“Just replace the chain, it’ll be fine”: Bike shop horrified by customer’s unbelievably worn drivetrain; Plans for major “game-changer” cycle lane praised; “This fantastic driver should give lessons”: Not Near Miss of the Day + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Plans for major "game-changer" cycle lane praised
Excited to share plans for a more people-friendly Clerkenwell Road 😃
We’re proposing:
–400m of segregated cycle lanes
–changes at important junctions such as with Gray’s Inn Road and Rosebery Avenue
–pedestrian, public realm and greening improvementshttps://t.co/CkUr3BHVQT pic.twitter.com/IAbxpJZoU2— Adam Harrison (@AdamDKHarrison) February 12, 2024
For those of you particularly interested…
As road.cc Simon, a certified London cycling expert points out: “It really is a hugely important route”. That’s seen in the reaction to the proposals, initially called for by campaigners back in 2017.
Politico journalist Jon Stone called the plans “a game-changer”, the proposal for protected cycle lanes on Clerkenwell Road, a huge east-west cycling corridor with no infrastructure currently .
I’ve waited 20 years for this. A route where cyclists outnumber vehicular travel during the rush hours
— Bob From Accounts 🚲 (@BobFromAccounts) February 12, 2024
The London Cycling Campaign’s Simon Munk has had his say too and said that while there are “several small issues”, such as the absence of a CYCLOPS junction, the “main response I suspect will also be ‘get it in, thank you so much!’”
"This fantastic driver should give lessons on how to pass people on bikes": Not Near Miss of the Day
A week old but this vid popped up on the timeline this morning, some refreshing PassPixi footage…
This fantastic @PP_OConnor driver should give lessons on how to pass people on bikes!!! Love it #cycling pic.twitter.com/DUIb6GNahG
— PassPixi (@PassPixi) February 7, 2024
Comment of the day
Not even 11 and we have a winner…
🚨New bike 🚨 Factor releases new Ostro VAM as "the benchmark aerodynamic, lightweight race bike"
Watt savings? Lighter? Yep, all the usual claims for a big bike launch, but also a new one for us…
Factor reckons that Michael Woods would have had an additional time advantage of 2:21mins on his stage nine victory at the 2023 Tour de France if he’d been on the new Ostro VAM instead of the old one.
Check out our best guess at how Factor has come up with that eyebrow-raising figure, plus all the rest of the all-important details…
> Factor releases new Ostro VAM as “the benchmark aerodynamic, lightweight race bike”
Adam Yates victorious at Tour of Oman summit finish, wins race overall
[ASO/Oman Cycling Association/Thomas Maheux]
Adam Yates is off the mark for 2024, winning the Tour of Oman’s Green Mountain summit finish to win the race overall too. UAE Team Emirates pulled off a 1-3-4 on GC, Yates, Finn Fisher-Black and Diego Ulissi sandwiched either side of Soudal Quick-Step climber Jan Hirt. Not much else to say apart from sharing this pretty relatable snap by Thomas Maheux…
UAE Team Emirates dominate at Tour of Oman ahead of UAE Tour? What’s that S-word that means something like when sport — with all the positive feelings it inspires — is used to divert attention from social or environmental problems? It’s on the tip of my tongue… rhymes with port-sloshing?
Richard Branson claims "body armour is a must" for cyclists after latest crash
> Richard Branson claims “body armour is a must” for cyclists after latest crash
Opening stage of Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol cancelled due to farmer protests
Following in the tractor tyre tracks of Etoile de Bessèges two weeks ago, the opening stage of the early season week-long Spanish stage race Ruta del Sol has been cancelled due to farmer protests on the route.
According to Spanish radio broadcaster COPE, the teams were informed on their way to start, with the stage cancelled less than an hour before racing was set to get underway.
“There’s a blockade after 40 kilometres of racing and the police have also been ordered to work elsewhere,” Lotto-Dstny directeur sportif Dirk Demol told Het Nieuwsblad. “There were also no alternative routes. We are now trying to schedule a training ride, but we also don’t know where we can pass.”
