“Delicious irony”: Elinor Barker auctions Wiggle High5 kit for Aboriginal Justice Agency; Watopia’s mysterious monolith; No fans at Tour of Flanders in 2021; Have Qhubeka ASSOS signed two Harry Tanfields?; ‘Swimming Pool Bike Lane’ + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Fans banned from Flanders Classics again in 2021
It’s inevitable that the impact of coronavirus on cycling will continue through next season, regardless of vaccines and one of the first casualties is the announcement that there’ll not be fans at the Flanders Classics next year. The postponed 2020 race took place in October without the throngs of cheering Belgians on the Kwaremont or the Muur and made for an eerie scene as the riders suffered their way up the steep bergs.
For those hoping to see the familiar Flandrien sights and sounds return in 2021 then you’ll be disappointed. Wielerflits reports that there will be no crowds of spectators at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars Door Vlaanderen, the Scheldeprijs, Brabantse Pijl and the Tour of Flanders.
Flanders Classics CEO, Tom Van Den Spiegel said: “There is no audience. This is how we will work throughout the classic spring. Of course I would rather see Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel drive up the Oude Kwaremont side by side through a sea of people. Unfortunately that will not be the case in 2021 either.”
The World Cup of Cycling Infrastructure
WORLD CUP OF GREAT UK CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE
The 24 groups for Round 1 are now set. No further correspondence will be entered into. The first votes start on Wednesday. Be prepared to defend you nomination. #CyclingInfraWorldCup PDF available here https://t.co/Ix7by07hmH pic.twitter.com/6OstFtvxON— The Ranty Highwayman (Highly Commended 😬) (@RantyHighwayman) November 30, 2020
It’s not all rubbish cycle lanes and dangerous roundabouts on the blog. The World Cup of UK Cycling Infrastructure gets underway today and gives you the chance to defend your local bike lane. Celebrating some of the better routes the UK has to offer the voting started this morning. Pundits and fans alike have suggested Group 17 is the group of death, pitting The Cuckoo Trail and the impressive Valley Gardens against the big city favourite, CS3.
Loyal followers of cycling infrastructure in Gloucestershire were left disappointed but not surprised at their omission from the tournament…
Great bit of fun on the countdown to Christmas, and a chance to see what carefully thought through, people focussed cycling infrastructure really looks like. No surprise Gloucestershire doesn’t feature, but we can dream of a day when there’s local ambition to match this. https://t.co/84pNcV0Umv
— Better Cycling Cheltenham (@BetterToCycle) December 2, 2020
Another mysterious monolith is found... in Watopia
How’d that get there? 🤔👽 pic.twitter.com/BQX4iLVHjF
— Zwift (@GoZwift) December 2, 2020
Adding to the mystery of the strange metal monolith that was found in Utah before vanishing a few days later, another metal structure has now appeared, this time in Watopia. Some say it’s aliens, others claim it’s the work of an anonymous artist. Now the conspiracy theorists can turn their attention to the desert landscape of Fuego Flats…
Zwifters have been speculating about its origin too. Oğuzhan Yavuz asked: “Is this a mirror of shame for anyone who isn’t in cat A?” While another claimed to know Wile E. Coyote was to blame…
Glasgow cyclists say council shouldn't need to be embarrassed into clearing cycle lane of leaves and water
Seems @GlasgowCC s Bike Lane Swimming Pool and leafy Soft Play are back for yet another year on the SWCW. Pool soon to be an ice rink with yet more inevitable injuries for people on bikes. Every. Blinking. Year. pic.twitter.com/eAB69mfVvx
— Chapman Crispfield (@isersmalone) November 22, 2020
A group of cyclists in Glasgow saw their local bike lane made safe for use after making signs to protest at its poor condition. The group say the South West City Way is regularly flooded and made dangerous by falling leaves. One sign welcomed users to Glasgow City Council’s Swimming Pool Bike Lane. Glasgow Times reports that in previous years GoBike have campaigned for the upkeep of the key active travel route.
