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news
Single-speed bike brand says it could lose 30% of business due to post-Brexit tariffs; Susannah Constantine considers cycling six months after apologising for "joke" about killing cyclists; Sidis on the catwalk; Racing the tide + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
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quella evo 5.jpg01 February 2021, 19:45
A bit of a puddle
Would you go for it? We'll be asking the road.cc staffer who was faced with this earlier today how they got on...
01 February 2021, 17:00
Note left on lamppost thanking scooter driver for helping daughter who fell off bike
1/2
What a nice message on my high street in #Chiswick — a mum thanking “Mr Scooter Driver” for helping her daughter when she came off her bike, “and thank God we were on the protected cycle path away from large vehicles.” pic.twitter.com/sRmsmsPWY0— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) February 1, 2021
This is a nice touch spotted on Cycleway 9 in Chiswick this afternoon by Jeremy Vine. The parent of a girl who fell off her bike while using the newly-opened segregated cycle lane wrote to "Mr Scooter Driver" who helped following the fall. The note also says: "thank God we were on the protected cycle path away from large vehicles."
01 February 2021, 11:57
Quella Bicycles set to lose up to 30% of business due to tariffs on sales to the EU, according to its co-founder
Single-speed bike brand Quella predicts it will lose up to 30 per cent of its business due to tariffs on sales to the EU. The Gloucester-based bike company's co-founder, Mike Mellor, told Punchline the 14% post-Brexit tariff applied to bikes that fall outside the 'sale origin rule' and anti-dumping tariffs up to 45% will seriously impact their business. As Quella's bikes use frames and components that are built in China and Taiwan, the company will have to pay the 'sale of origin' tariff as only bikes that are at least 55% made and produced inside the UK and EU can move between UK and EU tariff-free.
"Our tariff-free Brexit is blatantly not a tariff-free Brexit," Mellor told Punchline. "We sell bicycles into Europe, it's about 30 per cent of our turnover. There is duty on almost every single sale that is going through. Our bicycles are designed in the UK but the majority of the componentry and all the frames are made in the Far East, in Taiwan and China.
"We pay duty when the goods land in the UK. In the past we've popped those bikes to a courier and they arrive in Europe a couple of days later. Now, the bikes are arriving up to seven days later and we are getting charged another set of duty — 14 per cent if they're just applying the goods not manufactured in the country of origin tariff. And up to 45 per cent if they apply anti-dumping as if the goods have been imported from China, when we've already paid the duty.
"It's not what we were promised. About 30 per cent of our sales for 2021 were budgeted for the EU. We just cannot sell to wholesalers at the current rates. It's just not sustainable. We will lose between 0 and 30 per cent of our business."
Ten days ago Ribble announced they would refund the 14 per cent tariff for its EU customers who ordered between 1st-17th January. The announcement came after a would-be Ribble customer in Germany contacted road.cc and warned about "surprises" at checkout for EU residents ordering from the UK.
01 February 2021, 15:14
"Hopefully she will become a voice to convince other women to take up travel by bicycle": Your thoughts on the Susannah story
01 February 2021, 14:31
01 February 2021, 14:18
"It was a bit sad": How did Mathieu van der Poel celebrate his fourth cyclo-cross world title? With a pizza and a bottle of wine
Mathieu van der Poel wasn't in as jubilant a mood as you might expect for someone who had just won their fourth cyclo-cross rainbow jersey. He told Belgian outlet Sporza that he found yesterday's win a bit sad without the normal party atmosphere. "There was a strange vibe without fans," Van der Poel said. "Everyone just went home. That was a bit sad. The euphoria was different than usual. You can't do anything with your team or with your friends. It was very strange. How did I celebrate? A bottle of wine and a pizza with my girlfriend."
Having won his third consecutive world title in the discipline, Van der Poel admitted that cross is becoming less important to him and that it is the rivalry with Wout van Aert that keeps him motivated more than the sport itself. The 26-year-old also suggested he may leave the Tour de France after the second rest day in order to properly prepare for the Olympics.
