“Maybe I’ll hang it on the wall like a trophy”: Cyclist’s spectacularly worn chainring shocks riders and mechanics online… one suggesting it’s “genuinely the worst chainring that I’ve seen in my entire life” + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
In the news this morning...
"The vicar who blames 'worshipper exodus on cycle lane' also sells car parking spaces for £4 a day... God parks in mysterious bays"
Fair play to WalkRide GM’s Harry Gray (also of Snake Pass trespass fame), no need for me to think of a headline when you’ve dropped that masterpiece already…
In case you’re wonder what we’re talking about…
Visma-Lease a Bike fast-track British wonderkid Matthew Brennan into Paris-Roubaix team
It’s a testament to Matthew Brennan’s remarkable arrival in the WorldTour that one of its biggest teams Visma-Lease a Bike have called the 19-year-old Darlington-born prospect into their line-up for one of the biggest races of the season. That’s right, Brennan will line up for Paris-Roubaix as part of the squad hoping to help Wout van Aert to a famous monument victory.
The team’s head of racing Grischa Niermann has tempered expectation about what Brennan could achieve on Sunday, explaining it will be “a valuable experience” for a young rider with “everything to learn” in a race like Roubaix. However, Niermann also accepted that everyone at the team was taken aback by a “remarkable” spring that saw Brennan win GP Denain and two stages of Volta a Catalunya.
“Matthew has surprised us several times already,” Niermann said. “That he already has three pro wins to his name is remarkable. Given how fast he’s developing, we’ve adjusted his schedule. He was originally supposed to race more with the Development Team, but we feel he’s outgrown that level. In a monument like Paris-Roubaix, he still has everything to learn. The opportunity came up to bring him, and we believe this will be a valuable experience for him.”
For Brennan, Sunday will be a “dream”, the young rider admitting even he was “blow away” to win GP Denain.
“I keep surprising myself week after week in my first pro season – not just in results, but also in the races I’m doing. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was my first real classic, and it left me wanting more,” he said. “I was blown away. GP Denain was my next race, and to win there straight away was really special. I’m massively looking forward to Sunday. Paris-Roubaix is the kind of race young riders dream about. To be starting it already feels like an incredibly valuable investment in my future.”
Waiting aids at lights... a nice idea or "solving a problem that was not there to be solved"?
Martin Booth, the editor of the news site Bristol 24/7 which does some cracking reporting of cycling issues in the city, has shared his latest story on social media; the piece looking at some new ‘cyclist waiting aids’ that have been installed in Bristol. The idea is to offer cyclists a rail to hold onto at traffic lights, meaning you don’t have to put your feet down.
Sharing his piece, Booth said: “I really want to like these new ‘cyclist waiting aids’ but I think they are a bit pointless, solving a problem that was not there to be solved.”
What do you reckon? Would you use them and find them helpful? Or is it “solving a problem that was not there to be solved”? Let us know in the comments…
Rugby League player banned for eight matches over mass brawl to cycle from Yorkshire to London "to do something for the club" during suspension
Time for the most random cycling story of the day. A Batley Bulldogs rugby league player currently suspended for eight matches over a mass brawl is using the time off to… cycle 220 miles to London to raise money for the club’s fundraising appeal to upgrade their stadium’s floodlights.
Dane Manning was sent off for his role in a mass brawl during a game last month and has served three of his eight-game ban. He’s setting off from Batley in West Yorkshire tomorrow to cycle to London in time for his teammates’ match against London Broncos at 5pm on Saturday.
“I wanted to do something for the club during my eight-match ban,” he told the Dewsbury Reporter. “I thought it was something I could do to raise some money. And with us playing in London, I thought I would meet the boys down there. Batley is a family run club where we all muck in for each other and I thought I would help them out.
“I just need to do something because they have always looked after me. They look after everybody. I want to give them a bit back […] I’ve never even ridden a road bike. I’ve got 220 miles to find out how to ride one. I haven’t even trained for it.”
