Dan Walker gets back on his bike – and is berated for not wearing hi-vis; “Surprised he knows how to turn right”: Ed Clancy tests Salford’s magic cycling roundabout; Is British road racing “likely to die out”?; eBay bike disasters + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“Surprised he knows how to turn right”: Ed Clancy tests Salford’s magic cycling roundabout
It’s been a few months since we last paid a visit to Salford’s new cycling roundabout (or cycle-a-bout, if you prefer the technical term), an interesting bit of bike infra that it’s fair to say proved rather divisive within the cycling community for what some claimed to be its novelty “car-centric” design and plethora of rather unnecessary markings.
> Magic roundabout or tragic roundabout? New “novelty” cycling roundabout hasn’t gone down well
Since the roundabout was unveiled to the public in December, it’s about time that it was put to the test by a man who made his career riding around in circles:
@Ed_Clancy conquers the smallest velodrome in Manchester… #BeeNetwork pic.twitter.com/XcqRqD1NSQ
— Pete Zanzottera (@PeteZanzottera) March 20, 2023
Yep, that’s right – triple Olympic gold medal winning team pursuiter Ed Clancy yesterday proved he’s lost none of his speed by flying around Britain’s smallest velodrome… and that he’s even learnt a new trick or two in retirement:
Surprised he knows how to turn right 😂😂
— Simon Edwards (@Edvarski) March 20, 2023
Clancy was visiting Greater Manchester’s recently-installed cycling infra as part of his new role as South Yorkshire’s active travel commissioner, replacing Dame Sarah Storey last month.
Amazing day out with @SouthYorksMCA Active Travel team, checking out everything over in Manchester.
Thanks also to @DameSarahStorey for being so generous with her time and wisdom! https://t.co/idEckeiBmI— Ed Clancy OBE (@Ed_Clancy) March 20, 2023
And, it must be noted, it looks like the much-derided magic roundabout was a hit…
I’ve wondered ‘why’ the Salford cycle-a-bout was put in, I now know, it was for the joy! pic.twitter.com/Kljnrodk8I
— Eve Holt (@evefrancisholt) March 20, 2023
I did! Loved it.
Also the amount of induction loops and Cyclopes get a thumbs up from me 👍— Ed Clancy OBE (@Ed_Clancy) March 20, 2023
However, I’m still not sure everyone’s convinced:
Bring the cyclops, leave the cycle roundabout where it belongs 😂
We even have a mock up ready for Queens Road 😉 pic.twitter.com/ecmihgw7A6
— Arundels of Norfolk (@ArundelsofN) March 20, 2023
Spotted on eBay
Prepare to get angry in three, two, one…
Seen on eBay. #sackthemechanic pic.twitter.com/bXvcZmTheO
— DAN (@FatManonaBike) March 20, 2023
It’s irritating me now. Cheers
— Anthony Pope (@Plastic_Peloton) March 20, 2023
EURGH. BURN THE HERETIC.
— Partridge Thornton (@PartridgeToffee) March 20, 2023
What’s the worst and most irritating bike disaster you’ve spied for sale on eBay? (Other online marketplaces are of course available.) Let us know in the comments!
Dario Cataldo breaks femur and suffers two spinal fractures in horror Volta a Catalunya crash, as Adam Yates escapes serious injury
This week’s Volta a Catalunya got off to a less than promising start yesterday, after a horrific-looking crash in the final, fast kilometres of the opening stage around Sant Feliu de Guíxols brought several riders down and seriously injured Trek-Segafredo’s Dario Cataldo.
According to a statement issued by the team last night, the veteran Italian, who has also raced for Liquigas, Quick-Step, Team Sky, Astana, and Movistar during his 16-year pro career, suffered a fractured left femoral head and right hip fracture in the crash, along with two spinal fractures which fortunately did not have any neurological impact.
The 38-year-old also sustained multiple broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and a collapsed lung.
Trek-Segafredo also noted that the Giro and Vuelta stage winner is stable and conscious, and will undergo surgery to fix his broken femur at a hospital in Girona.
Unfortunately @AdamYates7 was caught up in a crash in the final kilometers at #VoltaCatalunya102 , but thankfully escaped with abrasions and could finish the stage.