Take a closer look at the bike that Van der Poel powered to victory in Oostende...
01 February 2021, 13:59
Tom Pidcock is officially an Ineos Grenadier
𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 a Grenadier.
Let's go, @Tompid 🤝 pic.twitter.com/KdGzVBBpIN
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) February 1, 2021
With the cyclo-cross season finished Tom Pidcock is officially an Ineos Grenadier. The team shared the first pictures of the 21-year-old in their kit on social media this morning. Pidcock has already trained with the team at their winter camp in Gran Canaria, but can now turn his full attention to racing on the road. The last of his cyclo-cross commitments, the World Championships in Oostende, finished in disappointment for the rider from Leeds who finished just outside the medals in fourth having been badly held up on the opening lap.
Pidcock's calendar for his opening professional road season is varied and includes the opening weekend of the cobbled classics in Belgium, a couple of Ardennes classics and the Vuelta a España.
01 February 2021, 13:12
Positive data from cycling infrastructure in Enfield
A beautiful example of how coordinated actions works and that it’s doable in a short space of time.
People will choose active travel when, and only when, they have joined up safe space to do it 👏👏 https://t.co/ct60yLD5iE
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) February 1, 2021
01 February 2021, 12:33
01 February 2021, 11:27
Philippe Gilbert sets sights on Milan-San Remo
Ready 4 More! #strive4five pic.twitter.com/aZzipAqHMp
— PHILIPPE GILBERT (@PhilippeGilbert) January 31, 2021
Phil Gil has made his goal for 2021 pretty clear with this video posted on his Twitter yesterday. The five-time Monument winner is a Milan-San Remo short of completing the set and becoming only the fourth man in cycling history to win all five of the sport's most prestigious one-day races. If Gilbert can add the illusive San Remo win to his palmarès then he'll join an elite club alongside fellow Belgians: Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy and Roger De Vlaeminck.
When he's not training to win San Remo, Gilbert offers personalised video messages to fans on celebrity messaging website Cameo for £37.50. You can check out the other famous cycling Cameoers here...
01 February 2021, 10:24
Watford Junction Station's bicycle rack removed due to thefts
Watford Borough Council has removed a bicycle rack at Watford Junction Station following a series of thefts. The council says the decision was made to reduce the number of bikes being stolen. The Watford Observer reports that cyclists have instead been asked to use a secure custom-built facility near one of the platforms that is monitored by CCTV.
On their Facebook page, the council explained the decision: "Due to a number of bike thefts, the bike rack to the left of Watford Junction station entrance is being taken out of action. Cyclists are being asked to use the secure custom-built bike facility at the side of platform 6. This undercover facility has 300 spaces and is monitored by CCTV which feeds into the station's control room."
01 February 2021, 10:16
Sidis on the catwalk
Well, this is...interesting. It appears to be a triathlon-ready outfit including, I've been reliably informed, a pair of goggles from the Aqua Sphere x Michael Phelps Xceed range. The running shorts over the suit jacket and what looks like a clown shirt underneath are nice touches. However, the star of the show is undoubtedly the Sidis...Unfortunately it doesn't look like they went all the way and added cleats too. Then again negotiating the catwalk in cleats is probably too much to ask. One member of the road.cc news team speculated it could be part of the Robin Lynch x Rapha collection...
01 February 2021, 09:58
Best of the action from a day at the Belgian seaside
😛@mathieuvdpoel 🇳🇱 retains the title.
The rainbow 🌈 bands are his for another year!#Ostend2021 pic.twitter.com/99QcF5TOXL— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) January 31, 2021
It lived up to the hype, if slightly dampened by an inopportune puncture for Wout van Aert. The course in Oostede certainly gave the TV cameras some great shots...It was Mathieu van der Poel's day with the 26-year-old winning his fourth cyclo-cross rainbow jersey and third in a row.
