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Anyone done it?
Mate in the office proposing a team bike ride along the canals. Some in the office are not exactly super-fit though!
I guess the canal path is pancake flat, but I take it that apart from the distance it's an easy enough ride? Is the path continuous and easy enough to follow?
I dont think its continious between Edinburgh & Glasgow
Some of it is not that great a surface - more like off road riding. There are a couple of hih aquaducts that might put people off too. Path is continuous and easy to follow mostly.
best to go west to east as you're more likely to get a tailwind. i did it and found it quite tiring i must admit! easy enough to follow, i got a wee bit confused in falkirk though, so maybe just get yourself familiar with that bit (map, or recce, or both)
It is continuous but it is a long way round - well actually its two different canals - Teh union Edinburgh to Falkirk and the forth /Clyde Falkirk to kilpatric ( west of glasgow)
I have ridden it all bar a short section no problems at all.
Do it Glasgow to Edinburgh as the prevailing wind is behind. You have the bailout option of the train from a few stations - Falkirk or linlithgow are the best
I've ridden out to the falkirk wheel and back again (along the canal), most dull and boring ride ever!
Using the cycle path to ride from Glasgow - Edin was better, but a few sections harder to find iirc.
Moaning peds, dogs, mud, broken glass, flat, sounds great!
i tried to cycle the canal from edinburgh to falkirk once but go so bored by about livingston that i had to turn around!
Cycled it and yes it is boring.
Bowling near Old Kilpatrick to Falkirk where you go uphill to Union canal an on to somewhere west of Edinburgh ,Craigiehall IIRC to take the road from there to Edinburgh.
Light would be an advantage at Polmont tunnel and if it has been raining some sections are manky,weekends are littered with dog walkers and drunk fishermen and the city sections in Glasgow can be the haunts of neds drinking Buckfast etc. so cycle faster and also a bell as well as most walkers are deliberatley deaf.
Make sure the wind is in your favour before setting off.
Enjoy 🙁
I enjoyed riding it. I like canal paths. Scenery going past to watch, easy riding, industrial heritage everywhere. its not a gnarly and rad track - its a pootle thru the countryside
Can't quite understand anyone getting lost at the Falkirk Wheel bit - perhaps the signage isn't as clear as I think it is.
I've ridden various parts of it on different bikes. With a loaded rucsac and 35c tyres it was bloody sore on my back - the bit from Falkirk to Bishopbriggs area can be pretty rutted/bumpy at points.
i thoroughly enjoyed it too! what's wrong with these people; what did they think would happen?! 🙄
The scary tunnel at Falkirk can be quite, erm, scary.
It's too big an ask IMO for people who aren't fit, or bike fit. It would quite possibly put them off for life.
Better hiring bikes and going round blue or green routes at a trail centre if you ask me.
A far better option in my opinion would be to ride out to lock lomond on the cycle route. Or head out the canal then turn off and go along the old railway towards the campsies. Or wait until the Pedal for Scotland event and do that route.
As Grantus says its a long way for those not used to biking but you do have the bailout option of the train. starting from Glasgow croy after 15 miles, falkirkr after 25, linlithgow after 35 total 55 miles ( maybe a few miles more to each place
It might be flat but it OS quite far for people who don't regularly ride. The surface is also not fast rolling in some places, so I suspect it wild tale me about 5-6 hrs, even that is a big ask for a couch potato. Now imagine doing it on an argos special offer bike without padded shorts and you will see that the least experienced will be at a disadvantage.it could certainly make or break a team, and if I was doing it with beginners then I'd want them all to know there were legitimate no shame bail out options at falling and limlithgow.
If you really want to do it or something similar, I would think cycling to somewhere for something (eg bbq) might be better.
An alternative, if you want to do Glasgow to Edinburgh, might be to enter Pedal for Scotland as a team. You get the advantage of police marshalling on the busier roads near the start in Glasgow, organised rest stops and it's a great day out - nice relaxed atmosphere and all sorts of abilities.
i live near it at bishopbriggs and quite like riding along it with the kids etc. The Stables is good for a pint and the pub at auchinstary (sp) is ok as well.
Or heading the other way turning off at maryhill and going down the river kelvin into the west end is pretty handy as well. there can be some puddles etc but they wont kill you...
I've ridden as far as Bonnybridge and back (from Edinburgh) and enjoyed it well enough. I use the canal tow path a fair bit, in fact it's one the reasons my Roadrat is build up the way it is (with 35mm tyres) as it's perfect for them.
It's a dull ride, however it's good for training as you can keep going for miles on end especially if you do it on a weekday when it's quiet
It could be dull, depends on your mindset. On a nice day with good company or good tunes on, it can be absolutely lovely.
Better hiring bikes and going round blue or green routes at a trail centre if you ask me.
Yes would be my preference too but he's keen on organising something with a "goal". I've only been as far as ratho so will maybe do a longer recce soon and gauge how the office troops will fare!
If you're doing something with a goal, split it for those that can't manage the distance, perhaps having a stop at Falkirk for those unable to continue to bail out.
A couple of points:
be prepared for a few punctures.
it may have "no" hills, but that means no free-wheeling either.
the surface is quite slow and draggy in places - this can affect your pace.
Other than that, it's a pleasant enough ride.
Pedal for Scotland is a great day.. Would be tough to do with no practice if you're a newbie..
Cracking day, very well organised, not too far off too!