's and contacts, also critical mass happens in the burg, plenty of freaks there......

fyi - 26" 32t-16t

First.Aspect

UndercoverElephant wrote:

What's that, about 68 GI? I run 62 on my Day One, and have no troubles with any of the hills round here. That has knobbly tyres, though, so requires more effort. I'd think you'll be fine. Edinburgh. Leith Walk probably going to be the longest decent gradient you'll come across unless you decide to go up Arthur's seat, and that's only a mile or so and tops out at about 8%.

Where are you working and living?

Okay, I confess that I have lived nearby and I must correct this. Leith Walk is NOT the most significant hill in Edinburgh. You need a spirit level to confirm that its a slope at all. There are far more significant hills out towards the Braid Hills, Liberton, Colinton, Corstorphine, etc.

Oh, and the wind. York is NOT a comparison. I visit York frequently and its possible to stand up without holding on to anything. The wind in most of Scotland is pan-directional ice laden and relentless, but in Edinburgh its far worse.

cee

my least favourite is stockbridge to the high street....

dundas street is a beast.....and just when you think its all done.....the mound pops into view!

teeth gritting route.



and +1 r.e. the wind....edinburgh has a special kind of wind.....

andyrr

Definately do-able but there are a fair numbe rof hills, small and big.
I commute 17 miles each way on a hilly route from S. Edinbrugh to the NW side ss (44x17) and it's ok., just.
If you are use dto riding SS then I think you'll be fine - at worst you might just need to source lower gearing.
Relevant to all riding I'd say that drivers are probably no bettter or worse than other cities, generally impatient but be alert to the idiots and muppets and you get on ok.
Some road suirfaces really crappy - prob. same as elsewhere tho.
A few cobbled roads for extra fun.

UndercoverElephant

cee wrote:

my least favourite is stockbridge to the high street....

dundas street is a beast.....and just when you think its all done.....the mound pops into view!

teeth gritting route.



and +1 r.e. the wind....edinburgh has a special kind of wind.....

Yeah, Dundas street tops out at 9%, quite a slog. Oh, and regarding cobbles: it's amazing how quickly you notice the difference between granite and limestone when it's wet.

First.Aspect

I read recently that the Slovakian olympic mountain bike team have their base in Edinburgh, so that they can train on the cobbles of Thistle Street. Fact.