Bike for cycling in Edinburgh

[Flick of the Elbow]

Edinburgh roads are generally awful, very badly maintained, lots of broken surfaces and potholes, some have cobbles, cycle lanes if they exist are usually an afterthought, are often badly designed, often littered with broken glass. A skinny tyred road bike wouldn’t be my first choice unless you were wanting it for some other reason than simply a means of transport.
And ditto vickster’s comments about locks, even the best are only a mild deterrent, no defence at all against the gangs of professional bike thieves that operate in most city centres.

 

[Anonymous1502]

Locks will deter but not stop a thief with an angle grinder for long so get insurance!

What insurance is the best?How much does it cost?

 

[Anonymous1502]

Edinburgh roads are generally awful, very badly maintained, lots of broken surfaces and potholes, some have cobbles, cycle lanes if they exist are usually an afterthought, are often badly designed, often littered with broken glass. A skinny tyred road bike wouldn’t be my first choice unless you were wanting it for some other reason than simply a means of transport.
And ditto vickster’s comments about locks, even the best are only a mild deterrent, no defence at all against the gangs of professional bike thieves that operate in most city centres.

What bike would you recommend? Do you think getting a specialised allez is a bad idea? How does cycling in Edinburgh compare to cycling in London which I am familiar with.

 

[Anonymous1502]

Edinburgh roads are generally awful, very badly maintained, lots of broken surfaces and potholes, some have cobbles, cycle lanes if they exist are usually an afterthought, are often badly designed, often littered with broken glass. A skinny tyred road bike wouldn’t be my first choice unless you were wanting it for some other reason than simply a means of transport.
And ditto vickster’s comments about locks, even the best are only a mild deterrent, no defence at all against the gangs of professional bike thieves that operate in most city centres.

I want to make long cycling trips as a hobby ideally 4 hours+ So not only for a commute. The most important thing is the bikes ability to ride recreationally for long distances. If the weather is bad I would walk or take the bus definitely wouldn’t cycle.

 

[ColinJ]

If leaving a bike anywhere around a major city of university, get a very good lock (or two)..and/or just a cheap hack bike

That has a good low gear. However, Specialized bikes are very nickable (think the Allez at one time about the most stolen) so make sure it’s fully insured (check the policy terms for locks and how to lock up). Edinburgh in the top 3 for bike thefts. Well Over 2000 a year!

A lovely bike but quite an expensive and nickable bike for leaving outside the uni (my old uni Edinburgh Napier Uni only had exposed Sheffield stands)

There will be a secure bike rack with my accommodation I will get gold standard lock and a 2nd one perhaps just to make sure it doesn’t get stolen.

Locks will deter but not stop a thief with an angle grinder for long so get insurance!

And ditto vickster’s comments about locks, even the best are only a mild deterrent, no defence at all against the gangs of professional bike thieves that operate in most city centres.

See below!

I went with my stepdaughter to her interview at Sheffield university. While she was being interviewed I walked around the campus and spotted some bike racks. There were locked front wheels with bikes missing, locked bikes with front wheels missing, broken locks (with entire bikes missing!) and securely-locked bikes which had been vandalised.

My mate's son was going to Sheffield uni the following year. I heard that his mum was going to buy him a bike to get around the city so I suggested that it would be a good idea for him to ride something cheap, and effectively disposable. The advice went unheeded and he got an expensive mountain bike. It was stolen in his first couple of weeks there ...

 

[vickster]

What insurance is the best?How much does it cost?

Depends, stand-alone insurance seems to be around a tenth of the bike value with Bikmo but lots of variables so just get a quote using your details and uni postcode

 

[Cycleops]

But don’t mind us just get what you want

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

What bike would you recommend? Do you think getting a specialised allez is a bad idea? How does cycling in Edinburgh compare to cycling in London which I am familiar with.

A key difference to London is that even starting in the city centre whichever direction you take you will be out into open countryside in 10 miles or less. So if your main interest is in recreational/sports riding then that should dictate bike selection rather than Edinburgh per se.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

When I was at uni, in Bristol as it happens, I kept my good bike safely locked in my room and had another expendable bike for transport. I think that’s how most would do it.

 

[si_c]

If you're at Uni you may well find that your bike will be covered by your parents home insurance, worth checking.

I had a few bikes at uni to get around, they all got nicked in the end. My suggestion would be to wait until the current lockdown is over and the market is flooded with cheap second hand bikes that people bought for lockdown.

 

[vickster]

One question...given Covid-19, is Edinburgh uni actually planning on having F-F teaching next academic year?! (as many aren't)

And another point - can the Allez take full mudguards and decent width tyres. Scotland is rather wetter than London! (although the East coast isn't as wet as the west)

 

[Baldy]

What sort of bike for riding around Edinburgh?

The same as any other city. In fact it's quite civilized these day. You will still need a good lock all the same.

 

[steveindenmark]

You do not need a smart looking bike, on the contrary. My collegue made a rat bike including plumbers copper pipe for a handlebar. He wanted to make it look un-nickable. Last year he rode it from Denmark to Southern Germany and back. He said it rode great. It doesnt have to look good to ride well.

 

[Anonymous1502]

One question...given Covid-19, is Edinburgh uni actually planning on having F-F teaching next academic year?! (as many aren't)

And another point - can the Allez take full mudguards and decent width tyres. Scotland is rather wetter than London! (although the East coast isn't as wet as the west)

As far as I am aware teaching will resume normally in September.I
looked at bike insurance it is very affordable so I think I will invest in insurance.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Bikes are getting nicked left right and central in Edinburgh and surrounding places just now. I would not spend a lot unless you have somewhere secure to keep it locked up. What Uni and campus are we talking about ? There are moves afoot to try and make travelling around easier post virus . However it’s lumpy travelling north to south. Flattish east to west if you get my drift. Tram tracks are dodgy especially at the west end so go canny !