Dating app singleton called out for pretending to be Quick-Step star Remco Evenepoel; 100 miles off-road…by penny-farthing; Cyclist avoids negligent hot dog; Inbetweeners at Le Tour; Bell ends + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"Keep your wiener out of bike lanes": Cyclist swerves to avoid drifting Wienermobile
Just an absolutely brutal, negligent driver at the wheel of the Weinermobile. pic.twitter.com/1FeUWZ1XPh
— Faux Macho (@nedmulka) June 21, 2021
Seeing a Wienermobile driver drift towards a cyclist riding in the bike lane isn’t a great first impression for the hot dog-inspired vehicles…did anyone know these were a thing? A bit of digging and the rider filming found a news story explaining that most of the Wienermobiles on the road today were built in 2004 and feature a custom-made fibreglass hot dog on a GM Chevrolet four-speed/W4 series chassis with a Vortec V8, 6.0L, 300hp engine…I’m not going to pretend I know why that is bad.
We’d be more inclined to have some answers from the driver behind the wheel of the Oscar Mayer vehicle.
One positive from this episode is finding out about Bike Lane Uprising, a website in the US which shared the video and allows cyclists to easily report obstructions in bike lanes, build a database of problem sites and hold offenders accountable.
More Bike Lane Uprising, less dangerous Wienermobile driving.
Thank you for documenting this bike lane obstruction. If you haven’t done so already, please add this to our database via our mobile app or website. https://t.co/Xr1ub3SxTo
— Bike Lane Uprising® (@bikelaneuprise) June 21, 2021
Trek-Segafredo win best Tour de France team announcement with this Asterix-inspired reveal
Our chosen 8 are ready for their next adventure! 🗺 #TDF2021
🇫🇷 Bernardix
🇫🇷 Ellisondix
🇳🇱 Mollemix
🇮🇹 Nibalix
🇩🇰 Pedersix
🇱🇻 Skujix
🇧🇪 Stuyvix
🇧🇪 Theunix pic.twitter.com/3pba6wKVeD— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) June 22, 2021
Following on from Team DSM’s Giro d’Italia/Italian Job masterpiece, Trek-Segafredo have announced their Tour de France team with a bit of French popular culture in the style of the famous comic series Asterix. Will Vincenzo Nibalix win a stage? Can Jasper Stuyvenix build on his monumental Milan-San Remo? Will Julian Bernardix or Kenny Ellisondix provide a home winner?
Who did it better? Trek or DSM?
🗣“You’re only supposed to…ride a lap of Italy!”
Team DSM – 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙅𝙤𝙗 🎬#Giro! Coming 🔜 to a screen near you 🍿
🔗 https://t.co/9nnKOt5Vkt pic.twitter.com/JWtlLvHmPL
— Team DSM (@TeamDSM) April 14, 2021
Wieners and bell ends...the live blog has taken a strange turn this morning...
Talking of wieners…Canyon has a Ring Bar End Bell out that we reviewed recently. Obviously, we’re taking this news very seriously and not making any silly jokes…
Radio Tour live from the team cars at the Tour de France will be available for fans to tune in to
A small first, this year Radio Tour will be broadcast online, the race radio from the official car that reports incidents etc in 🇫🇷+🇬🇧 https://t.co/eQ0rrGPQop We’ll have to find out how it works, if there’s no delay then it’ll be faster than TV or Twitter
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) June 21, 2021
One for the most dedicated Tour de France fans out there. Radio Tour, the official sound of the race, will be broadcast for fans to listen in to during this year’s edition so you can hear exactly when Chris Froome stops for a slash, Mark Cavendish wants a bottle or Geraint Thomas crashes. It is all part of the new Tour de France Club which will also give fans access to exclusive video content and to vote for the Antargaz Combativity Award, awarded to the most aggressive rider each day.
Beryl selected to deliver Manchester's cycle hire scheme
Beryl has been selected by Transport for Greater Manchester to deliver the city’s new cycle hire scheme. The partnership is part of Mayor Andy Burnham’s commitment to delivering Manchester’s Bee Network. Phase one of the scheme will see 1,500 bikes and e-bikes made available from over 200 new cycle hire docking stations across Manchester, Trafford and Salford. More than 198,000 households will live within five minutes of a proposed docking station.
Beryl has previously brought its service to Norwich, Watford, Hereford, Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight, as well as providing key technology for Santander Cycles in London and Transport for West Midlands bikes.
