Naked cyclists “the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet,” says US House Speaker – as Trump supporter claims: “It’s getting really ugly”; Children’s bike bus to school sparks helmet row; Sumo wrestlers on hire bikes; TT meets BMX + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“It is deeply depressing and frustrating that in 2025, we still have organisations who think any objections they come up with that retain the status quo are more important than progressive changes to deal with very real crises we all face”
> “Deeply depressing and frustrating”: London Tory councillors say extending £1.5 million cycle route to bypass pedestrianised Oxford Street would be “irresponsible”
“It’s pronounced cyclist!”
New York mayoral candidate (and cyclist) Zohran Mamdani here, with the perfect rebuttal to almost every single angry rant about cycling on the internet:
It’s pronounced cyclist.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social) October 11, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Morning racing round-up: Paul Magnier doubles up at Guangxi, as Sofie van Rooijen beats Irish champion Mia Griffin at the Tour of Chongming Island
After yesterday’s crash and DQ-related chaos, things were decidedly calmer at this morning’s season-ending stage races in China.
In fact, at the Tour of Guangxi, things went perfectly to script, with man of the moment Paul Magnier powering past Pavel Bittner to take another dominant victory after a hilly second stage:
Paul Magnier makes it two stage wins in a row at the Tour of Guangxi! 👏 pic.twitter.com/gZPB8sL1RN
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) October 15, 2025
And at the Tour of Chongming Island, UAE Team ADQ’s Sofie van Rooijen upgraded her second place from yesterday’s first stage, jumping off former world champion Elisa Balsamo’s wheel to nab her second victory of the season.
The Dutch sprinter had enough power to hold off the fast-finishing Irish champ Mia Griffin, who’s also proved extremely consistent on Chinese roads this week:
Victoria para la neerlandesa Sofie Van Rooijen (UAE) en la 2ª etapa del Tour of Chongming Island 🇨🇳🏆
🎥 @elsterrato pic.twitter.com/lfwhclf7me
— Avituallamiento Ciclista (@EVTMO_) October 15, 2025
Time trialling meets BMX at the Tour of Holland
The revamped Tour of Holland – the first edition of the race since 2004 – got underway last night, with a very atmospheric nighttime prologue in The Hague.
Soudal Quick-Step’s Ethan Hayter took the spoils on the 4km course, making up for narrowly missing out on a medal at the European championships last week, the British rider pipping young Australian Cameron Rogers, the nephew of noughties TT supremo Michael Rogers, by just 0.28 seconds.
However, most of the focus last night was on the start ramp, which featured a funky BMX-style gate, which flipped down as the riders’ efforts began:
“If you grind a rail or tabletop a speed bump the combativity award is up for grabs I hear,” former Hour Record holder Alex Dowsett joked, posting a close-up of the new TT party trick.
“I like this, good innovation.”
What next? Massive, steep ramps and jumps? Now, there’s an idea…
Pro cyclists racing in China… Will they ever learn?
Looks like Mario Aparicio has been added to the Madis Mihkels Wall of Shame:
> Pro cyclist kicked off race in China after backlash over pig emojis in Strava post
End of an attacking era: Arkéa-B&B Hotels men’s and women’s teams set to fold, according to reports
French men’s WorldTour squad Arkéa-B&B Hotels, and its women’s ProTeam counterpart, are set to fold after failing to find new sponsors for next season.
According to L’Équipe, team manager Emmanuel Hubert told riders and staff this morning via text that this inability to attract new funding means the team will come to an end after two decades in the peloton.
The squad’s impending collapse has been rumoured for months, with Daniel Benson reporting in June that both Arkéa and B&B Hotels would not be renewing their contracts, today’s UCI deadline for registering a team hammering the final nail into the coffin.
Zac Williams/SWpix.com
Arkéa-B&B Hotels’ 150 staff members, including 27 male and 13 female riders, have thus been free to find new teams. And last week it was confirmed that star rider Kévin Vauquelin is set to join the Ineos Grenadiers, after establishing himself as a leading classics contender and stage racer in recent years.
Formed as Bretagne-Jean Floc’h in 2005, the men’s team has raced at every level of the pro cycling pyramid, reaching the Tour de France in 2013 and racing every edition since then.
Co-operative banking and insurance group Arkéa has sponsored the Breton team since 2016, taking over the Bretagne-Séché Environnement squad, first under the Fortuneo name, before launching a women’s team in 2020.
B&B Hotels joined the squad at the start of last season, a year after its previous second-tier team collapsed following an ill-fated bid to attract substantial financial backing and sign Mark Cavendish.
Despite signing the likes of Nairo Quintana and Arnaud Démare, Arkéa’s biggest success as title sponsor came last July, when French prospect Vauquelin, who turned pro with the team in 2021, won the second stage of the Tour de France in Bologna, after distancing his fellow breakaway riders on the steep San Luca climb.