Hope the rest of the riders involved are ok 🙏#UAETeamEmirates #WeAreUAE pic.twitter.com/YhPLtCqNBO
— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamEmiratesUAE) March 20, 2023
In happier news, Adam Yates – who was also caught up in the crash which brought down Cataldo – escaped with some heavy road rash and will be able to start today’s tough stage to Vallter, according to his UAE Team Emirates squad. By the looks of things, he might still be a bit sore though…
Team DSM’s Chris Hamilton, another casualty of the high-speed spill, will however not start in Mataró today.
It’s a 𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙣 for Primoz Roglic in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya! 😱
👏 The @JumboVismaRoad rider pips Remco Evenepoel to the finish in Stage 1 🏁@rogla | #VoltaCatalunya102 pic.twitter.com/HhOHhrhcWX
— Eurosport (@eurosport) March 20, 2023
Meanwhile, following yesterday’s crash-marred carnage, Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel set tongues wagging for May’s Giro d’Italia with a ferocious and hotly contested uphill sprint, which saw the Slovenian just about hold off the fast finishing and frustrated world champion at the line. And with a 2,000 metre-plus summit finish to come, expect more of the same this afternoon…
“UnBELLievable”: Lap bell stolen from Peaks Two Day stage race
Over the years on road.cc, we’ve reported on dozens of robberies and attempted robberies at bike races, as thieves target the shiny, expensive equipment usually on show.
However, I can’t say I remember a lap bell ever being nicked at a race before…
But that’s exactly what happened at the Peaks Two Day, a National B-level stage race for men and women in, you guessed it, the Peak District at the weekend.
A definite first. Somebody has stolen our brass bell off the lap board. Left for less than 40 minutes, laid down behind a wall. Staggering #peaks2day pic.twitter.com/WM3Tb3qRzd
— Marc Etches (@marc_etches) March 19, 2023
“A definite first. Somebody has stolen our brass bell off the lap board. Left for less than 40 minutes, laid down behind a wall. Staggering,” Marc Etches, one of the race organisers, posted on Twitter.
Etches said he left the lap board and bell hidden in a grassy ditch “in the middle of nowhere” between stages, and that the race cars were parked only a few hundred metres away when the campanology-loving thieves struck.
Thankfully, the organisers were able to pluck a spare bell from the boot, so the riders could still hear that sweetest of sounds as they neared the finish.
Apparently, no bell hunt will take place for the piece of equipment – which Etches himself dismissed as a “bit tinny” – though I’m sure locals will keep their eyes ‘pealed’ for it around the countryside (I’ll get my coat…).
3/3 Right now, I really think it is “the taking part that counts”!
So well done to ALL the athletes, organisers and sponsors here and across the UK.
The sport needs you more than ever 🙏 🚴 🚴♀️ 🏆Amazing work by @jameshawkins0 @yompbonkcrew pic.twitter.com/jJcxVLNygc
— Ed Clancy OBE (@Ed_Clancy) March 19, 2023
While the British racing scene has come under increasing scrutiny lately, with team after team folding and safety concerns raised after horror crashes at races, Ed Clancy – making his second appearance on today’s blog – noted on Twitter at the weekend that grassroots events and races like the Peaks Two Day are pivotal for the future of the sport in the UK.
“There’s no denying that the sport of cycling in the UK has been struggling recently,” the Olympic champion wrote.
“The peloton has just been rocked by another major team folding, leaving many hard working and ambitious riders (and staff) without jobs and a platform to progress.
“I’ve just spent the day watching the Peaks Two Day (almost literally in my backyard) in Holmfirth. Got me thinking about how important these events are for both the sport of cycling and promoting health in general.
“Right now, I really think it is ‘the taking part that counts’! So well done to ALL the athletes, organisers and sponsors here and across the UK.
“The sport needs you more than ever.”
“Imagine having an ‘ethical issue’ with Astana and it’s ‘they allowed one favoured rider to retain his personal sponsorship’”
Ah, ethics and pro cycling, those two well-known bedfellows…
Imagine having an “ethical issue” with Astana Qazaqkstan and it’s “they allowed one favoured rider to retain his personal sponsorship” https://t.co/EH3ldscJTg
— Al (@Al__S) March 21, 2023
‘Unrepentant doper Vino’s the manager? That’s fine. Wait, Cav isn’t wearing our glasses? Tear up the contract!’
