Welcome to Thursday’s live blog, with Alex Bowden, Jack Sexty and contributions from the rest of the team.
Live blog: Bar wars! Energy bar brawl; Hammersmith Bridge closed ‘indefinitely’ to motorists… which is great for cyclists; Wahoo Elemnt Bolt in ltd edition colours; Phew! Extra loos for Yorkshire Worlds after 2014 Grand Départ ‘mix-up’ + more
All the cycling news from this site and beyond…
Thu, Apr 11, 2019 17:24
SUMMARY
11 April 2019, 17:24
They're going to put toilets on Buttertubs Pass and Grinton Moor for the World Championships after… what happened during the 2014 Grand Depart
The Northern Echo reports that North Yorkshire is keen to avoid mistakes made for the 2014 Grand Départ of the Tour de France.
These include a failure to provide toilets on the categorised climbs of Buttertubs Pass and Grinton Moor.
Richmondshire District Council leader, Yvonne Peacock, said: “There wasn’t much that went wrong with the Tour de France, but there was a bit of a mix-up with who was providing the toilets and they didn’t turn up. That’s a situation that we will ensure is not repeated for the World Championships.
“We know that people will be heading to Grinton Moor and Buttertubs as it is absolutely spectacular seeing the bikes going up the climbs.”
In 2014, about 30,000 spectators turned up on Buttertubs alone, so you can see why they’re keen to address this.
11 April 2019, 17:24
Danny MacAskill to stage show at Edinburgh Fringe
The Herald reports that MacAskill will be bringing a special Fringe version of his Drop and Roll show to Edinburgh this year.
MacAskill said: “Edinburgh provided the best backdrop for what became my breakthrough video back in 2009. Ten years on it seems like the perfect time to come back with the team for a brand new show in The Meadows. See you in August.”
A tongue-in-cheek 80s rock homage, MacAskill first toured Drop and Roll in 2015.
Here’s a video.
11 April 2019, 17:24
Factor launch custom frame colour software for their O2 Equipe and Classic frames
Factor’s new online 3D Prisma Studio offers 2,688 different possible colour combinations and finishes. You can create the custom frames on their O2 Equipe and Classic models, in either disc or rim brake versions. You can choose everything from the base frame, panels and logo, choosing from nine different colourways across gloss and matte finishes, with seven metallic equivalents. New colours will also be added over the next few months.
Head over to the Prisma Studio on Factor’s website to start making your own cool colour combos…
11 April 2019, 17:24
12-month ban for pensioner who didn't see cyclist she killed until he was on her bonnet
Just “a second or two moments’ inattention” says the judge.
11 April 2019, 17:24
Pinarello unveil electronic full suspension Dogma FS road bike ahead of Paris-Roubaix
The new bike provides 20mm front and 11mm rear suspension travel and is claimed to be able to “absorb in average 42% of the vibration coming from the ground that directly means an increase in comfort and bike stability,” and can be automatically or manually controlled. Full story here.
11 April 2019, 17:24
Lucky 13
Look what we’ve just had delivered… not only is it an Argon 18 Gallium Pro with Enve rims but that there is Rotor’s new 13 speed hydraulic groupset! Check back for a verdict soon when we’ve given it a thorough test ride…
11 April 2019, 17:24
The recces have begun for Paris-Roubaix...
It’s that time of the year again
Recon of ‘the Hell of the North’ pic.twitter.com/K4g6PrhSsX— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) April 11, 2019
Just three days to go before the brutality begins…
11 April 2019, 17:24
Hammersmith Bridge closed indefinitely to motorists due to safety concerns... which happens to be great news for pedestrians and cyclists
How about leaving it just for pedestrians and bikers? Will save millions in refurbishment costs and contribute to London actually being able to meet air quality and active travel goals. https://t.co/QN9ehaOAPx
— Fraser Seifert (@fraseralfred) April 11, 2019
While the indefinite closure of Hammersmith Bridge is being blamed on Conservative austerity because of lack of funds to repair it, on the bright side it means a much quieter commute for cyclists and pedestrians.
The BBC reports that the bridge has been closed after safety checks revealed “critical faults”, and the council were left with no choice but to shut it to motorists until refurbishment costs can be met. Hammersmith and Fulham council said “government budget cuts” are the reason why Transport for London can’t repair it.
Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to use the bridge from Barnes to Hammersmith.
11 April 2019, 17:24
That new thing from Wahoo...