ASO/Billy Ceusters
Vauquelin then cemented his new cult hero status at this year’s Tour, winning the hearts of a nation en route to seventh place overall in Paris, which built on his second on GC at the previous month’s Tour de Suisse, results which paved the way for his big money move to Ineos.
Following the confirmation that Arkéa and B&B Hotels would be stepping down, general manager Hubert thanked the two sponsors for “standing by us” and “enabling us to achieve great things in our sport, at the highest level”.
“We’ve brought a lot of joy to our Breton supporters, but not only that, as our team has a strong presence in France and internationally, as was the case again during the recent Tour of Switzerland,” he said in June.
“Remaining constructive and optimistic, I’m working hard to secure the team’s future. That’s my objective at all times. I know that nothing can be taken for granted, but I want to believe in it.
“I remain confident in our project and will continue to promote it to potential new partners who will be able to identify with our ambition and values.”
More squad upheaval as merger request between Lotto and Intermarché “presented to UCI”, according to Belgian media
You know the UCI registration deadline is looming when multiple stories suddenly appear concerning the future of pro cycling teams.
And with Arkéa-B&B Hotels facing extinction, reports have now emerged in the Belgian press claiming that the much-discussed merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty looks set to go ahead, and is currently awaiting formal approval from the UCI.
A bank guarantee and confirmation of sponsor deals for 2026 have apparently been included with the application, which comes after the two Belgian squads submitted a letter of intent ahead of this year’s Tour de France.
However, according to Het Nieuwsblad, Continuum Sports NV, the owner of the Intermarché-Wanty’s license, reported a loss of almost a million euros in 2023, though it’s not currently clear what effect this will have on the potential merger.
A.S.O./Charly Lopez
Nevertheless, Het Laatste Nieuws also reported today that a meeting between the two teams took place earlier this week, leading to a licence application being submitted. It is now up to the UCI to decide if the merger can go ahead, with an announcement reportedly set to be made on 18 October.
Lotto is one of the longest-running teams in the peloton, the Belgian national lottery first getting involved in cycling in 1984, before taking on its own team the following year. Intermarché-Wanty is a relative newbie in comparison, only joining the pro ranks as a Conti squad in 2007.
Despite the merger plans, speculation persists over the future of Intermarché’s star rider Biniam Girmay, though the Eritrean is expected to stay at the team until at least the end of 2026. Girmay’s continued presence, however, means that the new squad will have 31 riders on its books for next season, over the UCI’s limit of 30.
So, there’s still plenty to iron out before the details of this new Belgian superteam are finalised, with the UCI’s final list of 2026 WorldTour teams not expected until December.
‘Ow much?
My bank account is shifting nervously as I type…
> If Super Record 13 isn’t posh enough for you… Campagnolo has introduced a £900 Ultra upgrade
When the season’s winding down and you’re struggling for social media content
Fair play to the Visma social media manager, who pulled together this a-moo-sing clip from today’s stage of the Tour of Holland:
Yep, it’s that time of year, brace yourself.
“If you’re not 100% in, you’re not giving enough”: GB’s four-time Olympic medal-winning track sprinter Jack Carlin retires from cycling at 28 after failing to “ignite that spark again” after Paris
Four-time Olympic medallist Jack Carlin has today announced his retirement from cycling, after admitting that he failed to “ignite that spark again” following a successful Paris Games which saw him win another set of silver and bronze medals.
The Scottish track sprinter becomes the second British professional cyclist to step away from the sport at the age of 28 this week, after UAE Team ADQ rider Lizzie Holden revealed that she will also retire tomorrow, after the final stage of the Tour of Chongming Island.
Carlin retires as one of Scotland’s most successful Olympians, with five world championships medals (including a bronze on home boards at the 2023 Glasgow worlds) added to his Olympic haul, while he also secured six European championships and three Commonwealth Games medals during his decade-long career at elite level.
Carlin (right) celebrates with Hamish Turnbull and Ed Lowe after winning silver in the team sprint at the 2024 Paris Olympics (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
The 28-year-old from Paisley first turned to cycling after breaking both of his ankles while playing football at 14, eventually making the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow his home.
“I wasn’t very good in the wet and cold, which isn’t ideal for Scotland, and I’m not very good up hills, so the second the warmth of the velodrome opened in 2012, it was a no brainer for me,” he said this week.
After progressing through the ranks, he made his Olympic debut at the delayed 2021 Tokyo Games, bagging a silver medal alongside Jason Kenny and Ryan Owens, while also taking bronze in the individual sprint.
He would replicate the same feat in Paris, just weeks after recovering from a broken ankle, but – in the wake of the keirin crash which ended his 2024 campaign – he found that his appetite to go again for another Olympic cycle was lacking.
“After over a decade representing Great Britain on the world stage, it’s time to officially close this chapter of my sporting career,” Carlin said in a statement.
