Welcome to the first road.cc live blog of the 2020s with Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Live blog: New bikes and kit galore as 2020 starts; Amazing new feature on latest BMW range; Commuter switches to cycling – and builds a stack of cash; Bolivia’s ‘Death Road’ video; Astana riders hit by car while training + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond as we start another … decade
Wed, Jan 01, 2020 17:05
SUMMARY
1 January 2020, 17:05
Commuter switches to cycling - and builds a stack of cash
Ok, so we all know that commuting by bike is cheaper than doing so by car or public transport.
One Twitter user however who switched from the bus to her bike to get to work decided to put aside the money she saved over the year … and ended up with the princely sum of £652.43.
We might make putting money aside each time we use the bike rather than some other means of transport one of our New Year’s resolutions … that money would come in handy next Christmas.
Yesterday was my last working day this year and I’ve saved £652.43. I had to withdraw the money each week or I knew I would just spend it. But it’s now tucked away in a savings account! #cycletowork #commutebybike
— helen (@choink) December 31, 2019
1 January 2020, 17:05
No thanks
Bolivia’s ‘Death Road’ is on the bucket list of many backpackers visiting Latin America. The road.cc branch of the Self Preservation Society is inclined to give it a miss, however.
I did this! It was fun
— leanne (@walkabout26) December 30, 2019
1 January 2020, 17:05
Two Astana riders hit by car while training
Yet another case of a driver putting pro cyclists in hospital after crashing into them while they were training – this latest one happened in Spain.
Today, our riders Yevgeniy Gidich and Vadim Pronskiy were hit by a car while training in Altea, Spain. Both riders have been moved to the hospital shortly after the accident.#AstanaProTeam
— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) December 30, 2019
Let this accident be yet another reminder for everybody to stay concentrated in traffic and respectful to other road users.
— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) December 30, 2019
1 January 2020, 17:05
New year, new colours
Today’s the day that contracts for 2020 kick in, meaning riders who have switched teams are now free to show off their new kit – here’s Vincenzo Nibali getting out of his former Bahrain Merida kit and into his Trek Segafredo training jersey…
Primo gennaio
Anno nuovo, nuovi colori @TrekSegafredo @TrekBikes @SANTINI_SMS @segafredoitalia pic.twitter.com/b8hlz0jPbh— Vincenzo Nibali (@vincenzonibali) January 1, 2020
1 January 2020, 17:05
Here's a look at Bahrain-McLaren's new kit and bikes
A short overview of what has changed with the equipment that @Bahrain_Merida is racing on in 2020:
– wheels are from @visionmy now
– power meter: @ShimanoROAD
– bike wear @LeColUK
And yes: The #SCULTURA and #REACTOEVO @MeridaBikes will be specced with disc brakes. pic.twitter.com/3LBOGTOsOi— MeridaProRoadRacing (@MeridaProRoad) January 1, 2020
1 January 2020, 17:05
Movistar's 2020 Canyon Aeroad and Canyon Ultimate
Movistar are among the teams to have flagged up new bikes and kit today as the New Year begins – here’s a look at the 2019 kit – we’re liking the Spanish national champions’ jerseys – plus their Canyon Aeroad and Ultimate bikes, and their components.
Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
1 January 2020, 17:05
New Canyon bikes for Mathieu van der Poel's Alpecin-Fenix team, too
It’s not just Movistar who are getting new Canyon bikes – they’re also headed the way of cyclo-cross world champion Mathieu van der Poel’s Alpecin-Fenix team, previously known as Corenden-Circus.
The Dutchman’s big goal for the year isn’t on the road, however – he’s gunning for the gold medal in the cross-country mountain bike race at the Tokyo Olympics.
1 January 2020, 17:05
Still Giant bikes at CCC
Once again, CCC are riding Giant – here’s some pictures of them being ridden on the team’s recent training camp by, respectively, Alessandro De Marchi, Matteo Trentin and The Man With The Golden Helmet, Greg Van Avermaet.
1 January 2020, 17:05
Sometimes the obvious needs to be stated
Bicycles.