You might have seen on yesterday’s live blog that we teased a teaser from Wahoo who said ‘something new’ was coming today… forgive us for being a little underwhelmed but it turns out the surprise was the very good Elemnt Bolt but just in blue or pink limited edition colourways. They’re the same price as the standard edition at £199.99, click here if you want to buy one.
11 April 2019, 17:24
RideLondon has provided £3.3m for recreational facilities in Surrey
Grants are awarded to recreational projects in areas where London Marathon Events Ltd organises events.
11 April 2019, 17:24
Crash carnage at Itzulia Basque Country causes Steve Cummings, Adam Hansen and Jonathan Castroviejo amongst others to abandon
ABANDONS
Étape 3 @ehitzulia
Jonathan Castroviejo »Team Sky
Patrick Bevin »CCC Team
Steve Cummings »Team Dimension Data
Adam Hansen »Lotto Soudal
Ángel Madrazo & José Fernandes »Burgos-BH
Steff Cras »Team Katusha – Alpecin#Itzulia #lesrp pic.twitter.com/bpRUO1azA1— WSFR Cyclisme (@WSFR_Cyclisme) April 10, 2019
Cummings of Dimension Data suffered a broken clavicle on stage three yesterday, according to this update on the team’s website from Dr Samuel Fisser: “Steve crashed around 25km into today’s stage 3 of Itzulia Basque Country and had to stop the race. After further examinations, scans revealed that Steve has a fracture of the left clavicle. Fortunately, at this stage surgery will not be required as part of his recovery process. We will continue to monitor Steve until he has made a full recovery.”
Sky’s Castroviejo has suffered a broken right clavicle which requires surgery according to their team doctor, and also some smaller fractures including a rib and his left wrist. He should be heading home from hospital today.
11 April 2019, 17:24
EAV launch the Project 1 four-wheeled e-cargo bike for last mile deliveries
The new tech-driven e-cargo manufacturer EAV has revealed its new four-wheeled machine that they hope will revolutionise ‘last mile’ deliveries in urban areas. They have also began working with DPD, who have already placed an order for a fleet of bikes. Full story over on eBikeTips.
11 April 2019, 17:24
Video: Van driver pulls out into cyclist – “No requirement to report” says police website
11 April 2019, 17:24
Bar wars
There’s an energy bar brawl brewing.
On March 6, Clif took out a full-page ad in the New York Times challenging rival firm Kind to go organic, offering help and 10 tons of free organic ingredients
In a tweet, Kind replied: “It’s deceptive to try to pass off organic brown rice syrup as healthy. We’d be happy to meet with you and share why we focus on making snacks that always lead with nutrient-dense ingredients like whole nuts, whole grains & whole fruit – instead of sugar.”
Forbes reports that Kind is now setting up a pop-up where visitors will be able to use a mobile device to see the sugar content of common nutrition and energy bars and also explore the different types of sweeteners used in these and other processed foods.
Come say at our pop up. April 10th & 11th. 579 Broadway, NYC. 10AM – 6PM. pic.twitter.com/Xx2IAh96nv
— KIND Snacks (@KINDSnacks) April 9, 2019
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Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn’t especially like cake.
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Latest Comments
chrisonabike 2 hours ago
"All that's required is an to roads policing" - that's a big all... Although no doubt the "idiots just keep coming" aspect does apply: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9lel2wz93o "Man charged after car crashes through bowling alley" - luckily they only skittled over skittles.
chrisonabike 2 hours ago
Almost any change to roads and streets is accompanied by a period of heightened danger, and in the UK "look out for cyclists" will need to be learned... practically. And over the time it takes for cyclists to become a regular feature. OTOH once (if...) good designs are in and frequent enough such that drivers encounter them AND the cyclists on them regularly (another big if) I don't think they should be much more difficult than a footway to deal with. These things are all over NL - don't have the collision stats but they should. (NL isn't perfect but collecting info on the safety of designs to feed back into better designs as required is part of the "sustainable safety" philosophy - if they're really a killer I think they'd be altering these.)
wtjs 3 hours ago
I'm in the happy position of agreeing with everybody here! I've never considered a bike with a stand, yet I'm impressed by the ingenuity and adaptability of this axle. I tow a Yak Bob with a Robert Axle, employing my El Cheapo Vitus gravel bike and I just have to be very careful where I stop. Hedges are generally a dead loss, and I seek walls, telegraph poles and signposts and generally lean the widest part of the Bob against it. One very awkward task is removing the two steel pins which lock the trailer arms onto the special mounting slots on the Robert axle, and when you have one out, the sodding weight in the trailer can twist the whole caboodle and bend the Bob fitting before you can get the other out and unhitch. I doubt if a stand would help with that. You can imagine that this combo is a real pain when you have to get it over the bridge at railway stations, and it nearly resulted in Merseyrail nearly parting me and the trailer on the platform from the bike on the train. It's a long story for another time. Another axle example recently featured on here, with a 12mm front axle bearing the Herculean weight limit of a monster American front rack.
