“Cycling and walking could help deliver almost everything Brits say they want to achieve in 2026 — if we design streets to support them”; How to write off your bike in five seconds; New BBC Hoy documentary; Froome’s future + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"Was about to tell you to make a warranty claim… then I saw your video": Cyclist learns tough lesson in how to write off your bike... after "giving in to intrusive thoughts" and sending it down embankment
How it started:
How it finished:
A tough lesson in what this bike can and can’t survive for this poor rider who admitted it all came out of giving in to intrusive thoughts. While some expressed surprise at the ease with which the damage occurred, especially on a steel frame, and others pointed out steel can often be fixed, the defeated rider explained that for the amount of money a fix would potentially cost they’re just going to save up and “make another f**k around bike”.
“I’ve got serious bikes, I’ve got a couple gravel bikes, and several mountain bikes,” they explained. “None of them quite scratched the same itch as the All City. This bike made me feel like a kid again.
“I’ve got a small bonus coming for me at the end of the year and I can get a basically brand new Trek Crockett frame for not that much from a buddy of mine. My plan is to get a T47 BB and slap all of my Ultegra parts form my All City into the Crocket and make another f**k around bike.”
A personal favourite of the comments section was the person who joked: “Was just about to tell you to make a warranty claim for a defective frame….then I saw your video.”
Yep… “definitely outside of the designed use case”… the rider replied. Less helpful input of the comic variety included…
Do not even think about it…
BBC to air new Sir Chris Hoy documentary at 9pm tonight
“I’m recognising now that I have a platform to help other people” ?
Sir Chris Hoy opens up about his journey with terminal cancer and how the mental strength he honed as a six-time Olympic gold medallist is now helping him to inspire others. pic.twitter.com/rRv1H1G0Iu
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 18, 2025
This looks as though it will be an insightful and emotional watch, Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me airing on BBC One at 9pm this evening and available on the iPlayer afterwards. The documentary follows Hoy and his family, as well as hearing from close friends such as Sir Andy Murray and Sir Jason and Dame Laura Kenny.
It was filmed behind the scenes since his cancer diagnosis in 2024, Hoy and his family sharing their experience and the documentary showing Hoy’s journey from first dealing with the news to raising awareness and millions of pounds for charity.
In one of the trailer clips shared ahead of its airing, Hoy tells the BBC: “I’m recognising now that I’ve got a platform to help other people. It used to be about riding bikes in anti-clockwise circles, it’s not life and death. The stakes have changed dramatically, now it is life and death.”
Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me is on BBC One at 9pm tonight
Vuelta a España 2026 route announced: Sun, summit finishes, and scant sprinting opportunities
A tour of some parts of Spain… not much luck for cycling fans in the north of the country. Basically the mirror opposite of the 2025 route. This, of course, means things could be unbearably hot for much of next year’s Vuelta, perhaps even with the extreme weather protocol documents getting plenty of attention from teams, riders and unions.
As one commenter on Instagram suggested: “The Andalucia Tour, with 19 stages at 40 degrees in August, a wonder.”
As standard for the Vuelta, sprinters need not apply, the stage profiles suggesting there will likely be fewer than five sprint stages, possibly as few as three, the first opportunity for the fast men perhaps not even coming until the second week. Even worse, two of the more likely sprint days also land in the final week when, as we all know, domestiques are tired and breakaways can be hard to control.
On the GC front it looks like a classic Vuelta route in that there’s more than 58,000m of climbing and seven summit finishes. The race will finish in Granada next year with a punchy final circuit, stage 20 also chucking more than 5,000m of climbing at the peloton on the final day of major GC action.
The race will start in Monaco with a 9km TT, using parts of the famous F1 circuit, and there is also another TT on stage 18, that one largely flat and 32.5km long. The climbing and likely soaring temperatures mean that this all looks like one particularly tough Grand Tour.
Chris Froome: I'm not really ready to talk about my plans just yet
Chris Froome was in attendance at the Vuelta’s presentation and told reporters afterwards that he will tell the world about his plans for the future “soon enough”. Four-time Tour de France winner Froome was seriously injured in a training crash back in August and has subsequently left Israel-Premier Tech, the team now known as NSN Cycling.
> Chris Froome’s retirement limbo leaves the sport of cycling to grapple with a difficult legacy
Speaking to Cyclingnews at the Vuelta presentation, Froome said his focus has been on recovering from his injuries, the 40-year-old having suffered a broken back and five broken ribs in the crash, his wife having recently explained how doctors also discovered a pericardial rupture during surgery.
“I’m not really ready to talk about my plans just yet, but when I am, I’ll be sure to let everyone know,” Froome said. “People will know soon enough. In the next couple of months. Literally, I just got out of the hospital so it’s been about getting back on my feet. I’ve got a pretty good idea, but I’m not quite ready to announce it yet.”
