Welcome to Tuesday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Live blog: MP calls for Minister for Cycling in cabinet, “Hygiene” –Sainsbury’s kicks out cyclist who wanted to bring bike in shop, “Get lights, wear bright colours and a helmet” – Skoda’s cycle safety message; New Rapha jacket; Pro tip – zip it! +more
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Tue, Apr 30, 2019 18:53
SUMMARY
30 April 2019, 18:53
What the?!
Odd, funny, highly entertaining, perhaps a bit disturbing… the competitors in the video are apparently four years old. Such speed, desire and hunger to win at all costs must be down to god-given talent… that plus some very enthusiastic parenting no doubt.
30 April 2019, 18:53
Sainsbury's refuse entry to man with a bike because it could "contaminate the food"... cue sarcastic responses on Twitter
@sainsburys hi! At Paddington Station with my bike. Nowhere convenient to lock my bike while I wait for my train so took it into your shop whilst I picked something to eat for dinner. Told I couldn’t take my bike in. Congrats on losing a sale and a customer!
— Edouard Guidon (@edouardminh) April 29, 2019
Edouard Guidon questioned the supermarket on Twitter about them refusing him entry into their Paddington Station store in London. When asked to elaborate on why it was a hygiene issue, this was their response…
Unfortunately as we are selling fresh produce and other foods you wouldn’t be able to bring your bike in. This is because the bike runs the risk of contaminating the food on the shelves and causing potential risk to customers buying the produce. Hope this helps. Thanks. Daniel
— Sainsbury’s (@sainsburys) April 29, 2019
This left many folks questioning if such a policy actually existed; plus bikes aren’t the only objects with wheels that could end up in a Sainsbury’s shop, wheelchairs and their own trolleys being two examples…
It’s unclear to me why a bike would be any less hygienic than, say, somebody’s luggage or buggy or, hey, bare hands or shoes, but ok. If that’s the case, could you speak to Network Rail about making it easier to leave my bike in a secure space near your supermarket?
— Edouard Guidon (@edouardminh) April 29, 2019
So your own trolley wheels are sterilised every day then? I had no problem taking my bike into your Darnley store yesterday morning so someone is telling porkies.
— Martin Porter (@TheCyclingScot) April 29, 2019
One reply questioned the complainant’s failure to spot that there are in fact 380 bike racks in Paddington, however, to which he said Sainsbury’s could have been a little more helpful in guiding towards the bike parking.
See, that’s a sensible response – I’m still getting to know the station and the options for bike parking. If I’d been told that – either on here or by the security guard, in a courteous manner – it would have been fine. But I wasn’t.
— Edouard Guidon (@edouardminh) April 30, 2019
To be fair to Sainsbury’s we’re not sure if the bike in question was brand spanking new or just back from a CX race, but even so banning anything with wheels from their stores would seem to be pretty unworkable… what do you reckon?
30 April 2019, 18:53
Nothing to see here...
“Move over amateurs…
…oh, and helmets are for cats!” pic.twitter.com/XfSmrPaXfL— Cycling Professor (@fietsprofessor) April 29, 2019
30 April 2019, 18:53
Labour MP Fabian Hamilton calls for Minister for Cycling in the cabinet at All Party Cycling meeting
This morning we are hosting a meeting in conjunction with @WeAreCyclingUK about ‘Funding for Cycling’ pic.twitter.com/KaYWZGNy2R
— APPCG (@allpartycycling) April 30, 2019
At the meeting in London this morning, Hamilton also said that says that Leeds has a population of 800,000 but has never received any significant funding for cycling. Cycling UK’s Roger Geffen also spoke earlier, talking about Cycling UK’s campaign to encourage people to write to their MP’s to ask for more funding for cycling. Also discussed was a confusing graph made by the government that states a driver is worth more to the economy that cyclists, pedestrians and rail passengers.
Very interesting to hear @allpartycycling discussing the government’s view that drivers’ time is more valuable than cyclists.
Not many people realise that this isn’t just an issue of perception, it’s official government recommendation pic.twitter.com/8YuPHSfUY3
— Peter Stuart (@PeterStuart3) April 30, 2019
30 April 2019, 18:53
So farewell then, Team Sky
So farewell then, Team Sky.
“This is the line … ”
Yes, that was your mantra.
Some disliked Murdoch’s backing.
Jim Ratcliffe’s response?