“It’s hard to put into words how proud I feel looking back. A young boy from Paisley, who worked to the bone, chasing a dream and somehow ended up competing against the best in the world, standing on podiums and becoming Scotland’s third most decorated male Olympian.
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
“After Paris 2024, I stepped away from the high performance bubble to focus on my recovery and gave myself space to breathe, to heal and to figure out whether the hunger to go again for another Olympic cycle was there.
“Truth is, I was ready for change… and in this game, I believe that if you’re not 100 per cent in, you’re not giving enough.
“To the incredible team around me at British Cycling; my coaches, support staff, mechanics and especially my physio teams who put me back together more times than I can count, thank you.”
While he’s not entirely sure what lies ahead, apart from a few extra rounds at his local golf course, Carlin is keen to be involved in some capacity at next year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games – an event he described as the “elephant in the room” when it came to his decision to retire.
“People I’ve told have asked, what about Glasgow?” he said. “But it’s less than a year away and I’d be doing myself and the jersey a disservice if I decided to try and put it round my back again when I’m just not in the shape to do it.”
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Paying tribute to his former sprint teammate, Jason Kenny said today: “It was a pleasure to share the podium with Jack as a teammate and battle against him on the track. In Toyko and Paris Jack was a crucial part of the team, and the medals wouldn’t have been possible without him.
“He has left a performance gap in the men’s sprint team with his departure that will be difficult to fill.
“I’ll always be grateful for his commitment to the team and for helping to develop and push the sport on in this country. I know all his former teammates and support staff would join me in wishing him all the best with his future endeavours (along with his golf handicap!).”
Well, they do say golf in the new track cycling, after all.
The best cycling photo you’ll see today
From today, London’s Royal Albert Hall is playing host to a Grand Sumo Tournament, only the second time in its history the five-day event has taken place outside Japan.
And, as they prepare for their bouts this week, the wrestlers have been getting to grips with London in the best way possible – by making use of the city’s hire bikes:
What a photo.
“London is proud to host Japan’s Grand Sumo Tournament this week – it’s fantastic to see the teams using our cycling infrastructure to get around,” walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman posted on social media today.
Of course, it wasn’t long before someone chipped in with a red light-related comment. Can we have one nice photo, please?
Is this the most bizarre mechanical of the season?
Jelle Bouma’s chain was doing things it definitely shouldn’t at the Tour of Holland today:
Racing round-up: Isaac del Toro wins (again) at the Giro del Veneto, as Silvia Persico soloes to victory at women’s race and Tim Merlier triumphs in Tour of Holland sprint
Alright Isaac, all this winning is getting out of hand now.
The 21-year-old Mexican sensation may have been slightly off the pace at Il Lombardia (mind you, he still finished fifth), but at the Giro del Veneto today Isaac del Toro proved that he’s lost none of the sparking form that’s catapulted him to victory after victory this autumn.
The UAE Team Emirates phenom attacked with 10km to go on the final ascent of Torricella Massimiliana to solo to the win in fair Verona, as a large chase group faltered behind.
Isaac del Toro can’t stop winning 💪💥
The 21-year-old delivers his 1️⃣6️⃣th win of the season in style at the Giro del Veneto 🤩 pic.twitter.com/IA8upNbkYE
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) October 15, 2025
Today’s win takes Del Toro’s tally for 2025 to a staggering 16 wins – with seven of those wins coming since the beginning of September, all in Italian one-day races.
And it also means UAE Team Emirates are now sitting on a frankly astonishing 95 wins for the season – a record-breaking feat of dominance underlined by the fact that Del Toro’s teammate Pavel Sivakov won the sprint for second. Simply unbeatable.
Meanwhile, it was a great day out for UAE’s teams in Verona, with UAE Team ADQ’s Silvia Persico bagging her own solo victory at the women’s edition of the Giro del Veneto earlier today, the Italian’s first win of the season.
Persico made her move from a strong group of five, containing eventual second place Marlen Reusser, with 1.5km to go, as a thoroughly dominant UAE netted three spots in the top five, courtesy of third place Eleonora Gasparrini and Elisa Longo Borghini, who finished fifth.
And elsewhere, things were a bit tighter at the Tour of Holland, where Tim Merlier narrowly outsprinted Olav Kooij in a ding-dong battle on the race’s opening road stage in Dordrech, securing Soudal Quick-Step’s second win in as many days, following Ethan Hayter’s prologue victory last night.
Merlier vs. Kooij! 🔥
Tim Merlier goes deep to edge out Olav Kooij on the line in Stage 1 of the Tour of Holland! 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/8cBS4jT3Zf
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) October 15, 2025
“Eyesore” Belfast bike lane barriers installed to prevent ‘optical illusion’ to be removed after more than two years
> “Eyesore” Belfast bike lane barriers installed to prevent ‘optical illusion’ to be removed after more than two years
“It’s funny how they always have the money to be c***s”: New mayor accused of “gleefully” ripping out cycle lane that passes six schools
Sometimes, if you ever start thinking that your local council couldn’t be topped when it comes to it negative approach to cycling, it’s worth taking a quick look around the world, it helps being some perspective.
