Advice on Cycling out of Glasgow From Central Station

I've cycled that route a few times and it's lovely- no areas to worry about. Nice and flat too.

It's one of my regular cycle routes. Perhaps avoid late at night - my daughter was robbed at knifepoint at midnight at the Clyde Walkway but daytime absolutely safe.
From Central down to the Clyde and the cycle route is easy to follow to the Scottish Exhibition Centre. From there , the west end of the SEC I would suggest on road - South Street until the old railway cycle path which then goes all the way to Dumbarton.
Join the railpath in South Street here
Glasgow https://maps.app.goo.gl/wv81Cs5W9AaM2yHG7

Thank  you very much, that sounds great.

I am planning a holiday without a car and the train to Glasgow seems a no brainer.

TJ's trip last summer has a lot to answer for.

It'll be fine. Back in the day, the Yoker bit, at the old railway bridge, could be a bit sporty, but I always just worked up a good sprint to get through it as quickly as possible.
Nowadays its fine, specially in daylight, as someone said.

I wouldn't bother with road sections at all, just get onto the riverside (itself part of NCR75) from Central and go west. It becomes NCR7 somewhere around the SECC and you can follow that west all the way to Balloch. South Street can be a bit of a racetrack. It sees a lot of hgv traffic, and theres a bus garage on it, so traffic is heavy and is pretty potholey, NCR7 runs on an old railway line next to it, so I don't see the point in not using it and staying away from the South st traffic. It gets a bit annoying where it passes through Clydebank, it transfers from old railway line to path to canal path, so is a bit confusing. Same in Dumbarton. Just keep an eye out for signs.

Theres a decent cafe and bike shop en route, at Bowling Harbour, if you need to make a stop.

Depending on what you're looking for... An alternative might be to hop on to the train to Milngavie, then ride along the West Highland Way.

Depending on what you’re looking for… An alternative might be to hop on to the train to Milngavie, then ride along the West Highland Way.

Or Helensburgh (etc)

" NCR7 runs on an old railway line next to it, so I don’t see the point in not using it and staying away from the South st traffic. "

But the old railway doesn't start until the point I indicated. Before that from the Transport museum it is either South Street with a wide road and light traffic or the footway alongside. TBH either is fine.
Once at the Dumbarton area there are a couple of roads to avoid.  The A814 to Helensburgh isn't cycle friendly. The A82 north of Tarbert also narrow with heavy traffic.  Plenty good alts depending where OP is heading.
Living here I wouldn't ride out of Glasgow to start a tour going west. I'd get the train to Adrossan or Gourock and a ferry to Arran on Dunoon and go from there.  Or Bute perhaps.

Yeah I agree I wouldn't cycle out of Glasgow either. Get as far west as possible on the train.

So much nicer to start from one of the branches especially if it's a straight hop onto a ferry! Some of the stations eg wemys bay are a lovely little throw back to start a route.

But or Arran are both great places to start.

It's a fair point coming up here that the A82 after Tarbet is horrible. You can ride on cycle path of one sort of another all the way there from the centre of Glasgow, but after there, it's narrow, winding and busy country road. I wouldn't ride it, and it always gives me the fear when I encounter cyclists on it.

I finished the badger divide into Glasgow and was pleasantly surprised how picturesque the route was through the parks following the river with some amazing architecture.

Luckily it was raining so not many people around.

Perhaps avoid late at night – my daughter was robbed at knifepoint at midnight at the Clyde Walkway but daytime absolutely safe.

Yes, I don't think I'd want to cycle it late at night though.

Once at the Dumbarton area there are a couple of roads to avoid.  The A814 to Helensburgh isn’t cycle friendly. The A82 north of Tarbert also narrow with heavy traffic.  Plenty good alts depending where OP is heading.

There is a good cycle path from Dumbarton to Balloch/Loch Lomond. It follows the Leven all the way to Loch Lomond. You can pick it up from The Clyde, or at any bridge over the Leven in Dumbarton. From what I recall, there is around a 500 metre section across a field, which was a bit wet, after some flooding. I’d be wary of going that way on a road bike with skinny tyres. Seconded about the cafe and shop at Bowling, under the railway arches. Also, wander down to see the sunken boats in Bowling Basin, there used to be lots more, they’ve been cleaned up a bit now, but still 4 or 5 wrecks there.

Thanks for all the great advice. I was hoping to actually see some of Glasgow as I am cycling away from the station. Every time we go to Scotland, Glasgow is somewhere you glimpse from the motorway or avoid.
I like the idea of going west on the train but maybe for another tour.
I was planinng of cycling up the left side of Loch Lomond to Rowardennan, catching the ferry across to Inverbeg and then heading to Oban.
I have no intention of cycling up the A82 have driven that way.
thanks again for wisdom. 🙂

If you want to see a bit of Glasgow I would suggest taking an hour and pootling around the city centre and some other places. George Square is pretty cool and some great old architecture in the very city centre. Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis has good views. The Clyde path has some great old industrial heritage visible, not least Titan crane, Waverley paddle steamer, Glenlee and old docks each side of the river. If you have time then there are some ace places such as Kelvingrove Park and Botanic gardens, House for an Art Lover etc.
It may even be worth a nights accommodation - dump all your bags and peddle around the city some?

I was planinng of cycling up the left side of Loch Lomond to Rowardennan

I would be giving that so much hard pass. Short of the A9 I can't think of many roads "in the countryside" I would rather avoid.

Edit: do you mean cycle up the east side then cross? That's a bit better but I'd sack off loch Lomond completely it's a trap.

The best thing about Loch Lomond is the fact it distracts everybody from all the other great places and keeps the hordes close to the centres of population.

George Square is pretty cool

Currently taken over by the xmas market. Something I love but I know lots of people hate that kind of thing

Opps that should have been the right hand side!

Once off the ferry there is a yellow road that leeds to rest and be thankful and beyond.

I know the area round loch Lomond, having cycled some of the area before.

Great idea Matt, I will factor some tourist time in.

If you want to see the real Glasgow may i suggest the route i use to get out to the north.   Sarracen street Possil and lambshill

🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🙃🤔🤣

If you want to see the real Glasgow may i suggest the route i use to get out to the north.   Sarracen street Possil and lambshill

Saracen St\Balmore Rd\Auchenhowie Rd to Milngavie to pick up the start of the WHW. Now thats an adventure route!

I am not sure if I am quite ready for the real Glasgow. The real Salford is scary enough.