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I guess a Reform govt could achieve their twin objectives by banning bicycles entirely, and then also not need to stump up the cash for additional prison places.

This was an interesting read. The happiness scores of female riders and staff were higher in both the 2023 and 2025 surveys. Is there anything useful that could be learned from that? From my experiences in the workplace, lower levels of happiness could be caused by a fairly simple change,such as the appointment of a new operations director, or an initiative to cut budgets. The question then is does the company recognise this and is it willing to act on it? There are many times when I've thought work was stressful and unpleasant, but sometimes that is to be expected and it was what I got paid for, but at least I could leave in the evening and go and do something else such as athletics or cycling. Presumably this is a lot more difficult for professional sportspeople. Cyclists' happiness is also going to be influenced by current performance levels and selection and more roller coaster in nature. Certainly more up and down than many other forms of employment. I think having the regular happiness surveys in place is obviously a major step forward. Clearly there are issues to address. Staff and cyclists witnessing "unacceptable" or "thoughtless" etc behaviour is concerning and needs to be acted upon. But maybe claiming that the culture "Remains toxic" is an exaggeration. The satisfaction levels were higher in 2023.

@Blackthorne83 Have you an inside track or is this just supposition? He's not young and perhaps he is indeed an ar$e. Maybe he's a racist, maybe he isn't. I'm sure it will all come out. If you stick a national jersey on, there is an inevitable responsibility to think more carefully how you speak and behave. Don't get yourself into a position of risk to start with.

@MatzeLoCal Spot on. No request should be necessary. The testers, upon hearing the circumstances, should have 1. Paid respects 2. Rescheduled

Fantastic result, and a great write up, thank you

@matthewn5 I'm talking about carbon crank AXLES, not spiders. SRAM axles are aluminum (29 or 30mm versions) or steel (24/22mm GXP); Campag are steel (most models) or titanium (Super Record). Are there any other brands using carbon axles?

@ROOTminus1 Lake wide fit - CX239 would probably be ok for you. I wear the normal width and they are roomy, the wide ones accommodate lardy feet. And who wears road shoes with laces? That's just wrong, 2x boas or stay home.

@chrisonabike Any excuse to repeat my favourite quote from Bertie Wooster, when he took on Spode (Lord Sidcup) who had started a fascist movement called the Blackshorts: "The trouble with you, Spode, is that just because you have succeeded in inducing a handful of half-wits to disfigure the London scene by going about in black shorts, you think you're someone. You hear them shouting "Heil, Spode!" and you imagine it is the Voice of the People. That is where you make your bloomer. What the Voice of the People is saying is: "Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags! Did you ever in your puff see such a perfect perisher?”

@mdavidford more cheap lists-icles.

Please spear us the jousting puns - it's just throwing down a gauntlet for some greaves abuse of the comments section, and there's no excuse for tilting things in that direction.