Is THIS Britain’s worst cycle lane? Bizarre barriers and cyclists dismount sign ridiculed on social media; Ineos follow new concussion protocol, withdraw Geoghegan Hart from Paris-Nice; Ink-redibly bad bike tattoo; E-bike helmets? + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Endura announces new helmet designed for e-bike use
Endura has a new helmet, specifically designed for e-bike riders by “offering greater levels of impact protection and head coverage for higher speed classification e-bikes with a maximum speed of 28mph (45kph)”. The Speed Pedelec isn’t cheap at £159.99, but the brand says it’s extended skull coverage, lightweight in-mould construction and integrated Koroyd core for superior energy absorption offers the best protection for urban riders.
More problems with the terrible bike tattoo
Siri is there a German word for pleasure from not getting a tattoo https://t.co/ZQ2dMIu9ea
— Mike Conte (@MikeConte) March 10, 2021
As some of you have pointed out, the terrible bike tattoo also has a pedal the wrong way round too…Here’s some more reader thoughts on the questionable artwork…
I know fixed gear enthusiast are often maligned, but that’s a little harsh, don’t you think? 😉
— Adam Griss (@mradamgriss) March 10, 2021
That bottom pedal is all kinds of wrong too.
— Johnny Crash (@Johnny_Crash) March 10, 2021
Stellar startlist at Tirreno-Adriatico
Pinning my bib numbers for my first race in 2021! @BORAhansgrohe @TirrenAdriatico@BORAGmbH @Hansgrohe_PR @iamspecialized @sportful @ride100percent pic.twitter.com/H9OPZ5k15K
— Peter Sagan (@petosagan) March 10, 2021
Peter Sagan is back racing again for the first time this year, starting his season at Tirreno-Adriatico. The Italian week-long stage race has attracted a stacked field this year with: Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Peter Sagan, Julian Alaphilippe, Geraint Thomas, Tadej Pogačar, Egan Bernal, Simon Yates, Greg Van Avermaet, Mikel Landa, Jakob Fuglsang, Vincenzo Nibali, Nairo Quintana, Caleb Ewan, Thibaut Pinot, Filippo Ganna, Michal Kwiatkowski and João Almeida all taking to the start line in Lido di Camaiore today…That’s not bad is it?
We’ll keep you updated with stage one of Tirreno as well as stage four of Paris-Nice throughout the day here on the live blog…
Bike shop in Dumfries raided by thieves
AE Forest bike shop in Dumfries was raided yesterday morning by thieves who made off with six bikes. At the moment the owners believe it was just stock bikes taken but will have to wait until the police investigation is complete to know how many have been taken for sure. The pictures of the stolen bikes can be seen in the post above and include: x2 Merida E one sixty (silver), E Crafty (black/white), Megatower CC XO1 (storm grey), Megatower CS (storm grey), Merida E One-Sixty (deep purple).
Last month we reported that there had been a second major bike theft in the Scottish Highlands in a fortnight, with thieves stealing bikes worth a total of £50,000.
Endura's Speed Pedelec helmet - what's one of them then?
Jack here! The news that the Scottish brand Endura has developed a lid specifically for speed pedelec/e-bike riders has led to a couple of questions in the comments, so here’s my best answer…
In the UK and most of Europe, a speed e-bike is any bike with pedals that has more than 250 watts of power and an assisted speed limit of 25kph (and a maximum speed of 45kph). You need a moped licence and insurance to ride one, and before 2017 a motorbike helmet was needed too. Recognising that these full-face helmets aren’t really ideal for any kind of physical exercise, the EU published the NTA 8776 standard specifically for speed e-bike riders in late 2016. These helmets look more like conventional cycling helmets, but “protect against higher impact speeds and covers a larger part of the head” according to this explainer from Bike Europe.
So in simple terms, Endura’s new Speed Pedelec helmet complies with the NTA 8776 standard, as well as the CE standard EN1078 certification for conventional cycling helmets. If you want to find out more about riding a speed e-bike in the UK, plus what equipment and complicated documentation you’ll need to do so legally, check out this guide on our sister site eBikeTips.
dhb launches new website
We’re excited to reveal… we now have our own home.
This is a place we are proud to call our own. It’s home to all of our great products as well as a place to share stories and advice from our incredible ambassadors.