Because over in New Zealand, a newly elected mayor has made it his mission – more than any other pressing concern in the entire city – to rip out a cycle lane, and one that passes six schools, too.
The cycleway in question is located in New Plymouth, a city on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, and has been dubbed ‘Tim Tam Alley’ due to the concrete separators’ resemblance to the ubiquitous Kiwi biscuit.
And, despite local cyclists praising the 4km-long protected lane, motorists have claimed that the dividers were damaging their wheels (because, it must be noted, they kept driving into them) and complaints have also been made about the changes to junctions, designed to slow traffic near the schools along the route.
And we can’t be having that, can we?
[Credit: Rob Martin]
Announcing his decision to remove the infrastructure within his first 100 days in office, new mayor Max Brough said: “I like a cup of tea and a Tim Tam and that’s the discussion we’ve had about how we fix the problem up there.
“It hasn’t worked out very well, so that’s probably one of the early cabs off the rank.”
Safe to say the decision hasn’t gone down well with the New Plymouth cycling community, with one rider describing the mayor as “gleefully looking forward to ripping out cycle lane that passes six schools”.
Meanwhile, Sam added: “Mayor is going to pull out cycle lanes because car drivers are going boo hoo. For f***’s sake, if you can’t steer between the lines then maybe driving a motor vehicle isn’t for you.”
“It’s funny how they always have the money to be c***s,” said another. Strong language, but fair.
“No helmet? What a role model”: Video of children cycling to school sparks meltdown, as drivers blast Bike Bus leader for riding without a helmet and kids for not wearing hi-vis, cutting corners, and holding up traffic
We’re currently smack bang in the middle of Cycle to School Week, that annual five-day period when parents and children are encouraged to ditch the congestion and exhaust fumes of their car-based school run and take their bike to class instead.
Around 400,000 children across the UK have already pledged to ride their bike to school this week – a 141 per cent increase compared to last year already – with Bikeability predicting that total could hit half a million by Friday.
“I’ve spoken to thousands of pupils across the country over the years, and every time I’ve asked who would like to cycle to school more, I’ve seen a sea of hands go up in the air,” national active travel commissioner Chris Boardman said at the start of the week.
“Cycle to School Week is a brilliant opportunity for kids to start the day active, energised and ready to learn, and we hope to see as many families as possible taking part this year.”
And one of the key initiatives being pushed this year is the Bike Bus, where parents and teachers lead their own pedal-powered ‘bus’ of children to school in the morning.
With bike buses gaining popularity across the country, this week Bikeability launched new guidance and resources to support those looking to start their own bus, includinh example route plans, videos, family guides, risk assessments, and fully funded training designed to encourage and support teachers and parents as they “help children get to school under their own steam” and “make bike buses the new school run norm”.
And at Bathampton Primary School, their new bike bus – the first to be formally set up in Bath and North East Somerset – is already proving a hit, with numbers growing every week since it launched in September.
Led by parents Jo Mouton and Green Party councillor Saskia Heijltjes, the bus’ official launch ride took place last Friday (complete with flags, bubbles, and music) and was praised by Bath’s Bicycle Mayor Pete Dyson as a “smart and simple way to build confidence, reduce local traffic and make streets friendlier for everyone”.
“It’s been wonderful to see the children grow in confidence over the past few weeks,” added Jo. “Riding together means they feel safe, and for parents it’s a lovely way to connect with each other before the school day begins.”
That launch ride was also attended by Hamish Belding, the FRideDays Bike Bus Project Coordinator at the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans), who helped fund the scheme’s planning and promotion.
“Absolutely loved being able to join and support Saskia and Jo with official launch of the Bathampton Primary School Bike Bus,” Hamish wrote on Instagram.
“Stunning route through Bathampton village that is perfect for a Bike Bus with the best bit being the canal bridge on approach to school! Absolutely stunning scenery and the Bike Bus is definitely the best way to start the day!”
However, unbeknownst to Hamish, his charming video of the Bathampton bike bus was about to set off that most persistent of internet cycling debates: a helmet row.
Because, since his video was shared by Somerset Live yesterday, bike helmets (or Hamish’s lack thereof) are all anyone can think about, the comments littered with variations of “helmet?”, “no helmet?” and the like.
“The adults ought to set examples by wearing helmets too,” said former government cycle training advisor Robert Thorpe.
“And hi-vis!” Gem helpfully added.
“The adult should indeed be wearing a helmet,” noted Jeff Swindels, continuing the ‘good example’ theme. “What example is he setting the children under his care? It’s the old ‘do as I say not as I do’! Poor show.”
