{"id":7525,"date":"2016-05-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpmigr.edinburghbicycle.com\/blog\/co-operative-commuters"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T14:26:08","slug":"co-operative-commuters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/ebco\/blog\/co-operative-commuters","title":{"rendered":"Co-operative Commutes: Co-op Members Share All"},"content":{"rendered":"

ecause we sell bikes, you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking that we\u2019re all die-hard cyclists who wear lycra at the office. And while this is true for most of us, some of us use the humble bicycle mostly as a mode of transportation to get us to and from the workplace as painlessly as possible. We asked four Bike Co-op members at our Dalmeny HQ about their commute, and here\u2019s what they said.<\/p>\n

JEREMY
\nMANAGING DIRECTOR \/ SPEED JUNKIE<\/h2>\n

\"jeremy.jpg\" Route: <\/strong> \u00a0South Edinburgh \u2013 Dalmeny
\n Distance <\/strong> : 14 miles each way
\n Average <\/strong> \u00a0 time <\/strong> \u00a0 taken <\/strong> : 45-50mins
\n Strava yes or no <\/strong> : Yes<\/p>\n

\u201cSpring time means many things to me but when it comes to my commute it means skinny tyres, dry roads, daylight and the opportunity to get my Strava plugged in and smash some personal records.<\/p>\n

So the new tyres have now been purchased and fitted to my cross bike and the go faster stripes have been duly applied. I\u2019m doing 14 miles each way most days of the week and when you\u2019re riding the same roads you need to find fresh challenges to keep the fire lit.<\/p>\n

For me it\u2019s all about pushing myself to improve. I\u2019m relatively new to the drop bar but definitely converted. The difference in speed from riding MTBs and even street bikes is something to behold.<\/p>\n

With Strava I can map my rides and chase particular segments (safely of course!) and will freely admit that I get a real buzz from competing with my fellow cyclists. I rarely pass another commuter now without wondering\u2026.\u2019Are they on Strava?\u201d<\/p>\n

JEREMY RECOMMENDS THE\u00a0WHYTE DORSET<\/h3>\n

\"whyte-dorset-16.jpg\"<\/p>\n

SIMON
\nDIGITAL MARKETER \/ ELECTRIC WARRIOR<\/h2>\n

\"simon.jpg\" Route <\/strong> : North Edinburgh \u2013 Dalmeny
\n Distance <\/strong> : 11 miles each way
\n Average time taken <\/strong> : 40 \u2013 45 minutes
\n Strava Yes or No <\/strong> : No<\/p>\n

\u201cI started working at the Bike Co-op HQ in Dalmeny in the dead of winter in 2015, when it was cold, wet, and pitch black by the time I would leave work at 5:30pm. Despite that, commuting by bicycle was the quickest and easiest way for me to get to work, and it became easier once I upgraded some of my kit.<\/p>\n

The first thing to go was my 1995 steel Specialized Stumpjumper, a beautiful piece of nostalgia which weighed a ton and was shot to pieces. I decided to go all in and be the first Co-op member to buy an electric bike, so I bought the\u00a0Whyte Coniston\u00a0and absolutely love it.<\/p>\n

Since my commute is almost entirely on cycle paths I listen to BBC podcasts on my phone while I breeze along at a swift 15 miles per hour, and I\u2019m at work before I know it. I\u2019ve also expanded on my collection of breathable, waterproof clothing so when it comes to the weather I\u2019m basically indestructible. Bad weather doesn\u2019t bother me \u2013 in fact, it means the cycle paths are quieter!\u201d<\/p>\n

SIMON RECOMMENDS THE\u00a0WHYTE CONISTON ELECTRIC BIKE<\/h3>\n

\"whyte-coniston-16.jpg\"<\/p>\n

MATT
\nGRAPHIC DESIGNER \/ FOLDING FANATIC<\/h2>\n

\"matt.jpg\" Route <\/strong> : West Edinburgh \u2013 Dalmeny
\n Distance <\/strong> : 8 miles each way
\n Average time taken <\/strong> : 1 hour
\n Strava Yes or No <\/strong> : No<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I moved from Redditch to Edinburgh to start working at the Bike Co-op, my accommodation was less than spacious so I didn\u2019t bring my bike with me. With the excitement of a new job in a new city, I was initially content with the daily commute which involved a 10 minute walk to Haymarket Station, a 10 minute train journey and a 30 minute walk from Dalmeny Station to the office.<\/p>\n

Once the novelty of the walking section began to wain, I invested in a folding bike, which has proven to be the perfect solution. I can now whizz from Station to work station in 10 minutes. The bike can go on the train (or bus) without fuss, and takes up no room in my flat. It\u2019s great for scooting about town on the weekends.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s got me so into cycling I\u2019ve also taken up mountain biking on a borrowed bike. I discovered that, despite never keeping up any exercise regime, I\u2019m much fitter for the MTB climbs than I would otherwise be, thanks to my daily sprints on my great little folding bike.\u201d<\/p>\n

MATT RECOMMENDS THE\u00a0BROMPTON M6L BLACK EDITION<\/h3>\n

\"brompton-m6l-black-edition-16.jpg\"<\/p>\n

For more inspiration on commuting, here\u2019s a nice piece written a couple of years ago by George South (now retired but never forgotten Bike Co-op member of 35 years standing)<\/p>\n

GEORGE SOUTH
\nADMINISTRATOR \/ THERAPEUTIC CYCLE COMMUTE CONSULTANT<\/h2>\n

\"george.jpg\" Route <\/strong> :\u00a0Central Edinburgh \u2013 Dalmeny
\n Distance <\/strong> :\u00a09 miles each way
\n Average time taken <\/strong> :\u00a040-50mins
\n Strava yes or no <\/strong> :\u00a0No<\/p>\n

\u201cMy nine mile route to the office is an eclectic mix of urban streets, cyclepath along converted railway and quiet rural roads. Why one would wish to rush through such a gift is a mystery to me.<\/p>\n

The hybrid is built for comfort and convenience, not for speed, yet there is just a quarter of an hour difference between my ride to work and commuting by car. Public transport takes an hour longer, regrettably.<\/p>\n

With the right clothing one can manage whatever the weather. Panniers are invaluable for, not just the change of clothing, and food, but also for nabbing some shopping on the way home. My average speed of about 12 miles per hour makes possible conversation with fellow cyclists, pedestrians, their pets\u2026. As regular commuters, we get to know each other\u2019s names. We look to the mutual concerns of our commuting community. We warn one another of hazards ahead such as ice or broken bottles.<\/p>\n

Good exercise in fresh air, surrounded by the natural world and awareness of the changes in the weather and the seasons, are benefits of riding to and from work. Also the trip affords a time to plan the day ahead, and at end of day, time to unwind from work. I find that commuting by bike is invaluable in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

ON GEORGE\u2019S BEHALF, WE RECOMMEND THE\u00a0GENESIS TOUR DE FER 10<\/h3>\n

\"genesis-tour-de-fer-10-16.jpg\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
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Many of us here at the Bike Co-op commute from Edinburgh to Co-op HQ in the middle of nowhere. But we all take a slightly different approach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":239,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-customer-services"],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"edinburghbicycle","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/ebco\/blog\/author\/edinburghbicycle"},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t