Bahrain Victorious managed to plot a last-minute route…
It remains to be seen if racing will begin tomorrow. In the meantime the opening stage of Volta ao Algarve will have to keep everyone entertained if, like Rendel Harris in the comments section, you’re spending Valentine’s Day watching bike racing. Who said romance is dead?
How green is your carbon bike? And why your next one could be made from recycled carbon fibre
> How green is your carbon bike? And why your next one could be made from recycled carbon fibre
Your bike hates you — a trip through the road.cc archives
Thought those jockey wheels and chainrings were bad? Here’s the rest of our top five from live blogs past…
4. The “Tetanus Express”
3. The impossibly worn tyre, whose owner only came in for a tube
2. The handlebars that needed an exorcist, not a mechanic
> “This needs an exorcist, not a mechanic”: You’ll never train indoors without a towel again
And coming in at number one, technically not a bike and also subject of some debate about if it could even be real… introducing… the double cleat horror show…
> Can it be real? Mechanic shares double cleat horror set-up
Who’d work in a bike shop?
Italian football club remembers Marco Pantani on 20th anniversary of his death
20 years ago today, 14 February 2004, Marco Pantani was found dead at a hotel in Rimini, the tragic end of a downward spiral that had seen one of the cycling’s most prodigious talents, admittedly athletic performances not without controversy, descend from the top of the sport in 1998, the last male rider to complete a Giro-Tour double in the same season, to an addiction-riddled demise just six years later.
This was the scene at Italian football club Cesena last night as the fans of the Serie C club based in the city of Il Pirata’s birth remembered their hero…
🚴 x ⚽️
On the 20th anniversary of his death, Cesena’s Curva remember the legendary cyclist Marco Pantani
“Run again now, I feel it… the wind will never catch you”
Il Pirata was born in Cesena and won the TdF-Giro double in 1998. He died of cocaine poisoning in 2004, age 34 pic.twitter.com/alMFMfMGMB
— Calcio England (@CalcioEngland) February 13, 2024
CYCLISTS! CAUTION SIGNAGE IN CYCLEWAY
Good advice. pic.twitter.com/lpA3iZj4CB
— Walking Marky. (@CitizenUddin) February 13, 2024
Cyclist threatened with €13 million fine and two years in prison over bike shed, forcing her to give up cycling
"Just replace the chain, it'll be fine": Bike shop horrified by customer's unbelievably worn drivetrain
“Yeah, I’m not sure what’s going on to be honest… just bought a new chain but it’s still skipping all the time…”
“No worries, we’ll take a look at it…”
Everyone’s favourite Instagram account is back with another jaw-dropping tale from the trenches of the ‘interesting’ life that is being a bike shop mechanic. From the guys who brought us the impossibly worn tyre that earned its owner a standing ovation, the rust-ridden “tetanus express” that no amount of WD-40 could cure, and of course the double cleat conundrum, the Trench Tales crew has a new contender for the ‘Your Bike Hates You’ award…
Trench Tales described this as: “A lovely matching set […] Ninja star + circular saw pairing for the win!”. You could do some damage with those…
“Just replace the chain, it’ll be fine,” one amusing comment suggested.
“Thorough dedication to the wear. Save a penny lose a pound,” another added.
And a personal favourite: “You bike mechanics are all on the take from Shimano, every time I come in I need a new chain, cassette, chainrings, and pulleys.”
Anyway, give Trench Tales a follow on Instagram for all this goodness in your feed as it drops, if nothing else it’ll make you feel marginally less guilty for not cleaning your bike at the weekend (hint hint, writer of a certain live blog) but ‘inspire’ you to get it next time before your jockey wheels become the butt of interent shaming…
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Latest Comments
If drivers find it too hard to give way then maybe it should be a stop sign. That will give them enough time to look.
Just turn your head Ed. Perhaps you've gone so far to the right turning left is the problem?
If the man can't turn his head to check his blind spot he shouldn't be on the road
Follow the road rules. Why is this even a discussion? Because the road rules are not adequately policed. …Solution: how about £100 fines for everyone flouting the road rules / risking cyclists lives on social media and in council chambers, as well as on the roads? That should stop this ongoing waste of time.
