Welcome to Monday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Watch kid zoom up climb past adult roadies; Watts up! Laverack’s awesome power output wins UK Hill Climb Champs; Malaysian court acquits driver over killing of 8 cyclists; Crackdown on Newcastle Deliveroo riders + cool bikes & lots more on the Live blog
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Mon, Oct 28, 2019 19:30
SUMMARY
28 October 2019, 19:30
Weekend catch-up
Been preoccupied with another sport involving an oval-shaped ball this weekend? Tut tut, but if that’s the case here’s some of the cycling-related news you’ve missed from us in the last couple of days…
Rapha to scale back discounting as sales fall and losses mount up
More surgery for Chris Froome, who admits it’s too early to say if Tour de France “doable”
Peterborough ditches firm that was enforcing cycling ban and keeping all the fines
LNER to rethink “dangerous” bike storage on new trains
28 October 2019, 19:30
Froome back competing again in Japan
Back in my first race since my crash with @Eganbernal at the @saitamacrite Happy day #mondaymotivation #cycling #saitama #saitamacriterium @knob_twitt pic.twitter.com/EN5txhB7vV
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) October 28, 2019
Although Froome wasn’t fit enough to race the individual Saitama Criterium event, he rode the team time trial accompanied by his Tour de France-winning teammate Egan Bernal. It will now be a battle for Froome to get back to full fitness for next year’s Tour, and he’a still walking with a limp after the heavy fractures sustained in his horror crash back in June.
28 October 2019, 19:30
The world's best cities cycle according to the World Economic Forum
These are the world’s best cities to be a cyclist https://t.co/Ys82GnzAoB #health #environment pic.twitter.com/KyBOIwdOar
— World Economic Forum (@wef) October 27, 2019
Perhaps unsurprisingly no UK city makes the top 10 list, with Dutch and German cities dominating and Utrecht in the top spot. Hangzhou inn China is the only non-European city to make the list.
The World Economic forum factored in the number of cyclists and the amount of dedicated cycling infrastructure when compiling the top 10, and also concluded that more cyclists leads to fewer fatalities on the roads. The exception to this is the US, where a rise of the number of cyclists coupled with a lack of dedicated infrastructure has led to a spike in cyclist’s deaths: “In the US, bike deaths have risen in line with an increase in bicycle commuters. The report concludes it takes time for both motorists and cyclists to adapt to an spike in bike use, which could result in a short-term rise in accidents before awareness increases.
“Cities that separate cyclists from road vehicles by investing in protected cycle paths are best placed to maximise the health and sustainability benefits of cycling, according to the OECD.”
28 October 2019, 19:30
Boardman 25th anniversary bike porn
In Chris Boardman’s favourite black and yellow paint scheme, this track bike mark 25 years since his UCI Track World Champs win in the individual pursuit.
28 October 2019, 19:30
Cylcist 'overjoyed' at getting his stolen vintage Raleigh back
Just had my #bike #stolen. Unlocked, as I made a quick stop for a coffee at #Tollcross. 26+ years of very regular riding, gone. Part of my soul has also left. If you see a purple @RaleighBikes_UK Ravine, wonky headset, broken toestrap, let me know. Gutted. Pls RT. pic.twitter.com/2wMpWDUggr
— Martin Little (@martinlittle) October 25, 2019
Martin Little had his beloved Raleigh with a ‘wonky headset and broken toestrap’ stolen during a coffee stop in Edinburgh…
So … this just happened!! Thanks to the absolute legend @DrAndrewLatham who saw my post, and was running around the Meadows, and found it lying in the middle of a path. Happy beyond belief!! pic.twitter.com/EX55KGzbhE
— Martin Little (@martinlittle) October 25, 2019
…and then was reunited with his steed thanks to his friend Andrew Latham who saw his Twitter post and then happened across the bike dumped in the middle of a path while out running. Andrew replied: “For the avoidance of doubt – it wasn’t me that nicked it in the first place! Glad to be of service.”