Iona Shepherd of GoBike said: “The problem with leaves clogging up the South West City Way and the ice that covers it in the winter is not a new one. We really need a regular schedule of leaf clearing, in the same vein as the council’s gritting schedule, to help keep the path safe for cyclists.
“The South West City Way and other bike lanes similar to this in the city are really the motorways for cyclists, and it would be unthinkable for the council to ignore these important routes for drivers so why are cyclists ignored? There shouldn’t have to be signs put up to embarrass the council into taking action.”
Thanks @GlasgowCC for clearing the leaves on SWCW today. How can we ensure this happens automatically each autumn without the need for embarrassing signs? Can we suggest the leaf clearing schedule for cycle ways and pavements is changed to match the winter gritting priorities? 👍 pic.twitter.com/UbKtS4uRf1
— Chapman Crispfield (@isersmalone) November 24, 2020
But where are all the cyclists?
Drone footage from Grangegorman shows the car-free street in use, helping more children to cycle to school. Consultation closes tonight at midnight. Email feedback: covidmobility@dublincity.ie. More info https://t.co/vqrbKd5tEE #biketoschool #cycledublin #covidmobility #dublin7 pic.twitter.com/I0tOdPrpZS
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) December 1, 2020
Harry Tanfield earns swift return to the WorldTour
Important and exciting news regarding @Harrytanfield94 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/iYFkca8KnQ
— Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling (@RibbleWeldtite) December 2, 2020
Harry Tanfield has secured a WorldTour contract for 2021 after signing with Qhubeka ASSOS. The 26-year-old was planning to ride for UCI Continental outfit Ribble Weldtite, after struggling to find a WorldTour team with space on their roster. However, he will now continue racing at WorldTour level and is one of Qhubeka ASSOS’s first signings under their new name, with the financial support of the clothing brand as title sponsors.
In a statment published by Ribble Weldtite, Tanfield expressed his gratitude for the team’s support during his short stay. He said: “I can’t thank the team at Ribble Weldtite enough, they provided assurances and security to enable me to race in 2021, and have been 100% supportive in working with me and my new team to enable this transition as efficiently as possible. I wish the team all the best for 2021.”
Newcastle businessman turns office into bike cafe to stay busy during the pandemic
Bruce Tate overcame the adversity of lockdown forcing his business to close by turning his office into a cycling cafe. Route 72 Cafe overlooks the Hadrian’s Way Cycle Way and opened in July to attract the hordes of riders looking to enjoy a bacon sarnie and a coffee.
The site for the cafe is where Bruce ran his music booking business Need Music, but after learning he wasn’t entitled to the government’s financial support because he drew his income as company dividends, he set out to transform the office garden. The BBC explain he built a covered seating area and added a serving hatch. Route 72 Cafe has been a welcome addition to one of the UK’s most popular cycling routes and on a particularly popular day it fed a group of 100 riders cycling from Newcastle to Wylam.
“I will come out of this pandemic stronger than I went in,” Bruce said. “Hopefully I will have two successful businesses, instead of one.”
New Sidi Zero Gore 2 and MTB Frost Gore shoes
Sidi say they’ve redesigned the Gore line shoes ‘taking into account everything that is strictly essential during the cold season: warmth, protection, breathability, and waterproof comfort.’ Both versions have an upper made of Microtech Microfiber mesh and an interior lined in Gore-Tex to keep your feet dry through the cold winter months. The Zero Gore 2 is the road version, while the MTB Frost Gore 2 is the dedicated off-road option.
Campagnolo corkscrew
Nothing says ‘party time’ like whipping out a £190 Campagnolo corkscrew to open a bottle this Christmas. Described as ‘the ultimate cyclist’s luxury stocking filler’ this titanium corkscrew promises ‘optimal extraction every time’. I look forward to hearing people saying the Shimano one’s better.