“Where’s the adult’s helmet?” asked Nicola Gray. “What a role model.”
And Andrew Norris said: “Why is the bloke not wearing a helmet, riding one handed, and why aren’t the kids wearing hi vis?”
“The children may be having fun but they all absolutely need helmets!” added Elsie Hodges, while Jackie O’Callaghan went all Australian on things by arguing that helmets “should be compulsory”, and not just for bike bus leaders.
“If youngsters are being taught about road safety, I’d say all instructors should wear helmets!” said Mark Gallagher, while Harley Masters wrote: “Almost can’t believe they’re not wearing one. Just seems stupid.
“Commuting through traffic means stopping and starting so balance needed. It’s more about slow-moving falls than anything serious but a bump to the head is a bump to the head that can be protected (or not).”
Even a local personal injury lawyer, fishing for some work no doubt, got involved, writing: “This is great to see – but the rider with the camera should surely have a helmet on? Not only as an example for the kids, but really importantly for their own safety.
“Cyclists are so vulnerable and when there is an accident, whether due to a pothole or another road user, cyclists come off badly. If a helmet isn’t worn, compensation settlements can be vastly reduced or even declined by insurers. Personal responsibility and safety precautions are soooo important!”
Great job, now you can clock off for the day.
However, helmets weren’t the only anti-cycling bingo calls on the agenda stemming from Hamish’s video.
Jaime Sheppard noted that the members of the bike bus were “all turning on to the wrong side of the road”, while Mike Forsyth asked: “And what side of the road did they all go on when they turned at that junction?”
“Leader cycling one handed… hey kids look at what I can do,” said Gary Mostyn.
Meanwhile, Mark Allan encouraged us all to think for once about the poor, poor drivers languishing during their morning commute.
“Not a shot of the miles of traffic sat behind you all during the halo polishing… it will all stop soon when the roads are covered in snow and ice,” he said.
And he wasn’t the only one positively gleeful that wintery weather could bring the heinous sight of kids riding their bikes to school to an abrupt end.
“What about when it rains, snows, sleets? Same happy faces? Also who pays for it?” asked Mariangela Ferrai.
To which Reuben replied: “Yes, my daughter cycles to school every day, same happy face, regardless of weather. Strange comment!”
Elsewhere, Susanne Hamilton said: “Excellent. But anyone delivering Bikeability should know that safety is first. Helmet, road positioning, definitely not cutting junctions up. You’d be better just letting the kids go themselves if that’s how you’re teaching them road safety.”
> Why is Dan Walker’s claim that a bike helmet saved his life so controversial?
Thankfully, some cyclists were on hand to counter the frothing rage in the comments.
Focusing on the perceived need to wear a helmet, Al Ó Baoighill noted: “Not a single motorist is wearing one. All this talk about helmets – I’m surprised no one is banging on about ‘road tax’!”
Don’t give them any ideas, Al…
And Mike Doyle said: “So many helmet whingers here. These kids are having fun, accompanied by adults, arriving at school energised, and protected from manic drivers.
“Bike Bus is a BRILLIANT concept, and it’s great to see it spreading across UK. Perhaps it will encourage more parents to join in the fun and cycle to school with their children”
“Imagine seeing a group of children cycling – reducing their chances of developing obesity, diabetes, cancer and so many other diseases – and all you can do is carp about one adult not wearing a helmet (which is perfectly legal) or fantasising about accidents/road rage/bad weather. Have a word with yourselves,” wrote Will.
And finally, a fed-up Neil Wheadon wrote: “This is a fantastic initiative, but once again is taken over but the helmet debate which frankly no-one wins, all it does is create bad feeling on both sides of the fence.
“Chris Boardman has done a lot for UK cycling, it’s not even his top 10 and I agree, we need infrastructure, simple as that. Look at the Netherlands/Germany. Those that choose not to wear a helmet like myself will eventually stop cycling, the younger generation are choosing to do so as we asked our children to do.
“The chap leading needs support in this initiative, as for motorists this is one less car off the road, so roads are less congested and everyone wins.”
Naked cyclists “the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet,” says US House Speaker – as Trump supporter says: “It’s getting really ugly”
Mike Johnson, the speaker of the United States House of Representatives, says a lot of things.
Just last month, the Republican politician told reporters that Donald Trump was an FBI informant who had been working to take down Jeffrey Epstein – before later backing away from the baffling claim.
But even that perplexing remark doesn’t compare to what he said this week about, wait for it – a naked bike ride.
Some context first. On Sunday, cyclists in Portland braved the inclement weather and rode their bikes in the nude – a tradition in the Oregon city – to protest its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, Trump’s mass deportation scheme, and the US president’s plans to deploy 200 National Guard troops in Portland.
The protest, organised by the Portland branch of World Naked Bike Ride and attended by over a thousand cyclists, some in various states of undress and others in costumes, was the third such event in the city this year, and included speeches from local activists and a mass four-mile ride through the city to the doors of ICE’s facility.