@Rendel Harris you've painted a rather alluring picture of social harmony there, but unfortunately you've got my name wrong. I'm Jack, not Nigel. However, to return the compliment, I must think of a story for you. I imagine you sat outside a pub, real ale and pipe propped on the adjacent table, in a similar fashion to Nigel Farage at his populist best. You turn to your wife. "You know what dear? I think I've been a bit harsh in my time. I've shunned the politeness and wisdom of others for too long and want to change my ways.* "There there Rendel", says Mrs Harris. "You're not a bad old stick, it's just living in London that's emptied your soul of kindness and compassion. I've found a lovely new place where we can settle down in our later years. It's on a leafy cul de sac, surrounded by friendly neighbours and smiling faces. There's a guy a couple of doors down, a remarkable man. As well as his towering intellect and rapier wit, he's also a keen cyclist, holding severa local KOMs. Don't be perturbed dear - he'll ride with anyone provided they show other road users the kindness and courtesy they deserve." Rendel turned emotionally, voice shaking. "Oh my dear, thank you for this second chance", and with that the rest of the pub goers turned and applauded the couple, throwing garlands of petals in their wake. The end.
As a Councillor, Edward needs to be paying some attention to all that parking obstructing visibility and manoeuvres at the junction, and sorting out those radii.
Ed Hill was chucked out by Reform in 2025, though TBF to him it was about how to run it rather than ideology I think. He is now reportedly closer to Advance UK, which is distinctly more extreme than Reform. I'd call this Alan Amos style attention seeking.
Emily, thank you for such an insightful piece. I’m a man, but I enjoy watching the women’s races, possibly more than the men’s. The racing is so much closer, we rarely know who’s going to win. You painted a wonderful picture of how a true champion is able to ‘rise above’ setbacks and distractions, and focus their energy on the task in hand. ‘All’s fair in live and war -and sport, but always good to hear riders expressing their admiration for their competitors
@Nigel Garage ...and then everyone applauded my courtesy and I waved courteously to all the people who were courteously throwing flowers and cheering and courteously waving flags that said "Nigel is the best!"
The picture from street view clearly shows give way lines from the roads to the green painted cycle/pedestrian lane. The road user should give way (or must...) to the user of the green lane. This would of course apply to any cyclist on the roadway.
20 thoughts on ““Just replace the chain, it’ll be fine”: Bike shop horrified by customer’s unbelievably worn drivetrain; Plans for major “game-changer” cycle lane praised; “This fantastic driver should give lessons”: Not Near Miss of the Day + more on the live blog”
maybe it was those jockey
maybe it was those jockey wheels that did Jeff Stellings car.
I have to admit, one thought
I have to admit, one thought I had over Jeff Stelling’s car (and the obnoxious tweets that followed) – if pedals really did that all drivers would give cyclists a deliberate wide berth.
Turn the chaonring around,
Turn the chainring around, the teeth are only worn on one side!
Branson claims body armour is
Branson claims body armour is a *must*?!?
Talk about getting arse about face on the subject of personal responsibility. Intrinsic protections that work for everyone should be first and foremost. PPE is the last resort.
Maybe he’d understand better if he paid his fair share of tax and hadn’t amassed wealth by exploitation then claimed the old “I’m alright Jack, hands off my pile”
Or, he should set up Virgin
Or, he should set up Virgin Potholes, to fix the sorry state of the roads!
Some beardy old people really
Some beardy old people really need to retire from the public eye
There’s a difference between
There’s a difference between PPE to protect yourself from yourself and to protect yourself from others.
Obviously it depends on the type of riding you do, but I guess nearly everyone on here wears gloves and glasses as a minimum. oldridgeback has often written about the type of protection needed for off road and bmx riding.
A helmet, that’s it.
A helmet, that’s it.
I ride gravel and/or mtb trails, but I know my limits well and hardly ever fall. So I don’t wear gloves (I have never found a pair that felt comfortable, that doesn’t help either).
