Welcome to Tuesday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Halfords offer free bike to Twitter user who bought stolen bike and traced owner; Cyclist who claimed to have been robbed made it up say police; Gone in 60 seconds – 3T Exploro stolen from garage; Cycling vlogger Durianrider attacked + more on live blog
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Tue, Jan 21, 2020 17:25
SUMMARY
21 January 2020, 17:25
Sam Bennett takes Tour Down Under stage 1 victory
The Irish Deceuninck–Quick-Step man won in a sprint finish on the 5 lap 150km opening stage around Tanunda, meaning last year’s number 1-ranked World Tour team have instantly picked up where they left off in 2020.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Youtube vegan cyclist Durianrider speaks after claims of being 'ambushed' and assaulted in public
Controversial Australian Youtuber Durianrider, real name Harley Johnstone, was allegedly attacked along with his girlfriend outside a shopping mall in Adelaide at the weekend. Johnstone has now posted a lengthy video (above) saying how the attack was an ‘ambush’ from behind, and that the attacker is known to him.
He claims the person has been arrested and charged, and that it was the same individual who perpetrated a similar attack in 2016. 42-year-old Johnstone claims his 21-year-old girlfriend Natasha Miklich suffered no physical injuries, and while he was sent to hospital after falling unconscious, he asked to be discharged early because he feared for his safety.
Johnstone is known for his strong opinions on pro cycling, tech, veganism and fitness, often speaking of being abused by ‘trolls’ online; and it appears once again, the rivalries have spilled over into real life. CCTV stills published by the Daily Mail allegedly show Johnstone on the ground with his attacker on top of him, who was said to have been arrested at the scene while Johnstone was taken to hospital.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Dowsett gets the most important team role
For the first time in the history of my cycling career I’ve been given a responsibility far higher than any other role within the team….
…bus DJ
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) January 21, 2020
And we thought leadout duties were high-pressure. This takes things up a notch.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Tour of Oman may be cancelled
The Tour of Oman, which has become a useful warm-up race for the Spring Classics may have been cancelled due to the death of the Sultan.
Not only would this leave a gap in the race schedules of the pro peloton, we’ll also have to find another sandy, flat cross-wind stage race to watch. Disaster.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Rochelle Gilmore seems pretty indifferent to receiving a brand new shiny Pinarello Dogma F12
When I watched this video I thought….. get a grip girl, it’s just a bike! (but, a pretty special one, right?) I guess the anticipation & element of surprise made the moment!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the colour?@Pinarello_com Dogma F12 XLight. pic.twitter.com/l3dBjPEsjc
— Rochelle Gilmore (@RochelleGilmore) January 21, 2020
Spoiler… she’s actually completely ecstatic. The F12 Xlight Disc with a colour-changing paint job will be worth well into five figures, so it’s understandable really.
21 January 2020, 17:25
"Changing the definition of esports": Zwift from a gamer's perspective
Virtual riding is probably taken for granted a bit nowadays in the cycling community, but it’s perhaps intriguing to hear how the world of gaming perceives Zwift, the most popular virtual cycling app by number of users.
The Gamer write: “Since Zwift doesn’t resemble any of today’s most popular competitive video games, considering Zwift races as esports may even necessitate reconsidering what defines esports as a medium.
“…the skills required to succeed in Zwift are directly transferable from old-fashioned, non-virtual bicycling. This makes Zwift esports unlike any of its competitors. Its closest analogues are in NBA 2K and other competitive sports games, which require the similar, if not the same strategies as their real-world counterparts. But unlike in Zwift, the mechanical skills used to control a 2K team differ greatly from how real-life NBA players physically play.”
Essentially, cycling esports are perhaps unique because to be any good at the game, it’s imperative you’re a top cyclist in real life. Can you think of any other esports that are at all similar?
21 January 2020, 17:25
"An utter f**king joke and a slap in the face"
Denise Betsema, who tested positive twice for anabolic steroids, will return to racing with her former team having seemingly lost none of the all-important UCI ranking points that she gained whilst doping.
