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  • News
Tadej Pogacar / Chris Horner
Chris Horner (Image Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com / Chris Horner/YouTube)

“Tramadol was legal and I used it heavily,” Vuelta winner Horner sympathises with Tadej Pogačar’s injury struggles at TdF; “Sometimes we wish he’d slow down” Pogačar’s mother says a sabbatical for her son would be “understandable” + more on the live blog

It’s Friday, and Callum couldn’t contemplate going a week without running the live blog. So he’s here, ready and waiting for the weekend like there’s no tomorrow
  • by Callum Devereux
Fri, Oct 17, 2025 09:08
37

SUMMARY

  • Unstoppable Magnier wins again in Guangxi
  • Reducing speed limits to 20mph protects cyclists and doesn’t delay traffic, new research finds
  • 22-year old cyclist retires to work in AI
  • Goat's head for sale!
  • Fuming residents claim children’s bike track has “ruined living here” – due to kids “peering” into their homes
  • Kilo King Cundy unstoppable at Para-cycling track Worlds
  • “We can’t do this without the police”: Tour of Holland stage cancelled after motorist ignores marshals and drives towards riders in chaotic scenes
  • Pro cyclist 'banned' from China after Strava emoji controversy
  • "Sometimes we wish he would slow down": Pogačar's mother sheds light on son's "exhausted" Tour de France
  • British rider retirement round-up
  • "Tramadol was legal and I was using it heavily," Vuelta winner Horner sympathises with Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France injury 'struggles'
Tadej Pogacar / Chris Horner
Chris Horner (Image Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com / Chris Horner/YouTube)
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17 October 2025, 09:08

Unstoppable Magnier wins again in Guangxi

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by TNT Sports Cycling (@tntsportscycling)

Soudal-Quick Step’s Paul Magnier continues his 100% win streak at the Tour of Guangxi by winning stage four this morning. The win is the Frenchman’s 18th of the season this morning, only a certain Slovenian has more. 

Magnier has also gained a handy 30 second lead on the favourites for the overall but tomorrow’s summit finish is likely to end his perfect record in what is the last World Tour race of the year.

17 October 2025, 09:08

Reducing speed limits to 20mph protects cyclists and doesn’t delay traffic, new research finds

They might have second-best cricketers, but credit where it’s due should go to the Australians for some excellent research published this week.

Modelling reduced speed limits in Melbourne’s residential areas, researchers found cyclists are safer, traffic isn’t affected and more people are encouraged to cycle. Lovely stuff…

> Reducing speed limits to 20mph protects cyclists and doesn’t delay traffic, new research finds

20mph sign
20mph sign (Image Credit: CC licensed by EdinburghGreens via Flickr)
20mph sign
20mph sign (Image Credit: CC licensed by EdinburghGreens via Flickr)

 

17 October 2025, 09:08

22-year old cyclist retires to work in AI

It’s the time of year where retirement announcements, enforced or not, are coming thick and fast. We might even do a round-up of British retirements later this afternoon depending on the flow of other news.

Not many retirees tend to be young, and if they are it’s usually a combination of illness and injury. But not for Unai Zubeldia.

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Unai Zubeldia (@zubeldia_unai)

The 22-year-old (no relation to cult Grand Tour hero Haimar Zubeldia) has announced his retirement in a post on LinkedIn saying he plans to work in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, having graduated from university earlier this year.  His post, in both Basque and Spanish does make reference to the “hidden costs” of professional cycling but they are far from the only thing that has led Zubeldia to making the abrupt career switch. I suppose you really do hear something new every day…

17 October 2025, 09:08

Goat's head for sale!

Yes, this is still road.cc. Yes we’re not talking about Eddy Merckx, Marianne Vos or Tadej Pogačar

It’s a YT industries bike sale…

> Grab a cheap YT industries bike (or a goat’s head) as troubled brand auctions off its UK based ex-demo stock

Screenshot 2025-10-16 150510
Screenshot 2025-10-16 150510 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
Screenshot 2025-10-16 150510
Screenshot 2025-10-16 150510 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

17 October 2025, 09:08

Fuming residents claim children’s bike track has “ruined living here” – due to kids “peering” into their homes

A laughably depressing story from Ryan here. The ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ ethos of “just smile & wave” clearly gets short shrift in Folkestone

> “They started waving and smiling”: Fuming residents claim children’s bike track has “ruined living here” and devalued houses – due to kids “peering” into their homes

Folkestone Academy
Folkestone Academy (Image Credit: Google Street View)
Folkestone Academy
Folkestone Academy (Image Credit: Google Street View)

17 October 2025, 09:08

Kilo King Cundy unstoppable at Para-cycling track Worlds

Some nice news from Rio de Janeiro where Jody Cundy has won his 16th (sixteenth!) World Championships gold medal in the C4 kilo at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships.

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Great Britain Cycling Team (@gbcyclingteam)

It was a British one-two as Cundy came in ahead of compatriot Archie Atkinson, 26 years his junior.

There were other medals too as Blaine Hunt won silver in the C5 kilo, Fin Graham won bronze in the C3 sprint, along with GB’s team tandem sprint pairs of Lizzi Jordan and Danni Khan, and James Ball and Steffan Lloyd. Kadeena Cox meanwhile narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the C4 elimination race.

Lizzi Jordan, piloted by Danni Khan, and James Ball, piloted by Steffan Lloyd, win bronze at 2025 UCI Para-cycling Track Worlds
Lizzi Jordan, piloted by Danni Khan, and James Ball, piloted by Steffan Lloyd, win bronze at 2025 UCI Para-cycling Track Worlds (Image Credit: swpix)
Lizzi Jordan, piloted by Danni Khan, and James Ball, piloted by Steffan Lloyd, win bronze at 2025 UCI Para-cycling Track Worlds
Lizzi Jordan, piloted by Danni Khan, and James Ball, piloted by Steffan Lloyd, win bronze at 2025 UCI Para-cycling Track Worlds (Image Credit: swpix)

 

17 October 2025, 09:08

“We can’t do this without the police”: Tour of Holland stage cancelled after motorist ignores marshals and drives towards riders in chaotic scenes

I’m afraid there will be no racing round-up from me later this afternoon as Stage 3 of the Tour of Holland has been cancelled after drivers joined the course.