I don’t wear glasses either. They irritate me, and I have no problems with sunlight or stuff getting in my eyes, or the wind, so I feel no need for them.
Errrrrrm? If you hardly ever
Errrrrrm? If you hardly ever fall off, why do you need the helmet? I’ve had plenty of spills where gloves have prevented me from getting a palm full of gravel. I’ve had road debris and insects bounce off my (dirt cheap) glasses instead of jabbing me in an eye countless times, along with brambles and tree branches smack me in the mush. Yet only twice in more than 45 years of riding have I had an incident where my helmet was called into action. I’d happily ride without a helmet, but I won’t swing my leg over a top tube without wearing gloves and eye protection.
You do you, by all means, but I’ve never understood the obsession with protection for your head without wearing measurably more effective eye protection.
As for the gloves thing? A palm full of gravel may not be an issue if you have a broom wagon on speed dial, but I don’t have the luxury of a “team car” in my household, and the prospect of a 60 or 70 kms ride home while in pain from grated palms really doesn’t appeal.
Simple: I choose to wear a
Simple: I choose to wear a helmet when I ride more active and/or longer then just city use, in my case mostly gravel and mtb. Like I said, i hardly ever fall, but IF I fall, and that happens to involve my head hitting something, I prefer to have a helmet take the first impact.
In short: small chance of something happening, but reasonably big chance of serious consequences if it does, and protection that doesn’t bother me → I choose to wear protection.
For gloves and glasses the reasoning differs from that.
Small chance of something happening, and small chance of serious consequences, and protection that does bother me → I choose not to wear protection.
Getting something in your eye is miserable, but the chances of any lasting problem as a result of that are miniscule. Hurting the palms of your hands is a bitch, but it’s not the end of the world either.
The last time I hurt my hands in a fall was in the early nineties, when mtb’s were new and I was young and stupid. And I can’t even remember getting anything in my eyes more than a spat of mud or a little fly, and after blinking a few times, that was that.
Glasses always slide of my head – it’s not their fault, I have a nose that is impossible to perch glasses upon – and gloves irritate me to no end.
So there you have it.
Bad news I’m afraid for
Bad news I’m afraid for anyone who, like me, was planning on romantically spending Valentine’s Day watching the Vuelta Andalucia with their other half: the first stage has been cancelled due to (as far as I can tell from reading Spanish websites, it’s not exactly one of my strongest languages) farmers’ protests. However, all is not lost, Discovery+ have Stage 1 of the Volta Algarve from 14.50, so put the champagne on ice for a little longer!
Just thought I’d mention it to save anyone doing what I did, which is spend 10 minutes searching the whole Discovery+ website complaining that they must be showing it, it was in the schedule yesterday…
road.cc item ?
road.cc item ?
Assuming it’s not a scam to locate the owners new bike !
We could learn a lot from the
We could learn a lot from the Spanish (and French) protestors.
Non violent protest in this
Non violent protest in this country leads to arrest and imprisonment and directives from the home secretary.
They didn’t state which
They didn’t state which lesson we could learn from the French…
..viva la révolution!
ROOTminus1 wrote:
Or the Spanish…
A recent repair cafe donation
A recent repair cafe donation had a seized front mech: a new one on me, not visibly deteriorated and no amount of WD, with its range of lubricating properties, would clear it. The downtube levers had been swapped over left for right and both gear cables cut (neatly) at the far ends.
The front mech, which I had to replace, would pull outwards on the lever, but would not spring back. Was the swapping over of the levers someone’s attempt at addressing this?
David9694 wrote:
I had that happen on my fat/winter bike. It’s hard to keep it clean after riding it through slush and salt, when it’s still too cold out to easily wash it. I ended up converting it to 1X.
FWIW the ‘Caution Cycle way’
FWIW the ‘Caution Cycle way’ signage is actually near Peterborough rail station and the multi storey car park next to it (left of the pic), and Borges Boulevard and the shopping centre are on the right.
Its an old photo too, looking
Its an old photo too, looking at streetview the council got rid of that lampost in 2014!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/A5GUvK37TY9L1jYc7