Live blog: Greg James forced to pause Sport Relief efforts, Armstrong helps test autonomous drone + your pics of cycling in the snow and more
All today’s news about snow and other cycling related stuff too
Thu, Mar 01, 2018 18:27
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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Latest Comments
MaxiMinimalist 1 hour ago
In 2019, Shanghai and other Chinese major cities implemented strict regulations and clean-up operations tp remove millopns of abondoned dockless bicycles that had created public nuisances and blocked pavements. One can't blame local authorities for taking actions in order to stop a messy situation triggered by unruly users.
yodhrin 2 hours ago
@Jakrayan Criticising people for not riding primary is like criticising a victim of domestic abuse for cringing when their partner threatens them with their fist. People don't ride in the gutter because they want to, they do it because if they don't they know there's a better than even chance that in any given ride at least one driver will be so affronted by the ENTITLED BIKE NONCE TAKIN' UP THE WHOLE ROAD!!!11 they'll do a deliberate punishment pass that could kill you or leave you maimed for life. Getting over in the gutter isn't a great solution, but multiple uncomfortable but not life-threatening passes is better than one potentially catastrophic one. It shouldn't be a cyclist's responsibility to put their life at risk just to remind drivers to obey the rules of the road they should be doing regardless. And as for "just getting off and walking", putting aside the reality that a ridden bike takes up *less* space than one with the rider walking alongside and so I'd argue the most considerate way to use that inadequate infrastructure(presumably there are no safe alternatives within a reasonable distance or why would anyone on a bike be using it at all) would be to proceed across on the bike at walking pace and then stop and put your foot down if someone needs to get by you; plenty of people use bikes as mobility aids and so "just get off" isn't as simple as it's made out to be. A couple of years back I had the worst sprain of my life, I could barely even hobble for two weeks and had a huge honking brace on my foot, had to sleep on the sofa downstairs because climbing them was a no go. I could still ride my bike though, do my shopping, see my mates - plenty of people have impairments that aren't temporary, to them "just get off" is tantamount to saying "just stay home". Let's keep it a benjamin as the kids say: "shared responsibility" and "keeping everyone safe" are, literally, copouts. They've framed the entire campaign so they can justify only taking actions that don't piss off drivers, and don't require them to actually do any work except harassing a few cyclists as they do a lunch run to the local Greggs, because that's the level of seriousness police in this country - in an institutional sense - believe road crime deserves.
lesoudeur 2 hours ago
"Scott says that it ‘redefines cable routing in the mountain bike industry’. While we’re yet to see if that claim rings true" I have a Spark RC Pro (2022) with mechanically controlled components. Because we use the front brake lever on the drive (right) side in the UK I have the rear brake hose and two cable housings (dropper and shock) on the NDS entering the headset. On my current bike I use 3.0mm Jagwire housing with no problems. I can install them by just pushing them through the headset without dismantling it. The new 2027 Spark has two openings either side of the headset so it is set up for a rear brake to be on the DS (right). Maybe they are dismissing countries that have the UK's brake lever configuration.
mark1a 2 hours ago
The first link is to one of their cycling computers.
Jakrayan 2 hours ago
To be fair when I'm out on the roads, car or bike, I see very many instances of people cycling who could be doing better. Ignoring the delivery riders, most of whom we know aren't actually riding bicycles / Ebikes, the most common issue I see is people riding too close to the edge of the road. Yes, drivers absolutely should do better, however this type of riding does little to discourage drivers from overtaking, and they will still pass too closely leaving the rider with FA room to the left either. So educating riders as to how to ride more safely isn't a bad idea IMHO. As for that narrow bridge, if it's popular with pedestrians I don't see how getting off and walking a few yards is a massive issue. And I'm normally in SPD-SL road cleats!
Jakrayan 2 hours ago
Indeed. Some lanes are so narrow, and with overgrown vegetation, that the driver may not be able to see anything behind in his wing (door) mirrors, and vans usually don't have a rear window so no rear-view mirror either. Much easier in this situation to just turn around and head back to the nearest farm gate, it won't be far. After all, 'share the road' works both ways. And before someone comments to say if you drive where you can't clearly see what's behind you, that driver may have no choice - deliveries, tradespeople etc.
mdavidford 3 hours ago
So we can add time travel to his list of talents? Is there nothing the man can't do?