Regardless of those rather legitimate concerns over where cycling brands decide to draw their ethical lines, Scicon’s CEO certainly wasn’t holding back when he confirmed this morning that the Italian brand had scrapped their deal with Astana in the wake of the whole Mark Cavendish-Oakley glasses saga.
You can read Dan’s full story here:
> Scicon questions Astana Qazaqstan’s ethics as sponsor walks out over Mark Cavendish Oakley dispute
Reader’s opinion: Is British road racing “likely to die out”?
It’s been a rough few months for the British road racing scene.
Last week, UCI Continental outfit AT85, formerly known as WiV SunGod, collapsed due to sponsorship issues, just months after Ribble Weldtite shut its doors, leaving Saint Piran and Trinity Racing as the only UK-based Continental teams.
Earlier in the week, the organisers of the elite-level Women’s Tour – a race won by Marianne Vos, Lizzie Deignan, and Elisa Longo Borghini – launched a crowdfunding campaign, in a bid to ensure that this year’s race goes ahead despite the event’s current sponsorship crisis.
Things haven’t been much rosier at grassroots level, either – yesterday, we reported that a rider was airlifted to hospital with a serious neck injury after he crashed through the rear windscreen of a stopped car during a National B race in East Sussex.
That terrifying incident has prompted a widespread debate about the dangers of racing in the UK at the moment, what British Cycling can do to help support clubs and organisers, and the future of British road racing in general.
In response to yesterday’s story, road.cc reader Martin, a 75-year-old cyclist, ex-racer, and longstanding club member, got in touch to share his views on the current climate within British cycling.
Here’s what he had to say:
The cover/marshalling etc needed nowadays on our busy roads is probably unsustainable for most clubs.
Many younger club members are sadly reluctant at best to help run any event, and time trials too suffer from this malady. Many riders just want to ride, or play at racing on club runs it seems.
The off-road and cyclocross events, away from the traffic, seem to be the way forward, with parents of youngsters happy, being away from traffic risks. Huge fields in CX events prove their popularity.
Circuit races, where circuits can be found, help, but sadly, open road events are likely to die out – not due to British Cycling’s failings, but due to the change in traditional cycling clubs.
Race teams, instead of multi-generational membership clubs, cannot offer the depth of experience and support to help organisers.
The organisers, as a consequence, fearing blame if disaster strikes, give up the unequal struggle. More risk assessments won’t always help. They just make the already onerous job more difficult.
What do you think? Do you agree with Martin?
Is British road racing “likely to die out”?
Are off-road events, away from our increasingly busy roads, the future of the British racing scene?
And is the decline of the traditional club structure, with its emphasis on volunteering, to blame for the current crisis?
Let us know in the comments…
More cyclists jumping more red lights… oh wait
Blah, blah, blah… something about cyclists and red lights #Cycling pic.twitter.com/mhdEC1wnKV
— PassPixi (@PassPixi) March 20, 2023
Can MVDP make history?
Winning Milan Sanremo, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the same year is something which has NEVER been done.
Van der Poel has as good a chance as any to do it this year.
(Finishing on the podium of all three in the same year has been done 11 times)
— Cillian Kelly (@irishpeloton) March 21, 2023
Well I definitely wouldn’t bet against him anyway…
Is this budget electronic groupset a Shimano and SRAM killer?
Giulio Ciccone outsprints Evenepoel and Roglič to give Trek-Segafredo a much-needed boost at Volta a Catalunya
¡¡Victoria de Giulio Ciccone!! El italiano se lleva el triunfo de la segunda etapa de la Volta a Catalunya, entrando por delante de Primoz Roglic y de Remco Evenepoel, segundo y tercero respectivamente.😍💪👍 pic.twitter.com/nfm9glxmB8
— ⚡Maza⚡ (@MazaCiclismo) March 21, 2023
It’s safe to say that, right up until the closing metres of today’s summit finish at Vallter 2000, the Volta a Catalunya had been something of an unmitigated disaster for Trek-Segafredo.