I claim my prize. https://t.co/ro5EOBPu2d
— Elisabeth Anderson (@velobetty) January 1, 2020
1 January 2020, 17:05
The 2020 BMW range has an amazing new feature
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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Latest Comments
Doctor Darabuka 32 minutes ago
Are bike light buttons in short supply? Must we be restricted to just one which requires the skills of a morse code operator to be able to switch between steady and flashing; high, medium and low? Whilst many technological gadgets have evolved to become so intuative they no longer require a manual, the bloody bike light comes with a cartoon comic of disembodied hands describing a rhythm only available to the practiced percussionist.
wtjs 1 hour ago
I almost never fail to wear a helmet when cycling, and I've been wearing them since I saw the first Americans over here wearing the early Bell helmets. I recall being jeered at for wearing one on the Maryhill Road in Glasgow in 1976, and the Bell Biker helmet shown here: ttps://helmets.org/bicycle-helmet-history/ is still hanging on a hook at home. My only objection to the anti-helmet propaganda involves the notion that wearing a helmet makes the wearer more likely to suffer a collision and consequent head injury. I resort to common sense to dispute this. A helmet is a good place to put a headcam, and a waterproof helmet cover, and doesn't cause me any discomfort.
Rendel Harris 2 hours ago
Video of crash mentioned above: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NfCdbwPdK9M
Rendel Harris 2 hours ago
I do try not to enter into discussion with you on this Bert, because I know you will never change your stance one iota, but I've crashed a motorcycle at around 35 mph and hit my head on the kerb hard enough to compress discs in my spine and tear neck ligaments but above the neck I came away with nothing worse than a mild concussion. If you're going to tell me that I could've done the same thing without a helmet on and walked away with the same injuries I'm going to have to say that's nonsense. Anyone who's ever watched MotoGP will have seen riders coming off at high speed and smashing their heads and getting up to walk away. Just as an example, check out this crash from Marquez this season: up in the air at high speed, down straight on his head, got up and walked away. Screenshot below, I'll post a link to the video as a reply so I don't get stuck in link quarantine. Again, it's clearly nonsense to say the helmet hasn't worked when someone's walked away from coming down headfirst on the tarmac from a height at high speed.
jackcycles 2 hours ago
@belugabob I'm afraid you're ignorant of the true data, buying into the misconception that the Netherlands should be emulated. In fact the Netherlands and the EU (per usual) is falling behind in terms of cycling safety. Please see https://etsc.eu/europes-cyclists-left-behind-as-safety-gap-widens-new-etsc-report-finds/ And attached demonstrates the mismatch between your preconceived opinion and hard cold facts
bathcycleguy 2 hours ago
To understand any active travel scheme, you only really need to ask one question: “How does this impact on free/cheap parking?” In this case, it explains the majority of the ‘controversy’ It is not long since someone sat on a bench in RVP was hit by a driver and hospitalised. But do let’s worry about those “speeding cyclists”. https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/teenager-hit-car-sat-bench-11070561.amp
eburtthebike 2 hours ago
@kingleo I've still got a label from a helmet, and it says something like 'this helmet may not protect you in all foreseeable accidents' which just gives them an out when someone claims that it didn't work. Not sure the professionals should wear motorcycle helmets, as they are heavy, very well insulated and only work up to about 16mph: not sure you'd win too many TdF's at that speed, and anyway, your brain would fry.
OnYerBike 4 hours ago
@EM69 To be clear, my comment relates specifically to the new Sirius that came out a few months ago. As far as I can tell, the new Strada retains H/M/L steady levels in program 1.
Rendel Harris 5 hours ago
@mitsky If I were a police officer involved in implementing the scheme I think I would find it very hard to hear the details given by those self-important/rich/arrogant (in the City these terms may be synonymous) enough to accept the fine, meaning they had to be repeated multiple times. I might also experience frequent pencil lead breakage and a difficulty in finding the right form to fill in, perhaps also frequently breaking off to use my radio ("Excuse me sir, it's an important message from my superintendent. What's that sir? Soya latte, a pain chocolat and a blueberry muffin, right you are sir"), so that by the time the paperwork was completed and they had been sent on their way with a fine those who chose to stop and watch the video had already departed.
chrisonabike 5 hours ago
@Mr Blackbird always heartwarming! ❤️ Do you remember Nick Clegg declaring his love for David Cameron in a rose garden? No, wait, was it his love of a better seat in parliament and more solicitous lobbyists? Or more recently Nigel Farage declaring his love for strong, manly figures like D. Trump, V. Urban and V. Putin, before declaring his love for money and his lack of snobbishness about its origins? (Would that some of the others were so candid - although eg. Lord Mandleson didn't need to declare his love for wealthy, dodgy businessmen).