“Hold my beer.”
In a plastic cup.
(With apologies to EJ Thribb)
30 April 2019, 18:53
“Get lights, wear bright colours and a helmet" - Skoda's safety message to cyclists
“Get lights, wear bright colours and a helmet and that will keep you safe” – that’s the message to cyclists in a video from Skoda’s We Love Cycling website that has seen the Czech car manufacturer accused of victim-blaming.
The video, called To Hell and Back on a Bike, attempts to point out to cyclists (and motorists) things they should and shouldn’t do to keep safe, and the first thing you’ll notice is that despite it being voiced in English by a certain ‘Paul’ it certainly wasn’t filmed in the UK – it was shot in Rijeka, Croatia.
That means that the video, in which the male cyclist is a professional stuntman, contains some advice that is contrary to the situation in the UK, given that in Croatia, as elsewhere on the continent, driving is on the right.
It’s accompanied by a three-level safety quiz on the website, and was flagged up by road.cc reader James, who said: “ Nice bit of victim blaming from Skoda under the banner of ‘We Love Cycling’.
30 April 2019, 18:53
Pro tip: When showing off the new sponsor, maybe zip the jersey up?
Introducing Team Ineeoos …
Ahead of the opening time trial at Tour de Romandie @GeraintThomas86 shows off our one-off kit for the race #TDR2019 pic.twitter.com/NDX3CEmyDp
— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) April 30, 2019
30 April 2019, 18:53
Oxford promise to keep your chain minty fresh with launch of mint lubes
Why you would want or need to we’re not sure, but you can now buy minty chain lube from Oxford Products. The range contains 75ml and 150ml bottle sizes and there are wet, dry and a general ‘365’ version to choose from. You can search for your nearest stockist at oxfordproducts.com.
30 April 2019, 18:53
Rapha reveals Pro Team Lightweight Shadow Jacket
Eagle-eyed viewers might have spotted a new Rapha jacket being worn by members of EF Education First racing Liège–Bastogne–Liège on Sunday. The updated version of the Pro Team Lightweight Shadow Jacket is similar to the previous design but it uses a much lighter fabric.
“Our proprietary Shadow fabric is back, but not as you’ve seen it before,” says Rapha. “Constructed using the same technique of stretch weaving yarns dipped in a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment, our new fabric incorporates threads that are just as strong but even lighter. Treated for a second time with DWR, the technique creates an out-of-the-pocket jacket whose feathery weight belies its incredible wind and water-resistant properties.”
Unlike most fabrics designed to do a similar job, Rapha’s doesn’t rely on a membrane. Rapha reckons that this makes for exceptional breathability.
“The woven fabric also provides an element of mechanical stretch and wraps around a rider’s body to create a tight race fit. A full-length, two-way zip allows for easy adjustments on the fly while a reflective armband combines with reflective bands to vastly improve your visibility while riding through the gloom.”
Tanel Kangert, Michael Woods and Simon Clarke were all spotted wearing the Pro Team Lightweight Shadow Jacket at the weekend.
We’ll ask the nice people at Rapha if we can get one in for review.
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.
Jack is group editor across road.cc, off.road.cc and ebiketips, overseeing all three sites in the F-At Digital group to make sure everything’s up to scratch. He’s been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of road.cc including tech, news and video, and also contributed to ebiketips before being named editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town, and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism, and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
36 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
Rendel Harris 13 minutes ago
@mdavidford Most importantly, will someone name a range of exotic (well, exotic for the 1980s) snacks after me?
Rendel Harris 16 minutes ago
@mctrials23 Nerdy sort of fact, if the RTW challenge was to cycle round the equator, which would make sense in a way with that being the longest circumference of our oblate spheroid, it would only take 8,714 kilometres of cycling as the rest of the 40,075km would be by boat.
Blackhound 1 hour ago
Two points. A few months I read an article about racing one of these ultra’s and the person (I can’t recall who) said that the route they used would not be safe today due to geopolitics. Secondly, 10 years ago I was chatting to Chris Bennett in NZ about his hope to race around the world. He was on about riding way up into Norway to get a load of European miles in rather than some hot places in Asia. Last year he achieved a finish in 129+ days aged 66 but he did not stick to the plan he outlined all those years ago. I believe the problem with what counts as unsupported over that time or distance is difficult to monitor. One example would be staying at a friend’s house overnight in Australia - does that count as support?