'Delicious irony': Elinor Barker auctions Wiggle High5 kit for North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
Change of plan, and I’ll be adding all the rest of of my Wiggle High5 kit to my eBay account, to be auctioned for the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency. https://t.co/rYD4MkBzPJ
— Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker) December 2, 2020
Elinor Barker’s decision to auction a Wiggle High5 kit to support the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency has been described by one Twitter user as ‘delicious irony’. The kit of the team Rochelle Gilmore used to own and manage is up for auction on eBay and currently stands at £161. Gilmore was this weekend accused of stereotyping after sharing a photo of her car, that had been broken in to, and describing the offender as ‘#Indigenous’. She has since deleted the tweet.
The Australian former cyclist was widely criticised for the post, including by Team GB Olympic gold medallist Callum Skinner.
I do hope certain people are appreciating the delicious irony of this!
— Tim Phillips (@TimPhillips1969) December 2, 2020
Awesome. Fund raising and funny.
— Alun Morgan (@alundavidmorgan) December 2, 2020
Spot the difference as Euston Road cycle lane removed
How my commute changed overnight back to shitty, dirty, polluted, congested and dangerous road 😡 Guess what? 1 lane or 3 the traffic is still stationary @MayorofLondon @willnorman @grantshapps pic.twitter.com/2ArfXsmqH7
— GOSIA0801 (@Gosia0801) December 2, 2020
Qhubeka ASSOS sign two Harry Tanfields in one day
Thanks for the kind words, think you’ve tagged the wrong man! 👀
— Harry Tanfield (@Harry_Tanfield) December 2, 2020
Qhubeka ASSOS were so happy with their signing of Harry Tanfield, they’ve bought another one. Well not quite, instead there was one very confused Esports social media executive wondering why he was getting congratulated on his big move back to the WorldTour.
The team confirmed the signing this afternoon and managed to tag the right Harry Tanfield. On the move, the 26-year-old said: “I really look forward to the opportunity to be involved with an ambitious and passionate team that is Team Qhubeka ASSOS. The team’s ethos and work with the Qhubeka Charity is something to admire and I can’t wait to be involved in the future.
“Alongside this, the loyalty of the team’s partners and sponsors and the positive team environment make Qhubeka ASSOS the optimal place for me to progress. I’m looking forward to embarking on this new challenge and contributing to the team next year.”
Kensington Business Forum did NOT support Kensington High Street bike lane closure
Kensington Business Forum has today released a statement saying they did not support the closure of the Kensington High Street segregated bike lane. Kensington and Chelsea Council’s statement claimed that they had been written to by both the Business Forum and the Kensington and Chelsea Chamber of Commerce asking for it to be scrapped.
The Kensington Business Forum statement read: “We recently passed on the business views, both of those in favour and against cycle lanes, as a representative body for Kensington W8 Business. The views shared with Kensington & Chelsea are of local businesses and not that of our Executive Committee.
“Regrettably this has been represented, in certain public forums, as our opposition to cycle lanes. This is not the case, but the views of local businesses (both for and against) who provided feedback to the Kensington Business Forum for this current scheme.”
The statement comes on the same day that Imperial College Union, five local schools and the council’s own Youth Council criticised the decision to remove the infrastructure. A MailOnline employee, who is based in the paper’s Kensington High Street office, said the lane “made our journey safer.”
2 December 2020, 09:15
2 December 2020, 09:15
2 December 2020, 09:15
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If it's true*, as reported, that the driver in question asked and was told that the race had passed, that's not 'arrogant disdain for cyclists' - it's a mistake resulting from a failure of communication somewhere along the line. [* recognising that much about the events here are a fair amount of hearsay at the moment.]
I get your point, but Forestry England aren't allowing cyclists on all other parts of the site, as you say. They are allowing cyclists on bridleways and permissive horse routes - what they are legally obliged to do, ie the bare minimum. Forestry England sites near me also allow the bare minimum for cyclists. It is a shame that the kids can't just muck around in parts of their land - it's publicly owned (failed plan a few years back to privatise the Forestry Commission). When I was younger I enjoyed playing around on my bike all over their forests.