Take a look, don’t hold back https://t.co/zY6bu68tOp pic.twitter.com/2KbAFP7KI7
— dhb (@dhbsport) March 10, 2021
dhb has launched their own website this morning, featuring all their cycling, running, swimming and triathlon gear. We reviewed their Aeron Deep Winter Softshell jacket recently and our tester thought it was a great addition for those freezing winter rides that we might not be done with yet. Check out the review and their new site…
Mathieu van der Poel's Strade Bianche attacks with power data
Sometimes no words are needed! pic.twitter.com/UgXI3FUuJW
— GlobalCyclingNetwork (@gcntweet) March 10, 2021
We were all amazed by Van der Poel’s power numbers when he uploaded his Strade Bianche winning ride to Strava earlier this week. GCN, who broadcast the race, has overlaid his power data to the race footage to show exactly what a 1,000 watt attack looks like when you’re watching on TV…
Sir Chris Hoy supports campaign to fund homelessness villages
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Sir Chris Hoy is helping a Scottish charity’s campaign to raise £1 million for the construction of homelessness villages in Glasgow and London. The Break the Cycle Campaign aims to build two supported communities for people affected by homelessness to help them build an independent life. As part of their fundraising effort, the six-time Olympic champion will join 1,000 cyclists on a 60-mile charity bike ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh. The Herald reports that each participant will be asked to raise £1,000 to reach the £1 million target.
“I have seen the impact of the funds raised and I am passionate about supporting the bold approach to breaking the cycle of homelessness. I know times have been incredibly tough of late, but I’d encourage everyone to get involved and help raise the funds needed for this extraordinary project and take on their own challenges over the coming weeks and months,” Hoy said on the challenge.
Tao Geoghegan Hart crashes out of Paris-Nice
“He came in a bit hot into that corner” 💥
Tao Geoghegan Hart will lose some time here ⏱#ParisNice pic.twitter.com/fGnnIP0qT7
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) March 10, 2021
Tao Geoghegan Hart has crashed out of Paris-Nice on the descent of the penultimate climb of today’s stage. The leaders are on the final climb however Geoghegan Hart isn’t with them, after suffering with the effects of the fall and abandoning the race. The Giro d’Italia champion fell on a tight bend, taking FDJ climber David Gaudu out on the way down.
We’ll have the stage result in the next few minutes here on the blog and will keep you updated with any news from Ineos Grenadiers about Geoghegan Hart after the stage.
Primož Roglič wins stage four at Paris-Nice to take race lead
VICTOIRE DE @rogla !!! 🏅#ParisNice pic.twitter.com/4D0SoUVHNe
— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 10, 2021
Primož Roglič dominated stage four of Paris-Nice, attacking before the final bonus second sprint and holding on for 3km to win ahead of Max Schachmann and Guillaume Martin. By the finish his advantage had been cut to 12 seconds but with an impressive display in the time trial yesterday, it still gives the Slovenian a firm grip on the race at the halfway point. Roglič will wear the yellow jersey tomorrow and is 35 seconds ahead of last year’s winner Schachmann in second. UAE Team Emirates’ Brandon McNulty is third at 37 seconds. Tomorrow’s stage should be the final sprint of the week, but with a couple of climbs in the closing stages a brave attacker may fancy their chances.
Top-10 on Stage 4 of Paris-Nice pic.twitter.com/mByORK1xxV
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) March 10, 2021
Wout van Aert sprints to victory on stage one of Tirreno-Adriatico
Top-10 on Stage 1 of Tirreno-Adriatico pic.twitter.com/ijN8XrAilb
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) March 10, 2021
Wout van Aert responded to his disappointing result at Strade Bianche on Saturday in the best possible way by outsprinting Caleb Ewan and Fernando Gaviria to win the opening stage of Tirreno-Adriatico. Not a bad few minutes for Jumbo-Visma then, whose two biggest stars won two stages four minutes apart…It’ll be a long, arduous day in the saddle for the peloton tomorrow with a 200km stage finishing with a climb at Chiusdino. Will Wout make it two from two?
🇮🇹#TirrenoAdriatico 🇧🇪Wout Van Aert es una máquina. Gana al sprint y es el primer líder de la Tirreno. Completa un día pletórico para el @JumboVismaRoad
Líderes en 🇮🇹Italia y 🇨🇵Francia
pic.twitter.com/9vBADQQHBp— Nando Di María (FerNando Estupiñán) ® (@NandodiMaria) March 10, 2021
Ineos Grenadiers follow new concussion protocol and withdraw Tao Geoghegan Hart from Paris-Nice
Not our race this year. Sadly stage four concludes at #ParisNice without @taogeoghegan.
The young Brit was forced to abandon following a crash in the closing kilometres.
He will now head to hospital for further assessment. Medical update to follow later. pic.twitter.com/O8TaXk6rvu
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) March 10, 2021
Ineos Grenadiers’ sport director Gabriel Rasch confirmed Tao Geoghegan Hart has gone to hospital for further assessment. “His front wheel slipped in the corner,” Rasch explained. “It was really bad luck. I don’t know if there was some gravel or why exactly it slipped. He landed on his face and his head and his knee pretty badly. He was also a bit dizzy so we thought it was the right decision to stop him and not take any risks.”