Betsema was handed a ban starting on the 5th April 2019 and finishing on the 4th October 2019; for a cyclocross rider this is effectively the off-season, as no races of any importance take place.
The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal rider accepted the sanction, but has always maintained her innocence, saying in an Instagram post: “I have never used prohibited drugs and have never been tested positive throughout the year”.
The fact that Denise Betsema tested positive twice at 2 different events and the @UCI_cycling give her a 6month basically off season suspension and then her team @PS_BG_CT rehire her is an utter fucking joke and a slap in the face of every hard working, rule abiding athlete
— Ryan Trebon (@ryantrebon) January 20, 2020
It appears some riders are less than happy with the decision, with former pro Ryan Trebon calling it “an utter f*cking joke and a slap in the face of every hard working, rule abiding athlete” while current pro Katie Compton labelled Betsema’s return as “bullshit”.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Veteran cycling champ attacked with a spear while riding in Cape Town suburb
If you think you’ve had rotten luck on your rides with mechanicals or even minor accidents in the past, it’s probably small fry compared to former pro and now over 60’s South African hour record holder Wimpie van der Merwe, who claims to have been attacked for a fourth time in three years while cycling. IOL report that on this occasion, Van der Merwe narrowly avoided being stabbed by a man wielding a spear between the Cape Town suburbs of Strand and Gordon’s Bay.
In the lengthy Facebook post above Van de Merwe has listed numerous tips for cyclists to protect themselves from attackers, and a WhatsApp safety initiative has been launched for cyclists to report attacks and see where danger hotspots are.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Cyclist who died following collision in Somerset identified
We believe we have now identified the cyclist who sadly died in the collision last night near Bridgwater. Thanks to all who RT’d our appeal. We’re still appealing for witnesses. If you have any information, please call us ref 5220015515. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/2sIeKUlnax
— Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) January 21, 2020
Police are appealing for information after identifying a cyclist who died after a collision with a bus last night near Bridgwater. The cyclist received treatment at the scene but died shortly afterwards, and is yet to be named publicly.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Quick-Step stop for a quick brew at their own branded coffee van
In this video that was definitely not staged in any way, Quick-Step riders stop off for a coffee at the Quick-Step Bar Velo popup coffee van for a caffeine fix, served by riders-turned baristas Zdenek Stybar and Tim Declercq. it’s part of Quick-Step’s 30th anniversary celebrations, and it’s also the 22nd year they’ve sponsored a pro cycling team.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Dehydrated dog rescued by heroic cyclist in Argentina
The abandoned pooch was lifted onto the left shoulder of one of the three riders involved in the rescue, before reportedly getting take for treatment near Villa Regina.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Ouch
This was every bit as painful and terrifying as it looks. pic.twitter.com/DTs5DsCxCw
— paul morgan (@pauldmorgan) January 21, 2020
BBC tech expert Paul Morgan says he suspects black ice or ‘slippery muck’ on the road may have been to blame for his heavy fall, which remarkably didn’t result in any broken bones. Careful out there in the ice folks, and do check out our survival guide to riding in the ice and snow for some extra handy tips.
21 January 2020, 17:25
Nothing really changes...
“Mind that cyclist!” A Roland Davies road safety poster from 1950. #cycling pic.twitter.com/zQRn9pvJFH
— Pulp Librarian (@PulpLibrarian) January 21, 2020
21 January 2020, 17:25
Size apparently matters, a lot.
All sh*ts and giggles until you have to ride the thing…
21 January 2020, 17:25
Bristol cyclist says it took a burglar less than 45 seconds to take off with £5,000 3T Exploro in his garage
The unnamed cyclist told The Bristol Post that he was awoken by the sound of alarms as a burglar broke into his garage in the early hours on the 16th January, in the Bristol suburb of Stoke Bishop. The man said it took him around 45 seconds to get from his bed to the garage, but the thief had already took off with his £5,000 3T Exploro.
