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Live blog: Call to ban “menace” rush-hour cyclists from towpaths; Shared path pushchair etiquette; TdF withdrawal? Watch ‘Best of … ‘ vid; Thick as thieves – ram-raiders steal e-bike … without charger + more

All the news from the site and beyond as we start a new week...
Mon, Jul 29, 2019 16:36
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Drop Your Pace (copyright Simon MacMichael)
29 July 2019, 18:06
Oliver Naesen Eddy Merckx Corsa (4).jpg
ICYMI - Take a look at the gorgeous Eddy Merckx Corsa steel framed bike Oliver Naesen rode on the Champs-Elysees yesterday

Marketing gimmick? Of course. Thing of beauty? Oh yes.

More details and pictures here.

29 July 2019, 16:51
Tour de France withdrawal symptoms?

It's a bit of a comedown after three weeks of hectic racing ... hopefully the official Best of ... video of this year's race will stop you going completely cold turkey.

29 July 2019, 15:17
Stupid is as stupid does: thieves manage to steal one e-bike without its charger after ram raiding Cornwall bike shop
top gear ebike shop raid, via Facebook

Top Gear Ltd Electric Bikes in Cornwall were sadly ram raided at the weekend, with significant damage done to the frontage of the shop - but at least the thieves turned out not to be the brightest bunch, making off with just one charger-less e-bike. Full story on eBikeTips. 

29 July 2019, 14:29
Cyclescheme Cycle to Work challenge week 5 - win a Cube Touring Hybrid e-bike worth £1,999
cycle to work day

Number five in the seven weeks of challenges to mark Cycle to Work Day on 8th August is all about celebrating a group of people who help make cycling possible – local bike shop staff! Your LBS heroes help riders gear up, get the lowdown on cycling in the
local area and spread the message of everyday cycling for everyone. This challenge is all
about recognising your local bike store, plus bagging yourself the chance to win a new e-bike too. 
For the chance to win a Cube Touring Hybrid e-bike worth £1,999, riders need to log a ride
on the Cyclescheme Love to Ride community and upload a selfie taken outside your local
bike store, all before the 4th August.

Here's the Love to Ride link again just in case, and you can also find out more on Cyclescheme's website. 

29 July 2019, 13:41
On the forum: some mothers do block 'em
Bristol to Bath Railway Path (CC licensed by Ian Haskins via Flickr).jpg

Coincidentally we've got another debate popped up on our forum over shared use path etiquette, this time from the point of view of a cyclist who is unsure what to do about buggies blocking the way.  

General consensus so far? It might be poor form, but there's nothing you can do and it's inevitable some path users will be less accommodating than others...   

29 July 2019, 12:35
Ban “menace” rush-hour cyclists from canal towpaths, urges Guardian article

A Guardian journalist has called for “menace” cyclists to be banned from canal towpaths at rush hours, saying they are unsustainable as commuting routes due to speeding riders and narrow paths making them unsuitable for sharing with people on foot.

Mark Townsend, the newspaper’s home affairs editor, admits “racing” along towpaths and “swerving past mothers with prams or cutting up small dogs” in his haste to get to work, saying his “desire to reach the office on time was patently causing misery to others.”

He switched to a longer route by road, which “was profoundly more dangerous, but felt liberating.”

Townsend admits many cyclists ride on towpaths because of the lack of safe infrastructure elsewhere, but insists that “canals, particularly in rush hour, have become the domain of bicycles, the trucks of the towpath.”

He continues: “These waterways should be calm spaces where people seek solace. In our cities, their value is obvious as green spaces, linear escapes from the stresses of urban life,” rather than routes for fast-moving commuters.

He adds that codes of conduct are ignored by many, and is calling for a rush-hour ban on cyclists, with transgressors fined – and that money going towards investing in cycling infrastructure.

What do you think? Should all cyclists be banned from towpaths at certain times because of the actions of some riders? Or should other ways be found that can help reduce conflict on the towpath? Let us know in the comments below.

29 July 2019, 12:04
Drops Cycling Team may have to sell team bus to carry on beyond August
tk18_madone_slr_disc_drops_01_1.jpg

In an interview with the team's founder Bob Varney, Reuters report that Britain's only pro female cycling team may have to sell their team bus in order to fund their September racing schedule: “I’ve been the biggest investor in the team for over four years, it’s been a retirement-changing investment. We have enough funding to get to through August, then we have September to fund, which is why we might have to sell truck.

“That’s basically how dire it is.”

Varney also revealed that the riders are no longer getting paid, and only survived thanks to his own investment, goodwill from volunteers and a new bike sponsor in Cannondale after their relationship with Trek ended.

