Welcome to Friday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Alex Bowden and the rest of the team.
Live blog: Leisure cycling up according to latest figures; Rohan Dennis likely to sign for Ineos; potato as good as energy gels for fuelling; TfL consulting on Lea Bridge to Dalston Cycleway; hooray for roadworks + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Fri, Oct 18, 2019 19:14
SUMMARY
18 October 2019, 19:14
Hooray for roadworks...
It’s interesting that CS1 in Hackney now has an excellent cycle-only section along it, thanks to some construction work. You’d like to think this could be made permanent pic.twitter.com/X8qcvozdJn
— Mark Treasure (@AsEasyAsRiding) October 17, 2019
18 October 2019, 19:14
Thank you baked potato: new study says potatoes as effective as gels for fuelling bike rides
Potato ingestion is as effective as carbohydrate gels to support prolonged cycling performanc | @japplphysiol https://t.co/6NOu7Pv4mu
— Dave Hughes (@HughesDC_Muscle) October 17, 2019
If you long suspected normal food with high carbohydrate levels can do the same job as sports-specific energy products, you’ll love this new bit of research. The study in the physiology.org journal – simply called ‘Potato ingestion is as effective as carbohydrate gels to support prolonged cycling performance’ – saw 12 cyclists complete a two hour ‘cycling challenge’ followed by a time trial, with some fuelling with potato puree, some with commercial sports gels, and others were just given water. Blood glucose levels were just as high in the riders given potato as those given gels, and TT performance also improved with no difference between spuds and gel. The authors conclude: “Our results support the effective use of potatoes to support race performance for trained cyclists.”
We may have to update our guide to fuelling for epic rides to include good old spuds…
18 October 2019, 19:14
Extinction Rebellion blocking Oxford Circus, and say of yesterday's tube protests: "very few of us wanted this to happened"
In the 1st #Internationalrebellion we occupied Oxford Circus to demand that Government #TellTheTruth Afterwards Parliament declared a #ClimateEmergency
Yet they did not act. 6months on and we return to demand @GOVUK #ActNow and to spread light on why must disrupt with our beacon pic.twitter.com/aN6sd6Msru
— Extinction Rebellion UK (@XRebellionUK) October 18, 2019
Today Extinction Rebellion are occupying Oxford Circus, and are facing further criticism being as most of the vehicles held up appear to be buses. On yesterday’s tube incident at Canning Town, some takeaway quotes from XR’s statement:
“XR’s current organising ethos is that anyone can carry out any action in the name of XR, provided it doesn’t conflict with our ten principles and values. Following two similarly controversial proposals in April and over summer, the process for ‘national’ actions has been revised such that proposals must pass through scrutiny from other teams before going ahead.
“In short: very few people in XR wanted this to happen, but the ‘post-consensus’ organisational model which we currently employ is such that it happened all the same.
“It’s no less through love and fear, and due to the same conditions of oppression that we face ourselves, that we saw such a disturbing reaction from some of those on the platform at Canning Town. These were commuters trying to get to work so they can support their loved ones. We recognise that disruption at Canning Town affected those already suffering the hardships of a toxic system – those who are the most at risk from the effects of climate and ecological collapse.”
18 October 2019, 19:14
Potato fuel: pro cyclist-approved...
I actually paid for someone to do this study so maybe they forgot to mention it and it might not be completely biased. #potatopower https://t.co/mHkJzvHhKw
— Toms Skujiņš (@Tomashuuns) October 18, 2019
Toms Skujiņš gave his full backing to the latest groundbreaking starch-based research, possibly even secret financial backing. I’m sure Trek-Segafredo’s nutrition sponsor Namedsport will be absolutely thrilled…
18 October 2019, 19:14
Taylor Phinney to retire at 29
The American suffered a horrendous leg break in 2014.
“This decision has been something that I’ve been back and forth struggling with for a long time, and by a long time I mean a couple of years, and ultimately, I feel like my body sort of made this choice for me.
“I’ve now been injured longer than I’ve not been injured as a professional athlete. And I felt that it was a good time to click out and trade in my chips and get out of the casino.”
He added: “I’m stepping away so that I can be more true to myself, which means to make art, to make music, to create and cultivate. I’ve kind of had one foot in the sports pool and then one foot in the art pool, and art just won at some point.”
From the Olympics to the Tour to Roubaix, there’s no one who’s done it quite like Taylor Phinney. The 29-year-old will race his last professional race race in Japan this weekend. Thank you for the memories, Taylor. And good luck in the next chapter. https://t.co/twfFNrLzUl
— EF Education First Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) October 16, 2019
18 October 2019, 19:14
Near Miss of the Day 318: Bus driver ploughs straight across cyclist’s path on mini roundabout
18 October 2019, 19:14
Rohan Dennis likely to sign for Team Ineos
Earlier this year, Rohan Dennis mysteriously abandoned the Tour de France the day before the time trial he was favourite to win.