Police arrived in minutes and deployed a helicopter to search for the culprit, but were unable to locate them. In an appeal, Avon and Somerset Police said: “The bike taken is a custom-built lightweight racing cycle – a 3T Exploro XL frame size. It is a black frame with a grey 3T logo on the seat tube, two bottle cages and a tool kit fitted to one of the main tubes.
“We’re keen to hear from anyone who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time the incident took place, particularly any vehicles that were spotted in Ormerod Road.
“We are urging second-hand and cycle shop owners and members of local cycling clubs to be vigilant and call us if they are offered the bike or see it.”
The crime reference number is 5220011694.
21 January 2020, 17:25
A homemade solar powered e-bike with unlimited range that can carry your kayak? No problem...
Benoit Vanden Haute started with a Koga Worldtraveller touring bike, electrified it then added solar panels to effectively give it an unlimited range on sunny days. Full story and video over on eBikeTips.
21 January 2020, 17:25
"I can't cycle because I have to muck out my stables on the way home": anti-cycling letter to local paper that gallops all over the place
Spotted by bike_food in a local paper and linked on our forum, this letter courtesy of a Lyn Cannings from Melksham almost has too much going on. We’ll let you read on in horror and make your own minds up…
21 January 2020, 17:25
Hero of the week Ste Burke, who bought a stolen Whyte to return it to owner, is offered is a free bike from Halfords
Hi @SteBurke44, as you’re such a good Samaritan we’d love to offer you a bike of your own. Do let us know if you’d like to take us up on the offer.
Kind regards,
The Halfords team— Halfords (@Halfords_uk) January 21, 2020
It’s been quite the 24 hours for Good Samaritan Mr Burke, whose tweet explaining that he bought a stolen Whyte mountain bike for £80 so he could track down its owner has now been like over 46,000 times; since posting, the owner came forward and the bike was returned.
Retweeters include Stormzy and Ralf Little, and the icing on the cake has to be Halfords stepping in to offer him a bike of his own for free. That £80 seems like a fairly shrewd investment now!
21 January 2020, 17:25
Cyclist who claimed he was robbed made incident up, police say
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A cyclist who claimed he was robbed by two men on a riverside path in the Scottish town of Ayr was lying about the incident, police have said.
A witness appeal was issued following the alleged on the River Ayr Walk attack last Friday, but officers say they are now satisfied the 39-year-old man, who claimed to have had cash and personal effects stolen, had made the details up, reports the Daily Record.
Yesterday, Ayr police commander Chief Inspector Brian Anderson said that after “thorough investigations” officers concluded that no crime had been committed.
“No further police action is required. We would like to thank the public for their co-operation during the investigation,” he added.
While police reportedly do not plan to charge the cyclist with wasting their time, the newspaper quoted a source as saying: “It appears to be the case there was some sort of incident. But we don’t think it was a genuine case.”
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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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Latest Comments
geomannie 531 9 minutes ago
Glasgow's South City Way sounds great, does it not? As a user from before and after I wholeheartedly welcome the construction of the segregated route, but so much of the detailed construction is poor, if not unsafe. I provide a link to a presentation I made when construction was half complete (a personal view) and the construction errors remain outstanding to this day: crossed by high speed flared road junctions, poor colour differentiation, car door zone risks and so on. And yet cyclists come because they feel safe. It's a complex subject but IMHO the feeling of safety (or lack of) is a critical component. https://drive.proton.me/urls/B67AK44G90#CFueBGjscoWr
Jetmans Dad 11 minutes ago
I can only conclude that you haven't been into a city in the last few years. Food delivery riders in particular are riding overpowered "eBikes" that are basically mopeds ... powered only via the throttle without pedalling at significantly more than 15mph. Problem is they look like normal bikes/ebikes and not like mopeds so that is what people describe them as. My reading of the article is that it is those vehicles that are being talked about here.