Participants painted slogans on their uncovered bodies, including “End occupation. End deportation”, “Skin colour is not probable cause”, and “We’re cold, but not as cold as ICE” (which is excellent), with reports from the ground reporting that the whole passed off peacefully and with a festival-style atmosphere.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson calls Sunday’s naked bike ride in protest of the Portland ICE facility and and Trump troop deployment “the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet” www.oregonlive.com/portland/202…
— The Oregonian (@oregonian.com) October 15, 2025 at 12:41 AM
However, Mike Johnson’s take on Portland’s latest naked bike ride protest was – unsurprisingly – rather different. In fact, it appears the US House speaker was scared to bits by all the bike riding bits on display.
Yesterday, Johnson said that he had not seen any evidence of federal law enforcement “crossing the line yet” in Portland or elsewhere.
Instead, “what I’ve seen is the abuse of law enforcement by radical leftist activists.”
He continued: “Most recently, the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet was the naked bicyclers in Portland who were protesting ICE down there. I mean, it’s getting really ugly.”
Ach, that’s not fair to comment on their appearance… Oh, that’s not what he meant, okay.
An “emergency” edition of the World Naked Bike Ride.
Drawing several thousand participants who cycled through Portland streets in the rain to protest federal immigration enforcement and the deployment of National Guard troops under the Trump administration. pic.twitter.com/nJ20ozIWTk
— orange 🍊 (@orange4u28) October 13, 2025
And though the staffers behind him were struggling to supress smiles at Johnson’s comment, apparently he wasn’t joking, claiming that protesters have attacked officers and people have been arrested.
A narrative has emerged in recent months from Team Trump labelling protests against Portland’s ICE facility as “violent riots” tied to “Antifa domestic terrorists”, including by Trump himself.
While around 30 protesters have been arrested outside the Portland ICE facility since June, none of these took place during the naked bike ride. However, one activist – a clarinettist with a protest band (I’m not making this up, I swear) – was detained, but is yet to be charged.
Naked cyclists – pissing off all the worst people since the invention of the bike.
> World Naked Bike Ride cyclists defend protest ride in face of calls for ban
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Latest Comments
You don't have to be a superhuman to ride it (although, of course, as with any ride, it helps).
The spirit of this ride is that a superhuman rider pedals every bit of the route. She did that.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head- mountain bikes are now mainstream, with brands relying on their sales volume for the profit of the company as a whole and consumers knowing what they want. We also expect more from our bikes and constant failures would be unacceptable, I remember when head tubes snapping was a semi regular occurrence to hear about. We have had incremental improvement- geometries are longer and slacker, suspension is more responsive, tubeless tyres are great, disc brakes work, derailleurs don’t break and gear ratios are now appropriate for application. I wouldn’t drop £6k on an out there bike that might not last and might not work well, and I don’t think many people would or could. It’s the price of mountain biking being many stream. If you want something wacky buy a tt bike
Not to be a negative Nelly but is swapping between a Road and TT bike in the spirit of this ride?
It’s American English. Nice-looking bike, a shame about the harsh ride.
who don’t want disc brakes or tubeless tyres I DO want disc brakes because they're better, and I DON'T want tubeless tyres because they're a right faff.
Very pleasant to read such a positive article. A rare treat here.
Regardless of whether such a test would be workable, Carera's remarks are stupid and naive. Of course there might be doping. That spectre will never go away. Some of Pogaçar's performances are just insane, they beggar belief. Is he doping? I don't think so. Can I be 100% sure? Of course not.
I'm predominantly a roadie, and I might be wrong so please don't shoot me down, but I think the article is as much about innovation and creativity in the bike industry (plus the debate about, if it ain't broke, stop trying to fix it!). I'm sure innovations in road have crossed to MTB but in recent decades a lot of innovations in MTB appear to have made there way to Road - disc brakes, tubeless tyres, groupset & derailleur designs including bigger cassette ratios etc. - which again I appreciate there's plenty of road purists out there who don't want disc brakes or tubeless tyres, but love them or hate them, these features are now the standard when you buy a road bike. Cheers, Andy
Caravaggio let you use his picture? If not then be careful as from what I’ve heard he’s got quite a temper.
38 thoughts on “Naked cyclists “the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet,” says US House Speaker – as Trump supporter claims: “It’s getting really ugly”; Children’s bike bus to school sparks helmet row; Sumo wrestlers on hire bikes; TT meets BMX + more on the live blog”
Video of children cycling to
Video of children cycling to school sparks meltdown
TLDR version: people on local newspaper comments section post inane drivel as usual.
Gotta wonder who creates accounts for commenting on Somerset Live and sites like that. If you go to google homepage news (don’t bother but…) it’s filled with clickbait from local Live sites fishing for any revenue they can get.
