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Anybody Know of any good Road bike loops/routes suitable for a MTBer who's reasonably proficient on a Road bike In or around Edinburgh?
Rags
West of town go through Kirkliston/ Winchburgh/Linlithgow and loop back around Bathgate for a 30/40 mile ride. East you can head past Pentcaitland/Haddington /Gifford returning back to the coast. Depending on where you go that is up to about 70miles. There is some good road riding if you follow the minor roads.
This one takes in the awesome Col du Climpy.
http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/balerno-sct/col-du-climpy-route-45796306
50 mile loop, you can vary the first part to carrington a lot.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2187158
Also going through north middleton at the a7 there are great (steep) roads around there, borthwick and crichton castle and around gorebridge.
or at middleton, keep going over the granites down to innerleithen - good road to come back on too.
up to gifford and up redstone rigg to whitadder reservoir and the lammermuirs is good.
a70 west down the pentlands is ok for a "big" road and a good lead to biggar and the rest, or smaller roads back round the east side of the pentlands
tbh though just going and getting lost in east lothian is probably best - tons of small roads, no killer hills that will sneak up on you unplanned..
east lothian is nice, out towards north berwick, then through haddington, pencaitland (stopping if necessary at glenkinchie distillery to warm up if a cold day) then back through the smaller roads finishing at the mosque kitchen for a curry.
Edit:
For longer routes look at the audax UK website as they sometimes post up route maps: [url= http://www.aukweb.net/events/ ]Audax UK[/url]
The ride to Innerleithen should be sign posted for the coasts and castles route.
Think Jeffcapeshop's suggestion is my favourite, we did this route http://goo.gl/maps/OtKUC in the Lammermuirs and its a belter, lots of quiet, steep, windy country roads. The climb from Garvald is a beauty.
If you know the route out of the city then its fine, if not I'd see no shame in driving out to Musselborough, there's a labyrinth of crappy busy roads between the two if you don't know where you're going.
Bathgate Alps for a good workout 😉