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Live blog: Wiggo gets a bell (no, not the ding-dong kind) from snooker ace ‘Aussie’ Ronnie O’Sullivan, Carbon fibre disc rotors, anyone?, Ouchee – grazed arse cheek for Giro (ex) leader Roglic + more

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
UPDATED Fri, May 17, 2019 16:50
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Live blog: Wiggo gets a bell (no, not the ding-dong kind) from snooker ace ‘Aussie’ Ronnie O’Sullivan, Carbon fibre disc rotors, anyone?, Ouchee – grazed arse cheek for Giro (ex) leader Roglic + moreWiggins and bell (London 2012).PNG
16 May 2019, 19:31
Wiggo gets a bell from 'Aussie' Ronnie O'Sullivan

It seems as though our live blog isn't complete these days without a daily dose of Wiggo, but today's offering is a bit out there ... snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan ringing in with a question for the Tour de France winner and five-time Olympic champion.

And why, you ask, does O'Sullivan, who grew up in Chigwell, Essex, speak thus? Well,  here's how he explained it earlier this year: "I just feel totally positive, the Aussies are just winners, you’ve got to love a winner,’ explained O’Sullivan. ‘Our English, we love a loser, so I thought I’m fed up of being a loser, so I’m going to talk like a winner, like the Aussies."

16 May 2019, 18:56
A great day for home riders at the Giro

Read our report here.

Giro d'Ital;ia 2019 Stage 6 - Fausto Masnada wins (picture RCS Sport, La Presse)
16 May 2019, 14:25
16 May 2019, 14:25
Australia's MAMIL trend sees middle-aged cyclists soar as percentage of injured riders admitted to hospital

From 7 per cent in 1999-2000, cyclists aged 45-64 now make up 27 per cent of injured riders admitted to hospital. Read more here.

16 May 2019, 14:15
16 May 2019, 13:58
Big Ben © Simon MacMichael
On your bike! Cycling expenses MP hits back at critical media coverage

Matt Western has also urged other MPs to get in the saddle to show leadership on tackling climate change - read what he had to say here.

16 May 2019, 12:37
Carbon disc rotors anybody?

If lightweight inner tubes weren't enough for you, then how about some carbon fibre disc rotors? We're sure we've seen carbon rotors before, but these are brand new and weigh just 68g for a 140mm rotor, which compares to about 100g for a stainless steel disc rotor. 

We've contacted the company for more details. 

16 May 2019, 12:30
How light are your inner tubes?

We've been checking out these orange inner tubes from Tubolito. They weigh a scant 42g each. Check out our first look and video below. 

16 May 2019, 11:43
Edinburgh anti-cycling campaigner kicked out of council meeting for making bizarre claim that cycle route will “asphyxiate Ruth Davidson’s baby”

Councillors in Edinburgh are distancing themselves from a rogue former Labour Party member who sent a press release around the meeting titled: "Edinburgh Council plans to asphyxiate Ruth Davidson's baby."

Culprit Pete Gregson is currently suspended from the Labour Party for allegedly expressing support for a known Holocaust denier (sounds like a lovely bloke so far) and regularly pedals the opinion that a proposed cycle route expansion through the Roseburn area of the city will increase air pollution - this was his motivation for the ridiculous attack on the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party and her baby boy.   

As if his non-existent grasp of GCSE science wasn't enough to get him thrown out, Gregson was finally removed from the meeting by transport and environment convener, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, who called the comments “utterly shameful”, reports The Scotsman. As he was ejected, Gregson shouted  “please let baby Finn live” and “watch out for the future, folks”.

While this was an utterly appalling attack on Ms Davidson and her family, in a separate issue altogether she has actually been criticised by pro-cycling campaigners recently for having a dig against the SNP for proposing a parking tax levy on those who drive to work. The first reply to her Twitter post (below) reads: “Thanks for the heads up, I’ve responded with my enthusiastic support for the levy.”

16 May 2019, 11:26
One out, one in.

Madison Genesis have just announced that Jon Dibben will join the British squad after Connor Swift left to join Arkéa Samsic.
Speaking on Madison Genesis' website, Dibben said

"I’m really grateful to Roger for bringing me in and I’m excited to get back racing.

It’s probably the most solid team from a UK-perspective for the whole package. With Roger there and the history, it’s a good team to come into and continue to progress."

Team boss Roger Hammond seems rather pleased to have the ex-World Tour rider on the team.

"The difficult transfer market has given us the opportunity to secure Jon – a rider with World Tour winning ability. That experience is invaluable and is something that the rest of the team can really benefit from.

We’ve had Connor move on and that has opened up a gap for someone with that similar kind of ability to step into the team – someone who is quick at the end of races and has the ability to finish races off."

16 May 2019, 11:18
On the forum: is a noisy freehub poor form?
Chris King R45 hub1

An unusual tale of woe from one of our forum posters, who was accused of hassling the rider in front with a noisy freehub! Add you tuppence worth here. 