Yesterday, the team’s veteran Italian Dario Cataldo suffered horrendous injuries following a high-speed crash, while another spill – this time with 19km left of today’s stage – forced Kenny Elissonde to abandon the race with a suspected broken wrist.
𝘼 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧! 💥
A collision caused by the pinching peloton ends Kenny Elissonde’s race with 19km to go 😢@KennyElissonde | #VoltaCatalunya102 pic.twitter.com/iKINSDj4m0
— Eurosport (@eurosport) March 21, 2023
So, it was left to the in-form Giulio Ciccone to lift the mood and raise some smiles at tonight’s dinner table – and the Italian climber did just that, hanging on to the race’s star riders, Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel, during a frenetic final few kilometres before outsprinting the pair for a morale-boosting win.
The leading trio’s late surge snuffed out the chance of a popular victory for lone attacker Esteban Chaves, the Colombian champion launching his own move after his EF-Education teammate Simon Carr was the last to be caught from the day’s breakaway.
But Chaves’ 30 second gap looked in constant danger once Mikel Landa darted out from pack with just over two kilometres left – but only after adding another image to the meme collection further down the climb:
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) March 21, 2023
(Who says we don’t cover the most important racing moments?)
That move from Landa poked world champion Evenepoel into one of his trademark, constant ‘drill it from the front’ efforts, which only Roglič and Ciccone could follow.
But with the Slovenian poised for back-to-back sprint wins, Ciccone upset the odds in a thrilling finish to take one of the most impressive victories of his career – and right at the time his team needed it the most.
Ciccone, still with his sunglasses as the finish was too tight to gift them to the crowd, dedicates the win to Dario Cataldo after his horrific crash injuries yesterday, and to the team. pic.twitter.com/9mfSCvMj5P
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) March 21, 2023
‘But, but, but… can you transport a few hundred beef carcasses by bike?’
Cycling is bad because how are you supposed to carry a…
(insert ultra extreme example – e.g. fridge / drum kit / few hundred beef carcasses etc.)
…on a bike! https://t.co/9RdNZ2NSnd pic.twitter.com/e8pLwlq2fh
— Adam Bronkhorst (@AdamBronkhorst) March 21, 2023
These things are just getting weirder and weirder…
“For those of you asking/shouting”: Dan Walker confirms that, yes, he has bought some hi-vis
For those asking / shouting … yes 👍🏻
Have also invested in a bike camera from @FreewheelUK 🚲📸 pic.twitter.com/CSHhc9icmW
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) March 21, 2023
Dan’s confirmation – after dozens of tweets screaming ‘Why no hi-vis?’ – that he has indeed invested in some new yellow gear prompted one motorist to scramble to find yet another item to add to the former Strictly contestant’s shopping list… and came up with, wait for it, motorbike helmets…
Interesting the cyclists don’t wear a motorbike style helmet
— Richard Robinson (@BulletRobinson) March 21, 2023
Why is that interesting? Do you wear one in your car?
— Guy Brown (@BrownGuidofcb) March 21, 2023
The broadcaster’s purchase of a bike camera has also struck fear into a certain section of Twitter, wary that Walker will suddenly morph into one of his Channel 5 colleagues:
Don’t go all Jeremy Vine on us
— Pete (@PeterJSmith1988) March 21, 2023
Seriously hope you stay safe out there but please don’t become the next J Vine trying to paint all other road users as bike hating neanderthals
— John Bridges (@johnbridges754) March 21, 2023
If anything, today’s hi-vis and bike camera furore proves that little lessons have been truly learned from Dan Walker-helmetgate.
Not that we should be surprised, of course…
Some people seem happy enough to accept that the responsibility for not killing you lies with them, right up to the point that you get aboard a bike.
— Guy Brown (@BrownGuidofcb) March 21, 2023
Look who’s back on his bike… and getting shouted at on Twitter for not wearing hi-vis
Got back on the bike for first time today and felt safe and secure.
New bike, new helmet… just disappointed I didn’t manage to match the socks to the frame 😂 pic.twitter.com/diqXV8qyFy
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) March 20, 2023
A month after his collision with a driver in Sheffield (and the seemingly endless debate which followed that terrifying spill) the Channel 5 presenter is back cycling – and riding a new, rather snazzy, Gocycle e-bike.