Tour of Holland stage cancelled
Tour of Holland stage cancelled (Image Credit: PhotoNews)
Tour of Holland stage cancelled
Tour of Holland stage cancelled (Image Credit: PhotoNews)

The race was led by Brit Ethan Hayter following his victories in yesterday’s time trial and the opening prologue but today’s action was curtailed barely 30km into the stage. Ryan Mallon has the full-story below:

> Tour of Holland stage cancelled after motorist ignores marshals and drives towards riders, with lorry driver also entering course in chaotic scenes as organiser tells teams: “We can’t do this without the police”

17 October 2025, 09:08

Pro cyclist 'banned' from China after Strava emoji controversy

We reported earlier in the week on Mario Aparicio, the Burgos Burpellet cyclist who was disqualified from the Tour of Mentougou in China after uploading a pig emoji next to the Chinese flag. Well, things have gone further…

Mario Aparicio at the 2025 Vuelta, and pig emoji Strava post
Mario Aparicio at the 2025 Vuelta, and pig emoji Strava post (Image Credit: Mario Aparicio/Strava / Unipublic/Antonio Baixauli/Cxcling Creative Agency)
Mario Aparicio at the 2025 Vuelta, and pig emoji Strava post
Mario Aparicio at the 2025 Vuelta, and pig emoji Strava post (Image Credit: Mario Aparicio/Strava / Unipublic/Antonio Baixauli/Cxcling Creative Agency)

Basque newspaper El Correo are reporting that Aparicio has now been banned from entering China for life after a social media storm surrounded the Strava post that has since been deleted.

Burgos Burpellet said in a statement that no ill-intent was meant on Aparicio’s part and that it was a reference towards his teammate who won the opening stage. But that excuse did not cut the mustard with Chinese social media users who demanded an apology for the ‘insulting’ post. The race organisation, in disqualifying the 25-year old, said his actions had “violated the spirit of sportsmanship, damaged the image of the race, and caused a serious negative impact.”

With Aparicio seemingly now unable to return to China, it seems unlikely that any reconciliation is forthcoming. For Burgos, who rely heavily on Asian races to earn UCI rankings points, the move is an additional logistical complication when planning their rider programs for next season.

Following his disqualification Aparicio, who has a contract with the team for 2026, returned home ahead of his team and competed in the Giro del Veneto on Wednesday. 

> Pro cyclist reportedly banned for life from entering China after being kicked off race for posting “derogatory” pig emoji on Strava

Mario Aparicio in the breakaway at the 2025 Vuelta
Mario Aparicio in the breakaway at the 2025 Vuelta (Image Credit: ASO/Unipublic/Antonio Baixauli/Cxcling Creative Agency)
Mario Aparicio in the breakaway at the 2025 Vuelta
Mario Aparicio in the breakaway at the 2025 Vuelta (Image Credit: ASO/Unipublic/Antonio Baixauli/Cxcling Creative Agency)

17 October 2025, 09:08

"Sometimes we wish he would slow down": Pogačar's mother sheds light on son's "exhausted" Tour de France

The Pogačar news keeps coming this morning, as Le Parisien have conducted an interview with Marjeta Pogačar, mother of the best cyclist in the world and a French teacher by trade.

Tadej Pogacar mother father sister family (TDF2021)
Tadej Pogacar mother father sister family (TDF2021) (Image Credit: Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)
Tadej Pogacar mother father sister family (TDF2021)
Tadej Pogacar mother father sister family (TDF2021) (Image Credit: Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)

In it, she describes her son as “really, really tired” during this year’s Tour de France. “Exhausted, maybe. And I said to myself: I can understand now if he stops cycling or at least for a year.” 

Marjeta went on to say of her son that “he never complains, he’s not like that” before wondering that “maybe he wasn’t in pain because I took his pain. That’s what mothers do, they feel their child.”

The comments are the latest development on the story of Tadej Pogačar’s apathy towards his own success and talent. It first emerged when he rode defensively during the second-half of this year’s Tour de France and suggested he was burnt out before this week it was revealed he was battling a knee injury. 

Pogačar is contracted to ride for UAE until the end of 2030, by which point he will be 32, the same age at which Eddy Merckx retired but relatively young by modern standards. He has previously mentioned the Olympic Games in 2028 are also a major objective for him, in addition to winning all five Monuments.

Marjeta’s comments about a sabbatical are new to the conversation and are unlikely to be actioned considering the demands of Tadej Pogačar’s UAE paymasters. But it’s further food for thought as the cycling world tries to better understand the best cyclist in the world.

Tadej Pogačar wins fifth straight Il Lombardia title, 2025
Tadej Pogačar wins fifth straight Il Lombardia title, 2025 (Image Credit: RCS)
Tadej Pogačar wins fifth straight Il Lombardia title, 2025
Tadej Pogačar wins fifth straight Il Lombardia title, 2025 (Image Credit: RCS)

17 October 2025, 09:08

17 October 2025, 09:08

British rider retirement round-up

Don’t think that the cancellation of the Tour of Holland wasn’t going to stop me from preparing a round-up post for you! Because with the end of the road racing season nigh, it’s a good chance to recap the Brits leaving the pro peloton this year, not least the hitters from what I suppose we could call the ‘golden generation’.

Geraint Thomas, final stage of the 2025 Tour of Britain, Cardiff
Geraint Thomas, final stage of the 2025 Tour of Britain, Cardiff (Image Credit: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com)
Geraint Thomas, final stage of the 2025 Tour of Britain, Cardiff
Geraint Thomas, final stage of the 2025 Tour of Britain, Cardiff (Image Credit: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com)

Geraint Thomas and Lizzie Deignan are the biggest British names confirmed to be leaving the peloton with Thomas bidding farewell with a Cardiff homecoming at the Tour of Britain last month, whilst Deignan brought forward her retirement after becoming pregnant with her third child with ex-pro Phil Deignan. But they are from the only ones leaving the peloton.

