Edinburgh commuting race

In article <[email hidden]>

Roos Eisma said:

Just saw a short item on the news about a test in Edinburgh this morning
comparing different modes of transport into town. Guess which one was
fastest :-)

Horses?

Roos Eisma said:

Just saw a short item on the news about a test in Edinburgh this morning
comparing different modes of transport into town. Guess which one was
fastest :-)

Nothing on the BBC website yet.

Was it a repeat of http://clevercommuting.org.uk/challenge.htm ?

sothach said:

Roos Eisma said:

Just saw a short item on the news about a test in Edinburgh this morning
comparing different modes of transport into town. Guess which one was
fastest :-)

Nothing on the BBC website yet.

Was it a repeat of http://clevercommuting.org.uk/challenge.htm ?

It looks about the same, I had an email from Maggie [1] about it [2],
but was unable to take part.

[1] Pictured in your link
[2] email long since deleted, so I can't be positive about details.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

"To communicate with Mars, converse with spirits, To report the
behaviour of the sea monster, Describe the horoscope, haruspicate or
scry, Observe disease in signatures." (T.S.Eliot)

Roos Eisma said:

Just saw a short item on the news about a test in Edinburgh this morning
comparing different modes of transport into town. Guess which one was
fastest :-)

Nothing on the BBC website yet.

Has someone told Sean O'Grady yet?

--
Dave...

Roos Eisma said:

Just saw a short item on the news about a test in Edinburgh this morning
comparing different modes of transport into town. Guess which one was
fastest :-)

Nothing on the BBC website yet.

Roos

Hi Roos

I cycled in the 'Not a Race' from ERI along with Anthony of
www.citycycing.co.uk fame and chap called Henryk.

Two uprights came in at 17mins.
Nazca Paseo demo bike (as featured in Velo Vision) came in at 20 mins.
Car came in at 30mins
Bus at 43 mins - once again proving that bus is a slow way to get
around in the city.
My route was longer using Minto St and Meadows over Mound to Castle St
via George St. (that's my excuse).
Was going to use Mistral SL but then it would have really have been no
contest (Just joking as traffic light phases were included - not
rolling times. Actual journey times.)

Nazca got a fair bit of interest... Nicer seat than Mistral for the
punters hence my choice.

Stall on Princes St and free Spokes maps till 1pm.

Best wishes

David
www.laid-back-bikes.co.uk

LaidBack said:

I cycled in the 'Not a Race' from ERI along with Anthony of
www.citycycing.co.uk fame and chap called Henryk.

Two uprights came in at 17mins.
Nazca Paseo demo bike (as featured in Velo Vision) came in at 20 mins.

Good result - and that's playing by car rules: lights, junctions etc.
set-up for motorised traffic. How long for the same trip in alleycat
mode?

LaidBack said:

Nazca got a fair bit of interest... Nicer seat than Mistral for the
punters hence my choice.

Hi David,

I like the seat on the Fiero much more than the Mistral, which didn't
impress me much at all, but I prefer the shoulder-blade support on the
old HP Vel seat to the cutaway on the Fiero. Prefer that to the
Bodylink seat which I've yet to manage to adjust quite right (maybe
that's impossible...).

Looking at the pics, the Fuego seat looks a bit more like the old HPVel
one: are you getting a Fuego in at all? Looks like a damn fine Bit Of
Toy to me and I wouldn't mind trying one, especially one with Superman
bars rather than a tiller.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Quoted message said:

Looking at the pics, the Fuego seat looks a bit more like the old HPVel
one: are you getting a Fuego in at all? Looks like a damn fine Bit Of
Toy to me and I wouldn't mind trying one, especially one with Superman
bars rather than a tiller.

Hi Peter

There is a 75 percent chance I might get a loan of the Nazca Fuego that
Ian has tested and reviewed on BROL. I had a shot at York Show but it
was on grass circuit which was bit pointless. However I thought it rode
really well even in lumpy terrain.
Plus it's the bike I've had most emails about. Thing is that it's too
extreme to hold as 'try out bike' yet it's what the more experienced
rider will want to try. Tiller bar though.

Will let you know when it comes in.
Would like to meet up for an HPV thing again. Sure Arellcat would be up
for that. There were around 7 'bents on Pedal for Scotland. Met a guy
(Phil?) from Arbroath with a grey SpeedMachine.

We finally meet GNER next week on wed 27th to decide whether 'bents
can be allowed on trains. Hoping for positive outcome.

Best wishes

David

sothach said:

Good result - and that's playing by car rules: lights, junctions etc.
set-up for motorised traffic. How long for the same trip in alleycat
mode?

It's around 4 miles - climb from 50metres to 78 metres and back to 54
metres. Some people could do that in 10-12 mins I suppose. Chap rode in
from Edinburgh Airport took 19 mins so he could go under 10.

In order to do the fastes times though it's vital not t ouse bike
facilities as most of these are low speed and involve entering with a
90 degree turn. On my recumabnet bike best bet was to go max speed on
Minto St bus lane. Easy uphill with few traffic lights. I am going to
go back to see what time I would have taken with my lightest bike.

Of course all of this is irrelevent for getting new people to commute.
Important fact is that car was 10+ mins slower. If you allow for a
slower rider that's just come back to cycling then car and bike times
are almost the same. Question then is economic and comfort. A few will
choose a bike but most people seem happy to sit in their mobile home.
My point with the Nazca recumbent was publicity for Laid Back and to
make people think. I did carry luggage too - a pair of shoes in the
back box.