Hold on. erm…
Yep. Imagine taking aim at a
Yep. Imagine taking aim at a bunch school kids for cycling to school. How very dare they?
Yep. Imagine taking aim at a
.
Yep. Imagine taking aim at a
.
Cycle to School Week – a UK
Cycle to School Week – a UK-wide event held during Scottish school holidays – cheers rUK!!
Yeah doesn’t make sense.
Yeah on the face of it doesn’t quite make sense. Cycle to school week is run by Bikeability which is “the Department for Transport’s flagship national cycle training programme for schoolchildren in England”. Scotland however has its own Bikeability organisation, as does Wales. NI seems to have something else. Despite this Google still seems to think that Scotland participates even though it happens during the school break. They also say however that “In Scotland, schools sometimes run their own events in September, separate from the national date.” and that “Schools are encouraged to host events at any time of the year to fit their schedules.” presumably because school breaks across or even within the 4 nations of the UK aren’t aligned.
That said you can still cycle to school even if it is closed. I’ve done this myself. It would make a good rehearsal to determine the best route and find out timings and how to carry items such as books lunch box etc. Important for those who are using this as an opportunity to start cycling to school for the first time.
Still why pass up an opportunity to make a dig at rUK eh?
It is a shame that there isn
It is a shame that there isn’t a joined up approach to Cycle to School week, but given the differences in school terms it’s going to be challenging, and even within Scotland the October holidays aka the Tattie fortnight/week is not aligned, and it’s a repeat offender when it comes to confusing people trying to organise at this time of year. But this is the best time of year for a cycling to school week.
The schools have been back for long enough to give lead in time for organisation, but it’s not yet too cold and dark. But the cold and dark days are near enough that it’s a good time to have conversations about lights and reflectors and so on.
I have a real concern for SUV
I have a real concern for SUV drivers. Looking at the Car Flips section, a lot of SUVs end up on their roof or side.
They should be made to wear crash helmets and their cars should have roll bars.
That way, they are less likely to suffer serious injury next time they clip a kerb at 60mph in a built up area.
Mr Blackbird wrote:
cervical restraints as well, for lateral impacts.
Also, a lot of them are dark
Also, a lot of them are dark colours.
this winter, let’s protection
this winter, let’s protection-shame anyone not wearing wrist guards when it’s slippy.
Not got snow chains or
Not got snow chains or studded tyres on your motah this winter? You selfish swines….
Especially if they’re not
Especially if they’re not high visibility. How are the bus drivers supposed to see them otherwise?
Too true. And whay are your
Too true. And why are your passengers not wearing helmets & reflectors on their shoes?
Do you mean that cyclists are
Do you mean that cyclists are invisible to bus drivers if they don’t wear hi-vus vests?
How many drivers take a
How many drivers take a second to realise that kids wearing hi-vis is to protect the kids from *them*.
Hi-vis jackets don’t protect
Hi-vis jackets don’t protect either kids or adults against reckless driving.
We all know that the real
We all know that the real purpose of hi-vis is to give the drivers something to aim at.
That’s why they don’t like us wearing black or having red flashing lights … it makes them have to *concentrate* on hitting us.
Ignoring the helmet debate,
Ignoring the helmet debate, what about the line these kids are being encouraged to take going into that junction.
I realise the ride marshall is observing and guiding for them but surely they should also be demonstrating and encouraging the correct safe line that should be taken as one day you want these riders to be doing it for themselves and thier instinct should be to remain on the correct side of the road.
I see so a lot of drivers
I see so a lot of drivers cutting the corner when swinging into T-junctions which is annoying/downright dangerous if I’m emerging trying to turn right at the same time. I thought the drivers were just lazy and couldn’t be bothered turning the steering wheel but it turns out they’re taught to do it at an early age by Bikeability folks.
exactly, and we have all seen
exactly, and we have all seen the “near miss of the day ” videos of drivers taking these exact lines
I don’t think I’ve ever seen
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a driver not cut the corner off when turning into a T-junction. Obviously except when I do it because my driving is perfect.
Sometime it OK to enjoy life
Sometime it OK to enjoy life and not worry about the BS These kids are having fun and all arived safe and sound. What do you expect him to do stop and give the kids a lesson right there and then.
not stop and give a lesson,
not stop and give a lesson, but demonstrate and guide appropriate road positions, they don’t even realise they are being taught, instead it just becomes an instinctive thing for them in the future. For instance if an instructor is standing in near the “T” of the junction and guiding them round the correct side of them, they can also reinforce that by explain what they are doing eeither with a call at the time or in a short debrief after the journey.
I’d agree.
I’d agree.
I’d like to think that at some point the kids will be taught to take more responsibility for their own road craft, and ideally there was a chat before their first session about how the ride leaders were taking responsibility for certain things etc. But riding as part of a bike bus should be a carefree experience for the kids as much as possible.