Mr Blackbird 2 hours ago
"Tough titties losers. It's natural selection. I am a high achieving go-getter and can afford a huge high up SUV to keep me and my family safe. My kids will no doubt go on to be high achieving go-getters with even bigger SUVs. Anyone who is not a high achiever deserves a bit of jeopardy to spur them on. Bring back Margaret Thatcher! Although, I have a lot of time for Farage!"
tomlew 2 hours ago
More concept bikes and more vapourware - exactly what you need after you've just laid off 320 people in search for savings!
mdavidford 3 hours ago
Will I happen to run into someone who has a hot air balloon they'll sell me? Have I remembered to account for crossing the International Date Line?
dave atkinson 3 hours ago
@mctrials23 yeah i don't disagree, but you can't really mandate a round-the-world route i don't think, there are just too many moving parts. maybe there's a middle ground (like in the TCR) where you have to do specific sections you can pretty much guarantee will be open and rideable, but then I guess it's a new record and that would annul anything up to now.
mdavidford 3 hours ago
Per the comment on Friday's Live Blog, this doesn't necessarily tell us much about the effectiveness of these statements on those who haven't already made a decision on what they're likely to buy. The protocol primed participants by asking them about their views before seeing the statements, creating a psychological commitment to their decision, and thereby making them less likely to be susceptible to pay attention to information that might otherwise have influenced against it.
36 thoughts on “Live blog: MP calls for Minister for Cycling in cabinet, “Hygiene” –Sainsbury’s kicks out cyclist who wanted to bring bike in shop, “Get lights, wear bright colours and a helmet” – Skoda’s cycle safety message; New Rapha jacket; Pro tip – zip it! +more”
Obviously, they’re just using
Obviously, they’re just using hygiene as an excuse (unless he was trying to bunny hop onto the cabbages and then wheely all over the spuds). I’ve used that Sainsbury’s occasionally and I’ve seen some drunk and unhygienic people in there, so they’re not too concerned about it.
As it’s a small shop, I reckon they just didn’t want the space taken up with a bike as most supermarkets will have a friendly security guard who’ll keep your bike watched over.
What’s bad here is that the
What’s bad here is that the staff were unable to be straightforward or helpful. Do they behave in the same way when people enter with suitcases on wheels or pushchairs?
On the other hand this cyclist shouldn’t be making a fuss – it should be obvious to the meanest intelligence that a bicycle presents an unecessasry hazard in a shop. However, he does climb down when he responds to MrDenis, so he’s not totally obstinate.
Slow news day?
Reading the Twitter thread,
Reading the Twitter thread, it looks like the guy with his bike in Sainsbury’s is just extremely entitled. If you’re told you can’t take your bike into a shop, you have to accept that, regardless of the reason – to expect to be allowed to just bring any large object into a small, busy shop is ridiculous. The point about hygeine is clearly made up, but that doesn’t detract from the reality that expecting to be able to walk your bike around a shop is extremely inconsiderate.
And this is the best part:
‘I’m asking Sainsbury’s as a stakeholder of the commercial space to make it easier for me to access your store, so I’m not sure I agree. I don’t think I have any obligation or investment in the store to push for Network Rail to make it easier to shop there. I’ll just go elswehere.’ – https://twitter.com/edouardminh/status/1122978322206679040
I hope he reads this back once he calms down a little bit and realises how embarassing and entitled he is.
What’s different about a bike
What’s different about a bike is that unless it has a stand you’ve got to lean it against something to keep it upright – and that something could be food. Personally I don’t want Sainsburys clogged up with push bikes – doesn’t seem too much to ask to park it outside to me.
Sainsburys home delivery driver asked me for ID on Sunday morning . I got my wife to take over as I was going to accuse him of being a jobsworth. Apparently it was to prove I was over 18 as we’d ordered a bottle of wine. I’m 52! Must be all that cycling makes me look so young. Maybe not though, as my wife then had to show her ID, she doesn’t cycle much and she’s 53!
danhopgood wrote:
I would agree. Buf if you’ve popped into the shop for a packet of crisps and a bottle of Diet Coke, then it’s a simple matter to put them into a plastic bag that you’ve hooked over the hoods of your brake levers.
What, you mean you don’t carry a couple of spare plastic carrier bags?? 🙂
As HP says, it’s an excuse.