Tao took to Twitter shortly after to thank his medical team for putting his health first. The decision comes two days after questions were asked about the UCI’s concussion protocol after Jumbo-Visma climber George Bennett continued after a crash despite snapping his helmet and looking visibly dizzy.
Landed on my head today. Thank you @INEOSGrenadiers & the medical team for putting my long-term welfare first when it was clear I wasn’t 100%. Little rest, no screen-time & hopefully back soon ❤️. Ciao all 👋 x
— Tao Geoghegan Hart (@taogeoghegan) March 10, 2021
Cracking example of 'angry people in local papers' on the West Sussex County Times' website today as former paramedic slams "brainless" cyclists who didn't hit him
Man doesn’t get hit by cyclists is how this story has been dubbed by one person on Twitter…The former paramedic seen beautifully demonstrating that cyclists aren’t allowed to ride down the Carfax in Horsham Town Centre. Chris Britton said the cyclists were “brainless” and the incident made him freeze for a few seconds…
Sussex Police’s response was given through a spokeswoman who said: “Where poor cycling etiquette is observed, this will be addressed at the time.”
Anyway, the story got the full ‘Angry People in Local Newspapers’ treatment…
Superb bit of angry pointing. https://t.co/xUOHMOzSuG
— Angry People in Local Newspapers (@angrypiln) March 10, 2021
"It's not April fools yet is it?" Bizarre barriers and customary 'cyclists dismount' sign on Oxford cycle lane ridiculed
It’s not April fools yet is it? 😆
What’s going on?@OxfordshireCC @OxfordCity @OxLivSts @CoHSATOxon @cycloxoxford https://t.co/RJFtuUf63j
— Pedal & Post Oxford (@PedalandPost) March 10, 2021
We’ve seen our fair share of neglected, dangerous and useless cycle lanes over the years here at road.cc, although this one probably falls more into the ‘weird’ category. What looks like a useable shared use path on Parks Road in Oxford City Centre has been rudely interrupted by a peculiar array of barriers and a ‘cyclists dismount’ sign, that Oxfordshire Cycling plus numerous others on social media have accused of being “inexcusable”, “terrible” and not compatible with adaptive cycling amongst other things.
Presumably it’s to make the lorry access to the building works in front of the NHM safe for cyclists, pedestrians and the lorry drivers? To slow cyclists down or make them dismount?
— Robin Williamson (@Robinc19) March 10, 2021
Were on it! Angry!
— Vaccinated Cllr Damian Haywood 💙 (@bigdamo) March 10, 2021
Fks sake. Why don’t you use the cycle path? drivers ask. This is why.
— Corrie Jones (@corriemjones) March 10, 2021
Robin Williamson suggests the arrangement could be to slow cyclists down while navigating a section of the path that is next to some building works; but otherwise, most reactions have been scathing.
Local councillor Damian Haywood says he is “angry” and wanting to find out what happened, while another local commented: “I used to cycle this route pretty much every day and if I were to come across this obstacle tomorrow I’d just cycle round it on the grass so it’s not only stupid but completely useless at whatever it is it was designed to do.”
road.cc has contacted Oxfordshire County Council for comment.
10 March 2021, 09:01
10 March 2021, 09:01
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Latest Comments
@bensynnock Yes, but I think edjz was referring to pedal cycles with an electric motor - I don't know if there any non-EAPC-compliant examples of those with type approval.
@Geoff H And how often does this work is this purely scaremongering and often repeated rubbish. People don't sue the car manufacturer when they crash their car and the brakes didn't prevent the accident, the tyres didn't grip well enough, the windscreen wasn't tinted enough, someone put a speed bump in the road etc. This just sounds like rubbish that people use to justify stopping kids doing something fun that has some risk to it.
...(so assuming they're "type-approved" if MOT exists) ... and have the appropriate category on your driving licence (or presumably have done your CBT and have an L-plate), have got that insurance, wear an appropriate helmet and only ride on the road in accordance with the conditions for that kind of vehicle... but other than that, it's basically order on the Internet and go...
You can buy legal electric motorbikes and mopeds. https://www.flexelectric.co.uk/category/e-mopeds You'd think some of these were illegal if you saw them, but they have an MOT from new and can be insured. You'd want to carry your documents with you.