Yesterday, Andy Burnham was spotted taking one of the bikes for a spin at the announcement launch and was quoted telling reporters: “We’re fully integrating our public transport system – The Bee Network – and building the UK’s largest cycling and walking network, so I am very pleased to announce that Beryl has been named as our delivery partner for cycle hire, with the first bikes going on the ground later this year.
“Our cycle hire will be one of the largest docked systems outside London and I cannot wait to use the new bikes myself as a way to get from A to B.”
War of words after Patrick Lefevere expresses doubts about Sam Bennett's injured knee and instead accuses his star sprinter of being scared of failure
Missing out on the Tour de France through injury must be a tough day at the office…made worse if your boss then publically shoots off about how he thinks you’re faking it. That was the grim situation Sam Bennett faced last night after Patrick Lefevere told Sporza he believes the Irishman is scared of failure…way to kick a man when he’s down, Patrick.
“When Bennett called that he was injured and that he needed care and rest, we already felt the mood that he was not going to be ready for the Tour,” the Deceuninck-Quick-Step team boss said. “Three days before the Tour of Belgium, he bumped his knee against his handlebars. He didn’t tell us anything about that. When he arrived, we sent him home again. Then it was a yes-no game: to train or not to train?
“I cannot prove that he does not have knee pain, but I am starting to think more and more that it is more fear of failure than just pain. If that’s the case, it would say a lot about him, after all I’ve done for him. I’ve even paid advances of fines to pay his fine at Bora. If you treat me like that, it says a lot. I’m not ruling it out.”
Bennett says his absence is down to a “really minor” knee injury and that it is better for him to focus on other goals later in the season. Irish legend Sean Kelly then jumped to his compatriot’s defence…
“There are rumours going around that maybe Sam didn’t want to go to the Tour and with the pressure and all that but I don’t agree with any suggestion that goes that way,” he told Cyclingnews.
“Coming off the performances he had last year at the Tour, this year he’s proved he can win against the fastest men. Lefevere has said himself that Sam won’t be a Quick-Step rider next year. Patrick is disappointed with that and I think Lefevere is just getting Sam back a bit with that. It’s nothing new from managers when a big rider leaves and they can’t hold onto them. These comments are made to just get a bit of revenge against the rider. It’s nothing new.”
Parklet problems...Adam Tranter outfoxes the council by putting his parklet on wheels
I built a parklet in a car parking space but it was removed by the council because it wasn’t a motor vehicle.
I’ve now built a parklet which is a motor vehicle and so the space for the community is back. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/d8YKiw75Io
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) June 21, 2021
Make that 10...Mark Donovan gets a Tour de France call up
𝘼𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 WhatsApp group…💬 but this time, make it @LeTour 🇫🇷#KeepChallenging #TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/RXORhEfZPQ
— Team DSM (@TeamDSM) June 22, 2021
You know how yesterday we told you there would be eight British riders lining up for the Grand Depart in Brittany this weekend? Well, ignore that. We’re now up to 10 thanks to Cavendish’s comeback and Mark Donovan’s surprise inclusion for Team DSM. Good to see Mark come a long way since his days terrorising Will McKenzie at Rudge Park Comprehensive. Top marks for anyone who gets that reference…
The bike path to Wigan Pier
Works to connect Wigan Pier with the town centre began yesterday and will involve new segregated cycle lanes and improved walking access with improved lighting and better crossings. The project imaginatively named the ‘Road to Wigan Pier’ after George Orwell’s famous work is expected to take around 20 weeks and should be open for use later this year.
Wigan’s council leader David Molyneux said: “It’s been an ambition for the council for a long time to improve connectivity and safety for all road users, which includes providing reliable alternative options if we are to encourage people to leave the car at home.”
For those familiar with the area, the works will link with the cycle facilities at Saddle Junction and Miry Lane is to permanently close to vehicles.
Chris Froome talks Tour de France
The levels of what can be carried on a bike
— honor elliott (@honorelliott_) June 22, 2021
Alex Dowsett "devastated" at missing out on Team GB squad for Tokyo Olympics
Firstly and sincerely, congratulations and best of luck to everyone selected for the Olympics 💪
•
Unfortunately I wasn’t selected & I think it’s an important thing to talk about as an athlete, not everyone can go and not everyone can win 👇
•https://t.co/TLUBdthTBj— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) June 21, 2021
Alex Dowsett has spoken out about his non-selection for the Olympic Games, saying he is “devastated”. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Dowsett said he was told at the end of the Giro d’Italia and has struggled to accept the decision.