So, how did Twitter react to Mr Walker’s much-anticipated return to the saddle? By reprimanding him for not wearing hi-vis, of course:
Hope manage to find enough money for Orange or Yellow HI VIS jacket
— Barry Hambly (@BarryHambly) March 20, 2023
No hi viz
No gloves— ah14666 (@andyh160) March 20, 2023
Would recommend brighter colours Dan
— JAMES KEMP AKA Blade on a Bike (@JAMES2430911) March 21, 2023
Hi viz makes all the difference
— [BTS] twlch63 (@twlch63) March 21, 2023
Now get some hi-viz clothing so you show up a bit more to other road users……
— Mo Pumfrey 💙 (@Erflady1956) March 20, 2023
Still no hi viz Dan 🙄
— GreyhoundzRoolRory (@E_B_Dog) March 20, 2023
Well, at least it’s not another discussion about helmets, I suppose…
> Why is Dan Walker’s claim that a bike helmet saved his life so controversial?
21 March 2023, 09:59
21 March 2023, 09:59
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Latest Comments
@Blackthorne83 Please can you let us know what was said, as you apparently know that it was just "exercising his speech" [sic] and didn't deserve any sanction?
@jackcycles your biggest obstacle is a narrow mind - also caused by poor maintenance. Just Google "Cycling KSIs netherlands vs uk" to see how wrong you are.(not that you're open to facts)
@mark1212123 pausing before posting on social media would help a lot of folk. (not you, though)
@chrisonabike only in the brains of the hard of thing
@jackcycles this whole thing is culturally deeply disheartening. Richardson was snitched on by a woke ‘whistleblower’ teammate for exercising his speech. Now British cycling is obligated to take performative measures to safeguard their image given their sins of the past. And a young rider sent to ‘re-education training’, reputation slandered without trial and career derailed. Everybody loses. Great job British cycling, propping up riders and then publicly throwing them under the bus.
@jackcycles Unfortunately now, people are guilty until proved innocent. Mud sticks. I am not saying he is guilty or innocent, but it is the way of the world now.
@chrisonabike "more rational, efficient and dependable" The cost will explode across taxpayers. The administration could've used HS2 money as a beginning step, but they chose not to. Windshield bias will still be whacking the cyclist in 100 years. I don't see many cyclists bothered by it. I see many possible cyclists put off cycling by it but we know this already.
Guess it depends on what he says and whether his words have been twisted or taken out of context, but generally we should select athletes on the basis of their ability, not stuff they say, unless it's against the law..
@chrisonabike all active travel money should be immediately reallocated to fixing potholes and trimming hedges/vegetation. A lot of the reason why cycling and/or jogging is so difficult in my area is due to road surface quality and getting artificially narrowed by poor maintenance. That way, no more terrible, unpopular "active travel"/segregation decisions that need to be overturned
@jackcycles "a stark throwback to the days just after COVID when the lunatics were briefly left to run the asylum" You mean the Conservative government of Boris? Not a fan of him or Matt Hancock either, but I thought eg. Jonathan Van-Tam did a pretty good job? "All people want is a joined up travel experience where cyclists can use the road – along with all other forms of transport – to get from A to B with the least fuss." I tried that but I found the canal wet, being held up by rollerskaters vexing, dodging the passing lorries at 60mph scary, before I was run over by the train... "Absolutely scandalous waste of taxpayer money"... I quite agree, what on earth are they doing wasting active travel money to make active travel less pleasant (and indeed places less pleasant) and convenient?
37 thoughts on “Dan Walker gets back on his bike – and is berated for not wearing hi-vis; “Surprised he knows how to turn right”: Ed Clancy tests Salford’s magic cycling roundabout; Is British road racing “likely to die out”?; eBay bike disasters + more on the live blog”
Ebay bike disasters – seen
Ebay bike disasters – seen quite a few with the forks fitted backwards….
It took me a moment to
It took me a moment to realise what the problem was… But once I noticed, it really irritated me.
