anyone been commuting using any of the cycle paths – are they ok to ride? want to get out on my bike at the weekend, and don't fancy having to push my bike through the snow in the pentlands, so am wondering if riding on the cycle paths would be an option.

They are covered in packed down snow with some icy patches. Ok to ride but knobblies / studded tyres helps and they are slippery on the icy patches but fine to ride on the packed down snow

You'd maybe find the more 'foot-trafficked' Pentlands trails aren't any worse than the cycle paths Claire, & possibly better? (not as polished) – a lot was impossible last weekend, but I would think Torduff – Harlaw – Maidens / Bavelaw would be well walked over by now… Unfortunately can't accompany you as my bikes free-wheel has frozen & I can't get no…., snowy-traction! But I try…, etc.etc.

Hmm, not sure what to do now. I just hating pushing and when I was walking there I didn't think I'd have been able to ride much. I might try to venture up some of the lower down stuff in the pentlands and see what its like, and combine with some cycle path stuff. Getting fed up of the turbo and treadmill and need to get outside!

DGOAB – the cycle tracks are fine – and beautiful up into colington / balerno

My freewheel (CK ISO ringdrive) has also frozen… forums say regrease with winter grade synthetic lube instead of the ringdrive stuff. Happened twice five mins into fun rides from my house, minus 8 not good for the lube – the last time it happened I just pushed my bike to the top of the snowy hill anyhow and rattled down. To be fair I did hit a tree, but it was worth it!

anyone care to suggest a route i could do? i'm thinking the old railway line to cramond, wol to balerno, and i'd like to somehow link in with the innocent railway line and climb back up the other side of arthur's seat for a play in the snow. *wishes she had a map of the cycle paths*

Out on the WOL towards balerno. In currie ( after going to balerno if you want – take a route down to the canal thru the heriot watt campus, out on canal to ratho, down to newbridge and the old railway to queensferry, along the shore to cramond – back along the old railway

I can give you a detailed map of that route if you want – its around 30 miles but flat and mainly offroad and goes past two pubs 🙂

I just pushed my bike to the top of the snowy hill

Sounds familiar – had a fair hike-a-bike last week just to get some gravity-fed action…

DGOAB – give me a call if you find yourself in need in the Pentlands, or if you wanna dump the bike & go sledging, Bonaly style!

tj, can you give me the map please 🙂

rob will text/call if i end up in bonaly,

DGOAB – ygm. Its the route I took chris round last year.

Just back from a WOL ride and its fine.

However my neighbours inform me someone was cycling on the union canal yesterday. Not on the towpath. On the water – Jesus like 🙂

I dont know if that really feasible at the minute – but I feel a new challenge coming…

DGOAB – I have lost your e mail – you got mine?

I saw cycle tracks on the Canal a couple of days ago.

Was out yesterday morning – out the water of Leith up to Bonaly, round Torduff and Clubbiedean and back down poets. It was brilliant if a bit chilly. Only properly unridable bit was across the Clubbiedean dam where the snow is drifted hub deep against the wall. Further into the hills would still be hard work but a few walkers this Saturday should compact the trails enough. And yes, there are several tyre tracks on the canal 🙄

I saw cycle tracks on the Canal a couple of days ago.

Yipee! I'm going to give it a go tomorrow!

I think I'll start a new post to ask what tyres I should use to ride on a canal 😉

Just back from a walk in the Pentlands. We headed along the old Pipeline path to Listonshiels, heading for the Borestane, but had to give up half-way up as the snow was crotch deep and we were making no progress. Stunning day though. For what it's worth, the Nail Trail was in superb condition.

tj, just use dgoab AT hotmail DOT com and i will pick it up tonight.

nice photies Stu, tempted to give it a go…

However my neighbours inform me someone was cycling on the union canal yesterday. Not on the towpath. On the water – Jesus like

People have been doing that on that canal near me as well, can see footprints and tyre marks in the snow covering the ice. 😯

Cool YGM

That might have been me – went for a ride along the union canal with my neighbor and a couple of others on Saturday morning. Excellent fun – right down the middle from bridge to bridge. Some guy tried to drill through the ice and got five inches down before running out of juice on his drill.

To be fair, I'd probably try it with knobbly tires rather than slicks next time round – and it might be thinning now. We all had ropes in case of disaster and my neighbor had a flashing led on his helmet, as if that would help if you fell in!

Kind of thing you have to do for the memories…

Going by the number of tyre tracks I don't think it was just one person

This year's Darwin Award candidates

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8454242.stm