“Honestly. I’m devastated,” he explained. “It’s been a really tough three or four weeks, coming to terms with not going to an event that has been my sole focus since July 2019. I spent a few weeks really angry – angry at myself, blaming myself. British Cycling, the people who gave me such a huge opportunity to potentially go, unfortunately they have to be the ones who tell you you’re not going. Obviously they had an argument for me not going. I could argue til the cows came home that there was a place for me in that team.”
The selectors favoured climbers for the challenging road race route, choosing Geraint Thomas, Adam Yates, Simon Yates and Tao Geoghegan Hart. Thomas and Geoghegan Hart will compete in the time trial. Due to IOC selection rules, riders who compete in the time trial are also expected to ride the road race, something which has likely gone against Dowsett’s chances.
“The one that really rattled me, and always has rattled me actually, is the rule that the time triallist has to come from the road team. If you were to put this in running, and you were to say to Usain Bolt, ‘yes, you can do the 100 meters and 200 metres but we’re going to need you to line up for the 1500 as well’…for me it dilutes it,” Dowsett continued.
“The Olympics should be the pinnacle of everything. What I’m trying to say is there are a few time triallists sat at home watching the Olympics who should be there.”
Riding a penny-farthing and unicycle 100 miles along the South Downs Way
2 brave souls are riding a unicycle and a Penny Farthing the whole 100 miles of the #SouthDownsWay to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. They started yesterday and aim to finish tomorrow. Good Luck to Tom Clowes and Neil Laughton. @NationalTrails @sdnpa https://t.co/hdQXmkhVt0 pic.twitter.com/Sol3nlEe15
— South Downs Way (@SouthDownsWayNT) June 22, 2021
Riding 100 miles on the South Downs Way would be a decent enough challenge for most…but on a unicycle or a penny-farthing? Mr Vine, you’ve got competition. Tom Clowes and Neil Laughton are doing exactly that, raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK by riding a unicycle and penny-farthing along the 100-mile off-road route in the south of England across three days.
The pair got off to a flying start yesterday, riding 41 miles on day one in slippery conditions.
The JustGiving page has raised more than £3,450 for their charity of choice and Tom explained the motivation for undertaking the challenge: “I have chosen to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. My father might have still been alive today if they had caught it in time. My father was a marathon runner and he always wanted to run along the length of the South Downs Way, so by doing this on one wheel will make him look down on us and smile!” Chapeau…
Remco, is it me you're looking for? Singleton called out for pretending to be Quick-Step star on dating app
okay “ollie” pic.twitter.com/ueZxalU0e4
— Robyn (@robynjournalist) June 21, 2021
We’d all love to be Remco Evenepoel…but not this much. Whoever ‘Ollie’ is thinks using the Belgian wonderkid’s photos on a dating app (called Hinge, we believe) will help him find a match…too bad if their date rocks up with a home trainer and asks him to prove his generational bike riding abilities. An FTP test would be a sure-fire way to make any bad date worse.
It’s also got to be a red flag when you’re pretending to be one of the hottest prospects in pro cycling while also admitting to liking cars more than bikes, and ‘sometimes’ enjoying the Devil’s Lettuce or something harder…
WADA: ladies and gentlemen, we got him pic.twitter.com/I8vqoBVxTS
— Robyn (@robynjournalist) June 21, 2021
It must be a hard life being Remco…talent, fame, money, race wins, Pizza Hut sponsorship, Ollie from Warwick pretending to be you on dating apps. Whatever next for the Belgian sensation?
22 June 2021, 08:02
22 June 2021, 08:02
22 June 2021, 08:02
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It's worth pointing out that unlike cycling on a pavement (i.e. a footway alongside a carriageway), cycling on a footpath is not a crime; it is a civil tort against the landowner. That means it's not a police matter, and other people using the path have no standing to complain either (although of course you should still be careful and considerate of other people, regardless of the status of the right of way). Indeed, without going into a full lecture on the history of Rights of Way and the noble tradition of mass trespass (e.g. Kinder Scout), there is an argument that the law implicitly condones such "illegal" use of paths, given that new rights of way can be created by members of the public demonstrating that they have used the path without permission but "as of right" for long enough, without the landowner taking action to curb such use. As an additional point of information, I would note that the offence of causing injury by "wanton or furious" cycling applies anywhere. I'm no lawyer, but I struggle to see that the designation of the right of way would have much sway, but rather any case would rely on the broader context and whether the manner of the cycling was safe given the terrain and conditions.