Even when he clarifys he gets it wrong . It's either an e bike or an electric motorbike . It's not difficult ,same as cars ,Motor car >EV ,they dont do it with cars so its willfully ignorance when it comes to e bikes
Oh.... There are not "some forms of e-bike". e-bikes are legal, and anything that is not an e-bike under the definitions of motor vehicles, would be an electric powered motorcycle. E-bikes were being bought and used in vast numbers by older people in our area, but they have literally disappeared off our streets, not helped by a war on "e-bikes used illegally" by the S Glos councillor responsible for all things infrastructure related (including transport). As the term e-bike has been misapproriated by those in power (but should have greater knowledge of things they have power over), I think that, perhaps, there needs to be a new name and remarketing for e-bikes that are perfectly legal, and hugely useful to many in our communities (including the 30% of people in S Glos who have no access to a car whatsoever).
The race organisers clearly must employ more police and official marshals. Leaving it up to spectators to tell drivers that the race has passed is not acceptable, especially in a society dominated by the culture of impatient motorists. Helmet design is another contributing but separate factor - why is it the title of this article? It’s barely mentioned.
It is perfectly legal to buy an electrically assisted pedal cycle that has a cut-off higher than 15.5 mph or a continuous rated motor in exces of 250W or indeed has a throtle. It just isn't legal to use it in a public place. The term e-bike has no legal definition; it can mean, in popular usage, an assisted pedal cycle (legal or not) or a moped or a motorbike. Likewise e-scooter is not legally defined, although the electric scooter legislation relates to the thing without pedals that you scoot, not a motor scooter.
Chapeau, Mr Vaughters. …and why can’t everyone see that this example is also reflective of the general attitude by motorists towards cyclists on all our roads? It’s the same cause, whether racing, training or cruising with the family. The need for separated cycling infrastructure (and closed roads) only stems from one issue - arrogant drivers disdain for cyclists, breaking the law and putting cyclists lives in danger. In the absence of an AI algorithm that deletes all human ego, the solution is clearly in effectively policing the road rules that protect cyclists, not the wilful denial blind spot pervading our race organisers, police, city councils and courts.
@mctrials23 With a failed jump, you can sue whoever owns the field, who has the broken fence that "allowed" you in, the bike manufacture, the helmet maker, the knee pad maker, ...... and the list goes on! But who can you sue if you sit around eating junk all day?
Unfortunately, in this wildly litigious society, I have to side with the Forest Service. In the end, it's not the most culpable that are found the most responsible, but the deepest pockets.
It’s all half-arsed, from the clickbait title of this article, to the unsafe design of the bike track. …Why do we live in such a world? Capitalist fantasies of exponential growth vs conservative nimbyism - within the one Range Rover shopping cart world view! The Greens are trying to do it right. Everyone else has their knickers in a knot because their world view is small, and wilfully / selfishly half-arsed.
16 thoughts on ““Delicious irony”: Elinor Barker auctions Wiggle High5 kit for Aboriginal Justice Agency; Watopia’s mysterious monolith; No fans at Tour of Flanders in 2021; Have Qhubeka ASSOS signed two Harry Tanfields?; ‘Swimming Pool Bike Lane’ + more on the live blog”
“Loyal followers of cycling
“Loyal followers of cycling infrastructure in Gloucestershire were left disappointed but not surprised at their omission from the tournament…”
As a Gloucestershire resident I can confirm this sentiment.
Well neither is any infra
Well neither is any infra from Suffolk or Norfolk included,but from what I can deduce in how it works you had to nominate things to be included,so did any Gloucestershire resident nominate anything…at all ?
I thought both Norwich &
I thought both Norwich & Great Yarmouth are in Norfolk? Not that being listed is any guarantee of quality. Seems more like the non-league finals, where you’re mainly glad they exist, but . . .
Or Not so Great Yarmouth as
Or Not so Great Yarmouth as we like to call it:) you’re right though sorry I’d misread the table thinking the top line was the location and the other boxes below it were just descriptions of the infra, they arent, they are more locations, doh.
the A1214 Kesgrave is in
the A1214 Kesgrave is in Suffolk too, I ride it regularly and cant decide from its inclusion, if this contest is actually serious or not. Whoever nominated it cant possibly be suggesting that this joke of a setup https://goo.gl/maps/sbcT9qLgCiEgELLGA which is the kind of thing youd nominate for Warringtons crap cycle infra of the month is worthy of an award even if its a made up one on social media.
there is a shared cycle path of sorts for sections of that road, but its not fit for purpose at all and I dont know any cyclist who uses it, its used by school kids and thats about it.