28 October 2019, 19:30
Cycling UK welcome Northern Ireland taking close passes seriously
We’re relieved to see the close-pass problem being taken seriously by the PSNI and the courts in Northern Ireland https://t.co/JGms8VygAD
Now let’s see this happen across the rest of the UK! pic.twitter.com/NQ2hKYT236
— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) October 28, 2019
Cycling UK have called for the rest of the UK to follow suit following the upholding of a dangerous driving conviction for a lorry driver who ‘punishment passed’ a group of cyclists earlier this month. Duncan Dollimore says: Cycling UK despairs at times when clearly dangerous driving is overlooked or minimised, with either no charge or merely the lesser charge of careless driving being brought.”
28 October 2019, 19:30
Viviani strikes gold
You couldn’t miss Elia Viviani on the track at 6 Day London these past few days – the Italian is riding a bright gold one, as befits his status as Olympic omnium champion.
The bike is a Pinarello Maat, and in the 6 Day London programme Viviani explained about the colour: “One guy wrote to me who’s a friend of a friend saying that if I wanted a special bike, he could do this special, chrome painting.
“So I sent to him my frame – not the same frame I used in the Olympics, but the same geometry and the same type of frame.
“The bike looks really amazing – you can see it like a light at the VeloPark,” Viviani added.
“That’s pretty special – as a rider I always really like having something special to ride, so winning that gold was a really big chance to have a really shiny and amazing bike.”
28 October 2019, 19:30
Mystery of Bath's missing bike wheel collage solved
You may remember us reporting on an art installation demo in our native Bath a few weeks ago – the decorated bike wheels aim to show how the area around George Street is one of the most polluted in the city.
The artwork was then mysteriously removed, with its creator Alison Harper fearing it had been stolen. The police eventually got involved, and it was then discovered that it had been quietly removed by Bath & North East Council because of safety concerns: “An artwork featuring 69 red bicycle wheels, thought to have been stolen, is in safekeeping after Bath & North East Council tracked it down.
“The art work, which had been displayed on a temporary basis in Bath’s George Street, was created by local textile artist Alison Harper with the help of Transition Larkhall members. The wheels were attached to railings on the street to highlight concerns about air quality.
“However due to concerns the fixings could become easily detached, the wheels were taken down by a contractor working for the council and placed in safekeeping until they could be safely reinstalled.”
Bloody ‘elf and safety!
28 October 2019, 19:30
Stress avoidance...
28 October 2019, 19:30
Newcastle council transport bosses promise crackdown on 'dangerous' Deliveroo cycle couriers, saying they are putting pedestrians at risk
The alleged issue of Deliveroo’s cycle couriers posing a danger to pedestrians has once again reared its head in Newcastle upon Tyne, with transport bosses at Newcastle City Council saying they were being forced to speak with Deliveroo about the “behaviour of their staff and their use of the roads” after concerns were raised by pedestrians.
Chronicle Live reports that there has been allegations of Deliveroo riders ignoring weekend road closures in the Blackett Street shopping area, which is fuly pedestrianised on Saturday and Sunday. A council spokesperson said: “Members of the public have complained to us of the behaviour of a small number of Deliveroo workers, primarily those on bicycles.
“We have spoken with Deliveroo who as an organisation have been very helpful in engaging with us on this issue to find solutions and have subsequently reminded its riders of what is expected of them.”
Responding to the accusations, Deliveroo delivered their pretty standard line that they have a zero tolerance approach to riders ignoring road safety: “Road safety is a priority for Deliveroo. Before riding with Deliveroo, every rider completes a programme of road safety guidance.
“This guidance includes information videos and content focused on vehicle road-worthiness and maintenance, road safety and what to do in the event of an accident on the road. This online safety guidance is available to all riders throughout their time riding with us and is accessible at any time.
…”If a rider is found to have broken the rules of the road, Deliveroo will not work with that rider.”
28 October 2019, 19:30
"Never write this man off"
Can’t wait for this! Never write this man off x https://t.co/iGjoRhvNAe
— Brad Wiggins (@SirWiggo) October 28, 2019
Sir Wiggo knows a bit more than most about the racing prowess of his former Sky and GB teammate Mark Cavendish, and it will be interesting to see if he can get back to winning ways at Bahrain Merida.
