Fantalk

THE RED · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 2231 Location: Kirkcaldy

reminds me of the the macadams that met in the pub ,
they were talking about who was the hardest macadam .
Black tar macadam said to green tar macadam
watch that red tar macadam he`s a cyclepath Laughing

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servette · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 42 Location: Geneva

D. Hancock - cracking post. Totally agree with pretty much everything you said. You mentioned cycling about two feet from the kerb to avoid gutters, drains etc - is this not in the highway code that you should do this?

Person who mentioned advanced stop boxes. Quite often you find cyclists cannot actually use them as quite a few car drivers decide they may as well use them too.

I must admit, if it is a red light at a cross-roads and there are green men for pedestrians I shall (sometimes) start cycling slowly across the junction (making sure I don't hit a pedestrian). This is mainly for the benefits of car drivers behind me who'll get annoyed that I have to clip my foot back in and slow them down.

Insurance/Tax - I think this is a good idea. I think if you are a member of britishcycling or ctc then you are insured if anything happens to you. However, having this as compulsory would stop drivers saying "we have to pay to use the road". Here in Switzerland it is compulsory to get a sticket to put on your bike (doesn't cost much) to pay for 3rd part insurance. You can pay extra to go fully-comp (sort of) too!

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/services/fuer-alle/velo/velovignette.htm?= (link is in english)

Anyway, back to the topic.

I've not lived in Fife (Burntisland) for about ten years now so can only really remember where I cycled as a teenager. There were some good routes on paths up over The Binn and along to Aberdour then through woods towards Fordell, Donibristle or Auchertool and Inverteil Road direction.

DirtDigger, you mention the JawBanes Road - is that the road over the Binn from Burntisland to Seafield (sort of running parallel to Invertiel Road and the Main Road from Kinghorn?). Also what is "down the bing at Burntisland"? Is that from Dunearn Farm to the Cowdenbeath Road? My Dad always calls the 'The Jut' (Although it may be the 'Juck' - I cannot tell how he pronounces the word!)

This site is quite good to see some of the official cycleways. It renders data taken from OpenStreetMap and makes it bike path friendly. http://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=9&lat=56.13881&lon=-3.0942&layers=B000

I've not been to Glentress but my friend goes regularly and loves it. I've been to http://www.highlandwildcat.com/ in Golspie - good trails here for all abilities. Well worth taking your bike up with you in a fortnight when we play County.

Dirt Diggler · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 327

Dirt Diggler · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 327

This is how civilised countries treat cyclists keeping us safe from selfish fat arsed car drivers Very Happy

http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/08/worlds-longest-bicycle-tunnel-opens.html

Geordie_Munro · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Location: Boise, ID.

Dirt Diggler · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 327

servette · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 42 Location: Geneva

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6NZE9W

Learnie Red Rocks. Pretty good too. On the Black Isle.

D.Hancock · Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 466

Even if your not a fan of LA this is still a pretty unique story, not often you get the chance to interact with a sportsman on a level playing field.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/aug/18/lance-armstrong-twitter

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8207007.stm

inside the city wulls · Joined: 11 Jul 2008 Posts: 858 Location: East Lansing, MI

Hello - like this thread as i still cycle to work daily and do some 20 - 30 mile runs during the summer here in Michigan. Have always cycled and used to do mountain biking on my first bike that came in bits from the wee shop along Commercial Street - had a Harry Fairbairn frame and cycled the Jawbanes most every night during the summer months past the Kissing Trees - Along to the junction past the Binn - either down to Burntisland and back along the Kinghorn road (via the loch and tannery) then home to Balsusney Road or via the Queensferry passage and through Auchtertool and back. The path from Seafield to Kinghorn was also quite challenging.

Also, a great mountain bike trail (for a short spree) is Camperdown park or the hills at the back of Dundee - that used to be a MB race course. The Mill dam was also a favorite of mine right up to when I left Scotland for the US in 1994. I now own a beautiful machine hand built in Wisconsin - make = Waterford - touring bike. Intend to bring it over to Scotland soon to tour the perimeter - my retiral dream but may have to do it sooner rather than later as the body goes into decline after 50 and goes downhill very fast. Sorry to prattle on - but the memories of the Jawbanes in earlier posts got me thinking. Our wee cycling group included Dougie Caldwell, Neenan, Dave Wann (his brother was a very good competitive cyclist) and a few others that I forget now.

One of my favorite road runs was from Wormit (where I lived) over the bridge, to Invergowrie, down to errol and along the Tay north side road to Perth (the hills at the Follies in Perth are also amazing MB trails), through to Newburgh and along the south Tay road to Balmirnie then back into Wormit. Beautiful autumn ride. Basically, Fife is beautiful and has some of the best cycling routes I have ever attempted. The Fife coastal route is second to none. Getting very homesick - better stop it.
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