AidanR 52 minutes ago
I have the Trace and Tracer, which have essentially the same design, albeit smaller and less powerful. The controls are a little complicated but only because there are loads of options. In reality, once you've chosen your level of brightness, you'll only cycle through 1 or 2 options and it's dead simple. The lights are rock solid, bright, with good runtimes. The only thing I find annoying is charging them - if your fingers are slightly wet or greasy, getting the rubber out of the way of the charging port is a pain in the arse.
mdavidford 3 hours ago
Dance and padel is all very well, but when is Strava going to let me record my gardening?
mdavidford 3 hours ago
You can use it to check whether it's raining.
Rendel Harris 3 hours ago
If it's dusk, i.e. post-sunset, then the cyclists should have lights on and thus the colour of their top is irrelevant. If you want to complain about cyclists not having lights when it's mandatory then by all means do but their top has nothing to do with it.
Bright Strider 3 hours ago
All of my Exposure lights with a button allow cycling through the modes with a short press. I have five of those; it would be odd if Exposure didn’t allow this functionality with the Boost 3. I also have two Exposure Burners if I remember correctly: they are rear lights for joysticks that clip on and are powered through the joystick charging port. They don’t have a button. None of my Exposure lights have failed. I looked at the Boost 3 review photos but none showed the button, so far as I could tell. I also have Moon lights. Good experience generally. One did fail, possibly because it was so thin it used to fall through the holes in my helmet onto the ground. Also, the UI and charge indicators vary for my Moon lights. Perhaps the latest ones are more consistent. My worst lights ever were from See.Sense.
STATO 4 hours ago
Steve really doesnt like exposure products does he? Boost and Strada marked down for being too complicated. While the Zenith and Six Pack reviewed by his colleagues give them rave reviews (as most exposure products have on road.cc), the Zenith even touted as 'even more intuitive to use' with the same controls.
Hirsute 5 hours ago
They are more interested in dog shit. https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/people/lancaster-police-launch-search-for-person-who-sprayed-dog-faeces-with-pink-paint-5605519
Hirsute 5 hours ago
What is the point of the mirror? Are you supposed to check your hair when riding on the tops?
38 thoughts on “Halfords offer free bike to Twitter user who bought stolen bike and traced owner; Cyclist who claimed to have been robbed made it up say police; Gone in 60 seconds – 3T Exploro stolen from garage; Cycling vlogger Durianrider attacked + more on live blog”
go sam!
go sam!
Vegan steroid user and vegan
Vegan steroid user and vegan cult leader Durian in drama. Colour me surprised.
Rick_Rude wrote:
You need to add a bit of truth in there Rick. Not a steroid user and there is no DR cult but unsurprisingly he has many thousands of subscribers.
I’m pretty impressed by the
I’m pretty impressed by the very branded Pinarello display stand.
Despite being a vegan, Durian
Despite being a vegan, Durian rider seems to enjoy looking for beef with others.
Durian is a fruit.
Durian is a fruit.
gibbon wrote:
Is it the one that smells like rotting corpses? Or am I thinking of another one?
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
Durian is a fruit.
— FluffyKittenofTindalos Is it the one that smells like rotting corpses? Or am I thinking of another one?— gibbon
The smell has also been described as a mix of sulphur, sewage, fruit, honey and roasted and rotting onions.
The taste is very bizarre – I found it to be right on the edge of very delicious and very disgusting. I just couldn’t figure out if I liked it or not.
Bonus fact: squirrels are able to pick out the best durians using just their sense of smell.
hawkinspeter wrote:
Squirrels Were Purposefully Introduced to American Cities
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/02/explore-city-squirrels-nuisance/?cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dsocial%3A%3Asrc%3Dfacebook%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3Dfb20200121ngm-resurfsquirrelscities%3A%3Arid%3D&fbclid=IwAR0l51QkoFMImJoyDJsToTmuzyJGNB5rtObyCWzcRrGtPTmtElZ80oVfXlA
eburtthebike wrote:
They even had security guards protecting them!
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
Durian is a fruit.
