The coolest paint job ever?; Cyclist’s prickly situation after crashing into cactus; Quinn Simmons’ suspension lifted; Council introduces default 20mph speed limit; Reindeer traffic jam; 400 schools benefiting from ‘School Streets’ + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Children at almost 400 schools benefit from 'School Streets'
The Times report that children at almost 400 schools in London are now benefiting from the ‘School Streets’ initiative which protects children from air pollution by implementing temporary traffic bans at drop-off and pick-up times. The number of School Streets has increased from 81 in April to 383 in October and there are firm plans for a further 68. This will extend the scheme to 15% of all schools in London.
Merton, Islington and Hackney have the highest proportion of schools benefiting from School Streets with 35-40% of schools in these boroughs involved in the scheme. Barnet, Bexley and the City of London are the only parts of the capital yet to introduce any School Streets.
On Tuesday we reported that children cycling to school in areas with School Streets had increased by 51%.
European Track Championships highlights
#EuroTrack20
📽️ Re-live the day 1⃣ best actions pic.twitter.com/tjRSkRr2ff— UEC_cycling (@UEC_cycling) November 12, 2020
Great Britain won two medals on the opening day of the European Track Championships in Bulgaria. Matt Walls won gold in the elimination race before the three-woman team of Milly Tanner, Lusia Steele and Blaine Ridge-Davis took silver in the three-woman sprint. Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker, Neah Evans and Laura Kenny qualified fastest in the women’s team pursuit and will compete for gold later today.
Jumbo-Visma release three-part documentary of Primoz Roglic's Vuelta win
If you’re suffering from Vuelta blues then Team Jumbo-Visma have got you covered. With no more road racing to watch until 2021 this three-part behind the scenes documentary following Primoz Roglic’s second Grand Tour win is the best we’ve got at the moment. Follow the team at the Vuelta from hotel to finish line and just about everything in between as Roglic wins four stages and the race overall.
Reindeer traffic jam
Bloody reindeer in the road, not using the deer lane…Of all the reasons to get held up on the road this is a new one. Becca Rankie was cycling near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands when she came across this herd of reindeer in the road.
She told the Daily record: “I felt like Christmas had come early. “My morning ride up to Cairngorm was interrupted by a reindeer jam!”
“It was a nice break from the climb on my bike-the hill is pretty steep.”
Bag yourself a bargain
We’re starting to sort through the Storey Fleet and sell some bikes!
This is one of @DameSarahStorey ‘s frames which I’ve built up with a mix of Ultegra and Dura Ace, excellent condition! (Small men’s size)
£750
Contact barneystorey@hotmail.com pic.twitter.com/cn58TI25xW
— Barney Storey MBE (@BarneyStorey) November 12, 2020
It’s not often you can buy a nine-time Paralympic gold medallist’s bike…The Storey household is having a clear-out and have put some kit up for sale. The £750 asking price is an absolute bargain for this Boardman frame with Ultegra and Dura Ace components. Or if it’s wheels you need they’re selling a pair of Zipp 303 tubulars for £300…
Also for sale this week….. found in the vault 😂
Zipp 303 tubulars Shimano freehub (two pairs available) in excellent condition, new tubulars and bearings, £300 a pair 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/XoHxeHLvhc
— Barney Storey MBE (@BarneyStorey) November 12, 2020
Are the roads quieter because of lockdown?
We all remember the joy of empty roads during the first lockdown when traffic seemingly disappeared overnight…but how much quieter are the roads this time round? From personal experience they don’t seem much quieter now than last week and there’s certainly more traffic than during the first lockdown earlier this year.
GPS navigation app Waze have seen a 51% reduction in driven kilometres since the start of the second lockdown. Have you noticed less traffic on the roads where you live this week?
The best (and worst) of your cactus puns
What a pr!ck ….
…..🥴😂😂😂🥂
— G_Bee_UK (@G_Bee_UK) November 12, 2020
Unsurprisingly our Twitter followers had a field day with the video of amateur cyclist picking thorns out of himself after crashing into a cactus…
ohhh he pricked the wrong day to have a crash!! 😂😂
— Mr Popp Drama 💙💛 (@mr_PoppL) November 12, 2020
Steve Ody suggested it could be a strange new form of accupuncture, while Ronan McDonnell repeated that famous old adage…
Showing the sense in what I’ve always said, don’t crash in a cactus.
— Ronan McDonnell🇮🇪 (@inquisitioneu) November 12, 2020
Quinn Simmons' suspension lifted
American rider Quinn Simmons will face no further action from Trek-Segafredo following social media posts in September which were labelled as “divisive, incendiary and detrimental” by the team. Simmons tweeted using an emoji with black skin tone and was suspended until further notice.
Cycling News report that the 19-year-old has begun training for next season as team general manager Luca Guercilena emphasised Simmons is in Trek-Segafredo’s plans for 2021. It is believedTrek-Segafredo will give the 2019 junior road race world champion further media training at the team’s December training camp.
“The situation is solved,” Guercilena told Cycling News.
“Quinn will attend the team camps and start the season as normal. We are looking into next season and have Quinn as one of our top talented riders to perform at a higher level in 2021, focusing on races.”