Froome also saved some comment for the Vuelta route, joining the consensus that it will be one of the toughest editions, with the late summer heat possibly a major factor.
“It’s incredible how the organisers manage to make each year’s edition harder than the last and next year’s doesn’t disappoint,” he said. “What did they say, it’s got the most altitude metres it’s ever had? Especially heading from here in Monaco to the south, the heat is going to predominate, and it’ll get hotter and hotter all the way. It’s going to be a brutal edition.”
100 miles on a penny-farthing around Sussex on the shortest day of the year... dressed as Santa
Charlie Burrell has so far raised £1,286 ahead of his penny-farthing Christmas challenge, the 40-year-old driving instructor taking on a 100-mile route around Sussex this Sunday, on the shortest day of the year. Oh, he’ll be dressed as Santa too, of course. Our resident Sussex specialist Jo has taken a look at the route and reckons it’s actually quite a mercifully flat route, although Charlie will be taking on plenty of off-roading, some of which Jo reckons could “interesting” on a penny-farthing.
On his GoFundMe, Charlie explains: “I’m doing this to shine a light on an issue that’s incredibly close to my heart: parental alienation and the continuing failings within the family court system. Far too many parents and children are suffering in silence, and awareness is desperately needed.
“I’ve never ridden 100+ miles on a penny-farthing before. It’s a fixed-wheel machine with no gears, and I know it’ll push me further than anything I’ve ever attempted—mentally, physically and emotionally. But even on my toughest mile, it will never come close to the battles thousands of innocent children face daily.
They are the real fighters. This ride is my way of honouring them, standing with them, and reminding them that they are not forgotten.”
Road rage driver who allegedly followed cyclist and "pinned his bike to the kerb" after rider challenged his phone use has ban lifted by Irish court
Plain-clothes officers tackle bike thieves in town centre
Cleveland Police has released footage of officers arresting would-be bike thieves in Middlesbrough town centre earlier this month. Plain-clothes police tackled one man to the ground as he tried to cut through a bike lock with a cutting tool bought from a nearby DIY store.
Another man was pursued and arrested, the second suspect having earlier been seen passing the first money to buy the cutting tool. Carl Crozier was charged with attempted theft of a pedal cycle, possession of a class C drug and possession of a class B drug.
Raymond Teasdale was charged with attempted theft of a pedal cycle and going equipped for theft.
They both appeared at Teesside Magistrates Court on Saturday 6th December and received community orders. Both men were ordered to pay costs of £85.00 to the Crown Prosecution Service, a surcharge of £114.00 and will be required to carry out unpaid work for 150 hours over the next 12 months.
Ineos Grenadiers launch Racing Academy ahead of 2026 season
Ineos Grenadiers have confirmed the launch of the Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy ahead of the 2026 season. Comprising a UCI Continental team and elite young rider development programmes, Ineos says its Racing Academy will be “the cornerstone of the Grenadiers’ performance pathway”.
The team also says the Racing Academy will provide a structured environment that mirrors the standards of the WorldTour, “preparing young riders for the rigours of racing as a team at elite level”.
With the team lacking the financial punch to compete with UAE and Visma these days it’s probably smart to invest in youth, identifying and developing the next Tadej Pogačar or Remco Evenepoel early a far more cost-effective approach than trying to buy them once they’ve reached the top.
The initial Academy line-up includes 12 male riders aged between 18 and 22, the most eye-catching name perhaps individual pursuit world champion Josh Charlton who’ll be racing on the road too next season.
Newly appointed director of racing Geraint Thomas said: “The academy system played a major role in shaping my career. It taught me how to be a pro — looking after myself, staying healthy, being organised and preparing properly. All those simple habits and behaviours have stayed with me throughout my career.
“For me, the priority is helping young riders learn what it means to be a professional. Some are living away from home for the first time, some have moved across the world, so there’s a lot for them to take on. It’s about race-craft, understanding their bodies and managing their emotions, and not just hitting numbers. It’s the full package.
“We have signed some exciting guys to the Racing Academy, and seeing all of them together for the first time, felt like I was stepping back 20 years. I could picture myself sitting where they are now, with the whole journey ahead of them. They’re young, keen and it’s brilliant to have them integrated with the WorldTour team.”
Eddy Merckx "hopes to be able to cycle again someday"
The GOAT (sorry, Tadej) Eddy Merckx is still yet to consistently be able ride a bike since his crash last year which saw him suffer a fractured hip. Merckx, now 80, did breifly return to cycling in the summer but then underwent a third hip replacement in August.
“I walk on a treadmill and cycle on a stationary bike. I hope to be able to cycle again someday,” he told La Dernière Heure. “I’m going through difficult times right now, but I’m very happy to see my children and grandchildren growing up. What do I hope for the future? That I regain my full health and can continue to enjoy life with my loved ones.”