Lizzie Deignan and family at 2019 Road Worlds in Harrogate  (Copyright Simon Wilkinson, SWpix.com).JPG
Lizzie Deignan and family at 2019 Road Worlds in Harrogate (Copyright Simon Wilkinson, SWpix.com) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
Lizzie Deignan and family at 2019 Road Worlds in Harrogate  (Copyright Simon Wilkinson, SWpix.com).JPG
Lizzie Deignan and family at 2019 Road Worlds in Harrogate (Copyright Simon Wilkinson, SWpix.com) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

Though he hasn’t confirmed it, at 40-years old and seriously injured in a crash earlier in the year, Chris Froome is likely to be waving goodbye to the peloton in the coming weeks. In truth, it has been an inauspicious end to a glittering career that saw him win seven Grand Tours including four Tour de France titles. But since another career-defining crash in 2020, he has been a shadow of his former self, uncompetitive and unable to contest at the pointy end of bike races all whilst earning millions of pounds a year on a five-year contract for Israel-Premier Tech.

Chris Froome Dan McLay Arc de Triomphe 2016
Chris Froome Dan McLay Arc de Triomphe 2016 (Image Credit: Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)
Chris Froome Dan McLay Arc de Triomphe 2016
Chris Froome Dan McLay Arc de Triomphe 2016 (Image Credit: Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)

On the wheel of Froome in this photo is Dan McLay, the British sprinter-turned leadout man who also confirmed his retirement earlier in the week. He rose to prominence with his extraordinary victory in the GP Denain in 2016 and spent most of his career with the Breton team most recently known as Arkea-Samsic, riding the Tour de France four times, before this year working as a domestique for Olav Kooij at Visma-Lease a bike.

 
 
 
 
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A post shared by CYCLING NEWS COVERAGE (@pro_tour_cycling)

Also retiring at the relatively young age of 28 is Lizzie Holden. The Manx rider announced her decision this week, writing on Instagram that she’d “lost a lot of confidence on the bike” in particular following “a crash resulting in a broken collarbone, numerous broken ribs and a punctured lung (to really put a nail in the coffin)”. Holden, a former national Time Trial champion, became a trusted domestique at UAE Team ADQ in recent years, regularly selected for the Tour de France Femmes, Giro Donne and Paris-Roubaix. Here’s wishing for a retirement with distinctly fewer broken bones!

Lizzie Holden, 2025 Paris-Roubaix
Lizzie Holden, 2025 Paris-Roubaix (Image Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Lizzie Holden, 2025 Paris-Roubaix
Lizzie Holden, 2025 Paris-Roubaix (Image Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

17 October 2025, 09:08

17 October 2025, 09:08

"Tramadol was legal and I was using it heavily," Vuelta winner Horner sympathises with Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France injury 'struggles'

We start today with the latest musings from the oldest Grand Tour winner in history, Chris Horner.

Vuelta 2013 Stage 18 Chris Horner (© Unipublic:Graham Watson)
Vuelta 2013 Stage 18 Chris Horner (© Unipublic:Graham Watson) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
Vuelta 2013 Stage 18 Chris Horner (© Unipublic:Graham Watson)
Vuelta 2013 Stage 18 Chris Horner (© Unipublic:Graham Watson) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

Speaking on his own YouTube channel, which is the style of the time, the 2013 Vuelta a España champion reflected on the news that Tadej Pogačar was battling a knee injury during the second half of this year’s Tour de France that apparently left the Slovenian close to abandoning the race whilst in the maillot jaune and caused him to ride more defensively in the latter stages of the race.

“You’ve got thousands upon thousands of pedal strokes, and something’s going to give.” Horner said.

“This is the more educated, adult experience now that Pogačar is coming into. If you can’t get rid of Jonas Vingegaard straight away, you don’t want to lose time to him either. So he raced wisely. He backed off the throttle.

“It wasn’t a lack of motivation. What we were watching was a rider in pain, protecting his GC.”

So far, so normal. But as an ex-pro, Horner probably realised the key to get people to engage with his content was to share his own lived experience of racing through pain, although he maybe went a degree too far.

Chris Horner YT channel Oct 2025
Chris Horner YT channel Oct 2025 (Image Credit: Chris Horner/YouTube)
Chris Horner YT channel Oct 2025
Chris Horner YT channel Oct 2025 (Image Credit: Chris Horner/YouTube)

“Whenever your body goes into trauma, it always gains weight,” he explained. “I’ve been in hospital after crashes where I didn’t eat for a week and came out seven or eight pounds heavier.

“Instead of losing weight as the race goes on, like you normally would, you’re gaining it. Every little bit counts when you’re climbing Ventoux or the Loze.

“[At the 2009 Tour of California] I was taking Tramadol aggressively to get through every stage,” he said. “In those days it was legal and I was using it heavily.

“But it was clear — I was gaining weight. I could see it day after day. I told my teammates: don’t wait for me on Mount Palomar. My form had just dropped away.”

As a reminder, tramadol is a strong painkiller that was banned by the UCI (in 2019 -thanks to user Rendel Harris in the comments) for a suspected link between its use and crashes in the peloton. Former Endura Racing and Team Sky rider Jonathan Tiernan-Locke claimed that the drug was freely offered by British Cycling in and around the 2012 World Championships.

However, it took several years until it was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substances list due to a lack of clear evidence of performance enhancement. This meant Nairo Quintana’s UCI-imposed disqualification from the Tour de France in 2022 did not result in an additional doping ban from WADA. WADA added tramadol to its banned substance list later that year.

> World Anti-Doping Agency set to ban painkiller tramadol (from 2022) 

Horner also used his channel to remind viewers of his own injury struggles during that race that encouraged his more aggressive racing strategy.