LaidBack said:

Will let you know when it comes in.
Would like to meet up for an HPV thing again. Sure Arellcat would be up
for that. There were around 7 'bents on Pedal for Scotland. Met a guy
(Phil?) from Arbroath with a grey SpeedMachine.

That's PhilO of this and other parishes *waves*. I rode the Wellbank
100 with him last year.

Another EIHPV meet sounds good, or even other locations. A Saturday in
early October? I'd max out a train carriage with the three kids and
Worf.

...d

David Martin said:

Another EIHPV meet sounds good, or even other locations. A Saturday in
early October? I'd max out a train carriage with the three kids and
Worf.

..d

Up for that - have to be later in October for me though. I'll check
with Arellcat.

David

LaidBack said:

There is a 75 percent chance I might get a loan of the Nazca Fuego that
Ian has tested and reviewed on BROL. I had a shot at York Show but it
was on grass circuit which was bit pointless. However I thought it rode
really well even in lumpy terrain.
Plus it's the bike I've had most emails about. Thing is that it's too
extreme to hold as 'try out bike' yet it's what the more experienced
rider will want to try. Tiller bar though.

I can do tillers, and check I like Nazca's aero bars on your Paseo...

Quoted message said:

Will let you know when it comes in.

Yes please, if you do get it I'll pop through. I'm afraid chances
of a sale are not great, but they are at least tangibly finite...

Quoted message said:

Would like to meet up for an HPV thing again. Sure Arellcat would be up
for that.

Yes, depending on how the diary is otherwise looking, of course.

Quoted message said:

We finally meet GNER next week on wed 27th to decide whether 'bents
can be allowed on trains. Hoping for positive outcome.

See if they can /really/ meet you inside of a year of the first
appointment!
A data point is that the Streetmachine and Fiero both went to
Peterborough and back on GNER 125s while technically "banned" and
proved no trouble for us or the (commendably helpful) GNER staff
who saw us onto the trains with them. We just booked them as
normal bikes, turned up and got on with it.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

I can do tillers, and check I like Nazca's aero bars on your Paseo...

I'm afraid chances

Quoted message said:

of a sale are not great, but they are at least tangibly finite...

Selling bikes is a secondary activity. Have shifted a couple - Paseo is
technically 'sold' but new owner let me take it for challenge as it's
practical. Racing bikes were used by a few so Paseo helped to show that
even something better equipped for all weathers with luggage could
still do it. Will be replaced as I need something to rent out.

GNER I hope will remove their ban and I was aware that you had no
trouble with your bikes. Crazy really that we're having to do this.

Be good to see you (and Roos) in Edinburgh. Have a beer or two. Or a
cup of tea if your riding.

cheers

David

LaidBack said:

Be good to see you (and Roos) in Edinburgh. Have a beer or two. Or a
cup of tea if your riding.

I think I'll manage a beer in any case... ;-)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Pete said:

Quoted message said:

Be good to see you (and Roos) in Edinburgh. Have a beer or two. Or a
cup of tea if you're riding.

I think I'll manage a beer in any case... ;-)

Are we going to go for October for the 2nd EIHPF? My friend Liz mentioned
that she'd very much like to come along with her Windcheetah, but would need
more time to arrange a day or two off work. Maybe we ought to be planning
the 3rd while we're at it?

Becky

Roos Eisma said:

Just saw a short item on the news about a test in Edinburgh this morning
comparing different modes of transport into town. Guess which one was
fastest :-)

Nothing on the BBC website yet.

Roos

I believe that the motorcycle was fastest on the only one of the routes
it was used. I guess that the organisers already know that it would be
fastest on the other routes too, but this didn't suit their agenda.

druidh

druidh said:

I believe that the motorcycle was fastest on the only one of the routes
it was used. I guess that the organisers already know that it would be
fastest on the other routes too, but this didn't suit their agenda.

Interesting point. I don't know if motorbikes would have been faster in
all cases. The bikes were able to benefit from bus lanes. Our
motorbiker was very experienced and did very well to make his time
legally. He stayed around and was made welcome. 'Their agenda' is our
vision of less cars and more alternative ways of getting around.
Motorbikes have their part to play too. However the trend towards kids
on mini bikes is one that concerns me so it's important we show that
people can get around healthily.

As far as cyclists were concerned they ranged from a road club guy
doing Ingliston into town in 19 mins to people with fully equipped
bikes (like myself) that wanted to show that added comfort nedn't be
sacrificed for speed. Of course like motorbikers the cyclists did want
to get a short time. All arrived without being floored by the journey.
I wore Tshirt and lightweight trousers and was not drenched in sweat.
The whole point was that it was a commute of the sort commonplace in
Europe.

Cycling the Paseo at two thirds of my challenge speed (or on a longer
prettier route) I would have equalled the car at 30 mins. That's good
enough for me as I know that next year the car will take longer as car
ownership continues to rise.

The sad thing is that the bus appears to be too slow in most cases -
half the speed of my bike on the journey from the main hospital. I
could have gone to the city centre and back in the time it took to get
to Princes St! Bike/motorbikes are not for everyone so we really need
to make sure public transort is right too.

A motorbike costs more to run so even though it was 2 mins ahead it has
a downside. Are you suggesting that people should get out of their cars
and use motorbikes? For a journey of up to 8 miles I don't think an
engine is required. Optimum I beleive is 6 for average person.