"Arrogant" cyclists riding at 70mph are ignoring police and making pavements "as dangerous as the road", House of Lords told
"Cycling and walking could help deliver almost everything Brits say they want to achieve in 2026 — if we design streets to support them"
Cycling and walking could help deliver almost everything Brits say they want to achieve in 2026 — if we design streets to support them. Getting fitter, losing weight, being healthier, saving money; enabling active travel quietly does all of it. With no gym contracts.
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter.bsky.social) 17 December 2025 at 19:30
Here’s an interesting post that caught our eye. Former West Midlands active travel commissioner Adam Tranter pointing out that the UK’s top health goals for 2026 are all extremely compatible with active travel. Now, anecdotally, my fridge and shopping habits post-bike ride might dispute the fact it’ll make you eat more healthily… but getting fit, losing weight, better health, and saving money could all quite easily be attained to varying degrees by swapping an unactive commute for something on two wheels.
Others agreed with Adam and also pointed to the other notable benefits, such as for mental health and, very basically, that riding a bike makes you feel good (almost all the time).
There was agreement in our live blog comments too, although someone did quite fairly point out the survey was just of 385 people… (even if we can probably assume plenty more have similar goals for 2026).
eburtthebike: “Adam Tranter is right, active travel is the answer: the trouble is, the media point-blank refuse to mention it e.g. the series on Today R4 talking about weight loss jabs, which has examined every possible method of getting fit and losing weight except one. One article left, tomorrow, so maybe it’ll happen*.
“*No it won’t.”
This govt has been a disappointment on active travel so far. Let’s see more funding and far more ambition.
— Hedgehog Cycling (@hedgehogcycling.bsky.social) 18 December 2025 at 07:48
Complete disconnect between this and the people responsible for designing our streets.
— James Dyson (@dysonsk3.bsky.social) 18 December 2025 at 00:44
18 December 2025, 09:04
18 December 2025, 09:04
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Latest Comments
@andystow yeah, apparently four needed, two for each pedal: one visible from rear, one from front. (Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations I believe). For several reasons I'm technically stuffed on the recumbent. Although I guess I could strap an extra pair of pedals with them to the sides (they'd be like epaulettes). I'm guessing amputees who opt not to bother with one of the pedals also don't legally have a leg to stand on...
@andystow Illegal if sold without a bell, but quite legal to use without said bell, I understand.
I would assume Starbucks have video cameras. Although it will just show someone in a grey hoodie.
@flowboy just keep cycling! And if you're not cycling and still have time, online there are the blogs / videos of bicycledutch, notjustbikes (also "urbanism" and general transport), "a view from the cycle path" (David Hembrow), or more locally to you hedgehogcycling (from Harrogate, posts here)... oh, and road.cc! If you prefer a book, check out Peter Waker's "Bike nation - how cycling can save the world", Carlton Reid's ouvre (dives into particular cycle-related points in history eg. "Bike boom", "Roads Were Not Built for Cars" etc), or there's Laura Laker's "Potholes and Pavements" about the UK's NCN. If you want to be social IRL your city / region may well have a local cycling campaign group...
@chrisonabike only illegal at night without them, right?
I work in the city and go home from Paddington, east to west. I used to go through Oxford street years ago but it was a nightmare of buses and oblivious pedestrians. Then I found the cycle superhighway and never went that way again. It’s really easy not to use Oxford street. Why are the council being such twats?
@andystow and was it sold with pedal reflectors?
@Mr Blackbird ah, but you've no idea how badly decapitated they would have been if they hadn't been wearing a helmet!
@mark1212123 "you’ll have to dispense with thinking your small thing is a massive thing while cycling to work in the winter?’" I find things tend naturally to shrink in the cold... Having "the big debate" with any given person is almost always pointless. We've all got our to-do list for that day/week/year that we're struggling to get through, using the familiar transport tools we spent time and money to acquire. And if we could really introspect we might find out that a shocking amount of life is delegated to autopilots or essentially reacting to external prompts. But - *given* that someone is at a point to actually discuss (rare!) - I think the Chris-Boardman-style works eg. "are you happy with (the congestion / your kids not being able to get themselves to school / all the cars parked all over your road and the pavement / hearing that the local authority can't afford to fix stuff)?" And "if you are, fine - your area, you own the consequences, good or bad (but ... it likely won't get better). If you're not, tell us about one of those pain points and let's work together to explore some solutions". (And no, those aren't going to be a personal bypass which takes you in your car past all the other traffic and yet doesn't cause your nice street to become a motorway. Because everyone else wants that *their* way not yours and anyway we can't afford it).
One definite conclusion to be drawn from the lab tests is that no cycle helmet can protect against decapitation.