Kensington and Chelsea to introduce blanket 20mph speed limit for entire borough
All roads in Kensington and Chelsea will have a 20mph speed limit, starting from tomorrow 13 November.
With more people walking and cycling in the pandemic, this new limit is part of our plans to keep people safe.
Find out more: https://t.co/hxU9PZlHtj pic.twitter.com/WuQjLgjQuL
— Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (@RBKC) November 12, 2020
Kensington and Chelsea Council has announced that from tomorrow, all council-managed roads will have a 20mph speed limit. Signs and road markings will be constructed at the border with Westminster, and the experimental traffic order will begin on November 13. They’ve also commited £320,000 to support active travel since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen increased pedestrianisation, temporary cycle lanes built on Kensington High Street and seven new School Streets.
Last month we reported that The Netherlands’ House of Representitives had approved a plan to cut the default speed limit in built-up areas from 50km/h (31mph) to 30km/h (18mph).
Chloe Dygert signs with Canyon-Sram to join women's WorldTour
American rider Chloe Dygert will race in the women’s WorldTour on her return from injury having signed a four-year deal with Canyon-Sram. The 23-year-old is currently recovering from a serious laceration to her leg sustained in a crash at the World Championship Time Trial in Imola.
On the move Dygert said: “Honestly, it’s the best team for me – willing to work with my track schedule and giving me the freedom to still be the athlete I strive to be.
“I’m excited to see myself in the Canyon-Sram colours. It will be my first time racing on the road in Europe but my coach and I agree that the time for that has now come in my career.
“I’m confident that Canyon-Sram will provide the best environment for me to achieve my future goals over the next four years. Also, there’s lots of pink.”
Prickly situation
Cyclist ended up in the cactus 🌵 pic.twitter.com/PVo1Ks6rQs
— World Of Sport (@funsportsgifs) October 31, 2020
There’s got to be few worse things to crash into than a cactus… Diego Moreno needed thousands of thorns removed after he crashed into a cactus bush in the City Park area of Buenos Aires. Moreno told local press: “We were going with three more cyclists, I was last in line. I didn’t see a small crater in the asphalt and I hit the pothole. Thank god I was wearing glasses and a helmet and I didn’t injure my face or head.Because the way the spines got embedded in me, it could have blinded me.”
Ouch…
Festka creates another spectacularly intricate one-off: the Scalatore Samurai
After wowing us last year with the $35,000 Spectre Porcelain complete with 24 carat gold details, Czech bespoke bike specialists Festka – and the artist Michael Bačák – are back with the Scalatore Samurai, built for one very lucky and undoubtedly very well-off customer in South America named only as ‘Mitchell’.
From its concept to being fully built up by Festka and painted by Bačák, the Scalatore Samurai took nine months to make, and is completely customised in terms of size and fit. Weighing in at 6.9kg in total, the build includes a Campagnolo Super Record groupset, Lightweight wheels, a Schmolke carbon seatpost and THM carbon cockpit, and bars from a specialist German manufacturer. The stem and saddle both feature the intricate Samurai-style paint job.
Michael Moureček, Festka’s co-owner, boasts of his company’s creation: “Frames at this level are either real works of art created by renowned artists, or they are highly complicated designs from our artistic director requiring unrivaled mastery and precision in the paint shop.”
Festka don’t say how much this one set moneybags Mitchell back, simply telling us that it cost “a small fortune”. He commented: “I thank Festka for creating such a beautifully detailed masterpiece from the best components and
this amazing frame. I am grateful for this experience; I really enjoyed it and I am now a proud member of the Festka family. Im already planning my next project.”
Alright for some! Check out Festka’s website for more bespoke Czech loveliness.
12 November 2020, 09:14
12 November 2020, 09:14
12 November 2020, 09:14
12 November 2020, 09:14
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I had actually cycled my first century the week before the accident. I got back on the bike straight away then a hip wore out and was replaced so I missed a lot of cycling in 2024 but I was back to my normal level in 2025 not so sure what has happened this year I am not as enthusiastic as usual I have been on the bike just not cycled far. I will have to do more as I will do a 50 mile ride in September the annual charity ride. Not sure fear is the problem exactly more a feeling that there is less enjoyment.in a bike ride than there once was.
What’s all this MTB palaver? The Tour de France was originally a gravel race. 🙃
@wtjs I've sent in 2 close pass videos to kent police, never heard anything back.
@Rendel Harris I had wondered how they might be preparing to deal with the expected heat. Got to keep them as safe as possible. My excitement is building, always a nervy first week, too many crashes in the peleton and no amount of down gearing is going to prevent that. From my cloudy memory, the pogecar lad is very rarely caught out on the wrong side of a crosswind split.
Rumor has it that riding the MMR gives you autism.
Well this looks ominous: real possibility of Tour stages being cancelled due to extreme heat. I'll put the link in a reply otherwise this whole comment will be quarantined - it's on the Guardian if anyone wants to search for themselves.