“In 2013 when I was racing the Vuelta I had an issue behind my left knee. My
wife was taping it up for me. She literally came into the team bus and the team staff was going berserk bringing a woman up into the team bus at a grand tour while I’m racing for the race leaders jersey. They couldn’t believe I was bringing my wife in the bus.”

“I said I don’t have time to explain it to you. I need my wife to tape my knee up. I started racing crazy tactics at the finish of stage eight so I could try to win the stage because I didn’t think I was going to start nine.”

For a rider like Horner, whose Vuelta triumph arrived at the age of 41 against the likes of Vincenzo Nibali and Alejandro Valverde, his tramadol use is not a great thing to be admitting. During his career, Horner never stayed at a team for longer than three years. He had spells at FDJ, Saunier-Duval, Lotto, Astana and Radioshack among others.

Despite winning the 2013 Vuelta, his contract wasn’t renewed and he left Radioshack to race for Lampre-Merida before gradually dropping out of the pro ranks altogether. His previous career highlights include overall victory in the Tour of the Basque Country in 2010, a year where he also finished eighth overall in the Tour de France.

This whole story is all rather murky, and you have to question the wisdom of Horner choosing to disclose this chapter of his medical history. Still, at least we know Tadej Pogacar has an ally should he ever need to comment on a sore knee ever again…

Tadej Pogačar, Paris, 2025 Tour de France
Tadej Pogačar, Paris, 2025 Tour de France (Image Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Tadej Pogačar, Paris, 2025 Tour de France
Tadej Pogačar, Paris, 2025 Tour de France (Image Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

 

17 October 2025, 09:08

The bike industry is shooting itself in the foot with ever-changing standards and incompatible niche products

The bike industry is shooting itself in the foot with ever-changing standards and incompatible niche products

Is the bike industry dragging us willingly into a never ending downwards financial spiral through its obsession with new and incompatible niche products?

17 October 2025, 09:08

Bike shop burgled for third time in three years as thieves ram SUV into building, leaving behind “trail of destruction”

Bike shop burgled for third time in three years as thieves ram SUV into building, leaving behind “trail of destruction”

The latest attempt to break into C6 bikes, this time thwarted by the shop’s security fogging system, comes just two years after 90 per cent of the business’s stock was stolen in a “SAS-style raid”

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  • Chris Horner, cycling live blog, live blog, road.cc live blog, Tadej Pogacar, Tramadol
Callum Devereux
Callum is a News Writer for road.cc, having initially joined as a freelance journalist in September 2025. He is also a Road Book contributor and has written for the almanac since 2023. He has a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Cardiff University, where his dissertation focused on Geraint Thomas’ retirement and the boom and bust of the domestic racing calendar. He also has a degree in Scandinavian Studies & Politics which is somehow even more niche.

37 Comments

37 thoughts on ““Tramadol was legal and I used it heavily,” Vuelta winner Horner sympathises with Tadej Pogačar’s injury struggles at TdF; “Sometimes we wish he’d slow down” Pogačar’s mother says a sabbatical for her son would be “understandable” + more on the live blog”

  1. mdavidford
    October 17, 2025 at 10:26 am
    0

    Quote:

    They might have second-best cricketers

    Someone wasn’t following yesterday’s match then…

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  2. Rendel Harris
    October 17, 2025 at 10:32 am
    0

    Quote:

    As a reminder, tramadol is a strong painkiller that was for many years banned by cycling races for a suspected link between its use and crashes in the peloton.

    I think to be fair to Horner you need to point out that in-competition use was not banned by the UCI until 2019 (WADA didn’t follow suit until 2024), rather than just saying it was banned for “many years”, and so Horner’s use was completely legitimate. There may be other questions to be asked about his surprising Vuelta triumph but it’s entirely unfair to say “his tramadol use is not a great thing to be admitting” – he took legal painkillers, there’s nothing to “admit”.

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  3. leedorney
    October 17, 2025 at 10:36 am
    0

    I dont think theirs anything
    I dont think theirs anything wrong with coming out with what Horner has, least he’s been transparent…on the subject of Pogs knee prob – so expanded it and his cycling, it’s called ‘conversation!

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  4. mdavidford
    October 17, 2025 at 11:28 am
    0

    Quote:

    no relation to cult Grand Tour hero Haimar Zubeldia

    Apparently Gemini thinks different. Although I’m not entirely convinced by its quoted source material for that…

     

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  5. Hirsute
    October 17, 2025 at 11:46 am
    0

    Had the misfortune to come

    Had the misfortune to come across one of these today 

    https://www.saicmaxus.co.uk/our-range/new-vans/eterron-9/

    2.9 T, high flat front end. Real pedestrian killer although has a 84% Euro NCAP rating. How is this allowed on the roads ?

    https://m.atcdn.co.uk/vms/media/e33de64361714e0cbebf7ef90600bd91.jpg

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    • Rendel Harris
      October 17, 2025 at 12:35 pm
      0

      That’s a disgrace. I believe

      That’s a disgrace. I believe that back in the day some people charged with breaking into nuclear weapon installations or submarine bases were acquitted on the grounds of a “necessity defence”, i.e. that they were acting to prevent greater harm; couldn’t someone incapacitating such a vehicle as this use the same defence that allowing this vehicle onto the streets represented an unacceptable level of danger to the public?

      Not an entirely serious suggestion, before the barrackroom lawyers jump on me, but just because it wouldn’t be allowed doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be.

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      • ROOTminus1
        October 17, 2025 at 12:49 pm
        0

        I thought those cases were
        I thought those cases were dropped to make the events non-stories as to not give their causes undue publicity. Exactly as didn’t happen when the members of P.A. gave the air force planes new paint jobs.

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        • Rendel Harris
          October 17, 2025 at 2:54 pm
          0

          Maybe some of them, but I

          Maybe some of them, but I think it has been used successfully in court, much to the disgust of the judiciary. There were definitely some Extinction Rebellion protesters a few years ago (during the pandemic I think?) who broke some windows at a Shell office, the judge told the jury that their claim that they were acting to prevent the climate emergency had no basis in law but the jury still acquitted them. I think some pro-Palestinian activists were acquitted by a jury more recently for occupying a drone factory and stopping production, if memory serves in that case the judge told the jury that they could consider the defence of necessity as the defendants claimed they had to act to stop war crimes.