Less fighting, more biking…
Giant "inevitably forced to reflect cost" of Trump tariffs, as manufacturers warn US bike prices could rise by 50% amid "existential threat" to cycling industry
"I don't see a worn chainring, I see aero marginal gains"
mdavidford has done something similar, “possibly worse” even, to a poor chainring before… “I didn’t realise that the front derailleur had seized up, and had moved the chain enough to shift it but not enough to align it properly. Bike was on the trainer after that, so I wasn’t shifting at all at the front, and it went from fine to looking like that distressingly quickly.”
billymansell: “I don’t see a worn chainring, I see aero marginal gains.”
Sredlums picked up on my statement it’s a “jaw-dropping reminder to replace your chain, cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings when they get too worn”… suggesting “if anything, considering he was still riding it, this shows there’s actually way more life in your chainrings than we think”.
Just make sure you send us a picture so we can get a live blog out of it!
Cyclist pulls in to let eight drivers pass on narrow country lane... and the video even goes down well on Twitter
The rarest of rarities… a cycling-related video off Twitter that people are actually queuing up to say nice things about. Who knew that was possible? These days you’re usually safer giving the comments and replies a miss, but the Jim’s Wheels account has pulled off one of the great diplomatic feats of modern history… getting the ranty people of Twitter to be nice to a cyclist. All with this short video…
Pausing for 20 seconds to allow 8 vehicles past this morning. pic.twitter.com/cHLX2sTcIr
— Jim’s Wheels (@JimsWheels) April 9, 2025
“Pausing for 20 seconds to allow eight vehicles past this morning,” Jim wrote, the video showing him pull off a narrow country lane to let some drivers past, in return receiving a few hazard lights of thanks, as well as those aforementioned nice comments online.
Another rider told Jim he “doesn’t mind doing this to keep the peace”, someone else saying “I did that for a lorry driver the other morning. Got a lovely toot toot. I know he and I had a better day because of that moment.”
There’s an especially narrow climb near me that just so happens to have a perfect-lengthed lay-by for rolling into, before giving a hand signal and letting someone pass. Without fail it always results in a friendly toot or a wave and can be timed easily to avoid even having to unclip. I certainly prefer that to someone following around the corner when the road ramps up towards 15%.
Of course, Jim’s video isn’t a suggestion that those on bikes need to leap off the road at every opportunity to allow their superiors through, just that sometimes it can work out quite easily and make everyone involved feel a bit better. Adding to the point, Jim replied to one comment asking if he’d want children cycling to school to get out drivers’ way, responding: “I wouldn’t… this is a country lane nowhere near a school with few cyclists. On school routes drivers can jolly well wait!”
I’m sure there’ll be plenty of thoughts for the comments section…
What's the best cycling weather?
Random Thursday rambling that I’m throwing out to you guys too, what’s the best weather for cycling?
There was a moment on last night’s ride that I was convinced I’d found it — spring evening sunshine, warm enough for shorts, not too warm that a long sleeve jersey or arm warmers were uncomfortable. Warm enough to not need gloves, a buff, toe covers or any extras, but cool enough to ride hard and not feel the heat. No need to drink loads of water, no need for sun cream… 15°C evening sunshine (with a nice sunset)…
Yes, it’s a slow news day… so, what’s your favourite weather?
João Almeida makes up for yesterday's cornering with impressive solo win at Itzulia Basque
No 50p cornering (as Ryan so amusingly described it on yesterday’s blog) for João Almeida this afternoon, the UAE Team Emirates rider righting the wrongs of stage three with a dominant display up the brutal ramps of stage four’s final climb before seeing off the chasers on the run to the line in Markina-Xemein.
Teammate Isaac del Torro took second, making it a 1-2 for the team on the day, Almeida also now sitting comfortably atop the GC standings, with a 30-second advantage over previous leader Max Schachmann.
How to prevent numb feet while cycling — why it's happening and how to stop it
"Maybe I'll hang it on the wall like a trophy": Cyclist's spectacularly worn chainring shocks riders and mechanics online... one suggesting it's "genuinely the worst chainring that I've seen in my entire life"
A jaw-dropping reminder to replace your chain, cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings when they get too worn. Ideally (well) before they look like this…
On Reddit there was a mixture of shock, curiosity and what appeared to be people genuinely impressed by someone managing to ride a chainring into this state, going beyond the limits of human achievement.