Much talk about dissatisfaction with Bahrain-Merida team equipment ensued and when he finally resurfaced for the World Championships, he rode a BMC, not a Merida time trial bike, to become world champion.
Dennis has a reputation for being difficult to work with.
“I have been known to have a short fuse,” he has said himself. “I like perfection with everything and when things don’t line up when they should or I think they should, it gets on my nerves a little bit.”
Cycling News reports that Team Ineos are favourites to sign him for next season after his Bahrain-Merida contract was torn up in the wake of his Tour de France walkout.
CCC Pro Team, formerly BMC, is also keen.
18 October 2019, 19:14
Tweet of the day...
Criterium de Dauphinois #cycling https://t.co/IMJ9ruz6Xy
— Mat Venn (@matvenn) October 18, 2019
We’ve been reliably informed that Mat is indeed here all week.
18 October 2019, 19:14
"Trans inclusion is fairness" says Rachel McKinnon ahead of Masters Track Cycling World Championships defence
“If you want to say, ‘Well, I believe you’re a woman for all of society except this massive central part that is sport,’ then that’s not fair.”
18 October 2019, 19:14
TfL consulting on second stage of Cycleway between Clapton and Lea Bridge
Transport for London’s consulting on a 3km section of Cycleway between Lea Bridge and Dalston.
The new route would link with the Waltham Forest Mini Holland via Lea Bridge Road.
Simon Munk, Infrastructure Campaigner at London Cycling Campaign, commented: “We’re very excited to see this vital link between Dalston and the end of Waltham Forest’s mini-Holland scheme on Lea Bridge Road move forward, including much needed improvements to the hostile Lea Bridge Road roundabout in Clapton.
“This scheme marks another exciting step forward for cycling and walking between two progressive boroughs in east London, and another step for the Mayor closer to fulfilling his pledge to London Cycling Campaign and all Londoners to triple the mileage of protected cycle tracks on main roads in his first term.”
You can have your say here until November 29.
18 October 2019, 19:14
An update on Near Miss of Today
Redline Buses has got back the cyclist involved in today’s near miss.
They aren’t being very cooperative.
18 October 2019, 19:14
Cycling rates up by 100,000 in the past year, according to Active Lives Survey
Cycling rates are up by around 100,000 in the past year, according to official statistics from Sport England’s Active Lives Survey.
The survey is based on a sample of almost 180,000 respondents and gauges the number of people who have engaged in activities, including cycling, at least twice in the last 28 days.
The report states that cycling for leisure or sport is up from 6.2m people for the previous 12-month period to 6.3m people. Cycling for transport has remained at 3.1m.
Dani Every, Cycling Delivery Director at British Cycling, said: “Cycling is the solution to so many of society’s challenges – from air pollution to physical inactivity and obesity – and these figures are a reassuring sign that an ever-increasing number of people are choosing to get on their bike.
“Regardless of people’s motivations, cycling really is an activity that can be embraced by people of any age, from any background, with 41% of the population having ridden a bike at least once in the last year.”
18 October 2019, 19:14
Laurens Ten Dam switches from road racing to adventure riding and bikepacking
“In my really good years, I maybe did only ten proper interval sessions a year and the rest was riding the bike for the love it.”
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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).
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Latest Comments
Rendel Harris 32 minutes ago
@FionaJJ In London they're allowed to stop on single and double yellows to deliver packages or empty pillar boxes; in practice they take this as carte blanche to park wherever and whenever they want, such as this chap on the Brixton Road who pulled into the bus/cycle/motorcycle lane without indicating, as I approached at 20mph, to park on a red route, response to a remonstrance, "I suppose you never get post delivered do ya?"
FionaJJ 60 minutes ago
@Rendel Harris We have a pavement parking ban, but around here at least, royal mail vans are already exempt, subject to certain caveats, such as allowing at least 1.5m, and only being stopped to do their work.
FionaJJ 1 hour ago
It was already embarrassing for the police that they made such a mess of their attempt to determine whether a bike was legal or not, but I had assumed it was a group of well intentioned, but under-trained officers acting on their own initiative, having spotted something they thought looked not quite right. I'm now discovering this was a planned activity, something sufficiently organised to have been given a name - Operation FRISLEN, designed specifically to identify and remove illegal e-bikes and scooters. It's apparent that the officers were sent out without adequate training, never mind the kind of equipment that should be used for this sort of work. I'm not saying they always need specialist equipment to spot all illegal bikes, but at least if they'd been given a demonstration with that equipment, they'd have realised why their approach was not going to end well.