28 October 2019, 19:30
The Indik8a safety signalling system launches, promising "another level of protection for cyclists in low level light"
Kicking off cycling indicator season this year on the first Monday after the clocks went back is Indik8a, a pair of straps with 275 lumen LED’s that can be worn on bare hands or over gloves that vibrate while indicating so you know when they’re on. They’re USB rechargeable and you can get up to 330 indications out of one charge.
An illuminated directional arrow is activated by a switch on each hand, with two adjustable adult sizes available and a version for kids coming soon. Indik8a say the product was made to make cyclists ‘unmissable’ when indicating: “As winter approaches, being safe and seen in the mornings and evenings is a top priority for those who rely on their bikes to get them to and from school or work every day.
“From children to adults, being seen by vehicles behind will give cyclists peace of mind on busy, car-congested roads, and may even save lives.”
They’re available to buy on Indik8a’s website now for £35 a pair.
28 October 2019, 19:30
Ed Laverack averages absurd 7.2w/kg for over 11 minutes to become new British Hill Climb champion
The boy done good yesterday.
Huge power personal best to win the British Hill Climb Championships with 7.2w/kg for 11min. Consistent and smart recovery and trainingSharon Dyson pic.twitter.com/VfB4ybhWLF
— Peloton Coaching (@PelotonCoach) October 28, 2019
Records were downed at the British Hill Climb champs over the weekend, with both the new male and female national champions setting course records in Haytor, Devon.
Ed Laverack took a huge 47 seconds off his own course record to record a time of 11mins 37 secs, and it was needed because second-placed Paul Double was just nine seconds behind. On his Strava profile, Laverack said: “Executed the plan. Had good legs. Great support from the crowd and online. Glad I could finish the job.” You’ll also see above that his coaching team Peloton Coaching noted Laverack’s crazy power average, which was recorded at 7.2 watts per kilo for 11 and a half minutes he was racing.
National hill climb champion 2019!
Really happy to have ended my season on such a high – this was an event I really wanted to win on a spectacular climb that I love riding. Thanks to everyone who has helped and supported me this year and thanks to Mid-Devon CC for a fab event! https://t.co/W45qx6pXym— Hayley Simmonds (@hayleyrsimmonds) October 28, 2019
Hayley Simmonds also took 45 seconds from her own course record, winning in a time of 14 mins 17 secs. Joscelin Lowden and Rebecca Richardson came second and third respectively.
28 October 2019, 19:30
Malaysian court orders the release of woman who killed eight teenage cyclists
Court clears motorist of killing eight teen cyclists on dark JB road two years ago #Malaysia@_rodahidup @1EinXnitta @billtay25 @kuabt @lowelsielow @malaysianalways @mary_soh @nonvitaltooth @raajkanthan @rtked @skumar176 @yvonneapy @zulnine09 https://t.co/X1r03oL7L2
— The Long Tweet (@tanjooilong) October 28, 2019
A controversial case in Malaysia has seen a 24-year-old woman released without charge after her car ploughed into a group of cyclists, killing eight of them.
The tragic incident happened way back February 2017, when at 3.30am on a Saturday morning in the Middle Ring Road in the city of Johor Bahru, Sam Ke Ting’s car hit a large group of male cyclists aged between 13 and 16. Six died at the scene, a further two died on the way to the hospital and several more were injured. Initial investigations revealed Ke Ting wasn’t drunk and wasn’t speeding, but failed to brake in time. Groups of youths were known to ride modified bikes on Johor Bahru’s highways at night, because there were few cars around.
Two and a half years on, and The Star report that Magistrate Siti Hajar Ali has ruled the prosecution failed to prove a case against Sam Ke Ting, with the police investigation incomplete and not comprehensive after reviewing statements from 46 witnesses. She also ordered that Ke Ting’s suspended driving license and RM10,000 bail be returned immediately.