Has anyone ridden any of the Forestry England dirt courses? Some of them are pretty hairy and could definitely be deemed dangerous. Dalby forest has seen a fair few of my friends injured on some of the more gnarly downhills. These are the routes they are saying the youngsters are allowed on, rather than a well designed pump track with ramps, which would be an excellent introduction to the more challenging routes throughout the forest. Their proposal of a redesign will no doubt turn out to be a sanitised version of what they are removing. As an oldster, child of the 70's I don't remember any serious injuries from all the 'dangerous' stuff we did.
@ErgoKnees the riders family asked for it to continue and as Rendel mentioned, neutralised stages are generally a nightmare (one to manage and two for the riders). Granted, blame has to be with the race organiser but road closures simply come down to a matter of cost. The TdF can afford this, smaller races can't. Instead of the UCI taking a fee they should be treating these races like a loss leader and supporting them to improve safety measures like using police rather than volunteers and using the proper barriers.
Even your correction of the correction isn't quite right. It's perfectly legal for an EAPC (not EPAC) to be able to go more than 15.5 mph - its just that the motor has to cut out above that speed. Also, it isn't necessarily illegal to use a bike that doesn't meet the EAPC requirements, provided you first get a vehicle approval and find someone willing to insure it (though, in practice, next to nobody's going to bother with all that when they can mostly just go out and ride them without and no-one will do anything about it).
edjz: It's not EPAC, it is an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle; EAPC. Also. you keep stating that non compliant bikes are only illegal on the road. This will confuse some, as they are illegal on all public land, which includes cycleways and other tracks.
@edjz We've added a clarification to that paragraph, thanks.
51 thoughts on “Is THIS Britain’s worst cycle lane? Bizarre barriers and cyclists dismount sign ridiculed on social media; Ineos follow new concussion protocol, withdraw Geoghegan Hart from Paris-Nice; Ink-redibly bad bike tattoo; E-bike helmets? + more on the live blog”
The whole thing is doing my
The whole thing is doing my head in, but – isn’t the bottom pedal the wrong way round? Flip the top clip – toe pointing forwards. Flip the bottom clip – toe pointing backwards. What would hurt most – having a bad tattoo done, or realising that the bad tattoo is also wrong?
Good spot.
Good spot.
No brakes either. Must be a
No brakes either. Must be a track bike I guess, except for troubling lack of wheels.
Sriracha wrote:
I think he’s going back for another session to have the turbo added….
Or the workstand.
Or the workstand.
Captain Badger wrote:
I think he’s going back for another session to have the turbo added….— Sriracha
Or the workstand.
Captain Badger wrote:
I think he’s going back for another session to have the turbo added….— Sriracha
They’ll face the same basic problem; where do you find a one-nipple hub?
nniff wrote:
Maybe that’s his set up…..
I think, if you zoom in
I think, if you zoom in closely on the down tube, you can make out “Carrera”…
GMBasix wrote:
Snob….
nniff wrote:
Happens a lot, though. All those people you read about who’ve had a tattoo done in a foreign script, one they don’t actually read – they’re promised it’s a deep and meaningful phrase, something by the Buddha, and it turns out to be a shopping list or suchlike…
Those wheels/nipples aren’t
Those wheels/nipples aren’t big enough to touch the ground…Well done on getting a tattoo of a bicycle which won’t work.
I guess we could call this
I guess we could call this one “You’ve been framed”?
Which makes me wonder if he
Which makes me wonder if he wears rimless glasses too.
Re Is this the worst cycling
Re Is this the worst cycling tattoo?
Why would you? Just, ….why???
Maybe he hopes someone will
Maybe he hopes someone will ride it?
Sriracha wrote:
Do you know, I spent a confused few seconds just now trying to imagine how that would work…
Give it six months and they
Give it six months and they’ll turn up on Tattoo Fixers…
Just needs QR-lever nipple
Just needs QR-lever nipple piercings to complete the look!
HoarseMann wrote:
Nah, if he was really hard he’d have a Maxle
Captain Badger wrote:
Don’t kick-off the old twisting vs clamping debate again!
HoarseMann wrote:
Nasty!…
Quote:
Erm, so what exactly are the different demands placed on it over just, y’know, a bike?
This came up the first time
This came up the first time and I think the answer was that the max and average speed would be higher than a normal bike rider or ebike rider. Hence more protection is offered.
Average, possibly, but it
Average, possibly, but it says maximum of 28mph, which isn’t exactly out of reach on a normal bike. And surely you would want it to be effective at more like maximum than average speeds?
I think modal or median speed
I think modal or median speed would be more useful measure for protection and that max speed isn’t going to feature for long enough in normal biking.
Don’t think my hips, shoulders, knees would do too well coming off at 28 which is a bit more relevant for me !