16 May 2019, 10:42
Giro stage 6 - Roglic involved in crash

The Maglia Rosa was caught up in a crash but is back in his bike, albeit with a hefty bit of his shorts missing. The peloton is now back together with a small breakaway formed by seven riders after 49km of the monster 238km stage. 

16 May 2019, 10:31
Froome running out of time to catch up in the Giro...
16 May 2019, 09:38
Who else can relate?

Whether it's attacking your mates on the club run or trying a solo break in a race I think we can all relate to this one!

16 May 2019, 09:26
PBK Bike Box just £199.99
PBK Bike Box 2

There's currently a whopping 58% off this brilliant bike box.

At the time of writing this, all three colours are down to this super-low price but previous sales have sold out really quickly so head this way to grab yours.

16 May 2019, 07:42
The race leader at the Tour de France will wear a unique yellow jersey each day to celebrate its 100th anniversary
yellow jersey 100 years.PNG

From stage 2 through to stage 21, this year at the end of each stage the general classification leader will wear a unique yellow jersey. Made in France by Le Coq Sportif, images to appear on the jerseys will include The Atomium in Brussels, Reims Cathedral, the Lion of Belfort, the Place du Capitole in Toulouse and Eugène Christophe. The stage 21 jersey will fittingly feature the Arc de Triomphe. Race director Christian Prudhomme said: "The jerseys are unique this year because each jersey is different and features either the race routes or the champions that have contributed to the history of the Tour de France. We will leave from Brussels where the first Yellow Jersey will feature the Atomium, the last will feature the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysées, while others will feature a portrait of Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain for example. It will be something really special for the 100th anniversary of the Yellow Jersey."

16 May 2019, 07:22
Tejay van Garderen misses turn after borrowing teammate's bike

Van Garderen borrowed Aussie teammate Lachlan Morton's bike after reportedly snapping a chain, only to miss a turn because he couldn't get used to Morton's front brake right/rear brake left set-up favoured by us here in the UK. Controversially Van Garderen was awarded the same field time as those up ahead involved in a huge crash 3km from the finish, even though he wasn't directly impacted by it at the time. 

16 May 2019, 07:15
Tour of California: crazy end to stage as Tejay van Garderen keeps overall lead, Sagan fined

The stage was won by Fabio Jakobsen of Quick-Step, but there was plenty of drama with 3km to go as a mass pile-up saw GC contenders caught up in the melee. Overall leader Tejay van Garderen lost time and his yellow jersey initially due to a mechanical further back but, after plenty of deliberation, stayed in the lead as all riders affected in any way by the crash were given field time. 

Peter Sagan was fined for 'failure to respect instructions of the organiser'. 

Jack Sexty

Jack has 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 the website 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). 

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34 comments

Avatar
fenix replied to srchar | 5 years ago
0 likes
srchar wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Mark B wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

They won't reduce climate change, pollution from tyre and brake dust,

I totally agree with you in general, but electric cars do reduce pollution from brake dust. As they use regenerative braking, they use their friction brakes a lot less than petrol or diesel cars, so there should be a lot less brake dust produced.

Fair point, but they still use brakes and will produce brake dust.  How much less, I don't know, but they will still produce it.

I occasionally drive a BMW i3. If you plan ahead, you don't need to touch the friction brakes. Sadly, I find the challenge of driving to my destination without touching the brake pedal rather entertaining...

Just out of interest - does the regeneration put the brake lights on or not ?

Avatar
fenix replied to srchar | 5 years ago
0 likes
srchar wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Mark B wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

They won't reduce climate change, pollution from tyre and brake dust,

I totally agree with you in general, but electric cars do reduce pollution from brake dust. As they use regenerative braking, they use their friction brakes a lot less than petrol or diesel cars, so there should be a lot less brake dust produced.

Fair point, but they still use brakes and will produce brake dust.  How much less, I don't know, but they will still produce it.

I occasionally drive a BMW i3. If you plan ahead, you don't need to touch the friction brakes. Sadly, I find the challenge of driving to my destination without touching the brake pedal rather entertaining...

Just out of interest - does the regeneration put the brake lights on or not ?

Avatar
Simon E replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago
2 likes

burtthebike wrote:

they still use brakes and will produce brake dust.  How much less, I don't know, but they will still produce it.

And they still wear out the tyres, another source of particulate pollution.

They take up a parking space (or block the pavement) and extend a queue just as effectively as a fossil fuel car.

They are similarly capable of intimidating or injuring other road users.

They require maintenance and there are serious concerns over battery life and the environmental and social impact of the mining industry.

The inefficiency of distribution via the National Grid means that the increase in demand for electricity generation if lots of people switch will require disproportionately more electricity to be generated.

Alongside cycling, electric scooter (mopeds) tick a good number of boxes. Two wheels FTW.

Avatar
peted76 | 5 years ago
1 like

TdF jerseys look nice this year..  but honestly, I'm only spending my money on stickers.

 

I wonder how many yellow jerseys (merchandise) they sell each year - can't be many surely?

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