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    • FionaJJ
      October 17, 2025 at 3:30 pm
      0

      Last year an elderly lady was

      Last year an elderly lady was hit by someone driving a Ford Ranger while crossing a road near me and later died. The vehicle was turning into a side street in a very busy local high street area. It’s an area with a lot of pedestrians, and 

      When it happened, the local Facebook page was full of people offering their sympathy to the driver, and discussing how old people can’t be trusted not to jump out in front of cars wearing their invisibility cloaks. This assumption was often repeated as a matter of fact whenever any issue of road safety and driver behaviour came up in the area.

      Last week the driver was in court and admitted to causing death by careless driving, and the collated evidence, including CCTV footage, showed the lady had already been crossing the road for five seconds with the aid of a zimmer frame when the driver turned right into the side street without indicating. He  said he was only going at 1mph, but didn’t see her. Something to do with the low sun. The court was told he would have hit her zimmer frame before hitting her.

      Who knows what would have happened if he’d been in a more sensible car, but the ignorance regarding the safety of such vehicles is so pervasive that I doubt many will be wondering.

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      • Hirsute
        October 18, 2025 at 1:47 pm
        0

        It does have 360 cameras and

        It does have 360 cameras and front and rear sensors. But 0 to 60 in 5 s and 0 to 30 in 3 means anything or anyone it hits is going to be seriously damaged/injured.

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    • HLaB
      October 17, 2025 at 3:50 pm
      0

      Its an aggricultural vehicle

      Its an aggricultural vehicle sad I think that’s the loophole they use. 

      I’m glad to see Cardiff has managed to get their case through to charge them more for parking at least.

      Cardiff becomes first UK council to impose higher parking charges on larger vehicles | Cardiff | The Guardian

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    • Sriracha
      October 17, 2025 at 11:30 pm
      0

      Hirsute wrote:

      How is this allowed on the roads ?

      — Hirsute

      It’s a pickup truck, so counts as a commercial vehicle. In other words, a loophole, since most of these perform very little if any “commercial” activity, whilst their double-cab body tells you that they are in fact used in lieu of properly regulated cars. It’s a disgrace.

      I thought this loophole was being closed, but not sure?

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      • mark1a
        October 18, 2025 at 6:37 am
        0

        Sriracha wrote:

        How is this allowed on the roads ?

        — Sriracha

        It’s a pickup truck, so counts as a commercial vehicle. In other words, a loophole, since most of these perform very little if any “commercial” activity, whilst their double-cab body tells you that they are in fact used in lieu of properly regulated cars. It’s a disgrace. I thought this loophole was being closed, but not sure?

        — Hirsute

        Not this one – to be classed as a commercial vehicle it must have a payload of at least one tonne. The payload of these is 620kg, presumably due to the weight of the batteries (it’s an EV). 

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      • Rendel Harris
        October 18, 2025 at 7:50 am
        0

        Sriracha wrote:

        I thought this loophole was being closed, but not sure?

        — Sriracha

        It has been, since April anything with a payload capacity under one tonne now does not qualify for commercial vehicle tax relief.

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  6. MaxiMinimalist
    October 17, 2025 at 2:53 pm
    0

    Banned from entering China
    Banned from entering China for life, no doubt the BH pro rider did hurt the feeling of the Chinese people. A nation that loves its Ju-Ju and eats it immoderatly. There are “pork towers” in China that can house 650,000 pigs. Crikey!

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    • Rendel Harris
      October 17, 2025 at 8:40 pm
      0

      As I said yesterday when you

      As I said yesterday when you pulled the same “joke”, why do you think this is such a gotcha? British people eat plenty of pork and calling someone a pig is still highly offensive in Britain.

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  7. MaxiMinimalist
    October 17, 2025 at 3:01 pm
    0

    If Magnier wins the last two
    If Magnier wins the last two stages of the Tour of Guangxi and clinches the GC, he will have 21 victories under his belt, beating Pogi by one unit. With the young guns taking big on their first or second year in the pro peloton (del Toro, Brennan), one can’t remain the GOAT more than 2 years. Retiring at 26 makes sense. To be continued.

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    • Rendel Harris
      October 17, 2025 at 5:37 pm
      0

      MaxiMinimalist wrote:

      If Magnier wins the last two stages of the Tour of Guangxi and clinches the GC, he will have 21 victories under his belt, beating Pogi by one unit.

      — MaxiMinimalist

      Yeah…perhaps we need to look at the UCI points for the year, 11680 for Pogacar, 2279 for Magnier, don’t think Tadej’s looking over his shoulder just yet. I read somewhere yesterday that if Pogacar was a team on his own he would rank ninth in the UCI world team rankings!

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  8. Vo2Maxi
    October 17, 2025 at 10:37 pm
    0

    Pogačar’s mum: “he’s not the
    Pogačar’s mum: “he’s not the Cycling Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy”.

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  9. kingleo
    October 20, 2025 at 8:53 am
    0

    I thought vehicles turning

    I thought vehicles turning into a side road had to give way to pedestrians.

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    • Rendel Harris
      October 20, 2025 at 9:15 am
      0

      kingleo wrote:

      I thought vehicles turning into a side road had to give way to pedestrians.

      — kingleo

      Only an HC “should”, not a “must”, so they don’t actually have to. It really is time the HC was revised to remove the “shoulds” which are really little more than “it would be awfully nice if you would…”

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      • ChrisA
        October 20, 2025 at 9:45 am
        0

        I’m not sure how you

        I’m not sure how you rationalise a “should” when the ped is actually crossing. Surely the hierarchy has force at this point & the vehicle user “must” yield?