As HP says, it’s an excuse. A Tesco security guard (admittedly, in a small ‘Express’ store, rather than in a superstore) let me take my bike into the shop once. And another – in an equally small store – refused. It’s entirely arbitrary, probably depending on the mood of the bloke at the door, and when questioned, the stores fall back on the ‘health and safety’ gobshite.
Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:
Presumably he wouldn’t have been so miffed off if the guard had openly said, “Sorry, there isn’t room – but there’s parking round the corner” or some such.
I think he went off the deep end at being told only that he couldn’t come in because his bike was dirty and unhygienic (which *is* stupid, because the wheels of a bike are no more unhygienic than a pair of shoes, as others have said).
brooksby wrote:
Indeed. At the end of the day, it is their shop, and it’s really up to them whom they allow in, and under what conditions. I would love to nip to the local Asda and wheel my bike around whilst filling my apidura bags with shopping, before paying and cycling back home. But they won’t let me, so… whatever. There’s really not much I can do about it.
brooksby wrote:
The only possible difference, from a hygene point of view, is that a bicycle tyre is higher up than a shoe is likly to be – more comparable with (say) a wheel chair tyre. I would be very surprised if Sainsbury’s is selling ready to eat fresh produce that isn’t covered in several layers of plastic. Fresh fruit and veg isn’t generally considered ‘ready to eat’ – consumers are advised to wash or peel before consumption.
Regarding ‘parking round the corner’ the x00 cycle parking spaces in Paddington Station is woefully inadequate – I’ve never seen an empty space there.
I’ve never tried taking my bike into a supermarket, but I have often considered it. I don’t think it is an unreasonable thing to do (assuming it is not ridden) – it is probably less of an obstruction than the average supermarket trolley.
Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:
I am not sure it is necessarily arbitrary. Our local Tesco Express doesn’t like me locking my bike to the trolley rack as, to be fair, it can get in the way and the guard sometimes lets me take it in and other times watches it for me. I think a big part of which comes down to how many people are in the shop. If it is fairly empty they are happy for me to take it in, if there are a fair few people in there, they would rather I leave it outside.
Seems to work pretty well for the most part.
Poor young Edouard Guidon, it
Poor young Edouard Guidon, it sounds like the phrase snowflake was coined just for him.
What’s funny is that I’m
What’s funny is that I’m allowed in with my handcycle, and they literally legally aren’t allowed to tell me otherwise (at least, if I’m not on my recumbent).
I’ve had, uh, discussions with some guards, in particular at the one by UCH – who generally freeze up and go very quiet once I point out that it’s a wheelchair.
Having said that – Paddington has loads of bike storage. The guard should probably have just directed him there, that store is rather small…
Th only thing I’m getting
Th only thing I’m getting from this is the relief that I don’t live in an area that needs security guards in supermarkets!
Kendalred wrote:
I didn’t know there were such areas!
Do you live in Trumpton? Whatever town it is that Postman Pat lives in, or that island with Thomas the Tank Engine?
If Sainsburys were that
If Sainsburys were that bothered about hygiene they’d be better starting with people rather than wheels. Never seen a tyre cough all over the produce.
I have seen people popping
I have seen people popping folded Bromptons in their supermarket trolleys.
ktache wrote:
Was once refused entry to my local Waitrose when doing just that.
I draw the line at taking my Big Dummy into supermarkets.
I’ve been refused entry to
I’ve been refused entry to Tesco, with the security guard giving the same reason. He was fine with the woman who followed me in wearing a pair of pyjamas and some old slippers with holes in though.
Some people just hate other people who ride bikes.
Now that was the most
Now that was the most exciting bike race I’ve watched!
– Bike handling
– Sprinting and action from the word go
-About long enough for my attention span.
UCI please introduce a balance-bike stage in all stage races.
What is it with drivers who
What is it with drivers who feel that they have to tell me what to do to be safe? Some of the info for drivers was useful though, but helmets and hi-viz……….omg, not again.
The fact that they voiced it over in English, presumably for a Brit audience when it’s the wrong way around is farcical, stupid and possibly dangerous. If that is typical of Skoda’s approach to road safety, I won’t be buying one of their cars any time soon; or ever.
burtthebike wrote:
I was approaching a junction about three years or so ago. Left lane was ‘left turn only’ and right lane was straight on or right turn. I was in the right lane as I was going straight on, and there was a car driver pulling up in the left lane and indicating left. On the left kerb, was an elderly lady on a mobility scooter.