@Rendel Harris I get close-passed by more riders than cars in Richmond Park. Maybe I should ride faster.
@perce I'm normally a big fan of your excellent posts perce but I must take issue with this one. The idea that Lord Khan of Tooting would ever, in any circumstances, have been friends with Nigel is surely beyond the bounds of even your fertile imagination?
Not to downplay the seriousness of bikejacking, but Mr.Taylor might want to consider that fact that many riders have been put off using the park at weekends due to the aggressive, intimidatory behaviour of members of his own club, who are notorious for riding as if the park is a private training facility just for themselves, and that's a pretty sad state of affairs as well.
In Wiggle/CR's absence, what are people using nowadays? I've been out of it for a while, but now returned.
I did a multi-day ride many years ago with someone who was a better cyclist than me by every conceivable measure but this one. I remember watching them up ahead on a quiet road trying to teach themselves - snatching brief seconds with their hands off the bars before losing balance and grabbing on again. 'Watch this' I said to the rest of my group, before I accelerated to catch them, then nonchalantly sailed past them uphill riding no hands. Very satisfying. I've been able to ride most of mine hands-free, but had a Specialized Allez that really didn't cooperate. Haven't been brave enough to try it on a Brompton or cargo bike though. And still can't do a wheelie, or any of the other things on Jo's palmares.
@Hamster now that is an exciting development. I do remove/amend signs but reporting them for flyposting is much more satisfying.
@Slartibartfast If the sign-maker can be caught in the act then the council Environmental Health can get a report for littering/fly-tipping. Hours of endless fun for that person trying to explain away a conviction. Don't report unless you're prepared to go to court though. Or remove the litter and put in the nearest bin with a sticker explaining how littering is a crime.
What would make driving safer for motorists is if they stopped driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and driving faster than the speed limit.
Some good ideas there. One point tho. Whilst I love those Wera Allen keys for steel bolt heads, they can be risky on alloy socket screws. Not ideal, IMO, for Rochshox fork axles as they eat into the alloy and lock into the socket. Play soon results. The hex+ system seems to be based on an inside out adaptation of the Snap On “Flank Drive” spanner or socket - and that’s a great idea, but sadly the design seems to overstress alloy socket head screws. Could it be that the profiled section on the end of the tool doesn’t have enough penetration on a fork axle? Maybe. All I can say is my axles last a lot longer using a regular Allen hex key. (Ideally on a torque wrench I guess). Ooh and ChrisA is right - a “Vernier Caliper” relies an a sliding scale more like a slide tile. Digital is way easier, but battery dependent.
32 thoughts on “Dating app singleton called out for pretending to be Quick-Step star Remco Evenepoel; 100 miles off-road…by penny-farthing; Cyclist avoids negligent hot dog; Inbetweeners at Le Tour; Bell ends + more on the live blog”
Cyclist sandwiched by hotdog!
Cyclist sandwiched by hotdog!
Sriracha wrote:
Well they do say hotdogs are full of rubbish and are bad for you!
Sriracha wrote:
Driver couldn’t cut the mustard.
rct wrote:
Driver couldn’t cut the mustard.— Sriracha
I wouldn’t relish being in that situation.
that’s the wurst
that’s the wurst
mrwalters wrote:
Is that in heinz-sight?
hawkinspeter wrote:
How much ‘furter can we take this?
Captain Badger wrote:
I’ve got the strangest feeling that I’ve seen this before.
Must be Dijon view
Welsh government has just
Welsh government has just announced a moratorium on all new road building projects pending review.
Projects already in progress won’t be included.
Interesting.
Just seen a representative of
Just seen a representative of the Welsh gov on C4 news, making the point that building more roads has never stopped growing congestion, someone appears to have finally figured it out…
I just wished they’d figured
I just wished they’d figured it out before spending £100m+ thinking about building the M4 relief road!
Better late than never though and credit where it’s due for being the first UK country to take this step.
We shouldn’t be surprised
We shouldn’t be surprised about poor driving from the Wienermobile – surely everyone knows that they’re in-bread?
You sir are the wurst.. only
You sir are the wurst.. only joking, I’ve relished every pun!
Re: Adam Trantors Parklet.