Although arguably the leader was the one encouraging the kids to cut the corner, but given there was possibly a car out of sight on the main road, waiting for the kids to turn into the side road, it’s not worth quibbling about.
FionaJJ wrote:
Yes, why teach them wrong and then have to re-teach them later? There are simple rules and the kids need to and are able to learn that. The ride leader needs to lead by example and encourage correct safe behaviours on the roads.
Then teach the kids that
Then teach the kids that roads aren’t safe for cyclists. This is what I read on this very blog.
Mybike wrote:
It’s the perfect time for it, he’s blocking the oncoming traffic so they are perfectly safe, get them to ride up in the correct lane and turn into the correct lane. Good habits are easily learned but bad ones are just as easily picked up, if you inculcate that it’s important to ride correctly in all circumstances it’s much easier for good riding to become an ingrained habit. One of those kids comes up to that junction on their own next time and without thinking takes the same line as before (after all, nobody told them not to) and gets hit by a car, how much will they then be enjoying life and not worrying about the bullshit? It’s exactly the same as teaching kids to wait for the green man even if they think it’s safe to cross, it’s just good discipline to do the same thing every time.
There’s a video for ride
There’s a video for ride leaders on the Bikeability website about how to run a bike bus. Turning right is shown here.
The leader isn’t following these instructions.
While I very much agree with
While I very much agree with that as a general principle*, there has to be something else going on here in terms of traffic management, since the school – which is the building on the left of the road at the end of the video – isn’t a morass of SUVs delivering other children.
* note that in the Netherlands a common sight is a parent guiding their child with a hand on their shoulders for the very purpose of getting them to do the safest manoeuvres (and which also helps the children learn to cycle a hairsbreadth from each other – as they do).
Jitensha Oni wrote:
Excellent point – not only is the concept of “social cycling” not seen as a requirement in the UK – by fiat * *and by design* it is discouraged (highway code wording tweaks notwithstanding).
Meanwhile: https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/side-by-side/
* “Our streets are too narrow…” – except for those side by side in motor vehicles.
Rendel Harris wrote:
I do agree that would have been the best approach, as kids are constantly learning, and you can’t assume they aren’t paying attention to your bad habits, or hope they understand the context and why it was OK to cut a corner that time, but not others. Just because the leader could explain why he knew it was safe doesn’t mean the kids knew how he reached that decision. And if you are going to film the ride with a view to sharing, then it’s even more important to make the effort on these things.
But, the leader clearly knew that it was safe for them to take the line they took on this occasion, and it’s highly likely those who keep coming back to bike bus will be exposed to lots of opportunities to learn and practice the rules of the road. If they have fun and feel good about their abilities in the early sessions, they are more likely to come back and become better and safer cyclists.
And I stick to my earlier theory that there is possible a car that stopped out of sight that makes it much harder for the kids to approach the junction without cutting the corner at all. That said, there was space for cutting the corner less severely.
EK Spinner wrote:
Sometime it OK to enjoy life and not worry about the B.S. These kids are having fun and all arrived safe and sound. What do you expect him to do ? Stop and give a lesson right there and then. Lighten up
[/quote]
While I appreciate the point,
While I appreciate the point, I think it is asking a bit much of children so young.
Let them learn to handle a bike on the road while having adult marshalls keep them safe.
Let’s not forget that as they are so young they will not have done this before and so their brains are still developing and having to take in a huge amount of continually changing information about their surroundings, the other moving people/vehicles etc, whilst also riding their bikes.
They can learn the basics such as stopping at red, give ways, zebra crossings now, fine.
The finer details of things like how to turn across junctions can be taught later.
It would be like expecting them to learn advanced maths straight away instead a basic addition, subtraction, multiplication etc first.
Oh, are there a lot of
Oh, are there a lot of overhanging branches and brambles in Barhampton then?
That junction has an adverse
That junction has an adverse corner so if kids were encouraged to go round it widely they would probably crash.
It’s a dead-end road so very little traffic (other than SUVs taking kids to school that is…)
Seems it’s a day full of
Seems it’s a day full of further evidence of slightly irrational cycling takes – it’s the clothes again: cyclists taking off helmets, taking off their clothes – it’s all very threatening it seems.
At least the sumo wrestlers were appropriately dressed in their cycling kimonos and sandals. Nothing scary about a chap of at least 130kg on a Lime bike (but according the notes at the Albert hall’s site including those over 190kg…)
Luckily hire bikes are tough…
It should be remembered that
It should be remembered that the advice is also for pedestrians to wear brightly coloured clothes when it’s dark, especially during the autumn and winter when the sun sets earlier.
Assuming that these drivers do sometimes get out of their cars, I’d be interested to know how many of them carry a hi-Vis jacket or other suitably visible attire in their car so they be seen by motorists. Not doing so would clearly be putting themselves in danger, set a bad example to any children around, and reduce there value of any possible insurance claim.