Live blog: e-bike rider shoots past cyclist at frightening speed, rider hospitalised after crashing into huge Buckinghamshire pothole, this year’s Giro-themed gear, star-spotting in Asda + more
All the news from the site and beyond
Wed, May 02, 2018 13:40
Help us to bring you the best cycling content
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
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.
4 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
manonbike 44 minutes ago
It is only a matter of time before someone uses this as a defence. "I didn't know that the rules had changed, your honour.". I agree. 10 years, retake the test. If you can afford a car, fuel, insurance, etc., then paying a small fee every decade to re-test should be little burden on drivers and be at no cost to the state.
Ollie Smith 1 hour ago
That's fair - I didn't realise this cable is used elsewhere. However, I'd argue you can order most things on Amazon, and having to order something online doesn't necessarily mean it's "readily available" - especially in comparison to USB-C cables, which you can buy cables in most supermarkets, Post Offices, and any shop that sells electronics pretty much anywhere in the world - so if you're travelling or lose the cable it can be replaced immediately. Also, it's just ANOTHER cable to remember to take with you, isn't it?
darnac 2 hours ago
@Rendel Harris After nearly 40 years in thé Ariège département it seems from my expérience cycling that it's always wise to bé thé most careful when you see a 31 or 13 plate. Though now cars keep thé same plate when they or their owner changes département
Terry Hutt 3 hours ago
@Rendel Harris I will second that. Although they are hard to find you can buy them at https://www.amazon.com/BaiWeiDun-Universal-Magnetic-SmartWatch-Accessories/dp/B0FBR8PD63
JLasTSR 10 hours ago
I had actually cycled my first century the week before the accident. I got back on the bike straight away then a hip wore out and was replaced so I missed a lot of cycling in 2024 but I was back to my normal level in 2025 not so sure what has happened this year I am not as enthusiastic as usual I have been on the bike just not cycled far. I will have to do more as I will do a 50 mile ride in September the annual charity ride. Not sure fear is the problem exactly more a feeling that there is less enjoyment.in a bike ride than there once was.
GravelIsNothingNew 10 hours ago
What’s all this MTB palaver? The Tour de France was originally a gravel race. 🙃
Brompton rider 11 hours ago
@wtjs I've sent in 2 close pass videos to kent police, never heard anything back.
ktache 11 hours ago
@Rendel Harris I had wondered how they might be preparing to deal with the expected heat. Got to keep them as safe as possible. My excitement is building, always a nervy first week, too many crashes in the peleton and no amount of down gearing is going to prevent that. From my cloudy memory, the pogecar lad is very rarely caught out on the wrong side of a crosswind split.
Gm_Crop 11 hours ago
Rumor has it that riding the MMR gives you autism.
4 thoughts on “Live blog: e-bike rider shoots past cyclist at frightening speed, rider hospitalised after crashing into huge Buckinghamshire pothole, this year’s Giro-themed gear, star-spotting in Asda + more”
Why any big concern with “e
Why any big concern with “e-bike rider whizzing past” ? Granted the first time is a bit of a shocker. There will be quiet electric motorcycles doing at least 3X=5X a bicyclist speed in the very near future.
ridein wrote:
How about the fact that these current “modified” devices are inherintly dangerous, and also illegal. An E-bike is legally restricted to 250W, and a max assisted speed of 25km/h across the EU area. The brakes on these monsters are no better than normal bike brakes, yet they weigh a lot more, and where they have been tested are unfit for purposse.
Many of these “can” be made street legal, in Norway at least you can register them, get a number plate, pay insurance, and use a motorcycle helmet – then keep out the bike lanes.
As an example of the issue, a rider in Tronheim is looking at (equivalent to) £7,500 in compenasation to a cyclist he hit, plus 6 month loss of his driving licence, and several weeks in jail after he crashed his modified “e-bike” with a 5600W motor into another cyclist and broke her neck. Drivers on the road alongside report that as they were doing 60-70 km/h he was “sailing past with ease”, he left a 19m skid mark before the point of impact. Under testing after the accident it was found to have a top speed on 108km/h (almost 70mph)
Yes Electric motorbikes are on their way, but these will be registered, and tested by roads authorities to ensure they are street legal, will require EU control/MOT check (country dependant), a drivers licence, insurance (not just home insurance cover). They will also have muchbetter brakes, and be illegal on shared use foot and cycle ways.
StuInNorway wrote:
Yep, any electric bike that fast should be registered as a motor scooter. That means the rider needs to have a licence, a motorcycle helmet and insurance. I agree that the weight and speed of the thing means that the brakes won’t be up to the job when it’s at full tilt and as it’s quiet, pedestrians (and drivers) won’t be looking out for it either.
I see that the cops in Sweden stopped a guy on an electric bike after he hit close to 100km/h. A quick check showed it was more powerful than allowed and further tests revealed its motor was 16 times the limit for electric bikes. Ths tory I read was a bit vague but I think he converted it himself with a kit he bought. The Swedes don’t look kindly on traffic offences and he’s being hit with a big fine.
As for fast descents, well top TdF riders can hit 120km/h for sure. But that’s on stretches of roads where it’s expected. Hitting those speeds on a bike with inadequate brakes in normal traffic conditions is like playing Russian Roulette.
Why the worry? We all go that
Why the worry? We all go that fast down hills don’t we? Should we all be subject to licence/ insurance restrictions accordingly? I don’t think so….