Siti Hajar said in her judgment: “The accused could not be prosecuted based on the failure of the investigation officer to investigate the case properly.
“The accused had the rights to drive her car and had driven her vehicle within the speed limit, was not driving while using her phone, was not drunk and was using a car seat belt.
“It is impossible for the accused to have predicted the whereabouts of the group of teenagers behind the road hill at 3am in the morning.
“The victims had also failed to equip themselves with proper safety equipment such as a light reflection jacket and a bicycle helmet.”
If Ke Ting had have been convicted of ramming the group, she could have faced up to ten years’ imprisonment.
28 October 2019, 19:30
Watch as kid flies up climb, zooms past adults
Fantastic stuff.
The new Egan Bernal? https://t.co/SekjlWu8DH
— MyCols app (@mycolsapp) October 28, 2019
28 October 2019, 19:30
This is a very good point
Companies whose approach to the ULEZ was to update their vans may have missed a trick… https://t.co/zf0FN0riU8
— Alex Ingram (@nuttyxander) October 28, 2019
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Jack is group editor across road.cc, off.road.cc and ebiketips, overseeing all three sites in the F-At Digital group to make sure everything’s up to scratch. He’s been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of road.cc including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town, and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism, and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
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Latest Comments
AidanR 1 hour ago
Laudable effort. Will a full review of the bike be following?
TrainWalkWheel 1 hour ago
By their very nature the dockless bike schemes will result in bikes being parked in stupid places. The user has little incentive to find the correct place to park it. More so if they are tourists with a cruise liner to catch and only 3 hours to explore. So, if the operation can't be made to fit within the councils required operating method, then it should be removed. I'm pretty sure another operator will come in and propose a system acceptable to the council if they believe they can make money. I strongly suspect that the current operators can only make money by tacitly allowing bikes to be left where the tourist money wants to leave them, so time to rethink the financial model me thinks!
tomlew 1 hour ago
@bikercub "If they are good enough to be supporting the Groupama-FDJ United World TourCycling team, we should be looking at them as a contender." No, that only means that they paid enough to become a sponsor. Let's put the "pros use better stuff" myth to sleep, finally. And by the way, the trickiest part of a GPS computer is not data collection - that can be done by absolutely all of them. The hard part is the general user interface and turn-by-turn navigation, none of which really matters for a pro cyclist - and that brings us back to why any GPS computer could be good enough for just about any pro cyclist.
Rendel Harris 1 hour ago
@mdavidford Absolutely, I am assuming that the OP means those lanes where it's so tight it's actually impossible for a cyclist to get through if there is a large vehicle, obviously if they can squeeze by each other nobody needs to go back.
Mr Blackbird 1 hour ago
You are quite correct about uniform signage. However this seems to be a fairly atypical set up. Having experience and knowledge of it would in theory make mistakes less likely. Part of my job involved writing operating and maintenance procedures for food manufacturing machinery. I quickly learnt that people need to be given direct, simple, non-conflicting, non-ambiguous instructions. If it is possible to make mistakes, then they will be made. The best of of avoiding a mistake is to design flaws out of the system.
CD1997 1 hour ago
I do not in anyway support the Daily Telegraph's continually mad anti-cycling journalism but, it must be said, that this particular section of cycle lane on King Street in Hammersmith has been an absolute disaster ever since it re-opened. It certainly wasn't perfect for cyclists before but ever since they remodelled the cycle lane to run as a two way lane on one side of the road it has become much much more dangerous and confusing for pedestrians, drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists alike. I'm not saying that all cycling infrastructure is badly designed but, on my 12 mile commute from home in South London to work at the West end of King Street, this cycleway is where I feel most unsafe. It's not an inditement on active travel but it should be a lesson in planning because it's been closed on 5 or 6 occasions since to be remodelled to correct issues that should've been obvious before it opened. I have been using this road to get to work since long before the re-modelling and it has definitely, in my opinion, worsened not just the safety of cyclists but also the relationship between drivers and cyclists in this area.