According to the user who shared it, and who was asking for advice about whether it needed replacing, the bike it was on was solely used for indoor riding on Zwift so they didn’t notice any issues like dropping a chain when hitting bumps out on the road. Apparently the shifting still held up most of the time so, with the bike largely just sitting in one place for turbo sessions, the chainring’s impending transformation into a smooth-edged circle went unnoticed.
The question was, “Is my chainring worn out?” The top reply came: “It was worn out a year ago… “
Another added: “I’m not that experienced in wrenching, but man I’ve never seen one worn out so spectacularly! This is awesome.”
The owner then amusingly suggested they might hang it on the wall “like a trophy”.
The “one positive”, they then accepted, came in reply to another commenter who called it “very very very worn out, which means you’re riding the hell out of this bike. Good job”.
During the chainring’s life the chain had apparently been changed three times, and the cassette once, the current chain miraculously still fine following a quick check using a chain wear indicator.
Needless to say, the verdict from all who saw it was unanimous, that chainring’s done it’s time… and some.
“.105% life remains,” one reply came.
“That’s genuinely the worst chainring that I’ve seen in my entire life, and I’ve seen a LOT of chainrings!” another added.
“It was worn out a year ago… it is now in the process of becoming a smooth circle.”
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Latest Comments
It’s a shame the reviewer didn’t offer a deeper analysis about why it felt sluggish and slow to turn into high speed corners. The geo could be to blame—with the sky high stack height and long chainstays—although it appears to be in line with accepted endurance geometry these days.
There I was, trying to be serious! I was trying to differentiate between soft footpaths & gravel or surfaced tracks. And no, I have never ridden wearing headphones/buds. I did try ear buds once when walking the dog & didn't like the loss of awareness. For the pedants; I don't have a moral problem with riding on isolated 'surfaced' footpaths nor have I ever encountered any problems with other users when riding on said footpaths.
Is that riding with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Grateful Dead on the headphones?
" ... noticeably easier to pedal." Really? How noticeable? I've seen a thing at point of sale in a major bike shop near Kingston which had two identical chainsets connected to two different bottom brackets, inviting the customer to try spinning each one and go "ooh, this one spins much longer when there's no grease in it or load on it, it must be better", but from what I've read, the real-world difference between tuned ceramic and out-of-the box decent steel is about one watt, at best?
@imajez Most people would have walked, but we take your point. I've never had a problem with riding on stoned tracks, designated as footpaths, but I'm not ripping up the surface on downhill footpaths. 0:-)
'Rather than using cups that cartridge bearings sit within, the MAXhit is the bearings, if you catch my drift' Still none the wiser - stick with dub and a ceramic Chinese affair at that which are brilliant for cost & durability in my experience!
@tomlew Will check Neco, cheers.
I’m not sure it’s a knee jerk reaction from Adam Hansen’s point. I think it’s more the media, as per usual, having a full statement in front of them about everything that was wrong with the tragic incident on Friday, and running with the headline that will get the most attention and clicks. No doubt this very publication will be the same come Monday. My sincere condolences to Finlay’s family and friends.
23 thoughts on ““Maybe I’ll hang it on the wall like a trophy”: Cyclist’s spectacularly worn chainring shocks riders and mechanics online… one suggesting it’s “genuinely the worst chainring that I’ve seen in my entire life” + more on the live blog”
I’ve done that (possibly
I’ve done that (possibly worse) to a chainring, when I didn’t realise that the front derailleur had seized up, and had moved the chain enough to shift it but not enough to align it properly. Bike was on the trainer after that, so I wasn’t shifting at all at the front, and it went from fine to looking like that distressingly quickly.
I don’t see a worn chainring,
I don’t see a worn chainring, I see aero marginal gains.
How do drivers find the
How do drivers find the church parking spaces when it’s “completely isolated” and the congregation”get lost”?
In the interests of Christian
In the interests of Christian fair dealing, he really ought to point out the complete inaccessibility of his parking spaces in the ad. Anything else would surely amount to wilful misrepresentation.
