Edinburgh Cycling Links

This page contains links to other sites that might be of interest to our visitors, friends and fellow-cyclists. 

All the links are my personal choice, but don't let that stop you suggesting other sites that you know about or would like to recommend (my contact details are near the bottom of the page).

All links checked and updated: April 2007

Cycling in general

Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation
If you're concerned about whether helmets will improve your safety - or have the opposite effect - you'll find lots of facts, figures and research material here to help you make up your mind.

Bike for All
Useful articles on various  aspects of cycling, including etiquette, security, training, tax breaks and route-planning.

Bike Portal
A comprehensive cycling directory, with links to magazines, forums, clubs, bike shops and more. This is a good site to browse if you are interested in the wider cycling community.

Cycle Campaign Network
A UK-wide federation of cycle campaigning groups. The site carries news and information about campaigns to promote cycling, along with advice for campaigners. They also run a twice-yearly national cycling conference.

Cycle-Friendly Employers
If you want to encourage your employers to encourage cycling, this site is the ideal place to get started. 

Cycle Maps Directory
This useful site hosts several dozen maps of cycle routes in various parts of the UK, mostly published by local authorities to publicise a particlar route or area. Many of the maps can be downloaded as PDFs; others are viewable within your browser.

Stop At Red
A campaign to persuade cyclists to respect traffic lights, mainly for reasons of safety, but also to counter what the organisers see as "a rising tide of hostility towards cyclists - evident on the streets, in the media and in the political process." An interesting point of view.

Sustrans
These are the people behind the National Cycle Network, which includes some of the best bike routes in Edinburgh. The site has lots of leaflets and maps, an events calendar (but not many Scottish events), technical information about the design of bike paths, and a custom route-finder (enter your postcode to see all the NCN routes in your area). 

Cycling in Edinburgh / Scotland

Adrian's Edinburgh City Cycle Tours
These are three-hour tours taking in all the important tourists stops and points of interest. Adrian provides the bikes, gives a commentary and encourages you to stop to take photographs and ask questions. You don't have to be particularly fit (the going is "a little energetic but non-strenuous"), and accompanied children are welcome. This is a fascinating way to see the city which will appeal equally to visitors and residents.

Cycling Edinburgh Info
A site containing comprehensive information and advice for local cyclists. There's a vast amount of information here, tirelessly kept up to date by local bike activist, Chris Hill. Browse the photos (you might see yourself in some of them), and leave your comments at the bottom of the articles.

Cycling Scotland
A Scottish Executive-funded project to "bring cycling out from the fringes of everyday life and into the mainstream", which sounds good to me. They achieve this by promoting public participation in cycling events, giving training to help people build confidence, and providing engineering services to ensure that cyclists are catered for on Scotland's roads and paths.

Laid Back Ligfiets Scotland
David Gardiner is Edinburgh's resident specialist in recumbent bikes. He imports the bikes from Germany and Holland, hires them out, leads tours, and can arrange purchase of new or ex-rental models from his associates in Amsterdam. His 90-minute recumbent tour of the Meadows and Holyrood provides an excellent introduction for those who never ridden this type of bike before.

Leuchars Freewheelers
An informal group that organises monthly bike rides in East Fife. The rides are leisurely and sociable, with plenty of rest stops and time to take photos. Riders of all abilities are welcome.

More links

Google's Picasa software is a terrific way of keeping track of your digital photo collection. Click on the above link to download it for free.

Hotels in Scotland
Comprehensive information for visitors to Scotland, including a hotel booking service. The site also has a useful page on cycling and mountain biking.

Veg World
Although not directly related to cycling, this large collection of vegetarian and vegan recipes will appeal to health-conscious cyclists everywhere.

Also on this site:

Organised Bike Rides in and around Edinburgh
An up-to-date listing of rides and other cycling events. Most of the rides are free and open to all.

Escape Edinburgh by Bike
For those who prefer to plan their own rides, these escape routes will get you out of city quickly and safely.

Bike-Friendly Arizona
Notes and photos from a recent trip to the Phoenix / Tempe area.

Recommended books:

Bike Scotland
by Fergal MacErlean
40 bike routes in Central Scotland, all easily reached by rail. The book has helped me discover some great new routes (such as my recent 38-km tour of the Carron Valley, a superb day out which was easily accessible by rail to Stirling). The routes vary from gentle family runs to challenging rides in the hills. 

Cyclecraft
By John Franklin
Rightly regarded as the definitive guide to cycling techniques, and the basis for the syllabus of the National Cycle Training Standard. It covers basic bike skills (accurate steering, using gears), techniques for sharing the road and dealing with traffic, and advanced cycling skills.