Having used the street multiple times since it was opened just over a month ago, I can report two issues which are preventing the improvements from working to their full potential. Firstly, there is no signage other than the painted bikes on the road itself, so there is nothing to indicate that cyclists have priority. The second is that the double yellow lines stop about two-thirds of the way down the road, meaning that from that point onwards, there are multiple cars parked half on the pavement and not in the designated parking places, reducing the width of both the footpath and the road to what it was before the improvements were made.
@MaxiMinimalist Really? So this applies only to drivers from Bouches-du-Rhône, Haute-Garonne and Vaucluse, drivers from the other sixteen départements that make up the south are fine?
Yeah, it's great isn't it........
15 thoughts on “The coolest paint job ever?; Cyclist’s prickly situation after crashing into cactus; Quinn Simmons’ suspension lifted; Council introduces default 20mph speed limit; Reindeer traffic jam; 400 schools benefiting from ‘School Streets’ + more on the live blog”
On a completely unrelated
On a completely unrelated note: could subscribers have the option to block certain commenters?
You need uBlock Origin for
You need uBlock Origin for that
Are the roads quieter because
Are the roads quieter because of lockdown? – not noticeably during this second set of “National Restrictions” in England. During the first (proper) Lockdown? – definitely.
Round my way the roads are a
Round my way the roads are a bit less busy, but only slightly. I have noticed a lot more people out on bikes though – like absolutely loads, including types of riders that I don’t usually see out on the country roads, MTBs, shopping bikes, etc. it’s quite encouraging.
I’ve also noticed a lot more people taking outdoor exercise. Our local park is absolutely packed. So much so, I’ve stopped using the cycle route through it as there’s just no room to pass (grass is too soggy to ride on). This means a 2 min section on a 40mph limit A road. Sadly, in that time I was subjected to a close pass and then an oncoming motorist shouting ‘w**ker’ at me – nice.
I did break my rule about not engaging in dialogue when I came across the vehicle that had close passed me parked up the road. Driver had the window down so I just said – bit close, got the standard ‘you’re in the f’ing middle of the road’ from the old bloke, asked him to read the HWC then rode off. Probably pointless, must try harder to ride on by. Neither incidents bad enough to trouble the police with.
What always fascinates me
What always fascinates me with the likes of your Mr Hyundai example,and I’ve experienced similar abuse several times myself, is how does someone get that angry,that their whole face is instantly twisted in rage & apoplexy with someone theyve encountered only for a few seconds just riding a bike.
Are they permanently enraged with a hair trigger ready to go off ? Because youd think youd meet these people in pubs & shops,but no only when driving a car that you then demonstrate you werent holding up as you catch them up.
I know, it’s weird isn’t it?
I know, it’s weird isn’t it? He was coming the other way, it’s not like we had any interaction on the road at all. Looking at my video footage, his window was up, so he’s actually wound the window down in anticipation of yelling out of it.
I was riding central in the lane as there were peds on the pavement and a lorry approaching, plus I was doing 25mph in a 30. I had a flashing front light, so perhaps it was my light, or road position that had offended him. Or maybe just because I was a cyclist. I’ve had people yell at me before for no other discernable reason <shrugs>.
its so weird experiencing
its so weird experiencing instances like that because you almost have to laugh at how crazy & random it is, if it wasnt for the fact these people are in control of machines which can crush you and seemingly have no empathy towards us as road users
Awavey wrote:
I suspect my face has done the same thing when I’ve been cut off or close passed by a driver.
which is fair enough, youve
which is fair enough, youve been put in near mortal danger by a driver doing that, its an anger response to being threatened like that, but what possible excuse is there for someone in a car to flip out like that simply on encountering a cyclist for a handful of seconds, how have they gone from driving along minding their own business and not having a fight with every car they meet, to risk of an aneurysm angry instantly over seeing a cyclist, and even more crazily in this instance, the car was being driven the other way.
I once had a fella in a white
I once had a fella in a white convertible diesel Mercedes specially pull alongside as I was cruising fast on a flat straight road to say ‘w4nker!!’ before chuckling as he accelerated away. Must have been dropped on his head as a child.
PRSboy wrote:
Definately, I mean who would buy a diesel convertible, yuk. The noise, the smell. Then white! Cheaping out on metallic paint – maybe it was pearlescent – I hope so.
That’s a new one for ‘why I
That’s a new one for ‘why I wear cycling glasses’.
Hope he keeps away from murder hornets.
Are the roads quieter? If
Are the roads quieter? If youd asked earlier in the week I’d have said yes, certainly not 50% less though maybe more like 33% quieter,I was not finding I was queueing at junctions & minor roads seemed nicer to ride & definitely more people riding bikes out again.
But today, sheesh,it had the feel of a rush hour commute,in early afternoon!!! whether that was wholly volume,or the amount of close passes,aggressive driving I dont know for sure,but it didnt feel very quiet on the roads.
Time for Great Old Chestnut
Time for Great Old Chestnut No. 1537…
I’ll bet Diego Moreno felt a bit of a prick!!
Badabum, Tisshhhh!!
Eeeeyyyyy theng yowww!
They were going to give him
They were going to give him an injection for the pain, but he fainted at the sight of the needle.