        Many, many years ago (lol); I was taught that traffic of any sort (ped, horse, cycle) on the main road had pririty over traffic leaving or joining.  I supose you could say that is stil a “should”, but in those days “Should” seemed to carry more weight.

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        • mdavidford
          October 20, 2025 at 10:04 am
          0

          ChrisA wrote:

          I’m not sure how you rationalise a “should” when the ped is actually crossing. Surely the hierarchy has force at this point & the vehicle user “must” yield?

          — ChrisA

          There are no ‘MUST’s in the Hierarchy of Road Users – it’s just a ‘Be nice, m’kay!’

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        • Rendel Harris
          October 20, 2025 at 10:09 am
          0

          I know, that’s why the

          I know, that’s why the recommendation in H2 is so ridiculous. As a bare minimum it should be changed to the same rules as a zebra crossing, “should” give way to those waiting, “must” give way to those already crossing.

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          • GMBasix
            October 20, 2025 at 11:03 am
            0

            If I’m walking along Alpha

            If I’m walking along Alpha Road and Bravo Close adjoins it with an uncontrolled junction, I decline to describe what I am doing as “crossing Bravo Close”. I’m walking along Alpha Road; I’m passing Bravo Close, not crossing it.

          • Rendel Harris
            October 20, 2025 at 11:09 am
            0

            GMBasix wrote:

            If I’m walking along Alpha Road and Bravo Close adjoins it with an uncontrolled junction, I decline to describe what I am doing as “crossing Bravo Close”. I’m walking along Alpha Road; I’m passing Bravo Close, not crossing it.

            — GMBasix

            I like that as a point very much; it’s perfectly logical and in fact would be a good reason for give way lines to be painted in line with the inside boundary of the pavement rather than in line with the kerb and drivers having to give way to all traffic, motor, cycle, or foot before crossing. I have seen a few raised junctions around London where this applies, usually with the paving colour going straight on across the junction to provide a visual signal of the fact that the pedestrian space still exists going across the road. Should be a default.

          • mdavidford
            October 20, 2025 at 11:28 am
            0

            I like it too, but I would

            I like it too, but I would have liked it better if it had been Alpha Boulevard and Charlie Drive.

          • Rendel Harris
            October 20, 2025 at 11:37 am
            0

            mdavidford wrote:

            I like it too, but I would have liked it better if it had been Alpha Boulevard and Charlie Drive.

            — mdavidford

            … leading to Echo Freeway and the Golf Hotel, India.

          • chrisonabike
            October 20, 2025 at 11:43 am
            0

            As a slight aside – I like
            As a slight aside – I like the Dutch system where any junction where priory is not trivially obvious or that has signals has small “shark-tooth” give way markings, which also act as a fall-back to guide behaviour if signals are not working.

            Since we have legal give way markings already in the UK it doesn’t seem to be a stretch to propose those here. (Albeit I am not an expert / apparently these rules can get complicated / somehow have to get all road users used to them which is the main issue anyway…)

          • GMBasix
            October 20, 2025 at 12:40 pm
            0

            Greater Manchester (Chris

            Greater Manchester (Chris Boardman/TfGM) trialled zebra road markings at side junctions.

            The Regulations for That Sort of Thing require beacons, zigzags and the like, so it was a punt, because [what I shall call] terminal zebras didn’t have those.

            Any local authority implementing them runs the risk that any confusion could be a point of litigation in the event of damages arising.

            Nevertheless, the trial results were promising, as TfGM and TRL state. Indeed, Sheffield is keen to conduct a similar trial.

            Personally, I think it shoudl not need zebras, but drivers have become accustomed to think of pedestrians as a secondary observation target, especially when emerging from a junction. I like the idea of give ways being set back to the edge of the major highway at a junction, but drivers will still roll forward for visibility where parked cars restrict the view, and they will do that regardless of pedestrians passing the end of the road from which they are emerging. The trial data indicate a significant compliance.

          • chrisonabike
            October 20, 2025 at 1:23 pm
            0

            I guess we’ll see whether
            I guess we’ll see whether “invented here” is a help or a sideshow – see Ranty Highwayman/Robert Weetman collab on safer side street junctions.

            https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2025/10/what-makes-side-road-junctions.html

          • chrisonabike
            October 20, 2025 at 1:24 pm
            0

            I also like “continuous
            I also like “continuous footway / cycle path” at minor side-road junctions *. And in fact these can be done and have been done ** . But also as you note they still are affected by:

            – a horror of LTNs and/or refusal to help reduce traffic flows through what *should* effectively be “access only” areas. Culprit is partly our default “open both ends” streets / “fully permeable to motor traffic” residential areas.

            – vehicle parking (either compliance with that or the design going through with sufficient parking removed – and not creeping back in because vociferous objections).

            – if drivers ignore everything they are passing over and through and keep rolling forward until they are immediately adjacent to the main lanes these don’t help (still the majority behaviour I’ve observed).

            * And driveways! Looking at you yet again Edinburgh council (Leith Connections, huge driveways interrupting the footway and cycle path next to Sandport Bridge)

            ** eg. Edinburgh, West Coates to Haymarket section of the CCWEL – though as usual they’ve still managed to avoid having a standard design over a few hundred metres and still not quite got all the details “right” (as eg. judged against Dutch or using Robert Weetman’s evaluation guide).

          • quiff
            October 20, 2025 at 5:06 pm
            0

            Some drivers don’t like you

            Some drivers don’t like you taking your side road priority at the best of times. They particularly dislike it here! Am I being unreasonable ignoring the zebra now the code has changed?!

      • wtjs
        October 20, 2025 at 10:16 am
        0

        Only an HC “should”, not a

        Only an HC “should”, not a “must”, so they don’t actually have to. It really is time the HC was revised to remove the “shoulds” which are really little more than “it would be awfully nice if you would…”

        It hardly matters when the police view ‘musts’ as entirely optional points about which they are dedicated to taking no action when respectable drivers are the offenders. You ‘must’ Stop at red traffic lights (never mind ambers, which they won’t acknowledge as existing at all), you ‘must not’ cross unbroken white lines or interact with a handheld mobile device, your vehicle ‘must’ be covered by a valid MOT etc. etc- all of these, you are tired of me stating, are ignored without acknowledgement by Lancashire Police and, no doubt, many other forces as well after they’ve gone through the fobbing-off procedure where they just say they were too busy to deal with the offence within 2 weeks, or whatever other dodge from The Idlers Handbook they’re using this week.