🇧🇪 @WoutvanAert v 🇳🇱 @mathieuvdpoel v 🌊The North Sea#Ostend2021 pic.twitter.com/PABbvjib8v
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) January 31, 2021
01 February 2021, 08:51
Susannah Constantine considers cycling six months after apologising for "joke" about killing cyclists...but only because she's about to lose her licence for repeat speeding offences
"I'm about to lose my licence I think, so I might have to take up a bicycle."
Susannah Constantine reveals she might be banned from driving after totting up too many speeding offences.@snhconstantine | @TheJeremyVine | #JeremyVine pic.twitter.com/sG25LvICv2
— Jeremy Vine On 5 (@JeremyVineOn5) January 29, 2021
Susannah Constantine is close to coming full circle six months on from apologising for a "joke" about killing cyclists. The former TV stylist told Jeremy Vine that she's about to lose her driving licence after getting two speeding fines in one journey..."'I’m about to lose my licence I think so I might have to take up a bicycle," she explained on Jeremy Vine on 5. "I have too many speeding fines and what's known as a totter – I keep getting points on my licence. I got two in one journey when I was going down to Cornwall on the A3O3 and I was only 2mph over on one stretch and 4mph over on another."
In July, Susannah found herself in hot water over comments she made about cyclists during an episode of her My Wardrobe Malfunction podcast. She said: "Oh I hate cycling. I won’t cycle. No, I fucking hate cyclists. My husband is a cyclist and if I see him on the road on his bicycle, I’m going to run him over. And the day when I know I’m about to die, I’m going to get in my car, aged 90, and I’m going to drive into cyclists wearing Lycra, kill the lot of them and go and die in jail."
There was little sympathy on social media for Susannah likely losing her licence...
Perhaps she needs to learn to drive properly. It’s not hard to follow the rules, especially with your speed as there’s plenty of signs to remind you of the maximum you should be driving
— Susie (@YarlanZey) January 29, 2021
Dan is the road.cc news editor and has spent the past four years writing stories and features, as well as (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. Having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for the Non-League Paper, Dan joined road.cc in 2020. Come the weekend you'll find him labouring up a hill, probably with a mouth full of jelly babies, or making a bonk-induced trip to a south of England petrol station... in search of more jelly babies.
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65 comments
MaxBulla
|
3 years ago
3 likes
If she is incapable of following speed limits despite several fines, maybe she shouldn't be taking part in transport at all. You can just picture her being a totally irresponsible cyclist as well judging by her character. Stick to the bus or taxis
I say good luck to her trying to speed on a bicycle.
Totally irresponsible cyclists are more likely to take a tumble and learn that sometimes braking early reduces your exposure to tarmac.
I was only 2mph over on one stretch and 4mph over on another
Translation: "I don't see that I did anything wrong".
People that persistently 'speed' don't only do '2 to 4mph' over the limit, and it's unlikely anything of that magnitude would have resulted in a fine, unless in either a 20mph or 30mph or accident black spot zone.
So my guess is - she is talking bullshit on those speeds, or she's been pinged by a set of average speed cameras on a number of occasions along the road.
Hopefully no shops will sell her any bikes, knowing of her previous comments...imagine that...
Hopefully no shops will sell her any bikes, knowing of her previous comments...imagine that...
Know what you mean; kind of agree. But really, I hope she has such a positive experience of customer service from people who match the right bike to her needs, and from people who help her to cycle safely and make the most of cycling, that she becomes an unashamed advocate of cycling.
That's all I ask of her. And if not, she can go back out of my life after taking 5 minutes of my precious lunctime reading.
eburtthebike
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3 years ago
14 likes
Well, a reformed sinner is always welcome. Perhaps we should be the bigger people here, and offer her help in taking up cycling by offering advice on the bike and clothing and routes? Must be some local cyclists who could use the opportunity to show that cyclists are a friendly bunch, willing to help and turn the other cheek even for this level of insult. Show her that we're really human beings just like her and the rest of the ridiculous, biased cycle haters.