15 thoughts on ““Cycling and walking could help deliver almost everything Brits say they want to achieve in 2026 — if we design streets to support them”; How to write off your bike in five seconds; New BBC Hoy documentary; Froome’s future + more on the live blog”
Was just thinking about the
Was just thinking about the case of Paul Doyle driving through the crowds and hitting people at the Liverpool parade.
And how the result compares to what happened in Brazil against cyclists:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nab62Lyzwwg
mitsky wrote:
What was the outcome in Brazil?
As for Doyle, he will be allowed to drive again (albeit after three years) after he comes out of prison. It is obscene.
Found this info online:
Found this info online:
“Details of the 2011 Incident
Location and Event: The incident happened in Porto Alegre during a “Critical Mass” event, a monthly ride held by cycling activists to promote bike use and safety.
The Driver: The driver was identified as Ricardo Neis, a 47-year-old man, who fled the scene but was later arrested. He claimed he acted in self-defense after feeling threatened by the cyclists who were allegedly hitting his car, a claim dismissed by police and witnesses.
Victims and Injuries: The car plowed through more than 100 cyclists, injuring at least 40 people, some with broken bones and head injuries, though miraculously no one was killed. All injured victims were later discharged from the hospital.
Legal Outcome: Neis was charged with attempted murder, and later sentenced to 12 years in prison for 11 attempted homicides and five injuries.”
“Cycling and walking could
“Cycling and walking could help deliver almost everything Brits say they want to achieve in 2026 — if we design streets to support them”
I’m on board – but the sample is of just 385 Brits!
No Road.cc survey for Froom –
No Road.cc survey for Froom –
Will he retire in 2026?
Will he join a World Tour team?
Will he participate to gravel races?
None of the above
Will anybody notice?
Will anybody notice?
Adam Tranter is right, Active
Adam Tranter is right, Active Travel is the answer: the trouble is, the media point-blank refuse to mention it e.g. the series on Today R4 talking about weight loss jabs, which has examined every possible method of getting fit and losing weight except one. One article left, tomorrow, so maybe it’ll happen*.
I used to think that the media not reporting on AT was just an oversight, a mistake, they just hadn’t got round to mentioning it yet, but it’s become obvious that this is deliberate. Ignoring all the reports that AT is incredibly beneficial for decades can’t be accidental, if only because I’ve written to them, the BBC, so many times, extolling AT’s virtues. All the other media is similarly biased, and I’ve written to plenty of them as well.
*No it won’t.**
EDIT
** It didn’t. Despite the fact that the final segment was about how to keep the weight off when you stop taking the drugs, AT, the most obvious choice, didn’t get a mention.
Realisation that Active
Realisation that Active Travel is not taken seriously in Europe’s Obesity and Slobdom Champion Nation comes from seeing the profusion of TV adverts for these utterly useless devices you’re supposed to just rest your feet on while the device wobbles about ‘stimulating the circulation’. The supposedly great point about them is you just sit there watching TV, no effort required. We all, by now, realise that the UK authorities’ view of Active Travel is to pay lip service while all the time doing everything possible to discourage it, particularly cycling.The prime agent acting against cyclists is the Police, which collectively largely does not accept the concept of passing too closely and refuses to act against it, while also pandering to motorists by refusing to enforce traffic legislation.
wtjs wrote:
Even though the Police claim they haven’t decriminalised any offences, here is an extract from the email I receive whenever the Met deigns to pursue one of my submissions:
Have they or haven’t they decriminalised road traffic offences?
Pub bike wrote:
Have they or haven’t they decriminalised road traffic offences?
— MO10 Met prosecutions, Public Reporting TeamDemand that they show that those offences are no longer criminal offences that within their jurisdiction.
Perhaps the press would be
Perhaps the press would be interested in that e-mail?
Just done a quick google, and
Just done a quick google, and everything I can find says that passing the wrong side of a keep left sign is still an offence, and has not been decriminalised.
eburtthebike wrote:
It depends where you live, in London and in any other area where a council has applied for and been granted moving traffic violation enforcement powers ignoring any traffic sign is now a civil offence attracting a PCN but no points, in other areas it is still a criminal offence attracting an FPN and points. An absurd state of affairs.
passing the wrong side of a
passing the wrong side of a keep left sign is still an offence, and has not been decriminalised
Doesn’t matter! The police are out of control and one of the reasons is the disastrous failure of the PCCs to be anything other than an answering machine eternally playing ‘this is an operational decision of the police and I cannot do anything’ in a Dalek voice
“Cycling and walking could
“Cycling and walking could help deliver almost everything Brits say they want to achieve in 2026 — if we design streets to support them” Wait until Rachel’s fuel duty increases kick in; going up in stages to 5p a litre from September next year. Add that to any fuel price increases and that creates a lot of incentive to cycle.