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      • chrisonabike
        October 20, 2025 at 11:20 am
        0

        Rendel Harris wrote:

        It really is time the HC was revised to remove the “shoulds” which are really little more than “it would be awfully nice if you would…”

        — Rendel Harris

        Yes – but I believe that would actually require new law (eg. possibly amending the Road Traffic Act or whatever) to mean anything. Which we know is currently even less of a political priority than increasing *possible* penalties for the couple of cyclists who kill a pedestrian every year or so.

        … and would still be moot until the police can be persuaded to actually enforce this (plus we’d need more road police, and some of those might instead decide to concentrate on RLJ cyclists, assisting in enforcing PSPOs or cautioning cyclists for public order offences like swearing…)

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      • Bungle_52
        October 20, 2025 at 4:07 pm
        0

        Rendel Harris wrote:

        I thought vehicles turning into a side road had to give way to pedestrians.

        — Rendel Harris

        Only an HC “should”, not a “must”, so they don’t actually have to. It really is time the HC was revised to remove the “shoulds” which are really little more than “it would be awfully nice if you would…”

        — kingleo

        100% agree that the law should be brought into line with the highway code. It seems a waste of time having a set of rules which everyone is supposed to abide by, for the safety of all road users, if it can be ignored at will with zero consequence from the police.

        If I have understood correctly, however, the HC kicks in for civil procedings, so I asssume they would be found liable under those circumstances. So not completely without consequence if something is damaged or someone is injured as a result of breaking the rules and someone decided to pursue the matter in the courts. Potentially a bit late for any victims though.

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        • quiff
          October 20, 2025 at 5:09 pm
          0

          I get where you’re coming

          I get where you’re coming from, but unfortunately the same analysis can apply for the law – you’re not supposed to kill someone by driving far below the standard of the careful and competent driver, but it still happens * a lot* and the prosecution comes too late for the victim.   

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Has Focus reimagined its Mares cyclocross bike as a gravel racer? Mysterious new gravel bike with space for 55mm tyres pops up at Sea Otter
Big tyres and racy intentions... it looks like Focus has revived a classic, but the name is likely to be the only familiar thing
tech news
3
Trek and Scott debut prototype 32-inch XC bikes at Soldier Hollow World Cup
Trek and Scott debut prototype 32-inch XC bikes at Soldier Hollow World Cup
32-inch wheels have arrived to Solder Hollow in force, and there's a little extra thrown in for good measure
tech news
0

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Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR kid’s MTB
Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR kid’s MTB
The Kimu 24 H10 TR is a superb bike for inspiring young riders to develop their off-road riding skills. It has been an awful lot of fun and has given us the confidence to tackle more ambitious trails than ever before, together.
review
0
Trek and Scott debut prototype 32-inch XC bikes at Soldier Hollow World Cup
Trek and Scott debut prototype 32-inch XC bikes at Soldier Hollow World Cup
tech news
0
Electric mountain bikes have confused my approach to racing
Electric mountain bikes have confused my approach to racing
Liam's just finished a weekend end racing e-MTBs, and it's thrown a race bike choice spanner in the works
blog
0
32-inch gravel tyres officially enter Schwalbe’s range with two models and two widths
32-inch gravel tyres officially enter Schwalbe’s range with two models and two widths
Schwalbe's 32-inch gravel rubber is here, and the brand reckons that this is just the tip of the iceberg
tech news
0
Pinarello expands Dogma XC range to include new ‘affordable’ models, with bikes starting at £6k
Pinarello expands Dogma XC range to include new ‘affordable’ models, with bikes starting at £6k
Marathon and downcountry comes for Pinarello's Dogma XC full suspension platform with new, more affordable bikes, and yep, a very, very expensive build, too
tech news
1
Canyon Grail CFR Di2 gravel bike
Canyon Grail CFR Di2 gravel bike
A fast, capable gravel race bike with excellent handling and tyre clearance, but the specification leaves room for improvement.
review
0
Rights of way for off-road cycling explained: Know where you can and cannot ride with this easy guide
Rights of way for off-road cycling explained: Know where you can and cannot ride with this easy guide
Riding off-road can take riders over a range of trails and tracks, many of which aren't actually legal to ride on. Let's dispel some myths and explain the ins and outs of right of way in England and Wales
feature
10
More travel and a revised geometry brings Scott’s Spark to the downcountry realm
More travel and a revised geometry brings Scott’s Spark to the downcountry realm
Scott has taken its recently updated cross-country ripper, given it more travel and a fresh geometry to boost capability without sacrificing efficiency
tech news
0

