Live blog: Team Sky increasingly likely to become Team Ineos; CUK calls for tighter controls on new drivers, Reaction to Campag's (very pricey) new EPS groupset; Sunderland Nissan to get improved cycle access, Challenge warns on Enve SES wheels +more

"Everybody at British Cycling was deeply saddened by the news of Keith Butler’s passing on the morning of Wednesday 13 March.

"As the first man to win both the amateur and professional national road race titles, team manager for the Great Britain Cycling Team at the 1986 UCI Road World Championships in Colorado and latterly as a member of the Board, Keith will forever sit among the pantheon of greats who pioneered the sport on these shores and laid the foundations for those who followed.

"He was also a longstanding member of the Road Commission and South East Regional Board, and one of the inaugural inductees in the British Cycling Hall of Fame in recognition of his lasting contribution to our sport.

"We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Keith for the tireless and unfailing contribution he made throughout his life, and his legacy lives on through the racing scene in Surrey and all of those who have been inspired and supported to ride through his endeavours.

"The thoughts of everybody, both at British Cycling and in the wider cycling community, are with Keith’s family and friends at this difficult time."

Full story here.

“It highlights how clueless police are about cycling and to me seems to be an attack on cyclists.”

Full story here.

Following yesterday’s shock announcement that the ISO 5775 and ETRTO guidelines governing rim and tyre dimensions are due to be updated this year after lengthy industry discussions, finally bringing about one universal tubeless standard, Challenge Tires has issued a safety bulletin advising against using its tyres with Enve SES carbon rims.

We don’t yet know the exact details of the new standards but Challenge reveals the update to the guidelines stipulates a minimum 0.7mm rounded radius on all hooked rims.

Challenge claims that Enve SES carbon rims do not comply with this updated standard, having “two sharp 0.2mm radii in their hooks that leave parallel cuts above the bead”. For this reason, Challenge does not recommend using its tyres on Enve rims.

Here’s the important bit from the press release:

Challenge has noted failures of its clincher tires, communicated by consumers and athletes, caused by the sharp edges on the ENVE SES hooks. This international design standard violation has been communicated back to the affected consumers, shops, endorsed teams, ENVE and their parent company, as Challenge has been made aware of problems. ENVE, however, continues to produce and promote usage of the said SES models, as part of their line.
Challenge has consequently been forced to list the specific ENVE SES rims as not compatible with any Challenge clincher tire models, on the website. Challenge asks that consumers do not mount ENVE SES wheels with any model of Challenge clincher tire whatsoever.
Failure to follow this warning could cause the ENVE SES wheel to cut Challenge’s quality casings resulting in explosive air loss from the tire and/or inner tube, potentially causing a crash and injury to the rider.

This bulletin also aims at providing the technical clarification, that only a precisely defined 622.0mm+-0.5mm bead seat diameter, specifically defined wall height and center channel, as described in the new above standards, will safely and easily allow proper tire and rim fit and function. Challenge has regularly been attending standards meetings and being involved for the past three years in confronting the market’s accelerated changes, such as the implementation of progressively wider rims, carbon fiber clinchers rims and tubeless and tubeless ready tire technologies. Challenge has invested time, knowledge and energy together with other elite bicycle industry companies to address and update tire & wheel fit issues with the ETRTO and ISO.

Challenge handmade tires have been produced for close to 20 years using the same handmade processes that have been proven over the past 50 years at the highest levels of racing without significant failures - if the rims and wheels comply with internationally accepted design standards. And this applies for both aluminum and carbon fiber rims.

Regarding carbon fiber rims, there had also been other periodic problems in the past with some carbon rims that had cut our (and other tire manufacturers’) tire casings just above the beads. These tire cuts were however normally caused by less than optimal QC at the factory, resulting in quality issues of improper finishing at the tire hook during production. Normally roughness at the hook was due to failure to completely remove resin flashings created while molding the rim. Proper finishing leaves the required 0.7mm min. radiused rim hook smooth, without roughness, thus eliminating a potential tire failure.

In the above cases, Challenge has routinely and successfully worked with the wheel suppliers (including ENVE) to fix the problems or replace these wheels to the consumer. However, specifically with ENVE’s SES model wheels, it is the first time that Challenge has known of a rim hook design that does not meet the above recognized design criteria, reason for which Challenge feels compelled to follow up with the release of this informative bulletin to protect its customers

Campagnolo have now flipped the switch on their Super Record 12 speed groupset, with the launch of the EPS version. The prices have raised a few eyebrows already, as have the looks, as have the inevitable comparisons with other component brands. Jimmy Walnuts says itr far better than us... (you can read all about the new gruppo here)

it had no Tax. #Eunit #Walsall back to work after rest days. Officers were doing their paperwork in the car and this was parked by them. It is now on the back of a truck. What a Fab job.

Don't be flakey...pay your Road tax. pic.twitter.com/uL22uCmg92

— Force Response (@ResponseWMP) March 13, 2019

We understand this happened on a Sundae. The fine was hundreds and thousands, and the area has been coned off for the time being...   

It's a crisp day at #ParisNice, where a key ITT will be contested in Barbentane later on Thursday. Here are our @canyon_bikes Speedmax weapons for the stage, complete with @campagnolosrl components pic.twitter.com/q2CPmuWu6Y

— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) March 14, 2019

Dressed in Campagnolo's finest. Check back for more Campag info later today, we may have a surprise for you!

Chancellor Philip Hammond's Spring Statement featured £10m of funding for improvements to cycleways and bus routes across the North East.

More than half the funding is for cycling, with new route connections to areas such as South Tyneside’s International Advanced Manufacturing Park and Sunderland’s Nissan plant.

Our old friend Transport Secretary Chris Grayling commented: "Great public transport is key to unlocking the huge economic potential of the Northern Powerhouse. These proposals will help ensure the towns and cities of the North East have the transport systems they need to deliver a prosperous future for residents and businesses."

(Via the Sunderland Echo.)