Geoff Ingram 3 hours ago
Have put drop bars on a 2001 B1 mtb, a 2007 stumpy hardtail and a 2010 stumpy full suss. In all cases fairly basic conversións leaving gearing and wheels broadly the same and concentrating on correct positioning of bars and fit. Oddly, with all 3 I was happy with the result when recently done, but after a few months found that the extra speed on easy trails was more than offset by the lack of ability (probably mine) on tougher routes and finally preferred flat bar with slammed and inverted stem as best overall compromise. Good fun playing around, though.
mark1a 4 hours ago
The photos in this review look they are for a different bag?
mattw 5 hours ago
This is a strange reactionary knee jerk overall. But what is this "are essentially motorbikes in disguise" waffle? "One letter claimed that high-powered electric ‘e-bikes’ were “essentially motorbikes” in disguise, with many being used without lights, helmets, or any hi-vis clothing." Surely, they simply ARE motorbikes?
bikes 5 hours ago
I only watched the last one, that's enough for me! A punishment pass and a clueless passenger. Did you op snap that one?
bikes 5 hours ago
I don't love the motorway comment. What if they're miles from a motorway? The get in the cycle lane comment is born out of ignorance from people who never cycle. I would just tell them the reason: It's full of broken glass, wet leaves, etc. I'm turning right. I'd have to keep stopping and then rejoining the road. I'd have to keep giving way. It's full of pedestrians. Etc. Or simply ask if they have tried it and leave it at that.
Rendel Harris 5 hours ago
@Chris RideFar In any of the offered options (Amazon, Apple or Spotify) there are transcript buttons that will give you a transcript if you wish. I think as road.cc has a limited staff and budget and most people enjoy it free, asking them to provide everything just the way we want it is perhaps a bit much?
Chris RideFar 7 hours ago
I don't come to road.cc for podcasts. Where is the text version of this article? Or at least a simple transcript, please.
12 thoughts on “Live blog: Leisure cycling up according to latest figures; Rohan Dennis likely to sign for Ineos; potato as good as energy gels for fuelling; TfL consulting on Lea Bridge to Dalston Cycleway; hooray for roadworks + more”
dirty reiver 2018 and 2019,
dirty reiver 2018 and 2019, feed stop 3 provided by pannier, boiled new potatoes, tossed in olive oil and covered in cheese – food of champions!
thehill wrote:
I heard something else was the food, or at least just the first meal of the day, for champions…
but maybe that’s just motorsport.
Chips for breakfast!! Yes
Chips for breakfast!! Yes there is a god!!
But isn’t it also about the
But isn’t it also about the amount of butter and salt that you need to get a pureed potato to taste wonderful. Lots of freshly ground pepper too, but that might be sort of healthy.
If AsEasyAsRidingaBike reads this, please blog more, I am very much a fan of well written peices, and I do not tweet.
And cake is the breakfast of champions.
First it was Christmas
First it was Christmas pudding, now it’s potatoes. If they tell me that beer is as good as energy drinks, please don’t wake me, I must be dreaming!
ktache wrote:
Nothing wrong with a bit of fat, protein and some salt if your cycling that far. Salt is a major part of rehydration drinks.
I now see a market for cheesey mash in packets. I do wonder now what it would taste like cold, as I imagin it would be more palitable for me than gels (I hate them)
Sausage, mash and a pint sounds like the perfect recovery meal to me. a good dose of carbs, protein, salt and liquid. Make it a pint of stout and its even better.
John Smith wrote:
It tastes great – I’m always getting in trouble with Mrs Srchar for having a couple of quick spoons of cheesy mash from the top of a cold shepherd’s pie intended to be reheated and eaten for dinner tomorrow…
However a big knobbly King
However a big knobbly King Edward stored down ones cycle shorts is going to draw the wrong sort of attention.
Hardly a ground breaking
Hardly a ground breaking discovery. Par boiled potatoes dusted in parmesan was a regular inclusion in the Pro peloton musette. It might still be for some of the Italian teams.
Funny old thing eh? Carbs in
Funny old thing eh? Carbs in whatever package (be it a foil wrapper or a potato skin) are found to be, well, carbs!
PP
Steak chips and an egg, at
Steak chips and an egg, at the halfway point of a ride. That’s got potatoes in it, I’ve been doing it for years. It works, job’s a good’un.
A numerical increase isn’t a
A numerical increase isn’t a ‘rate’, 100,000 is a 1.6% increase, however UK population increased by 1% over the same period, ergo the ‘rate’ of increase in real terms is circa 0.6%, and due to the population increase that means the rate of cycling for transport has gone down, so really there is no increase at all is there!
CS1 is garbage, ridiculously narrow and barriers down the centre, and people celebrate this load of poop, the mind boggles as to how people think that that is any way shape or form adequate never mind inviting to get more people cycling … oh wait, the stats above prove it doesn’t!