Mind you, if her husband hasn't convinced her, maybe it's a lost cause, but hey, let's try anyway.
nikkispoke
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3 years ago
13 likes
I wish Susannah well on her discovery in seeing the world on a bicycle she will discover the joy and the problems in behaviour from some people who drive (perhaps like her former self) and the limited infrastructure. Hopefully she will become a voice to convince other women to take up travel by bicycle.
I went on a Speed Awareness course about 15 years ago ( I was young and stupid) and it was amazing how many people in the room were only 1-2mph over the limit. The ridiculously prolonged arguing with the instructors meant we took much longer to complete the course. I've never gone over a speed limit since, amongst other things, I just didn't want to be associated with people like that.
I went on a Speed Awareness course about 15 years ago ( I was young and stupid) and it was amazing how many people in the room were only 1-2mph over the limit.
Most people caught speeding say that they were only a couple of miles-an-hour over the limit; self-delusion is very powerful.
I also went on a Speed Awareness course a number of years ago and when I let it slip that I was a cyclist a couple of people started spouting the usual "bloody cyclists, always jumping red lights and riding like idiots." It was my pleasure to remind them that every one of us was a motorist who had broken the law. You could see the confusion as they tried to compute this as they didn't see themselves as lawbreakers, just unlucky to have got caught.
With such arrogant behavour and simply refusing to accept they are in the wrong. The course staff should just send them away and hit them with the original fine they would have got if they hadnt attended the course in the first place.
The instructors did mention that the reason they were in the room was because they must've been doing at least 10%+2mph (35mph in a 30) over the limit, to which they all moaned and said they "definitely weren't".Unfortunately, when stupid takes a position, they don't change it (or they wouldn't be stupid 😉). I vowed to mend my ways in a car, ride my bike a lot more and never to share a room with people of this type.
When my wife went on a speed aware course, also around 15yrs ago, I think she said everyone had been caught doing 34 or 35mph. They allow 10% for error (both camera and speedometer) but if you're 20% over they don't offer the course and go straight to points.
Mrs Hawkinspeter got caught doing 33mph in a 30 zone, but she was furious as it was about 4am in the morning (we were on the way to the airport) and the roads were completely empty. She reported that the course was quite interesting and that she learnt something despite herself.
Thats a good point. What you witnessed during that speed awareness course was victims arguing with intransigence. Trying to argue with such people is like trying to chop down an oak tree by bashing it repeatedly with your penis. Your only gonna have a hurty willy.
I however regularly drove above the speed limit, and was lucky only to ever have had 1 fine. I like to think that this was because I maintained a low speed through built up areas and places where a Darwin Award is more likely. On more open roads I just ignore the speed limit and drive based on being able to stop within the distance I can see to be clear. I can often see it to be clear for miles so I go like fuck. These days I have the mindset that the act of driving itself is punishment. I really really hate it and avoid it as much as humanely possible. You might be interested to know it's been many months and counting since I last drove.
Stick to pedalling as it's much less stressful. Speed limits or not.
These days I have the mindset that the act of driving itself is punishment. I really really hate it and avoid it as much as humanely possible. You might be interested to know it's been many months and counting since I last drove.
Stick to pedalling as it's much less stressful. Speed limits or not.
A win all round then, by the sounds of it.
" I was only 2mph over on one stretch and 4mph over on another", eh no. You were over the camera activation threshold by 2mph and 4mph. So you would have been over the speed limit by around 10% + the 2 and 4mph.
+ whatever arbitrary amount I feel entitled to leave out, and cos you didn't see the NIP that can be anything I choose...
I believe the activation threshold is 10%+2 over the stated limit so she was going another 2 or 4 above that, in addition to which, car speedos routinely over-read by 2 or 3 mph as another safety measure so if she tripped a camera in a 30 mph zone she must have been doing at least 35 mph and her speedo would have read 38mph. Anyone who manages not to notice that deserves a ban!
Can we now look forward to a future edition of "What Not to Wear While Cycling"?
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