quiff 2 hours ago
In principle, it shouldn't matter if you're familiar with a particular junction - that's precisely why we have (relatively) uniform signage across the country (I had this from a driver recently - Him: sorry, I don't know the area. Me: but a no entry sign is the same everywhere...). But in practice in a busy environment like this, simply adding another sign saying look out for cyclists is limited help. I don't love cycling on contraflows / a two way cyclelane on a one way street for that reason. In fact there's a crossing I don't love as a pedestrian which is look right (bikes) look left (bikes) look right (cars), island, catch breath, look left (cars), look left (bikes). (Yes, you could wait for a green man, but then it's still look everywhere (Deliveroo)).
Mr Blackbird 2 hours ago
I'm not familiar with Jeremy Vine's favourite cycle lane. However I do have sympathy with drivers if they have to deal with "Look both ways for cyclists" as well as "One Way" and "No Entry" signs. Especially if the driver is not familiar with the junction.
chrisonabike 2 hours ago
@mitsky Alas for a second there I was awarding the motorist in the window there points for wearing hi-vis in their car, then I realised they were also wearing a motoring helmet...
mark1a 2 hours ago
@bikercub https://road.cc/content/review/igpsport-igs800-314291 https://road.cc/content/review/igpsport-sr30-smart-radar-taillight-314105 Not too difficult to find using a popular internet search engine.
14 thoughts on “Watch kid zoom up climb past adult roadies; Watts up! Laverack’s awesome power output wins UK Hill Climb Champs; Malaysian court acquits driver over killing of 8 cyclists; Crackdown on Newcastle Deliveroo riders + cool bikes & lots more on the Live blog”
“An artwork featuring 69 red
“An artwork featuring 69 red bicycle wheels, thought to have been stolen, is in safekeeping after Bath & North East Council tracked it down.”
I think they meant to say they took it down, then came up with some lame excuse about health and safety. How could that awareness-raising art installation possibly be unsafe? They just didn’t want attention drawn to the pollution in the city, about which they have done – what?
alchemilla wrote:
I bl00dy well knew that’s what had happened! – BANES took it, then when it became a media issue they kept veeery quiet hoping nobody would find out, and then when the police got involved then suddenly it’s a H&S matter…
brooksby wrote:
Indeed – from the original
My thoughts exactly. The right hands of many councils often don’t seem to know what their left hands are doing, so…— hirsute
hirsute wrote:
Well, I am a very stable genius and I often write things before I even know I have.
(Forgot I wrote that – thanks, hirsute!)
alchemilla wrote:
If only they would act so quickly about the H&S problem of air quality
Blackett Street hasn’t
deleted.
Quote:
Oh, FFS!
brooksby wrote:
The best thing about is that you use your hands. I mean, nobody’s ever thought of using their hands to signal on a bike…
Malaysian driver
Malaysian driver
“The hilly road conditions had limit the line of sight of the road user,” she said, adding that the group had gathered behind the hill to race on the road that had dim lighting.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/10/28/court-orders-release-of-woman-in-case-involving-deaths-of-eight-teen-cyclists#83yMiSTQ5QmjVCZU.99
So much for being able to stop in the distance you can see. What would the outcome have been if she hit a parked car ?
Haha, I wonder what hurt most
Haha, I wonder what hurt most for the roadies, the lactic acid burn or their pride! The kid had the right bike for that climb though, those 20” mountain bikes have some seriously low gearing.
Good segment strategy kid,
Good segment strategy kid, come at it fresh with high cadence.
Given how totally open and
Given how totally open and not-at-all-corrupt Malaysia is alleged to be, I wonder to whom Sam Ke Ting is related?
Looking into the world’s best
Looking into the world’s best cycling cities thing, it seems not to be from the world economic forum but compiled by an insurance firm? The full list is a ranking of 90 cities, and putting Melbourne and Sydney ahead of other far more progressive cities ruins the ranking’s credibility.
Kudos to the kid but you can
Kudos to the kid but you can’t tell if the other cyclists are something like 150miles into a 200miler 🙂