A “Halfords Special”
A “Halfords Special”
That Salford ’roundabout’ is
That Salford ’roundabout’ is a very tight circle. I’m not sure I’d want to go around there in the wet…
Biggest eBay Bicycle disaster
Biggest eBay Bicycle disaster I ever saw happened to someone else, not me: a friend asked me to find them a decent entry-level road bike, I found them a very nice Sora-equipped aluminium bike for a good price. I was slightly suspicious as the advert only had stock pictures but paid through PayPal to ensure safety. The bike that arrived was full carbon with a 105 groupset: turned out the owner had told his secretary to put it on eBay and to look up the specs on the manufacturer website and she’d looked at the wrong bike. To his credit he refused my offer to return it if he paid the postage and said mistakes happen, hope your friend likes it. They did!
The LBS/guy I used to use
The LBS/guy I used to use kept breaking everything I handed to him, or set it up completely wrong:
Probably some other things I can’t remember off the top of my head.
Suffice to say I now have no trust and do ALL my own bike work. Built/rebuilt my spare carbon frame under lockdown with Shimano 105 and spare carbon bits, only thing I didn’t change was the reasonably new headset… It runs like an absolute dream! As does my nice bike that I rebuilt with Ultegra R8000 shortly after, despite serious internal cable shenanigans/issues.
I’ve even repaired a sealed 2012 Suntour (emulsion) damper unit that stopped working, was actually way simpler than I had imagined. Next up is a 2009 RockShox Reba SL that I don’t think has eve been serviced!
Recently asked a different LBS to straight a MTB rear wheel and service the wobbly bearing. They said the bearing is fine but it clearly isn’t as it’s got a fairly noticeable amount of play (wobble) that it did not have before I had an off that mashed up my knee.
A stem faceplate upside-down would be the least of my concerns 😀
ChrisB200SX wrote:
How on earth did you get to a list that long before you decided to go to a different guy?
Like, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 8 times and counting…
Most of the issues didn’t
Most of the issues didn’t surface until after he’d done pretty much all of the work.
A lot of this stuff I would have had to have checked myself to have found out, and if I was going to do that I wouldn’t have any need to take it to the LBS.
It was only 3 separate instances/builds, the first time was the front brake cable stop thing and indexing… not knowing any better I thought it was me, or that’s just how bikes are. I wouldn’t find out about the bolt overtightening, etc. until much much later.
He was always seemed very helpful and accomodating… How do I know anywhere else is gong to be any better, or worse?
When I was called to take a
When I was called to take a look at a bicycle with “poor rolling” of a friend, I saw that the V-brakes shoes were not parallel to the rim but vertical.
cyclisto wrote:
reminds me of an oft seen
reminds me of an oft seen mistake with department store BSO’s.. the forks are fitted back to front, usually with girls bikes, who then struggle to ride a bike that has frightful handling characteristics..
I have a Deda stem and it is
I have a Deda stem and it is flipped because of my poor flexibility. The spacing between bolts is different at the top and the bottom meaning you have no option but for an upside down faceplate if you want to flip.
Yes, I had a look at the stem
Yes, I had a look at the stem a little closer and that stem has an asymmetric bolt pattern. It has been flipped for a positive rise so as irritating as it is, it can’t be helped all that much.
The only alternative would be to spec an alternative stem, but why bother when selling through lack of use?
Admittedly if the bike is for sale, they could have returned the stem to the original rotation for the purpose of the photos.
The only reason vehicle
The only reason vehicle drivers want cyclists is hi-viz is that it makes it easier to aim at us.
I can’t figure out how these
I can’t figure out how these “hi-viz” proponents managed to make out the bloke in the picture.
I had to investigate why the
I had to investigate why the steering was “a bit lumpy” on one of my brother’s eBay bargains.
service? it don’t need no
service? it don’t need no stinking service..
Future of British
Future of British (competetive) cycling.
Martin has it bang to rights. It’s a shame because cycling needs inspirational characters like Wiggie, Cav et. al and they all started in local clubs. MTB has Peaty, the Athertons etc. and they act as excellent role models for younger riders, both competetive and those who just like to ride.
I’m not sure what the solution is, closing roads isn’t really tenable, although I’m not absolutely sure why. All bow down before the auto..it’s also a sad reflection on our compensation culture that clubs are rightly worried about insurance claims.
