Union Canal Edinburgh

[Darren Jeffrey]

Just started commuting to the Gyle Business Park and a friend mentioned the union canal as a potential route. I cycled it today on my MTB from the bridge inn and have to say it was a lovely cycle and took me 22 minutes from the Inn to the front door of my building. My question is are there any people that cycle that route on a road bike? A couple of rough concrete sections that I thought might not be great for a road bike but as a newbie to road bikes I wondered what you can throw at it and how it will react

Thanks in advance

DJ

 

[Pauluk]

60 per cent of my commute is along a river and canal tow path. Although I use a hybrid I'm sure a road bike would be fine as the path is better than some of the roads.

 

[ufkacbln]

It is you that will suffer rather than the bike!

A road bike will be less comfortable, expect more vibration.

 

[edindave]

Is that path not mostly a gravel track? (It's years since I've been along it).
If it is then a road bike with skinny tyres would be less than ideal. A hybrid or cyclocross would be better.

 

[HLaB]

I've took my flat bar road bike (sirrus sports) along the canal path but I wouldn't like to do it often. I doubt you gain much time if any if you used a road bike regularly, you'd have to slow down to stop sliding out and would need to spend half your spare time cleaning it.

 

[DougieAB]

Not cycled that route myself but you may get a better answer from a local cycle forum:- http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/