Kinesis Rise first look: Hardtail e-mountain bike with sleek Fazua motor system

It's spelled "shit takes", Nigel. It's like a hot take only it's shit.

So they've trimmed the weight but you've still got to pay more thank £6k for a sub 8kg bike now. How Trek keep going mystifies me, been massively overpriced for years.

For anyone who wants a Shimano groupset, there's a big gap in the range between the 105 SL & Ultegra SLR. 105 Di2 &/or Ultegra SLs (like Madone range) are missing...at least for my wallet

I agree - it's literally free advertising for him as AFAICS this is how he likes to promote himself and get attention. Seeing how well it works, I wonder if others could make use of that tactic? What do you think?

What's the point and purpose of this bike, then?

The problem with roadcc's coverage of Nick Freeman is that it's focusing too much on his controversial hot takes, rather than the well-known work he's done road safety campaigning. For balance, Nick has been very vocal recently on the dangers posed by electric cars for cyclists and pedestrians, writing (on X): "Pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users often rely on hearing an approaching vehicle. That’s why I believe EVs should emit synthesised warning sounds at all speeds, not just low speeds. Road safety must always come first." I think we can all unite around that sentiment rather than the more divisive number plates argument which I disagree with. Nick thinks that "accountability" comes with identifiability. I agree to some extent, but you have to balance the risks posed by a form of transport with the loss of freedom and increase in state power resulting in having mandatory identity numbers. Cycling doesn't even come close.

@HarrogateSpa : Exactly. Clickbait articles such as this to keep the advertisers happy.

@hawkinspeter Hmm... while there is sensible stuff in there it's even better where the design and human nature carries more of the weight than rules or guidance. Speed limits being one; if it was just on the rules that would be a lesser way of ensuring safety than the road / space design. (Of course just changing a number on a sign *does* work to some extent, presumably in part via the "anchoring" effect and "when in Rome"). I'm thinking more of what we have in eg. UK motorway-design-level thought and applying that *. One example would be the Dutch taking the observation that a certain fraction of people will make dangerous overtake no matter the rules, paint or even considerations of their own safety and a muffed overtake can have very severe consequences ... and then simply banning overtaking on some classes of roads (and even bringing in physical barriers some places). Hey presto - a whole class of problems they don't have! (It's not perfect of course, lots of legacy roads there). * Only some classes of vehicles allowed, everyone going the same direction with no crossing traffic or stopping / parking, rumble strips at edges, energy absorbing crash barriers, curved layout to stop people falling asleep...

I liked his graphs.

And yet not three weeks ago you were actively canvassing likes. Good liars need good memories, Nigel.