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Music producer puts up £1,000 reward for safe return of stolen LTN gnome; We're all sniggering at Silca's ri-dick-ulous mount; Ben Foster signs for Garmin; Count the BMWs; AA apology; Giro gravel stage (+poll); 100th birthday + more on the live blog

When will the rain end? Dan Alexander will be providing your live blog updates this Wednesday when he's not jealously cursing anyone with an indoor trainer...
Wed, May 19, 2021 09:06
30
Music producer puts up £1,000 reward for safe return of stolen LTN gnome; We're all sniggering at Silca's ri-dick-ulous mount; Ben Foster signs for Garmin; Count the BMWs; AA apology; Giro gravel stage (+poll); 100th birthday + more on the live blogPC Plod LTN gnome (Image credit: Athirty4)
19 May 2021, 14:57
Music producer puts up £1,000 reward for safe return of LTN gnome

This might be the weirdest live blog headline I have ever written. In fact, make that the weirdest story too. There is an LTN gnome thief on the loose in Oxford and what started as a simple enough campaign to get missing 'PC Plod' back has now got a £1,100 reward thanks to the generosity of a music producer and DJ.

Scaramanga Silk, an anonymous DJ whose debut record sold for £30,000 on music collectors' website Discogs back in February, put up the reward for the safe return of the decorative gnome taken from an LTN planter on Salegate Lane. Silk told BBC Radio Oxford he had been a fan of the artist Athirty4's work for a few years and wanted to help out.

"As a fellow artist I've always admired Athirty4's creativity," he said. "I'm a supporter of green and environmental projects and I felt the way Athirty4 was putting out his message was really creative and very original. So when he reported that PC Plod had gone missing and needed some help, I'm fortunate enough to be in a position to do so. As a fellow artist I don't really like seeing when someone's work is abused."

There was initially a £100 reward and a local printing company then published some banners free of charge to set the campaign in motion. "I felt we needed to put the reward up to a more significant amount to get whoever this person is to come forward and return the work. I see it as a body of art rather than just a gnome," Saramanga Silk continued.

So why was Athirty4 decorating Oxford LTNs and front gardens with gnomes? The artist says it is to draw attention to people "ripping up their front gardens to park cars, leaving no room for flowers or shrubs". His Vocal Gnomes campaign is a protest against the impact of increased car ownership on the environment, particularly when front gardens are paved for parking spaces. That will sound familiar to readers who remember Leicester City Council's prized Victorian neighbourhood...

19 May 2021, 16:06
Qhubeka Assos' Mauro Schmid wins 'Strade Bianche' stage of the Giro d'Italia

Well, the white roads of Tuscany did not dissappoint. Look away fans of Dan Martin, Remco Evenepoel and Davide Formolo. Qhubeka Assos' 21-year-old Swiss rider Mauro Schmid won the stage from the breakaway as Remco faltered. Egan Bernal sensed blood and went for the throat, putting 2:09 into his Belgian rival. Of the GC riders, Aleksandr Vlasov, Emanuel Buchmann, Simon Yates and Damiano Caruso fared best but Bernal now has a 45 second lead.

Now we wait for the photographers to get their best snaps in...

19 May 2021, 14:09
Maybe Sir Brad was training last night after all

We had our doubts Wiggo was actually out training when these pristine modelled photos appeared on his Instagram...but it seems he has something to prepare for after all. Not many details about this yet apart from that it is three days riding in the French Alps. Hard to go wrong with that, to be fair... 

Talking of Brad...it can't be, can it?

19 May 2021, 13:45
Gravel chaos...Evenepoel (and nearly everyone else) dropped by Filippo Ganna and Ineos Grenadiers

It looks like it could be coming back together but the race has been blown to pieces on the first gravel sector by Filippo Ganna and Ineos Grenadiers. Movistar made the front group along with Trek-Segafredo and Peter Sagan...we have still got three more to go and the next gravel is coming up now...it feels like time for a lie down already... 

19 May 2021, 13:41
19 May 2021, 13:15
Garmin announces partnership with Ben Foster
Ben Foster Garmin partnership.JPG

Prepare yourself for Premier League matches uploaded to Strava. Watford goalie Ben Foster has partnered with Garmin to promote the brand's devices and support his training. Maybe this will give us answers to the pub debate about how far a goalkeeper runs during a game. My money is on 2.5km...

We chatted to Ben back in March about life as a professional footballer with a cycling hobby (or maybe those two should be the other way round)...anyway, that was the first of our Drink at your Desk Live episodes and we have another one for you coming this Friday. Journalist and presenter Orla Chennaoui will be joining us for a cold one and a natter about all things cycling. Keep your eyes peeled for more details...

