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[spellchecker]

Is it possible to rent a bike these days in Aberdeen?

Does anyone here cycle to work? Where I live cycling is a big thing and people commute a lot by bicycle, even in winter when it is wet and cold.

What do you think holds you back from commuting by bicycle, if you are a bus or car user?

[The Kernel Loaf]

I have a bike that I frequently use, but am I fuck cycling up Anderson Drive in the morning and back down again at night.

[Humey Whilem]

Take it from a Dutchman (don't know why that matters) cycling in Aberdeen is NOT very safe. I cycled from Rosemount to Altens and back, but only on bright & dry days and I cycled on pavements whenever I could.

I occassionally swerved & swaggered so people would take extra notice

[spellchecker]

you'd be surprised how quickly you get used to cycling hills, if you have a suitable bike. mine is a commuter bike so thin tyres and a bit of a hard ride but very fast and easy on the roads.

biggest problem for me is definitely traffic. i cycle 10km each day up and down something like anderson drive (6 lanes and no divider) and some drivers are good but some are shocking. a few times i've almost been clipped by wing mirrors, and many times a car will overtake only to slow down and pull right in front of me.

i think to be a safe cyclist though you have to be assertive and demonstrate your legal right to usage of the road. i have kicked loads of cars, not for the purpose of being aggressive but to alert the driver that i was there - hopefully next time they will learn to be more aware of other road users. i also wear bike lights whenever the lighting is anything other than very bright. if it is raining i always have my lights on. visibility helps.

the number of people talking on mobiles whilst driving here is shocking too and is usually what causes me most problems.

we are luckier in canada because pedestrian has right of way, the motor vehicle has least rights of all on the road. am moving to oz later this year though and situation will be more like the uk, i.e. cyclists beware!

in vancouver on the last friday of each month they have an event called 'critical mass' where thousands of cyclists take to the roads of the city and take over. talk about cycle pride! wish more places were as cycle friendly.

[MattJimF]

There's a cycle shop on St Andrew Street, round the corner from John Lewis, think that would be your best bet, as they do the cycle to work scheme. There's also alpine bikes on Holburn Street and Edinburgh cycle co-op on George Street, just up from the Butchers Arms.

[Pancho]

Becycle (Don St, Old Aberdeen) recycle old bikes and then lend them out (for free!). It kind of works on a library type idea, you have the bike 'til a set date unless someone else requests it. It's a great scheme and they're really nice folk - if you have a broken bicycle you can take it in and fix it using their tools. Apparently they also run "workshops where they exchange skills, spare parts and tools".

beCyCle

P.S. Humey Whilem is a big dutch wimp - Aberdeen didn't have enough canals for him to cycle along.

[spellchecker]

Originally Posted by Hugh Anderson

Becycle (Don St, Old Aberdeen) recycle old bikes and then lend them out (for free!). It kind of works on a library type idea, you have the bike 'til a set date unless someone else requests it. It's a great scheme and they're really nice folk - if you have a broken bicycle you can take it in and fix it using their tools. Apparently they also run "workshops where they exchange skills, spare parts and tools".

beCyCle

P.S. Humey Whilem is a big dutch wimp - Aberdeen didn't have enough canals for him to cycle along.

No way, totally taken aback by these guys - what a great idea! thanks for letting me know!

[ca_gere]

A major factor behind the fact that we don't use bikes as much as they do in, say, holland is surely the terrain. In the benelux region where it's as flat as (insert famous person with no tits here)'s tits you can scoot about without busting a lung. I used to cycle to Uni from out haudegan way. Going was fine, could do a cheeky no handies all the way but coming back was murder, first gear and going like the clappers all the way. The whole country is on a camber it seems. Can't even begin to imagine cycling in Edinburgh as means of commuting.

There's a guy at my work who commutes on rollerblades. Remove the whole looking like a bell end thing and its not a bad idea.

[Nefarious C]

Originally Posted by Humey Whilem

Take it from a Dutchman (don't know why that matters) cycling in Aberdeen is NOT very safe. I cycled from Rosemount to Altens and back, but only on bright & dry days and I cycled on pavements whenever I could.

I occassionally swerved & swaggered so people would take extra notice

I'd take his advice. I cycle from the west end to Altens daily and it isn't safe at all. Motorists are very inconsiderate.

[spellchecker]

Originally Posted by ca_gere

A major factor behind the fact that we don't use bikes as much as they do in, say, holland is surely the terrain. In the benelux region where it's as flat as (insert famous person with no tits here)'s tits you can scoot about without busting a lung. I used to cycle to Uni from out haudegan way. Going was fine, could do a cheeky no handies all the way but coming back was murder, first gear and going like the clappers all the way. The whole country is on a camber it seems. Can't even begin to imagine cycling in Edinburgh as means of commuting.

There's a guy at my work who commutes on rollerblades. Remove the whole looking like a bell end thing and its not a bad idea.

i don't think it is about to terrain to be honest. in vancouver it is basically a series of big bastard hills yet loads of people cycle and commute everyday.

i also used to live in stockbridge in edinburgh and used to commute to heriot-watt every day (well... make that every day i attended...) which meant climbing that big bastard hill up to george st/princes st. like i said, people get used to the hills.

i think like nefarious c said it is drivers attitudes that put people off. i cycle everywhere in vancouver not because the drivers are good but because they have a basic level of respect for cyclists and acknowledge their equal right to be on the road. i don't think i'd feel the same in Aberdeen. people can definitely change driver attitudes though.

if you want to change the way motorists act and behave in the city then consider starting a critical mass event in Aberdeen! it's ace fun. i took part in it yesterday. it's a crazy feeling to cycle as a band of 1000 cyclists or so!

YouTube - Critical Mass Vancouver. Granville Street, April 2009.