Benjamin_Nevis Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 Got a couple of bike rides in whilst on holiday in Skye and Laide, the latter being utterly brutal. Almost 3000ft of ascent in only 38 miles [emoji23]. The 12% stretch up to the Gruinard Bay viewpoint was genuinely awful. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snobot Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Day of the Lords said: Got a couple of bike rides in whilst on holiday in Skye and Laide, the latter being utterly brutal. Almost 3000ft of ascent in only 38 miles . The 12% stretch up to the Gruinard Bay viewpoint was genuinely awful. The long drag up to the viewpoint between Little Loch Broom and Gruinard Bay to the top wouldn’t be much fun either. Not sure I would feel safe on the roads round there now with the number of NC500 arseholes. I remember going up Corrieshalloch on my 5 speed racer when I was about 14 and hooring back down at 40mph, according to my analogue speedometer- no helmet on, naturally, as was the vogue back then. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 The long drag up to the viewpoint between Little Loch Broom and Gruinard Bay to the top wouldn’t be much fun either. Not sure I would feel safe on the roads round there now with the number of NC500 arseholes. I remember going up Corrieshalloch on my 5 speed racer when I was about 14 and hooring back down at 40mph, according to my analogue speedometer- no helmet on, naturally, as was the vogue back then.The roads have calmed down a bit tbf. Think I only got passed by about a dozen cars each way. The drag up by Loch Broom was reasonable as I had a tailwind thank f***. Skye was much more dangerous, I was close passed by about 5 campers in a 1.5 mile stretch from Broadford to Scullamus. I did have the ironic pleasure of holding up a geriatric c**t in a massive camper for the last half mile of that before turning off mind you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bairnardo Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 Can anyone talk to me about bikes for kids. 5 year old lassie needs one for xmas, but I just cant stretch to a frog bike. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
die hard doonhamer Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 22 minutes ago, Bairnardo said: Can anyone talk to me about bikes for kids. 5 year old lassie needs one for xmas, but I just cant stretch to a frog bike. Decathlon's kids bikes are decent value. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbornbairn Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 2 hours ago, Bairnardo said: Can anyone talk to me about bikes for kids. 5 year old lassie needs one for xmas, but I just cant stretch to a frog bike. Have you tried standing on a box? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnash Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 Anyone else having difficulty getting a bike service? I asked for one at the start of July and finally been given a date of 23rd November. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbornbairn Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 11 hours ago, Gnash said: Anyone else having difficulty getting a bike service? I asked for one at the start of July and finally been given a date of 23rd November. Aye, I emailed one of the Stirling ones in May. Never got a reply. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 I suppose it depends where you are. I'm in Glasgow and got a service from wee shop in Maryhill Road and went past Lambhill Stables yesterday and the guy was working outside the bike hut. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 I went for a ride on the canal towpath yesterday and as it was a lovely day I ended up going a good bit further than intended and made it to the Falkirk Wheel which I'd never visited before. really enjoyed the ride although legs were tired by the end. Obviously very flat but at 45 miles a good bit longer than I've been used to recently. I have to ask something though. At one point I was coming up to a gate across the towpath and I could see another cyclist in full lycra stopped at the little side gate. I assumed he was stopped for a rest but as I got up to him and went round the side track I realised he was having a pish and not off to the rear but facing along the towpath. Is this common among the more serious cyclist or as strange as I thought at the time, especially as the towpath is obviously lined with trees and bushes for a more discreet toilet break? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsanorak Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 I've started buying used bikes for my kids from the likes of Bike for Good in Glasgow.Normally a decent choice of bike at a good price, checked and serviced properly and the profits go back into charity work.I've had 3 bikes from there now and they've all been good deals.Can anyone talk to me about bikes for kids. 5 year old lassie needs one for xmas, but I just cant stretch to a frog bike. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 On 03/10/2020 at 21:05, Archie McSquackle said: I went for a ride on the canal towpath yesterday and as it was a lovely day I ended up going a good bit further than intended and made it to the Falkirk Wheel which I'd never visited before. really enjoyed the ride although legs were tired by the end. Obviously very flat but at 45 miles a good bit longer than I've been used to recently. I really want to go along that Canal route. but haven't bothered. I got the MTB out again recently as like others said I really need to exercise. I'd love another road bike too but I'm too skint at the moment. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnash Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Can anyone recommend some serious road climbs very roughly in between Aberdeen and the Cairngorms? The longer and steeper the better please! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
die hard doonhamer Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, Gnash said: Can anyone recommend some serious road climbs very roughly in between Aberdeen and the Cairngorms? The longer and steeper the better please! Haven't cycled it, but passed a cyclist as I drove up it and thought f**k that. The road up to Cairn O' Mount from the Laurencekirk side. I felt like my car struggled up it, never mind on a bike. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Can anyone recommend some serious road climbs very roughly in between Aberdeen and the Cairngorms? The longer and steeper the better please! Haven't cycled it, but passed a cyclist as I drove up it and thought f**k that. The road up to Cairn O' Mount from the Laurencekirk side. I felt like my car struggled up it, never mind on a bike.Did it last year. It's actually not dreadful as it's a reasonable 6-8% grind, until you climb to the hairpins where it kicks up to 14-18%. Appropriately enough the Strava segment is called "the shit bit". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 I got the train through to Falkirk and cycled the Canal back to Glasgow then back to Cambuslang. (as @Archie McSquackle planted it in my head, cheers) Really enjoyed it nice n flat and a decent 35 miles all in. All I will say about it, in Falkirk and the areas out there everyone was pleasant, usual smiley nodding stuff. Walker moving to the side as you move to the opposite so everyone can pass safely. The nearer we got to the Glasgow slums the more folk seemed to refuse to move and just act dickish in general. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Glad you enjoyed it. I don't normally go further than Kirkintilloch and normally the walkers are all fine (can be really busy, particularly around Bishopbriggs) but tend to agree with you for the stretch through Maryhill area. I've always wondered if the jakies fishing ever catch anything or if it's just something to do. I even see a group of them on the other side near Milton about a month ago with a chainsaw to supply their fire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnash Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 11 hours ago, die hard doonhamer said: Haven't cycled it, but passed a cyclist as I drove up it and thought f**k that. The road up to Cairn O' Mount from the Laurencekirk side. I felt like my car struggled up it, never mind on a bike. 9 hours ago, Day of the Lords said: Did it last year. It's actually not dreadful as it's a reasonable 6-8% grind, until you climb to the hairpins where it kicks up to 14-18%. Appropriately enough the Strava segment is called "the shit bit". Thanks, sounds ideal in terms of the climb, but I think it's just a bit too far away from where I'll be staying (near Inverurie). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 1 minute ago, Gnash said: Thanks, sounds ideal in terms of the climb, but I think it's just a bit too far away from where I'll be staying (near Inverurie). The climb from the north is probably just as tough tbh. You could just do it as an "out and back", alternatively descend the other side, and return via Drumtochty Glen (hard left at the bottom of the hill at the Clatterin Brig restaurant) to Auchenblae then turn it into a big loop by heading towards Stonehaven (take a backroad off to the left just before it) onto the Slug Road then eventually back to Inverurie. As a guesstimate I think you'd be 100km+ for that with a decent amount of total ascent. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Mind you don't swear at a driver after they've assaulted you otherwise you'll get a visit from the polis https://www.cyclinguk.org/news/cycling-uk-demands-reform-after-assaulted-cyclist-warned-swearing 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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