19 May 2021, 12:42
I want to break free: Another good day to be up the road at the Giro

Here is what is in store for the pros at the Giro today...and it is looking like it is going to be another win from the breakaway. With just over 90km to go the 11 escapees have a little under 13 minutes advantage...Taco is back up the road for Wanty along with three-time Giro stage winner Enrico Battaglin, Harm Vanhoucke and eight others...20 km until the first of the white roads...

So far we have had four winners from the break, who do you fancy to make it five?

19 May 2021, 11:49
Evans Cycles celebrates 100 years on the UK high street
Evans Cycles (credit: Matt Crossick)

Evans Cycles is celebrating 100 years on the UK high street by taking a look back at where the popular chain came from. In 1921, Frederick W. Evans opened the first store on Kennington Road in south east London and traded under that one location as a trusted local bike shop until the 50s. 

Now, Evans Cycles has over 50 stores across the country and employs 700 staff and mechanics. Sir Chris Hoy was quick to join in the celebrations for the brand that distribute his kids bikes. "I've worked closely with Evans Cycles to help inspire the next generation of riders. Whether that’s future Olympic champions, or those that simply want a greener, healthier way to travel, brands like Evans Cycles play an important role in helping them get there. Here’s to the next 100."

Evans says it has more centenary activities planned and that all its stores were dressed to celebrate the milestone yesterday.

19 May 2021, 11:14
Tory councillor gives Hammersmith Bridge ferry update confirming it should be up and running by first week of September
Hammersmith Bridge ferry.PNG

Nicholas Rogers, a Tory councillor, has provided some answers to the growing list of questions and concerns surrounding Hammersmith Bridge's closure. Following a meeting with relevant parties, Rogers confirmed the ferry should be up and running by the first week of September in time for the return of schools.

To meet this deadline the piling work would need to start by July 19 which is the immediate concern considering the need for Marine Management Organisation consent, which can take up to thirteen weeks. 

TfL will know well in advance of September if the target will not be met and has said it will let residents know details closer to the time. One concern has been that the ferry is due to end crossings at 22:00 due to staffing and objections about noise from residents. However, TfL has also committed to reviewing the end time once services start.

The ferry should take around 90 seconds to take pedestrians and cyclists across the Thames.

19 May 2021, 10:46
Poll: Gravel stages at Grand Tours...love them or hate them...or somewhere in-between
 
Gravel stages at Grand Tours?

👍
👎
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fans tend to love them, riders usually dread them. Is it fair to bring the unpredictability and puncture danger of gravel stages to GC battles? Or is it all part of the sport and makes the racing more exciting? Personally, I love a bit of gravel chucked into a stage. The 35km on today's parcours might be at the top end of what seems reasonable but hey, it will likely be more entertaining than a road stage over the same route.... 

19 May 2021, 09:44
Ri-dick-ulous memes galore as Silca's eye-catchingly shaped computer mount has us all sniggering

This angle of Silca's new Mensola computer mount was quickly purged from all of the brand's social media channels after it received a lively reaction from potential customers. Cue dick jokes, penis puns and sex toy silliness...

Silca Mensola

On our story, where you can find all the hard facts about the product, Chris Hayes was wondering what sort of market penetration Silca expected? Captain Badger noted its practicality, saying: "Quickly bolt it on, and you're ready for action..."

As you would expect, Twitter did its worst too...

Poor Silca's flashy Instagram collage of some of the product's other less eye-catching angles got plenty of engagement, but mainly from people wondering why the other picture had been deleted...

And then the memes came...

19 May 2021, 09:01
Best stage of the Giro? Peloton prepares for 35km of gravel over the white roads made famous by Strade Bianche

162km with 2,300m sounds like a fairly reasonable punchy day out for the pros, but those menacing grey sectors on the profile are what is important today...the gravel made famous by Strade Bianche will be unleashed on the Giro. Fortunately for the riders there is no rain forecast, so no repeat of the 2010 epicness when Cadel Evans won in the mud.

Evans recalled that famous stage to Eurosport: "It was cold, raining, long, and there were crashes, and you didn’t know what was going on because of the mud and everything. Going back to my mountain bike days, I was a pretty well-balanced all-round rider, but I could excel in the mud and the extreme conditions. So you put in an extreme stage like that – and it wasn’t just extreme, it was really quite muddy – and I was in my element."

If it is a mountain biker you are looking for today then we know a guy...

And if you needed any more reason to tune in...