— FluffyKittenofTindalos Is it the one that smells like rotting corpses? Or am I thinking of another one?— gibbon
No, that’s the one. The picture of Dorian Gray was based on it, with a little poetic licence obviously.
There are some pretty nasty
There are some pretty nasty accusations out there regarding Durianrider…no idea if true but “controversial”? Yup
I’m not usually one for
I’m not usually one for posting links but there’s a fantastic series of articles on Durianrider et al starting here:
https://jezebel.com/help-me-understand-this-bullying-controversy-ripping-th-1774787368
from 2016 that made me chuckle heartily at the time.
they should refuse to race if
they should refuse to race if Denise Betsema turns up let her race on her own
Tried a D-24 durian back in
Tried a D-24 durian back in Singapore. It’s definitely something, you need to get over the smell. Can’t describe it, it’s pungent, sulfurous… the fruit itself (what you see above is the bolster) looks like the rotting testicle of a 2-weeks old corpse. But the taste is glorious, really refined, creamy, delicate.
The Paul Morgan vid is pretty
The Paul Morgan vid is pretty much what happened to me this weekend as well apart from the fact I was going downhill & wiped out at 32.4mph according to my Wahoo.
And yes it did & still does hurt.
That crash was totally from
That crash was totally from slipping on white paint.
Avoid the white paint when its wet/icy!
alexuk wrote:
White paint on the road is supposed to conform to some sort of friction regulations, and if you slip on it when it’s wet, then it probably doesn’t meet them.
eburtthebike wrote:
I am not aware of any regulations but I know that the white paint used in the UK is slippy in the wet. Treat it the same as overbanding and inspection covers.
On Manx roads they use a grippier type of white paint for the benefit of the TT racers. I don’t know just how much better it would be if you cross it with the throttle open and your knee down at 140mph in the wet.
Simon E wrote:
Class S3 (not less than 55 SRT) skid resistance to Table 7 of BS EN 1436.
ie, mix 10-15% sand in the thermoplastic.
Simon E wrote:
There is a standard, BS EN 1436:2018, but you have to buy it! https://shop.bsigroup.com/en/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030373461
“I have to muck out my
“I have to muck out my stables…”
Lyn and her First World problems
zero_trooper wrote:
i don’t see why that stops her cycling though. Does she shovel the shit into her car boot so she can then recycle it into a word vomit to send to the local paper? And racing and time trialling which at the fastest for a would be 25-30 mph averaging which is well within most roads speed limits. Surely she should be happy they are racing as it means she is held up less.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Apparently there is some kind of fetish about rolling around in it with the stable maids. Or stallions. Or something. Silly mare.
zero_trooper wrote:
You’d hope roadcc would acknowledge their sources
https://road.cc/content/forum/270407-do-not-read
That guy who had the 3T
That guy who had the 3T exploro nicked must be well connected as “police arrived in minutes and a helicopter was deployed to search for the culprit”
Cupov wrote:
My thoughts exactly. Since when do Police give a flying f*&k about a stolen bike, especially to the point of getting a helicopter out to search for it. Either well connected or total bullshit
They acknowledged bike_food,
They acknowledged bike_food, it’s in the blurb.
Unfortunately,she fails to
Unfortunately,she fails to realise that she “practices” riding her horse on the roads which, coincidentally,also hold up traffic causing the vehicles to use lower gears and create more pollution…..hmmmm….pot…. kettle….black!!!
I’m donning my asbestos suit
I’m donning my asbestos suit but she with the horse is imo right about one thing although I understand it’s not possible under current uk legislation: where a cycle path exists its use should be made compulsory. My argument is not about ‘slowing down traffic’ but about separating two totally different streams of road users.
This is the case here in Belgium* (where a lot more people cycle than in the UK) and imo it makes a lot of sense.
*With one proviso: use of a cycling path is compulsory if it can be safely ridden. E.g. in winter if the cycle path is not salted a cyclist may use the road. Or if there so many potholes that it becomes dangerous.
