Edinburgh St Andrews 2009

[Backache]

I am hoping to do this with my wife this year on 20 June. I was wondering if anyone has done it before and how it compares with Pedal Scotland . We did this last year and enjoyed it. However being middle aged and not very fit this looks a bit of a step up. Are mountain bikes a reasonable option? How hilly is it bearing in mind I live in a relatively flat bit of the country and don't cope well with hills. Will get up moderate hills but only at my own pace.
Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[Noodley]

Welcome to the forum.

Any chance of including a link to the event? I did a quick google search but could not find it.

 

[Noodley]

Ok I have now engaged my brain and realise you mean the Edinburgh to St Andrews ride: http://www.lepra.org.uk/articles.asp?article_ID=100 rather than it being a ride in Edinburgh on St Andrews Day as I had thought Sorry.

Anyway, yes I have ridden the route a few years ago. It can be as easy or are difficult as you make it. I was in a hurry when I did it as I was being collected by Mrs Noodley at the end so did it fairly quickly and probably made life difficult for myself rather than enjoy it to it's full.

But there is no need to rush it as there are plenty of opportunities to stop en route (there is even an ice cream van at the top of Cleish climb). The hills are mostly long and draggy but not difficult but there is one short climb which goes up very sharply. I struggled to the top of it and reckon I would probably walk it now given that I am nowhere near as fit as I was then

It's a really nice ride taking in a lot of different terrain from urban city centre to the Forth Road bridge, semi rural Fife, rural Fife and finishing beside the Old Course clubhouse. I'd recommend it. There were all sorts of bikes being ridden, and families riding together as well. I'd imagine the route is a bit more difficult than Pedal Scotland route but not greatly.

 

[Backache]

Thanks for the welcome.

That is indeed the ride. It sounds suitable even if we have to walk the odd steeper bit.(I'm used to that). Will have to try and get in the odd longer ride between now and then to get a modicum of fitness,

 

[gavintc]

I would say compared to the PfS, it is slightly harder but not significantly so. I did it some years when I was just getting into cycling on an old MTB. It is certainly a social ride and has lovely scenery - better than the PfS route. When you get to the end, you need to have some warmish clothes to shove on as the buses and trucks to take you and the bikes back to Edinburgh can be a bit of a delay. So a warmish waterproof top is recommended.

 

[HLaB]

That's a fair assessment, Edinburgh St Andrew felt harder than pfs for me but that's probably because when I done it was horrible weather and into a strong headwind. One of the times I done PfS it was bad weather too but its usually a west to east tailwind. Of the two routes I much preferred Edinburgh - St Andrews despite the weather its much more scenic and doesn't shove 6000 folk down narrow cycle paths.

 

[Backache]

Thanks again,my daughter has just decided she wants to do it as well, so I will have to get her in a fit enough state to do it.

 

[HJ]

It there going to be a Team CycleChat on this ride, the way there was for PfS last year?

 

[HLaB]

Maggers, Gavintc and me are doing the Trossachs ton the next day so I doubt I'll be there.

 

[Scoosh]

It there going to be a Team CycleChat on this ride, the way there was for PfS last year?

Mrs Scoosh and I are planning on doing it.

Let's start a 'Team CycleChat-who're-not-doing-the-Trossachs Ton' or CCESANTT team

 

[Backache]

Well I'll be there but with wife and young daughter it will be a very slow ride.

 

[magnatom]

Hmmm. A 60 mile ride the day before my first 100 mile ride. Could be a good warm up! Aye right!

 

[Scoosh]

Well I'll be there but with wife and young daughter it will be a very slow ride.

So you'll be along, then mags ?
Nice warm up



Why does the word "Jessie" keep coming to me

Besides, if you are going to have charge of the CC Jersey at any time, you surely have to be able to do back-to-back 86km rides - like what we done last w/e

 

[HJ]

So how many CCers have signed up then??

 

[Scoosh]

So how many CCers have signed up then??

Those of whom I am knowing are:
HJ, Mrs HJ, Backache, Mrs Backache, Daughter Backache, Scoosh, Mrs Scoosh, Scoosh jnr (aka experiment), Touche and Ariadne.

So you'd better bring the joisey, HJ