The problem is that road
The problem is that road closures for racing requires a significant cost and planning, even if it’s only for 2 hours. This is far beyond the budgets of grassroots clubs to the point if every club in one region put forward their spare resources and finances towards holding a closed roads event they would only be able to operate a single race event between them. Permissions and consultations also need to happen.
Policing, signage, diversions, it costs well into the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of pounds to do so for private events.
Sadoldsamurai wrote:
The Cav & Wiggo thing has been and gone and I don’t think seeing British riders win big races will make much difference. I regularly saw Sky jerseys out on the roads in the years before and after Wiggins won the Tour I can’t recall ever seeing anyone in an Ineos jersey, of for that matter any other current WorldTour team. Our club membership has fallen almost every year since 2013, there was no bump after Geraint Thomas’s Tour de France win in 2018.
Road closures are a non-starter in most places while safety is a huge issue and a barrier for many. Lots of young and not-so young wannabe racers feel that traditional clubs are too ‘boring’ or ‘old fashioned’. They want the flashy kit, the kudos of a Race Team and they (and too many parents) aren’t willing to invest time in supporting clubs and organisers beyond what they can get out of it themselves.
MTB isn’t all sunshine and smiles, there is great uncertainty in that scene too and landowners are making ever greater demands – both financial and contractual – and placing tighter restrictions on organisers. Despite booming in the 2010s, cyclo-cross has seen a significant drop in rider numbers post-Covid while good venues are getting harder to find. In the UK TT scene rider numbers were falling before the pandemic and have dropped even further, prompting some serious soul-searching at all levels of the sport in the UK. From feedback I’ve seen, there is definitely a shift in people’s priorities since Covid, with many saying they have shifted priorities e.g. family commitments, lost interest, that the cost of competing (mainly equipment more so than entry fees) has become excessive or they have found other things with which to fill their time.
I do believe that the British
I do believe that the British road racing scene is dying, and even if it wasn’t it would become untenable even with better funding and volunteering. The problem is multi-faceted and more complex. One issue not talked about is course safety.
A number of club TT courses have been retired because the dual carriageways they used to be held on became too dangerous to race on owing to traffic levels and ever busier junctions to negotiate. I have marshalled a TT and had to deal with an impatient driver wanting to exit a junction with a rider (who would have had priority in any situation) who didn’t want to wait the 10 seconds for the rider to pass before being allowed to continue. I was in a BC vest, and there was a Cycle Event warning sign before the juction. Judging by the finger flip I got given the driver might have been tempted to push me with his bumper had I not also been on the event radio at the time. Lack of knowledge from motorists also puts racers in danger and boosting sponsorship and marshalls alone might not be enough to make a safe and welcoming environment.
With the current road user wars getting ever more public and divisive, at some point our roads are going to become too dangerous to race on whilst open to traffic.
I have raced in cyclocross and TTs from time to time but my life as a parent to a 4 year old with Special Educational Needs and a wife with chronic health problems means I cannot contribute as much as I like. I make an effort to volunteer for at least one event for every one I race. I have also noticed that in most Seniors category races I have seen/entered, there are next to no competitors between the ages of 25 and 35. They are all either young enough to have no other responsibilities (under 25) or at an age where they regain freedom as their kids become more independent. (35-40) Those in the former have no interest in volunteering as they have the “just want to race” attitude, and those older still have some commitments limiting their time.
I steer well clear from road racing, and have no interest in racing one any time soon.
Those bell puns were terrible
Those bell puns were terrible: they’ve all been tolled before.
More cyclists jumping more
More cyclists jumping more red lights… oh wait
Remarkably similar to:
https://upride.cc/incident/fd67nej_bmw420_redlightcross/
It’s my guess that the incident shown in the article received as much attention from the local police as mine did from Lancashire Constabulary, which is none at all. The same response as they made to the reports of:
https://upride.cc/incident/t90jdt_audiwithcaravan_rljatspeed/
https://upride.cc/incident/mf09hyk_chevroletaveo_redlightcross/
https://upride.cc/incident/pn68kpg_hiluxtrailer_redlightcross/
etc. etc. So the real point is the other way round from the usual ‘what about all these cyclists passing traffic lights at red’- if the police take no action on drivers hurtling past red lights at speed in great big metal boxes, why should they pay any more attention to tiny cyclists committing lesser offences?
