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Peleton raises $1Billion; Zwift World Champs for 2020; (More) trees in cycle lanes; Are you smug cycling guy at work? Ouch! in Austrian + Lego; Surf & more in the Live Blog

All the news from the site and beyond
27 September 2019, 10:26
First look: Bkool Smart Air Lite trainer

Bkool has a new direct drive smart trainer called the Smart Air Lite that allows you to ride in the brand's own virtual world as well as on Strava, TrainerRoad and other third-party platforms. Priced £750, it is considerably cheaper than the existing Smart Air.

Bkool Air Lite - 1.jpg

Get all the deets here.

26 September 2019, 15:26
Peloton Let's Go
Peloton raises… One. Billion. Dollars…

Sticking with pedalling indoors, it was announced this week that Peloton – the virtual spin class startup – has raised over a billion dollars in its initial public offering (IPO).

A billion.

With a B.

Peloton Interactive Inc. was founded in 2012. It produces a £2,000 home exercise bike that enables users to take part in virtual spinning classes for a further £40 a month.

As well as its bike and classes, Peloton also sells a treadmill and streams yoga, meditation and bootcamp classes.

The firm hasn’t turned a profit for at least the past three years.

Reuters reports that it priced its IPO at $29 per share, which was at the top end of its target range.

26 September 2019, 15:12
British Cyclling Zwift eRacing Championship 2019 (picture copyright Simon Wilkinson, SWPix (13).jpg
There’s going to be a Zwift World Championships in 2020

Zwift and the UCI have agreed to host the first ever UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in 2020.

The idea was floated last year and British Cycling held eRacing national championships in March.

“We have been looking at the emergence of esports for some time with Zwift,” said UCI president David Lappartient.

“As the governing body for the sport, we need to remain open to technical innovations and change, and to remain relevant to all audiences. Zwift is a platform that is enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.”

Lappartient said there was “a particularly exciting opportunity” to attract a younger audience to cycling through esports.

“Together we have an opportunity to support a fitter youth, through the creation of a new sustainable sport.”

Zwift are pretty happy about the development, as you might imagine.

“The beauty of creating a new cycling discipline is that we have a blank slate and no limitations,” said Zwift Esports CEO Craig Edmondson.

“Parity is incredibly important to us at Zwift and together with the UCI we will be working to create equal competition for both men and women. This means the same number of races, the same coverage for races, and of course, equal prize money. We will set the standard for fair play and equality.”

26 September 2019, 15:08
26 September 2019, 15:05
What's the Austrian for OUCH!?

Riding a bike may be safer than walking* but clearly no-one’s told Austrian stunt rider Fabio Wilmer who’s just released a video of the out takes from his last actual vid (we're assuming they're the outtakes). All we can say is the man must be made of rubber.

*maybe

26 September 2019, 14:57
Quinn Simmons of the United States is junior road race world champion

Alessio Martinelli of Italy came second, followed by another American - the quite magnificently named Magnus Sheffield.

26 September 2019, 15:00
London cyclists at traffic lights (copyright Britishcycling.org_.uk).jpg
Latest UK road casualty stats reveal cycling is safer per mile than walking

“Statistically speaking you would have to ride round the world 35 times before you’d run the risk of being killed or seriously injured.”

Full story here.

26 September 2019, 14:26
Geraint Thomas apparently pining for the balmy dry climate of Wales
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Come to Yorkshire they said, it’s lovely they said...

A post shared by Geraint Thomas (@geraintthomas86) on

26 September 2019, 14:19
Orro unveils updated Gold STC and new Venturi Tri bikes

British brand Orro has revealed a completely redesigned Gold STC gran fondo bike along with triathlon-friendly versions of the Venturi STC and Venturi STC Evo aero road bikes.

Orro Gold STC 2019 - 1.jpg

Get all the details here.

26 September 2019, 11:43
Trees in cycle lanes

A new segregated cycle lane being built in Norwich has trees planted in the middle of it.

Trees appear to be quite a common feature of cycle lanes. We've been sent a few others from around the country. 

Feel free to send us more examples. We can feel a Top 10 coming...

Ah, there's nothing like a quality car park for creating horrendous infrastructure. This gem is from Dartford where, presumably, they've never thought of giving cycles priority over cars. 

To fix this one, all they'd have to do would be to move the give way markings on the road back, allowing the cycle lane to flow uninterrupted. 

That would make one stop per lane, instead of multiple stops in one lane.

We're just going to suggest that the left lane of the cycle path could have gone around the tree? Revolutionary. 

Having riders switch into the opposite lane before a blind corner isn't going to end well. 

No excuses, Bristol council, the tree has obviously been there for quite a few years. If you can't go through it, under it, or over it, then surely they could have gone around this one? 

London Cycle Lane Trees

Jitensha flagged this gem.

At least the surface around the trees have been covered with cobbles.

26 September 2019, 10:54
There's a two-wheeled answer to this

 

26 September 2019, 10:52
Uh oh...

Bet the French reported them for having illegally-round wheels.

Good luck to the GB lads racing today!

26 September 2019, 10:51
Gee, this looks safe...
26 September 2019, 10:39
Justice (Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons)
Red light jumping motorist who blamed cyclist for collision jailed

Walsall motorist accelerated when he saw lights change to amber.

Full story here.

26 September 2019, 09:26
Meet the Backstedts

The Telegraph's got an interview with Elynor Backstedt, who won bronze in the junior time trial this week.

The main thing we learned was that pretty much everyone in (or even tangentially connected with) the family appears to be a cyclist.

It's almost a surprise that the dogs aren't on bikes.

26 September 2019, 08:14
Swiss Road Worlds course revealved

Someone had to do it... 

26 September 2019, 08:12
Heading towards the weekend like...

We're probably supposed to tell you not to try this at home

26 September 2019, 08:04
What's wrong with this photo?

New South Wales has a law that states that all road riders must wear an approved cycle helmet.

But the NSW Gov page should have been more specific as, instead of the answer they were looking for, they instead got some artistic critique from amateur photographers

Damn that background light source resulting in high noise levels...

26 September 2019, 08:00
Are you this guy?

 

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