Pub bike 3 hours ago
"Arguably the best way to carry panniers on the front of pretty much any bike" The thing that is missing from this sentence is the qualification "...that doesn't have the right bosses for a typical low rider rack" The horizontal tube seems too low which means careful pannier selection to avoid a ground clearance issue. Also the panniers are going to be quite far forward which is less than ideal. If you have the bosses then I'd argue you're much better off with something else e.g. a Tubus Duo which places the panniers at a good height and allows them to sit behind the axle minimising the effect on steering.
bikercub 3 hours ago
I was referring more to the cycling computers they produce, but I’m sure an opportunity to snipe couldn’t be missed. The article you refer to is for the older of their radar lights. My suggestion was that they have several cycling computers in a popular price bracket that seem to offer good usability. It would be nice to see those reviewed.
AidanR 5 hours ago
Laudable effort. Will a full review of the bike be following?
23 thoughts on “Live blog: Greg James forced to pause Sport Relief efforts, Armstrong helps test autonomous drone + your pics of cycling in the snow and more”
Snow day for me, woke up at 6
Snow day for me, woke up at 6, a wall of red cancellations on the live train board, went back to bed. Thing is the ride part of the commute has been fantastic all this week. On Monday the mud had frozen and it had not been that dry since June. Got a bit sketchy on Tuesday evening so fitted the spike tyres. After a hearty brunch I’m off for a big off road ride.
Getting some use out of the
Getting some use out of the IceSpikers this year.
Drinfinity wrote:
that looks nice. Where is it?
ConcordeCX wrote:
Cadshaw farm to The Strawbury Duck. Just off the A666 Bolton to Darwen.
It’s part of my regular off-road short loop. There’s a whole set of bridleways and farm tracks that link up to form decent circuits, and access the PBW feeder routes.
A good long freeze and spikes also makes the top of the moors accessible. Most of the year it’s bog, but when frozen solid extra circuits open up.
Drinfinity wrote:
lovely round there. Spent many a fine summers evening at or outside the Strawberry Duck in my youth before moving away
Drinfinity wrote:
thanks, that’s near my ancestral homeland. Looks good on the OS maps too. PBW is on my list of things to do.
I’ve just got a road bike
I’ve just got a road bike with 28mm semislick GP4000s. Remember discretion is the greater part of valour; have the weekend off, Mother Natures free rest day. It’s going to be a long summer.
Leviathan wrote:
Also riding a road bike with GP4000s. Around the same area (Manchester). Don’t know what the fuss is about. Bit of white stuff on the side streets but once on the reasonably frequently used A & B roads its fine.
CygnusX1 wrote:
Oh yeah. Do you know Rufus Brunt? I wonder if you are one of my Velofrenemies. As easy as it is the quote Rule 5. I’d rather not take a needless spill and be off the bike for days or weeks when it will take literally one day to melt this lot if the wind turns. I’ve lots of shopping to do and haven’t seen Black Panther yet.
And my work site is closing
And my work site is closing from tonight and all day tomorrow. Double snow day, Yeah!
ktache wrote:
Me too. Paid leave. Awesome. Long may it continue!
RE those drones, they could
RE those drones, they could be a godsend for cycling coverage in years to come. No need for a road full of motorbikes.
Turbo @ 6am and then a(nother
Turbo @ 6am and then a(nother) day of WFH 🙂
“The drone pursues him like
“The drone pursues him like an Irish journalist.”
Hmm.
“The drone pursues him like
delete
“The drone pursues him like
delete
Lance who?
Lance who?
CygnusX1 wrote:
Armstrong.
His name’s Casey Neistat not
His name’s Casey Neistat not Casey Neustat. At least get his name right!
greenphotos wrote:
yeah we know – slip of the finger, but you can’t edit an embed on the live blog unfortunately
Warming up after a 20 mile
Warming up after a 20 mile off road snow day adventure.
Spike tyres, Yeah!
ktache wrote:
Yes, they are great aren’t they? I got to work through heavy snow shower and packed snow on the minor roads no problem. In fact I would have struggled to get to work in the car on wednesday.
Then two hours later they shut the workplace down (University campus) so I did it all over again! Great fun knowing you can keep rubber side down in these conditions.
Having said that, I don’t think we in South Cumbria have had it that bad, compared to the rest of the UK – still hasn’t stopped work closing the campus until next monday.
I’m with you on this 110%
I’m with you on this 110% Leviathan. This’ll be gone in a couple of days and no point risking 6 weeks off the bike with a broken wrist. PS. It’s rule #9
.