The waiting aid things seem a
The waiting aid things seem a bit unnecessary to me – there’s better things to be done for cyclists. I don’t think the design is particularly good either as they’re a bit stark and could do with some planters etc.
I agree – I feel much more
I agree – I feel much more stable and comfortable standing on one leg than I do with both feet on the pedals and holding on to a bar – but maybe that’s specific to riding a road bike and not representative of all users.
There are examples elsewhere
There are examples elsewhere of footplates that allow a stabilised ‘up and ready’ position, albeit with one foot off the pedal. This design looks more like ‘strap hanging’, which would cause the arm to go numb. It also seems to favour taller riders.
I quite often hold on to
I quite often hold on to those pedestrian cattle fences you get at crossing points, but these look to be at an awfully uncomfortable height, and liable to unbalance you on letting go, which might even slow you down getting away from the lights.
Yeah, I’ve used some of those
Yeah, I’ve used some of those. Still prefer two hands on the bars, one foot on the floor.
It might save me from trying
It might save me from trying and failing to do a track stand . For that, a worthy investment
More “we can’t do stuff / don
More “we can’t do stuff / don’t have cash for more of what actually makes a significant difference, so we’ll tinker round the edges / add a few maybe-nice-to-haves with the extra cash”.
Copenhagen has these I believe, albeit a nicer design with a footrest (from the Bicycle Dutch video here). But actually a) not needed b) more stuff for drivers to trash c) more impediments in the way of people walking (and possibly cycling).
Edinburgh’s version is signs. We may struggle for cash for any number of things but apparently there’s always money for signs.
And yes, signs can be helpful, they can even be important, and you can’t buy a new cycle route for sign money (though modal filters / bollards are probably closer in cost?) … but it would be great if there were actually a coherent network of decent-quality routes for the signs to actually direct you around. Plus almost everyone has a map app.
On the other hand some of the Notional Cycle Network routes are so obscure and unlikely I guess even the boldest explorer sometimes benefits from being able to say “ah – no, I didn’t take a wrong turn down a culvert – there’s a sign so going through this field full of boisterous cattle must be the route!”
I particularly love the
I particularly love the shared use path directional signs clamped to round posts, which kids frequently turn for fun to indicate a wrong direction.
“A jaw-dropping reminder to
“A jaw-dropping reminder to replace your chain, cassette, jockey wheels and chainrings when they get too worn”
I’d say, if anything, considering he was still riding it, this shows there’s actually way more life in your chainrings than we think 🙂
Not convinced it’s doing the
Not convinced it’s doing the chain any good, though
It’s closer to being a
It’s closer to being a chainguard than a chainring!
To paraphrase Alex Harvey,
To paraphrase Alex Harvey, “Shark’s teeth meet Richard Widmark, if ya wanna looka for trouble!”
Looking at (what is left of)
Looking at (what is left of) the tooth shapes, perhaps he has only being able to go backwards for a while now…
Wout van Aert testing the
Wout van Aert testing the Gravaa tyre pressure adjusting system in a Paris-Roubaix recce, has a puncture and light crash: https://sporza.be/nl/2025/04/10/test-met-bandendruksysteem-mislukt-wout-van-aert-ontsnapt-aan-val-in-bos-van-wallers-na-lekke-band~1744277929643/
Main thought that TwXtter
Main thought that TwXtter video prompts is, why on earth does so much traffic need to be using a lane like that in the first place?
Easy one that: it wasn’t “so
Easy one that: it wasn’t “so much traffic” before the cyclist was there! That queue had been building up behind the cyclist since the lane was built. Remember – just a few cyclists can bring a whole city’s traffic to gridlock if cars cannot overtake …
Quest are showing the Paris
Quest are showing the Paris Roubaix highlights at 11 both days.
Big deal about that cyclist
Big deal about that cyclist who pulled in to let motor traffic behing get ahead. I have been doing it for years, always getting hazard lights in return. Hoping that kindness will be returned to me and other cyclists by drivers remembering and behaving themselves at future encounters.
“God parks in mysterious bays
“God parks in mysterious bays” is very good