7 thoughts on “Live blog: New bikes and kit galore as 2020 starts; Amazing new feature on latest BMW range; Commuter switches to cycling – and builds a stack of cash; Bolivia’s ‘Death Road’ video; Astana riders hit by car while training + more”
I found that the money I don
I found that the money I don’t spend on public transport gets spent on more food on the days that I ride to work (have only driven to work one day in the last three or four years).
brooksby wrote:
How many miles do you ride into work and how fast and what’s your basal rate? How much do you spend on transport?
At a modest 40cals per mile for 10 miles that’s 10p for 100g raw pasta (170g cooked) and 45p for 100g chicken breast (eggs for protein are massively cheaper) that’s approx 400kcals. Don’t forget just sitting burns energy as well so the differential between sitting and cycling needs to be taken into account. 10 miles cycling should cost you for the additional calories less than 40p.
I don’t know what bus you use but I highly doubt there are any buses you can travel a 5 mile return for even 5 times that.
Yes brake pads, chains, cassettes, tyres cost money but unless you’re using really expensive parts then it really isn’t a lot of money per year for 4 season cycling, £60 a year would be enough to do 3000 commuter miles.
Pads, well I bought 10 pair each of Ritchey Vs and road pads, @70p a pair, ore than adequate for commuting.
Tiagra 10 speed cassette £20, should last you for 10,000 miles, they were knocking the previous tiagra 10 speeds for £12.50 a couple of years ago – I bought 5 along with SRAM chains for a tenner just for the commuter, you can still get SRAM chains for £12
Tyres are ten a penny, there’s so much choice at silly prices even for decent rubber.
Cycling largely displaced
Cycling largely displaced walking for me. Even walking is quicker and more reliable than the bus (I don’t know why any able-bodied person bothers with those useless things). (I can understand using above-ground trains…and the Tube is OK if you are both wealthy and have a high-tolerance for being packed into subterranean caskets in conditions that would be illegal for cattle…but buses have always been rubbish).
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
Tube is for the weathly?
I could easily have bought
I could easily have bought and run a cheapo car for the money I’ve spent on cycling but that’s not the point. Cycling to work saves me time, saves me getting too frustrated (I’m not patient enough to sit in stationary traffic for hours!), saves my mental and physical health and also saves the planet. Cycling is also my hobby so it’s not just about commuting. But, with bikes, you can pretty much spend as much or as little as you want.
Cycling is more reliable than
Cycling is more reliable than public transport. When I go to the bike shed I am confident my bike will be there, and that it will then take me about an hour to get home. Now in theory the train takes less than half that time, but its unreliable to the point of being a lottery. I could wait half an hour before giving up and getting the bus, which is a pretty wretched experience in itself.
EddyBerckx wrote:
I might be employing a slightly hyperbolic use of ‘wealthy’, but are you saying it’s not absurdly expensive or denying that low-income people tend to use buses instead?
It has gotten progressively more costly for decades now. It feels to me like every time I have used it, after a break from doing so, going back several decades, I’ve been shocked to find how much more expensive it is than I remembered. As far as I’m concerned at this point it’s just throwing money away – better to walk or cycle and save the £6 or £7 a return to central London costs to spend on something more worthwhile.
Mile-for-mile it costs several times as much as Concorde. If there are two of you it’s cheaper to share a minicab than to go a couple of stops on the tube. It’s more expensive than any other European metro system, or NYC’s for that matter (_far_ more so than the Paris Metro, say), because it isn’t subsidised, users have to pay their way (unlike car drivers).
You really think someone on a low income would take the tube if they had a choice?
These are a few years out-of-date, but I don’t think it’s gotten any better since
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-39806865