Awavey wrote:
As a South Glos resident I gave all my local infrastructure some thought, and despite some temptation to suggest the Westerleigh spur of the Bristol Ring Road path, or perhaps… er… yeah, couldn’t think of anything really.
(Technically the Severn Bridge cycleways are South Glos btw. But I don’t think the council can claim any part in building or running them, and the Wales end is covered in slippery leaves at the moment.)
That is quite pedantic, and
That is quite pedantic, and completely correct. The border between Glos and Monmouthshire is the River Wye, which technically has its own bridge. Crossing the Severn by bike is fun, especially feeling the bridge jumping when a lorry crosses.
Many years ago when we were
Many years ago when we were young and silly a friend and myself were crossing the Severn Bridge whilst they were doing repair works and had laft a railway sleeper on the cycle track. Well, the fence is not too high and there were two of us to lift it…The splash was quite spectacular but it did cross my mind what would happen if a little boat had sailed out from under the bridge whilst our Poo Stick was in freefall.
Is it me or is Newcastle over
Is it me or is Newcastle over-represented? Dont get me wrong – there’s miles and miles of fab stuff up there and I love it, and thats great but surely there should have been a cap?
Maybe there’s just more active twitterers in the NE or Im overthinking a bit of fun?
Anyhow I would be supporting the Kensington Pop-up if I thought it would shame RBKC into an kind of action. But as we all know from this and many other events – they have no shame when it comes to cycle infrastructure.
Some people are Indigenous
Some people are Indigenous and commit crime (a high rate in fact).
If she’d put ‘white’ would she have had to withdraw it?
And how often does a crime
And how often does a crime report noting that the perpetrator was from the majority ethnic group ever happen?
Rochelle Gilmore was perpetrating a dangerous stereotype, and she didn’t just mention the ethnicity of the accused, she hash-tagged. So that’s what she decided her tweet should be searchable on.
It’s poor behaviour from a country in which the indigenous people have had a shitty time since we British came in and nicked all of it from them.
Shit take. She had no idea
Shit take. She had no idea the perpetrators were indigenous. If it had happened in Springvale would she have put #asianfriends, with a little emoji of a lemon? Or in Mentone, #whitefriends with a little emoji of a ghost? Of course she wouldn’t. She knows full well what she did – which is why she’s taken it down.
Still, shouldn’t be too shocked – she’s thick as mince going on past social media fuck ups (like announcing the closure of the team you run, with a dozen riders being put out of work, on top of a mountain in Mallorca at sunset dressed like a 1980s page 3 girl with your hair billowing in the wind – or expressing sympathy with Chloe Dygert after her leg was sliced open whilst simultaneously announcing to the world how beautiful you are). She’s so dense, the space between her ears has two lots of motorway services in it.
NZ Vegan Rider wrote:
To your first sentence, the implication is that she believed it to be relevant or causative. That would at least suggest racism to me.
Second sentence: Really????
NZ Vegan Rider wrote:
There’s no evidence that white australians have been heavily discriminated against for the last 400 years. And yes, if you keep people in deprived areas with little hope of becoming upwardly mobile and ensure that the police target them disproportionately, then you’ll get a high crime rate.
Have a read of this article examining institutional racism in Australia: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/23/racism-pervades-australian-society-and-the-effects-can-be-lethal
Tenuous link to cycling, but
Tenuous link to cycling, but some lovely pictures of that there Landan, in the hateful Guardian,
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2020/nov/30/night-riding-in-london-during-the-lockdown-in-pictures
and there is a lovely pic of a red squirrel in this one,
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2020/dec/01/wildlife-photographer-of-year-2020-peoples-choice-in-pictures
ktache wrote:
Noice