19 May 2021, 08:47
Count the blue BMW drivers...
19 May 2021, 08:16
19 May 2021, 07:48
AA apologises for parked van pictured blocking segregated cycle lane

Over the weekend we shared the story of the AA van spotted blocking a cycle lane in Manchester.

 At first, the AA did not help itself, replying to Andy: "it looks as though the patrol is attending a breakdown. Our patrols will assess the situation to find the safest place to park, for them and other road users." Right. This did not go down well, so much so that the AA's President Edmund King got involved to say it "doesn't look great" and that they would investigate...

A couple of days later and Andy got a copy of said investigation including the recognition from the driver and the AA that the parking position was wrong and both parties apologise unreservedly.

 The photos got a lot of traction on social media with Gus Hoyt saying it "sums up car culture in the UK [...] because to them a broken down car is more important than the safety of cyclists." Another local said they had used the cycle lane earlier in the morning when there were children riding in both directions.

Happy with the AA's response?

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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29 comments

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
1 like

I think I had seen a simialr article on the GFX card and PS5 shortages. Essentially the companies involved don't want to spend loads to upgrade to meet the current demands as they believe demands are artificially high and short term. 

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AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
1 like

The Gnome "Anaonymous DJ" made me look to see if Ogmios had done another vid yet. 

Still no, but he did do this safety video for TFL so get your fix. His twitter is saying soonish for a new video but that has been his reply for months now. 
 

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NPlus1Bikelights | 3 years ago
8 likes

I dispute Evans still exists as something recognisable from pre 2018. The name does, a few staff do but restructuring to save money by the Grinch (Mike Ashley) has dramatically changed it for the worse. The behaviour of their diabolical online team and its negative effect on shop staff (web orders mess up, delivers missing and damaged goods, is not phonable, replies to emails in 1-2 weeks, and it all leads to  " we cannot deal with this go to a store" where instore teams have no access to weborders and do their best) *breathe here* just makes me sad. I'd like to still shop with them occasionally but what's the point when they can't do their jobs propery through no fault of their own. Plus headline from March "Evans Cycles to axe 300 staff and move remainder to zero-hour contracts in cost-cutting measures." The shop staff deserve much better.

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brooksby replied to NPlus1Bikelights | 3 years ago
1 like

NPlus1Bikelight... wrote:

I dispute Evans still exists as something recognisable from pre 2018. The name does, a few staff do but restructuring to save money by the Grinch (Mike Ashley) has dramatically changed it for the worse. 

You beat me to it.  Evans in its current Ashleyfied incarnation is almost not worth visiting any more.

 

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Captain Badger | 3 years ago
5 likes

Silca's eye-catchingly wateringly shaped computer mount

TFTFY

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Hirsute | 3 years ago
5 likes

That ford compliation is hilarious. I liked the one where the number plate falls off !

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bobbinogs replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
2 likes

I think it is also great that it provides entertainment for the whole community, who all seemed to have turned out and were cheering with oohs and aahs.  Really enjoyed it but I can't help thinking that the council really should have some clear warnings as to how deep that is?  Not sure if there is a legal definition of a ford when compared to a river crossing??

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Sriracha replied to bobbinogs | 3 years ago
8 likes
bobbinogs wrote:

but I can't help thinking that the council really should have some clear warnings as to how deep that is? 

Maybe they could install some kind of technology that animates an analogue scale to indicate the depth, in real-time? But, how to make it simple enough for dipsticks?

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Awavey replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
2 likes

From the YouTube channel,yes theres a channel devoted to this stuff seems a regular source of entertainment for the locals, it's only visible one side, this is my fave compilation https://youtu.be/rd2c1YVHn6Y

Though compilation 17 has BMWs with bicycles

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DoomeFrog replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
5 likes

If this where I think it is then it is a cut through to Centre Parc's from the A1.

Went to Sherwood forest CP several years ago and turned around before the ford (flood signs were out) as wasn't going to risk it. Took the slightly longer way round but saved on costly repairs.

Natural LTN?

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
1 like

"it's only visible one side"

If you are talking about the depth meter, there is one on either side as you can see the other at 1:05 in the video when one of the three Beemers are rescued. 

It was a foot deep so I expect they all thought "that isn't deep" but being as the cars max depth is only about 8 inches it was more then enough. 

 

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Awavey replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

My mistake,in my defence it's not visible on all the clips.