As I approached, the driver extended his right arm out of his window, and started to wave his hand in a ‘slow down!’ motion. I found this curious as I was probably going at walking pace by that time.
As I drew alongside, I looked at him with an arched eyebrow, kind of ‘what was that all about?’ look.
‘Didn’t want you to hit the old lady,’ he said.
‘Your lot kill five people every single day,’ I replied. ‘And I’m the one you think needs to be careful? You think I’m fucking blind?’
By this time, the lady was across, and I cycled away, rather pissed off.
Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:
I’d sort of assumed that was your default setting…
brooksby wrote:
LOL.
Not quite. 🙂
brooksby wrote:
My wife has instructed me to tell you that she agrees with you.
THat safety video doesn’t
THat safety video doesn’t really work – trying to cover too many issues too quickly. I think the point being made is we’ve all got a responsibility to act sensibly on the roads -it just doesn’t do it effectively. I don’t have an issue with the points about being visible and wearing a helmet – that’s as recommended in the Highway Code and a sensible precaution in my view.
danhopgood wrote:
https://theconversation.com/cars-bicycles-and-the-fatal-myth-of-equal-reciprocity-81034
“So farewell then, Team Sky
“So farewell then, Team Sky
So farewell then, Team Sky.
“This is the line … ”
Yes, that was your mantra.
Some disliked Murdoch’s backing.
Jim Ratcliffe’s response?
“Hold my beer.”
In a plastic cup.
(With apologies to EJ Thribb)”
Having read some of Master Thribb’s compositions, no apology required. I’m pretty sure he would be proud.
Are all Skodas painted in Hi
Are all Skodas painted in Hi Viz then?
Drivers kill each other in far greater numbers than us.
Oh, and as an edit because I forgot- Driving helmets.
Here’s some more choice
Here’s some more choice victim blaming from Skoda’s We Love Cycling website:
“some statistics indicate that 60% of cyclists who lose their lives in the saddle seal their fates themselves.”
“The bottom line is that in the majority of cases, fatal injuries of cyclists are caused by the cyclists themselves.”
It requires a lot of cherry picking to find any data that supports those claims; the overwhelming majority of reports put the blame on drivers somewhere between 50-80% of the time.
I’ve cancelled my new Skoda.
Why not go to their website and let them know how you feel..
inicholson wrote:
They could at least have had it checked by a native English speaker “….or if you stop for refreshment and treat yourself with a little more pints than you should to successfully get into a tunnel.” Apart from the grammar, does anyone know what this might possibly mean?
And of course the usual victim blaming for not wearing a helmet “Cycling without a helmet as a way to commit suicide?”
Just sent them this “I’ve just come across this website, and frankly, I haven’t seen a more misleading, misinformed, inaccurate site for a very long time. At the very least you should change the name to wehatecycling, otherwise you could be infringing the trades descriptions act.”
info@welovecycling.com for anyone who feels like emailing them.
inicholson wrote:
Written by the cheap-skate (and downright ****ing ignorant) purchasers of Skoda vehicles – ****ing private-hire/taxi drivers/firms.
Aye … but Skoda ain’t Skoda any more; they’re the second most profitable of the Volkswagen Group’s brands? Remember Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate”. See U Next Tuesdays.
Didn’t Scoda use Bradley
Didn’t Scoda use Bradley Wiggins in one of their ads, was he responsible when hit by a woman driving her van out of garage forecourt?
And it’s almost as though those who open the car door without looking have no responsibility for their (illegal and dangerous) actions.
Rapha continue to use a photo
Rapha continue to use a photo of Woods in a short sleeve Shadow Jersey with arm warmers while advertising the new Shadow Lightweight Jacket. Nobody bothered to check the ads that came back from the graphics department.
Tried to take my bike into
Tried to take my bike into the Apple store in Covent Garden a few years ago. Forgot my charger and had to pick up a spare. Security said I couldn’t take it in, no reason, just wasn’t allowed. No where to lock bike. Thankfully a lovely lady said she would look after it for the 5 mins I went in to pick up what I needed and pay.
ragtag wrote:
I’m always kind of surprised that Apple stores don’t make all visitors wear those blue shoe-covers like scientists and CSIs wear.
Skoda wrote:
“some statistics”. SOME! Do I even need to comment on this complete drivel published in the name of marketing?