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Lime bike rider banned for making ‘rude gesture’ at pedestrian, South Park takes on e-bikes, new models from Royal Dutch Gazelle and Thok + more
Lime bike rider banned for making ‘rude gesture’ at pedestrian, South Park takes on e-bikes, new models from Royal Dutch Gazelle and Thok + more
feature
0
Volt Urban LS
Volt Urban LS
Good quality city bike with maintenance-free automatic gears
review
0
Plans for London-wide e-bike hire licences delayed by impending public consultation
Plans for London-wide e-bike hire licences delayed by impending public consultation
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has planned to replace the borough-by-borough contracts with a city wide scheme since as early as 2017, but has been delayed by Department for Transport regulations
news
0
Moustache updates Lundi 27 with Bosch’s first hub motor and a slimmer, lighter design
Moustache updates Lundi 27 with Bosch’s first hub motor and a slimmer, lighter design
Popular urban e-bike gets a major update with Bosch’s new Hub Line motor and a claimed 3.5kg weight saving
tech news
0
Police oppose new cycle lane amid fears of “a highway for illegal e-bikes on drug runs” – but council insists area will be safer and avoid “mania” of local roads
Police oppose new cycle lane amid fears of “a highway for illegal e-bikes on drug runs” – but council insists area will be safer and avoid “mania” of local roads
Despite the police’s objections the proposed cycleway was approved by councillors, who say measures will be put in place to “reduce opportunities for anti-social behaviour”
news
16
Network Rail removes sign suggesting e-bikes are banned in train stations, admitting “customers can continue to pass through”
Network Rail removes sign suggesting e-bikes are banned in train stations, admitting “customers can continue to pass through”
The sign caused worry and confusion among some cycling campaigners as a photo of the sign circulated online, particularly following Cycling UK's announcement of a planned demonstration against Merseyrail's ban of e-bikes on trains
news
1
Voi refuses to take bikes out of Ealing, Forest losing patience with Sadiq Khan, Also’s highly anticipated TM-B e-bike faces more delays, Merseyrail e-bike ban protest + more
Voi refuses to take bikes out of Ealing, Forest losing patience with Sadiq Khan, Also’s highly anticipated TM-B e-bike faces more delays, Merseyrail e-bike ban protest + more
All the news from the world of e-bikes, including Orbea's frame issues, Also's TM-B delays, ongoing London e-bike turf wars and more
feature
0
Win a Voodoo Canzo mountain bike worth £1,400 just by completing this survey! Tell us what you think of off.road.cc and all things MTB for your chance to win
Win a Voodoo Canzo mountain bike worth £1,400 just by completing this survey! Tell us what you think of off.road.cc and all things MTB for your chance to win
We want to make off.road.cc even better, and now's your chance to tell us how. Let us know what bikes you ride, where you ride them and more for your chance to win a brand new Voodoo full-susser thanks to the folks at Halfords
news
5

Latest Comments

Rendel Harris 4 hours ago

@Bright Strider Made in China, so that excuse for the high price doesn't apply.

in: Built for Athletes Black Cycling Backpack
chrisonabike 4 hours ago

@Rendel Harris it's just the silliness of "debating club" games - if not simply outright attention-seeking. Say a dozen irrelevant things and repeat them until someone knocks them down, then play logic on each ignoring any wider picture ("they don't say you can - ergo you cannot!" - but aside from that being incorrect the HC itself isn't all direct quotes from law and that section is in the "more like guidance" category). If someone points out you're factually incorrect ignore it, or demand "proof", or say that's your belief or that people feel that way. Let the other side waste energy on fact and logic. If you get stuck just bring in more tangential and/or made up stuff. Is this being done in the hope that it'll get picked up by some AI and misdirect that?

in: “Many cyclists are out to prove a point and deliberately get in the way”: Daily Mail readers rush to defend unrepentant driving instructor who struck grandmother from behind at 55mph before shouting “f***ing a***holes”
Bright Strider 4 hours ago

Where was it made? A place with good employment rights and a high cost of living would explain a high unit cost. If the product is good and produced responsibly, then the expense might be worth it.

in: Built for Athletes Black Cycling Backpack
AidanR 4 hours ago

@Terry Hutt which ones? I have the stem, seatpost and Arc SPD pedals on my commuter and have had no issues at all.

in: Redshift Sports Mousetrap Pedal Adaptors
Terry Hutt 4 hours ago

I've owned many redshift products over the years and I have not found them to be reliable. Anything with moving parts tends to break in a couple of years. I only buy from them when there are no other offerings on the market, which tends to happen a lot. There are many similar products on Amazon right now that, while they don't score as well as the Redshift, cost 1/4 as much. For the same price as these you can buy some nice SPD/flat pedals (SPD one side, flat the other). That's what I have on my trainer and they are great.

in: Redshift Sports Mousetrap Pedal Adaptors
wtjs 5 hours ago

@SVXY I cannot think of a jury or a magistrate who would not convict cyclists doing that of lack of consideration of other road users and careless driving He was doing OK for the first three words, but then slumped back down to his usual pitiful standard, dreaming of cyclists being convicted of careless driving or being smashed to pulp by a driver guilty of nothing more than a minor lapse of judgement.

in: “Many cyclists are out to prove a point and deliberately get in the way”: Daily Mail readers rush to defend unrepentant driving instructor who struck grandmother from behind at 55mph before shouting “f***ing a***holes”
SVXY 6 hours ago

@chrisonabike Riding 3 or more abreast blocks most traffic on a carriageway getting past. I cannot think of a jury or a magistrate who would not convict cyclists doing that of lack of consideration of other road users and careless driving

in: “Many cyclists are out to prove a point and deliberately get in the way”: Daily Mail readers rush to defend unrepentant driving instructor who struck grandmother from behind at 55mph before shouting “f***ing a***holes”
mdavidford 9 hours ago

@SVXY Again, it doesn't say that riding three or more abreast is inconsiderate. That's just your opinion, which counts for nothing.

in: “Many cyclists are out to prove a point and deliberately get in the way”: Daily Mail readers rush to defend unrepentant driving instructor who struck grandmother from behind at 55mph before shouting “f***ing a***holes”
ajd 9 hours ago

Black bike in a black room with minimal lighting. Marketing people eh?

in: Specialized’s Diverge 4 gets the S-Works treatment, boasting internally routed Future Shock and shedding 200g from the frame
Blackthorne83 10 hours ago

That’s honestly the best 32” bike I’ve seen yet. Avona’s road bike is also beautiful except for the tall stack height, if they ever release a race bike I’m in.

in: Leon Kaiser wins Sea Otter UCI Gravel race on unreleased 32-inch wheels and bike

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3. “Many cyclists are out to prove a point and deliberately get in the way”: Daily Mail readers rush to defend unrepentant driving instructor who struck grandmother from behind at 55mph before shouting “f***ing a***holes”

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8. Police oppose new cycle lane amid fears of “a highway for illegal e-bikes on drug runs” – but council insists area will be safer and avoid “mania” of local roads

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