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Wardy74 replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
2 likes

It's fairly local to me, and there are signs at either end of the road too. The problem arises when people leave the golf club just up the road (not that saying golfers are more likely to drive BMWs😉) and forget they've driven past a road closed ahead sign earlier. It does seem to stay deeper for longer than it used to too. It can be a rat run to Centre Parcs and Sherwood Pines when sat-nav tries to avoid Ollerton roundabout. There's usually a pile of bumper trims and undertrays at the side of the road which should act as a warning, but seldom does.

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andystow replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
1 like

Interestingly, in the owner's manual for my 2005 MINI, it says I can drive slowly through a foot of water, which actually seems rather generous. So I guess I could have made it!

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eburtthebike replied to bobbinogs | 3 years ago
10 likes

bobbinogs wrote:

  Really enjoyed it but I can't help thinking that the council really should have some clear warnings as to how deep that is? 

Reminds me of the villager who was asked by a motorist how deep the ford was, and was told it was only a few inches.  He drove in, and his car stalled when it was flooded by the three feet deep water.  He rounded on the villager for lying about the depth, to receive the response

"Well, it only comes halfway up our ducks."

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MattieKempy replied to bobbinogs | 3 years ago
3 likes

It was a little bit schadenfreude but watching those BMWs get destroyed was funny AF. Felt like a little bit of karma!

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PRSboy replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
4 likes

Best thing I've seen for ages!  If nothing else it proves that BMW drivers do appear to drive like morons even if there is no one else on the road with them.

In all seriousness, getting water in an engine is usually terminal.  I was told to drive at a speed that does not create a wake, but keep the engine running fast enough to avoid stalling and maintain exhaust pressure.  Which is fine until King Cock approaches in the opposite direction at speed in their 4x4, hence why I usually drive through floods in the centre of the road.

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Miller replied to PRSboy | 3 years ago
0 likes

I mean, it's highly risky to take a car through a foot of water anyway, but why do these people go in so fast? Thus guaranteeing bow waves, splashiness and engine drenching. It's puzzling.

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nicmason replied to PRSboy | 3 years ago
1 like

yes. thats what I do . low gear and high revs even slip the clutch if its a manual. Also don't do it if you dont know how deep it is.

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iandusud replied to nicmason | 3 years ago
1 like

If you don't know the level of the air intake on your car you should never attempt to drive through flooding (If you do drive a car I highly recommend knowing where your air intake is). On some cars the air intake is very low, often a scoop low down. If you suck water into the engine you will create a hydraulic lock in the cylinders and bend a con rod. At one time this would meant an engine rebuild. In this day and age it is terminal as garages no longer repair cars, they just swap out bits. 

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ktache replied to iandusud | 3 years ago
1 like

I discovered over the winter that riding through deepish water, overflowing river on river cycle routes and flooded bridleways, in my mostly waterproof winter 5 10s, is not good, the tounge is only water resistant, grr, and the pedals are fully submerged on the bottom stroke, which forces the filth past the seals and into the metal derlin bearing interface.

This requires an urgent strip down and grease, if not the metal bearing surface becomes scarred and damages the derlin, thus shortening the life of the pedal.  I will avoid doing this in the future.

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Bungle_52 replied to ktache | 3 years ago
0 likes

Just do short pedal strokes keeping the pedals (and feet) out of the water. You should be going slowly any way in case of potholes. Won't work on a fixie though.

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CygnusX1 | 3 years ago
5 likes

> Happy with the AA's response?

Yes, if it is acted upon in future and we don't have any more examples of parking for convenience of the patrol at the expense of pedestrian or cyclist safety.

Only time will tell....

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hawkinspeter replied to CygnusX1 | 3 years ago
3 likes

A nice idea would be if the AA put up a poor parking portal so that people could submit photos of poorly parked AA vans and for each one, a donation was made to a cycling charity. That would show a bit more intention than just an apology.

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m.a.t.t. replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
0 likes

Although I like the idea, I think this then just becomes a bell*nd tax - park where you like as long as you're prepared to pay a small fee. If the minimum donation was somewhere in the region of £50,000 per offence, however, then I think we are definitely on to something!

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hawkinspeter replied to m.a.t.t. | 3 years ago
1 like

Yes, but the bean-counters will most likely want to push the costs onto the van drivers, so I reckon it'll end up having the desired effect.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
1 like

I would state "any charity" as it is not neccesarily going to be cyclists incovenienced with future bad parking. 

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hawkinspeter replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

I would state "any charity" as it is not neccesarily going to be cyclists incovenienced with future bad parking. 

It sends a message about sharing the roads, though.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

I was trying to make the point that the next bad parking job could be incoveniencing wheelchair users and ot impact bikes. So a road death awareness charity might be more inclusive on who is inconvienced and still send a message. 

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