HoarseMann 5 hours ago
This has nothing to do with the type of bike - it's the type of behaviour that's the problem. Banning the sale of such bikes will not curtail the behaviour. They'll just find another type of vehicle and continue to drive dangerously as there's such a lack of enforcement. I'd sooner see them ban the bally. But really, all that's required is an improvement to roads policing.
AidanR 5 hours ago
The EAPC Bill is welcome, but full of holes. What's to stop an overpowered but temporarily limited e-bike being sold and subsequently delimited? This is often a trivial process.
Sredlums 6 hours ago
@KiwiMike Yeah, in my over four decades of riding all over Europe I've never 'been for a ride in the countryside'. That must be it. Or, and I know this is a wild concept, you just accept that I just voiced my personal experiences and never missed a kickstand, like I wrote. Anyway, what's the big horror of laying your bike on its side for the very few occasions where there is nothing to lean your bike against?
mdavidford 6 hours ago
They may have looked, but did they see?
jackcycles 7 hours ago
Ds2025: where they are going wrong is that they are crushing the motorbike rather than the person sat on top of it. If they did the latter this issue would be solved in less than 24 hours.
Rod Marton 7 hours ago
I came this way today with the car boot sale in operation. There was a marshal at the entrance, who stopped a car turning right across the cycleway as I was approaching. So that certainly works. I think it necessary for the marshal to be there, I couldn't say if the driver would have turned if he hadn't been there but you always have to suspect the worst. Unfortunately there is no marshal at the exit, and there was certainly a car stopped across the cycleway as I was approaching it. But he pulled onto the road before I reached it, and the following car stayed off the cycleway as I went through. Ideally there should have been a marshal there too. On the whole, though, it's a really high standard piece of infrastructure. Just a pity it doesn't extend a bit further.
eburtthebike 7 hours ago
“absolute carnage” So right! Just look at the bodies piled up, blood running in the gutters and injured people limping away. It's a bit of a problem with a road, delaying some people for minutes at a time: it isn't carnage, let alone 'absolute carnage'. Anyone who exaggerates so ridiculously really shouldn't be allowed to comment in public, unless they want to demonstrate their idiocy to all and sundry.
11 thoughts on “Live blog: Bar wars! Energy bar brawl; Hammersmith Bridge closed ‘indefinitely’ to motorists… which is great for cyclists; Wahoo Elemnt Bolt in ltd edition colours; Phew! Extra loos for Yorkshire Worlds after 2014 Grand Départ ‘mix-up’ + more”
Yes, I was one of the 30,000
Yes, I was one of the 30,000 up on Buttertubs. Fortunately I have the plumbing for it not to be such an issue. My partner on the other hand…
That Rotor hydro rear mech
That Rotor hydro rear mech looks Huuuuge.
Miller wrote:
And ugly.
Grahamd wrote:
I agree in that they should have put it on the large sprocket for the photo.
Hammersmith bridge should be
Hammersmith bridge should be used as an example every time anyone brings up road tax. That’s the damage cars cause and it doesn’t even cover that, yet cyclists can carry on using it. I agree, make it pedestrian and cyclist only rather than having an eyesore of signs for the next ten years.
Yes, I was also really
Yes, I was also really looking forward to see what Wahoo would be bringing out today. Power meter, watch, booster rocket, err no, a different coloured Bolt. Hmm…… :-/
Or you could stick to
Or you could stick to Veloforte bars. Enough calories to be worth eating, no crap whatsoever and absolutely DELICIOUS .
No affiliation, just a huge fan.
StraelGuy wrote:
What he said. Veloforte bars are tasty as all hell, and if you’ve not tried them you’re missing out.
StraelGuy wrote:
The trouble with those if it is literally nut city. I don’t think they do any without one nutty type ingredient. So if you don’t like them or are allergic……
It appears that Hammersmith
It appears that Hammersmith is Pedestrian only, you’ll have to push your bike…..
mikepridmorewood wrote:
Nah. I’ll cycle across, thanks.