Helmets are tested basically
Helmets are tested basically against a fall to the ground. So what is at issue is the vertical drop, not the horizontal speed.
Verticla drop combined with
Vertical drop combined with an initial velocity.
They’re also tested with a
They’re also tested with a dummy head form only, and no allowance is given for the body mass. If my head detaches from my body then the protection of a helmet won’t matter one iota ? And with F=MA the mass of the body must play a role in the force the head sustains on impact, surely?
I’m not sure that a helmet
I’m not sure that a helmet that advertised ‘protects you for half the time you’re on your bike’ would sell that well… I’d have though they should be aiming for at least something like the ninth decile.
Half the time – you sound
Half the time – you sound optimistic !
hirsute wrote:
Not me – the (notional) advertising.
Found the solution to this
Found the solution to this question: https://xkcd.com/2435/
mdavidford wrote:
Erm, so what exactly are the different demands placed on it over just, y’know, a bike?
Given that motorcycle helmets are only effective up to 16mph, that is pretty impressive; or complete bolox. Take your pick.
hope he won’t want to upgrade
hope he won’t want to upgrade anything on that tattoo…or adjust the saddle height, stem length etc…oh and hope he spec’ed it with a threaded bb….squeeky sternum’s are really annoying
Re Ebike Helmet
Re Ebike Helmet
As the makers of the New and Improved lids are claiming more protection at greater speeds, maybe they’ll finally be able to release quantification data of the protection that Old and Inferior lids afford at lower speeds.
Or even how big the epedelec
Or even how big the epedelec market is and whether there are going to be lots of dodgy sales to normal ebikers whose speeds won’t top much beyond 15mph.
Regular ebike user (hopefully
Regular ebike user (hopefully back on the bike once I get the medical all clear).
Holding 16-17mph on the flat/slight incline is childs play. The pedal assistance has tapered off but there’s still some help being provided. My own “typical” commute speed nudged over 18mph – eventually the riders fitness and (usually) the extra weight of the bike start to become a factor. It’s easy to break 20mph on a slight decline.
Edit: I should add that’s an ebike allowed in the UK. Class 3 ebike provide pedal assistance up to 28mph.
I’ll leave the pros/cons of helmets to others; FWIW I use a standard lid – partly to reassure my (now late ?) wife.
Chain looks a bit slack. It
Chain looks a bit slack. It definitely will in 10 years time.
In 30 years it’ll look like a
In 30 years it’ll look like a step through frame…
–
–
Whilst Old man is being old
Whilst Old man is being old man, I don’t see any difference between that report and the one yesterday with the BBC and cars going down the car banned route. After all both are examples of banned vehicles going down places which used to allow them and now don’t to help protect more vulnerable users.
Thought you were talking
Thought you were talking about yesterday’s Horsham old man !
Should not be cycling in a pedestrian area
Well one main difference
Well one main difference would be that in this one there’s one incidence of a(n unverified) report of two people ignoring the ban, whereas yesterday’s was about a steady stream of people doing so, evidenced by video.
Respect to Ineos for pulling
Respect to Ineos for pulling Tao after he hit his head. Really hammers home the needless risk Jumbo are taking with George Bennett given his crash that broke his helmet yesterday
Is Horsham overly populated
Is Horsham overly populated with moany old gits, or is angry pointy MOG the same MOG seen here a few days ago telling the skate kids the road wasn’t public because it was owned by the council?
I’m glad that they got the
I’m glad that they got the obligatory photo with pointing finger and serious (“I’m just so disappointed!”) face.
A4174 Bristol ring road crash
A4174 Bristol ring road crash: Cyclist in 20s in critical condition
The cyclist, a man in his 20s, was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical, but stable condition
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/a4174-bristol-ring-road-crash-5121697
You can imagine the comments BTL – apparently, based on the information above, nothing else has been given, it was (probably) all the cyclist’s fault for (1) not using the cycle path and (2) running the red light.
In all fairness, some commenters did suggest that speed might be a factor (ie. the motorist speeding). Oddly, nobody suggested that the motorist might have run a red light…
I saw about that collision
I saw about that collision previously, but they didn’t mention that it was a cyclist: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/a4174-ring-road-crash-everything-5108085
There is a reasonably good shared-use path along there that I’ve used a couple of times – once I had to come to a complete stop as a small dog wanted to make friends and the owner apologised (I wasn’t going quick so I was happy to say hello to the dog). Mostly, I’ll use the roads if I go that direction as it’s faster and straighter but it’s quite busy and can be intimidating.
Is that the path where you
Is that the path where you get to cross the motorway sliproads for the M32?
Yeah, I think so.
Yeah, I think so.