Xenophon2 wrote:
We’ve got a fair number of cycle lanes that although rideable, end up dumping you into traffic in dangerous places or that involve then crossing multiple lanes of traffic to carry on your journey. There’s also the issue of needing to slow down or stop at all the side roads as a lot of our cycle lanes don’t have priority over traffic. It’s just a lot more practical and safer to use the roads if you wish to travel at any speed.
Xenophon2 wrote:
Or it’s got cars parked in it. Or it’s got grit on it from the resurfacing six months ago which makes it a skid risk. Or it weaves around like a squirrel on crack. Or it’s covered in paint which turns it into an ice rink a the the first hint of rain.
I think between us we just ruled out an awful lot of bike lanes.
Xenophon2 wrote:
Not sure if you have visited the UK, but most of our cycle paths are atrocious and pointless. Nothing like the infrastructure on the continent.
I give you two examples of poorly designed, badly constructed paths from my nearest town, Kingston upon Thames.
We have a newly constructed cycle path over Kingston Hill. The path constantly switches between segregated lane and shared pavement with pinch points as it passes through bus stops.
We have another bike path along a road out of town past the University. It’s less than 3 months old but it has been so poorly constructed that it floods and, surprise surprise is already breaking up, strewing gravel across path and road.
Our roads are bad enough, but the cycle paths are something else!
Xenophon2 wrote:
I’ve ridden in Belgium twice and while their were some nice bike paths on the whole I didn’t like it. A lot of the paths I used were no good for cyclists traveling at speed, weaving around road funiture, placed in the dooring zone of parked cars (appreciate europeans are supposedly better at checking their blind spots but it only takes one muppet), and constantly having to slow to cross at side roads and junctions. While you are offered some protection it feels like the cost is a more cumbersome journey.
If you want people to use cycle lanes and cycle in general, it has to be because it is more attractive than getting in the car. The only place I have seen that is getting it right is the Netherlands. IF you can provide cycle lanes that make using them more direct with better priority than using the road, then by all means but if you can’t ban using the road with anything less while claiming your trying to increase cycling numbers.
As for the dumb woman claiming that cyclists cause polution that is the same as saying a the victim of a shooting is somehow responsible for being in the way of the bullet. NO. If you bring the gas guzzling metal devil to the party then that was your decision and the cyclist would prefer you weren’t there at all.
Xenophon2 wrote:
So that’s 99% of British cycle paths covered by that proviso then.
Xenophon2 wrote:
No need for the suit, some of us are capable of politely disagreeing.
The problem with this in the UK is that most cycle paths are not fit for purpose, especially for riders who like to make progress. Unfortunately, the decision as to whether the cycle path is safe or not won’t fall to the person who has to use it; it will be decided by either a judge or police officer (or possibly some jobsworth from a private enforcement company) and will therefore be used to fine with impunity those of us who’d much rather mix with the traffic than the pedestrians, dogs, rubbish bags, parked cars, broken glass, drain covers, piled-up snow (the list goes on) usually found in a typical UK bike lane.
I’d like to add another acronym to SMIDSY and MGIF and that’s “GITFuCyL” – “get in the fucking cycle lane”. Regularly shouted at me by drivers who seem to think that I’m only in the road to annoy them. If there were some great, usable, segregated infrastructure, of course we’d all use it. But there isn’t, which is why I’ll continue to ride on the road even when I have the option of being protected from the motor traffic by a line of paint.
Xenophon2 wrote:
Or they are covered in glass or leaf mould as is the case here in Swindon – wrote to the local council and Councillor responsible and they said it would be cleared the next day… still hasn’t happened as tomorrow never comes (at least in Swindon). I have also come off my bike on cycle paths in Chippenham which have lamp posts in the middle of them and glass thrown up from the road. We cycle on the road as those are occasionally cleaned – cycle paths in Swindon and Wiltshire (where Melksham is) aren’t.
However, in the UK almost all
However, in the UK almost all cycle lanes are crap (dangerous, pointless, glass strerwn, dog walker infeststed, tickbox excercises).