29 July 2019, 11:59
New one-legged edition of the Tour de France on the cards?

Or instead we can just hope Froome is back on the road pedalling with both his legs soon. Though clearly sad about missing out this year, he was full of praise and very happy for young teammate Egan Bernal on his first Tour de France victory in a tweet last night. 

29 July 2019, 11:32
The New Lawn (via Forest Green Rovers on Facebook)
Football club may name bike rack after fan who complained about lack of cycle parking

League 2 football club Forest Green Rovers are considering naming a new bike stand after a visiting supporter who complained about the lack of cycle parking at its ground in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire.

Bristol City supporter Ricky Wiltshire, who lives in nearby Tetbury, said he had to lock his bike to a “random fence” when he went to see the sides play a friendly last week, reports Gloucestershire Live.

The club, which underlines its green credentials, said it had been planning to install cycle parking and that it could already store bikes safely for those who requested it.

A spokesman said: “We’re in the process of installing a dedicated bike rack this closed season – it’s one of the last things on our to do list," he said.

"We don’t see a great deal of demand for bike storage, when compared to electric car charging, because climbing the hill to our ground would floor Bradley Wiggins.

"Those who have the raw power to get to The New Lawn on two wheels have always been welcome, and we’ve given them a safe place to store their bike.

He added: "We’re considering naming the new bike rack 'The Ricky Wiltshire Stand' after the cyclist as a fun gesture.”

Mr Wiltshire commented: "That has really tickled me. I would be honoured. If they're having an opening ceremony, I'll be straight out there.”

29 July 2019, 08:26
Lenhard's Transcon has now ended

He gave his leader's cap to then-female leader Fiona Kolbinger last night in a show of respect, however in a cruel twist of irony Björn Lenhard's own Transcon is now over. More updates as we get them. 

29 July 2019, 08:10
Transcontinental latest: Fiona Kolbinger is in the overall lead

The Transcontinental Race has well and truly begun, with numerous riders of the 250 who started now past checkpoint number 2. The first to arrive at CP2 was Björn Lenhard, who in an act of class gave his leader's cap to then female leader Fiona Kolbinger - however Lenhard was back at the checkpoint barely an hour after setting off, saying he'd been stung by a wasp, and decided to take refuge at the hotel for the night. 

Out of CP2 the race leader was Jonathan Rankin; however according to the tracker Kolbinger is now out in front as the route winds through Serbia. Looks like we're in for a fascinating race, head over to the Transcontinental live tracker for updates. 

29 July 2019, 08:02
Best ever Tour de France? Have a vote and let us know what you think
 

From the heroics of Julian Alaphillipe, to the crazy breakaways to the epic stages, this year's Tour has had plenty of high drama and has certainly been one of the best in living memory for many of us... but is it the best ever? Those who are old enough may point to the madness of 1989 when Greg Lemond triumphed on the final day's time trial to win by eight seconds. Some might say Lance Armstrong's toughest Tour victory in 2003 is up there, although according to the official results it now technically never happened. 

What do you think? Cast your votes and do feel free to expand on your choice in the comments... 

29 July 2019, 07:57
Well deserved

Bernal's got ale on his mind, and who can blame him...

29 July 2019, 07:53
Top bombing

Although he hasn't been quite so prominent at this Tour while still managing to retain his green jersey, Peter Sagan couldn't help grabbing a bit of the limelight as Team Ineos had their photocall to celebrate Egan Bernal's overall victory. Never change Peter... 

29 July 2019, 07:49
Chaos at junior TTT as riders are allowed to continue onto completely flooded road and crash

Health and safety doesn't appear to exist at this junior race in Catalonia, where the riders are bizarrely allowed to continue riding along a road that is completely flooded up ahead - the inevitable happens when the water becomes too deep for the wheels to keep on turning, and luckily it appears no one was seriously hurt. 

29 July 2019, 07:43
Brad (just about staying) on a bike

Another highlight from a memorable tour for many has been the wight of Wiggo on the back of a motorcycle giving his pearls of wisdom on Eurosport's coverage - and here it seems he'd been taking advantage of the champagne being dished out by the team cars on stage 21. 

He also described his experience as on-bike commentator as his best tour experience, high praise indeed. 

Jack Sexty

After cobbling together a few hundred quid during his student days off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story), Jack bought his first road bike at the age of 20 and has been hooked ever since. He was Staff Writer at 220 Triathlon magazine for two years before joining road.cc in 2017, and reports on all things tech as well as editing the road.cc live blog. He is also the news editor of our electric-powered sister site eBikeTips. Jack's preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking (the latter being another long story), and on Sunday afternoons he can often be found on an M5 service station indulging in his favourite post-race meal of 20 chicken nuggets, a sausage roll, caramel shortbread and a large strawberry milkshake. 

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