Funky bike racks hit New York

It is for this exact reason I never purchased any Canal+ branded jerseys. Only saw it once but it was enough.

@mitsky To be fair (through gritted teeth), hasn't the main damage to Hammersmith Bridge been from IRA bombings and boat strikes, though obviously exacerbated by heavy traffic in the subsequent years?

@Andrewbanshee Yes, and at every age, not just at our distinguished and noble years (I'm 57). I've known several people who have been a bit vain about having to start wearing glasses and so put it off for years even when it was quite obvious that they wouldn't pass the driving test "read a numberplate at twenty metres" requirement (which is itself inadequate, in my opinion). As I understand it, in the USA driver licences to be renewed every four to eight years, depending on the state (apart from Arizona and Massachusetts which are twelve years, for some reason), and an eye test is a compulsory element of renewal. High time that was introduced here.

In fairness, at the time they came out Rapha was also constantly offering deep discounts - it's only more recently they've done away with that - so they were basically just following the Rapha model.

Likewise - I've got heaps of their stuff, and been happy with almost all of it. The only thing I've ever had a problem with was a pair of winter gloves that was a shape that no hand ever was.

The bibs were always decent for me, obviously everyone has a different fit/needs, so they won't be for everybody! I'm still a massive fan of their Merino tees, great for bikepacking!

@Krislord Yeah this is a pre-pack job by the looks of it. One of those things that seems like it shouldn't be legal, but somehow manages to be. Like all ubiquitous brands Le Col gets up people's noses. Cycling fashion has moved on a bit in the last couple of years too and you see more PNS and Universal Colours in Richmond Park these days. I feel a bit old for some of that stuff and I still like Le Col because they offer plenty of understated kit.

It seemed enough to me.

Indeed. I am now 60, although unlike many licence holders I have an assessment every 3 years. I am type one diabetic. Part of the assessment is proof that my eyesight is good enough. Why aren't health checks part of being a licence holder?

"In a report, Hammersmith & Fulham Council were told that conservative estimates for re-opening the bridge to cars were £300 million. In contrast, between 2010 and 2021, London councils spent a total of £100 million on all bridges in the city. So cost is clearly the overwhelming factor,..." Tell us that motorists don't pay enough for the damage done to roads, without telling us. (Yes, I have a driving licence.) And given we know that if the motor vehicle has more mass, the far greater the damage done... should businesses pay more? I won't say road tax, but something that contributes to the general tax pot that funds road repair. And needless to say: the business owners need to pay more tax too rather than hoard the profits.