Guy Brown wrote:
Sounds about right…
The whole hi-viz debate is
The whole hi-viz debate is littered with anecdotes and caveats.
The reality is, that any study conducted on rider safety shows that there are too many variables to accurately determine that being seen better improves safety.
It is one thing to see. It is a different thing entirely to do.
In other words, the studies seem to confirm that wearing appropriate levels of high-visibility clothing increased your chances of being seen, but cannot provide any tangeable data as to whether that makes you safer. Just because a rider is more likely to be seen, has no affect on what a passing motorist decides to do with that information, i.e. make a safe manouvre to pass you.
That alone is the responsibility of everyone around you to assess a situation and react accordingly.
Strictly speaking, where the Highway Code is concerned, you are meant to be actively scanning the road ahead for hazards of any kind. Because even in dark clothing during normal/good visibility conditions, a cyclist is still visible. If you can’t see a moving cyclist, you won’t be able to see a small animal or child run into the road unexpectedly. You will not recognize a missing drain cover or a pothole which could severely damage your vehicle. In which case your eyesight is too poor to allow you to control a motor vehicle.
If the first words out of a driver are along the lines of SMIDSY or “No Hi-Viz” in the event of an accident, then there is a very high chance the driver was not paying enough attention to the road and surrounding hazards.
Exactly. Saying “Its not
Exactly. Saying “Its not possible to see cyclists without high vis clothing” is saying “I am not physically or mentally capable of safely operating a motor vehicle”
Something human being sized and shaped should be the thing you are looking for most when driving, if you are not capable of seeing that because of its colour, whatever the reason, you absolutely should not be driving.
i forget where it was and who
i forget where it was and who said it, might have been in a newspaper that had covered a crash, but this commentators view was basically cyclists should wear hiviz, so that they wouldnt have to concentrate so much when driving to look out for them.
and I just thought that sums it up beautifully, that they felt there was no responsibility on their part to need to concentrate whilst driving something that can kill, is it any wonder half of them are busy playing games on their phones instead ?
there was no responsibility
there was no responsibility on their part to need to concentrate whilst driving something that can kill
This is exactly right! I recall one occasion when I accidentally forgot to put on my flashing rear light on a trip into Garstang on a fairly well lit road. I was then subjected to a tirade by a nutter driver who clearly felt I should be run over to teach me a lesson, and that he had the right to do it.
so you were riding at night
so you were riding at night without a rear light?
no, it’s in response to what
no, it’s in response to what happens in the real world, not the ideal world; eg, old people with diminished vision and reflexes are out there driving..
grOg wrote:
Young and middle aged drivers insist on using mobile devices and being distracted. Modern vehicles increasingly have a touch screen to control everything in the cockpit which are a huge distraction.
All around every effort is made to take responsibility from the driver. Anti skid surfaces at corners and junctions. Telling cyclists etc to wear HiViz etc. I have seen no effort made to tell motorists to slow down and be more observant.
I cant believe most of those
I cant believe most of those comments about Dans cycling attire seem to come from people whose profile picture is of a cyclist ?
whilst for the conditions/time of day of his crash, I wouldnt personally have worn such a dark coloured jacket, theres a difference between being seen & visible and hi-viz imo, to claim he should just wear hi-viz now, by other cyclists, seems a bit rich on their part
My assumption was that it was
My assumption was that it was a bit of tongue in cheek from cyclists who didn’t like his helmet pushing
This one has just been put
This one has just been put online by UpRide, so I’m taking the opportunity to show why RLJs are so common in Lancashire: because even Lancashire County Council Traffic vehicles don’t bother about red lights on the A6, despite being responsible for traffic lights. No action by the police
https://upride.cc/incident/dl66xgz_lcctraffic_redlightpass/
This demonstrates very well
This demonstrates very well one of the principle differences between cyclists trundling through red lights in a generally, dare I say, cautious manner and rlj drivers who speed up and throw caution to the wind. The difference in potential harm between these two groups of road users for the same offence is several orders of magnitude.
I know (i dont), but my
I know (i dont), but my problem is MUATIHTG
AltBren wrote:
What does that mean?