Re: Adam Trantors Parklet. The twitter thread has people asking about MOT and VED and it is mentioned because it is over 40years old, they are exempt. Can anyone tell me why a car 3 years old needs MOT and VED is applied on polluting, but a vehicle over 40 years old doesn’t need to be checked to be road worthy and doesn’t get taxed on it’s pollution which is probably more then newer vehicles?
Yep. If you have a car that
Yep. If you have a car that old, you are deemed to be an enthusiast rather than poor. So the assumption is that you’re going to keep it in good nick and know pretty well if it’s safe or not. Vanishingly few accidents are caused by 40+ year old cars failing.
The pollution caused by old cars is awful at the individual car level, but so few miles are travelled in them that at any aggregate level it’s trivial. When pollution checks came into the MoT, old cars wouldn’t be able to pass and without an exemption they would have been legislated off the road.
I can see many sides of this. I hate pollution but I like old cars. I’m not sure if scrapping otherwise sound vehicles is the best environmental policy given the costs of making them in the first place. But I’m not going to be all that sorry to see the back of my bashed 2005 Toyota when it’s legislated off Edinburgh roads next year.
You don’t have to have the
You don’t have to have the vehicle MOTd, but you are still legally obliged to make sure that it is roadworthy.
My wife and I get our vehicles serviced and checked annually (a sort of equivalent to the MOT that would have been carried out) – it’s in our interests to do so: don’t really want the primary buffer panel falling off my gorram car while driving along…
I think John’s assumption below is correct, even if it’s not always true. There are very, very few cars over forty years old still being driven regularly.
Examples: my wife’s van (1973 VW microbus) is off the road until we can afford some welding work done on the floorpan. The Beetle (1970) is back on the road, after several thousand pounds worth of welding. Lot of new metal in there. Both vehicles are on restricted mileage insurance, because we use them so little. My wife takes the Beetle out a couple of times a week, maybe 20 miles a week total at present, and I honestly cannot remember the last time I drove it…
Requirement that any MOT
Requirement that any MOT station can MOT any vehicle presented (within classification afaik, so they could do cars but not motorbikes/hgvs) for a fixed cost
Tech has changed drastically so it isn’t reasonable to expect all MOT garages to be able to handle vehicles that plausibly predate an average team of mechanics careers by more than the expected vehicle lifespan. (n.b. I suspect it is probably better than it was when some of these rules were written as we figured out the best techniques, but some cut off still has to exist… Consider what will happen when mechanics have only dealt with electric cars 50 years from now if asked to look at a combustion engine…)
Combined with most vehicles of this age needing regular skilled maintenance to make it 50ft so they are unlikely to have as many safety issues… (see all the drivers who leave tyres, windscreen wipers, windscreen cracks, washer fluid etc for when the MOT is due).
Time something was done about
Time something was done about these roaddogs.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Surely the biggest problem is allowing updog on the road?
“Good to see Mark come a long
“Good to see Mark come a long way since his days terrorising Will McKenzie at Rudge Park Comprehensive. Top marks for anyone who gets that reference…”
As a nineties child AND a secondary school teacher, Inbetweeners references get a subtle approving nod from me. What a class show, pun completely intended.
Radio Tour is part of Tour de
Radio Tour is part of Tour de France Club: https://www.letour.fr/en/club
For signing up, location/residence is interesting, as it’s ordered in french, so Germany in the ‘A’s, USA in the ‘E’s & UK in the ‘R’s.
Now, if only the stage profiles would show the distances to the finish, like we see on the broadcasts!
I would have stay well behind
I would have stay well behind that wiener. im 99% sure the driver was probably looking down at his phone and not keeping his eyes on the road, He might have even been drunk.
RoubaixCube wrote:
Probably battered.
Definitely pickled.
Definitely pickled.
Any more news on the wiener
Any more news on the wiener vehicle story – I’m just trying to ketchup with the latest.
Steve K wrote:
Sounds saucepicious to me
hawkinspeter wrote:
Typical competitive MGIF punsters…mustard get in front.
Nothing to it really, just
Nothing to it really, just someone being a bit of a silly sausage.
Steve K wrote:
Quit dicking about.
Weiner rolled over when
Weiner rolled over when grilled by police. Said it was a bun wrap, that a sauer kraut was responsible and was a bit cheesed off and consumed with rage after being cut off. Said he wasn’t satisfied and in an hour he will be hungry for more.
Re: Dowsett. He does have a
Re: Dowsett. He does have a point that the rules are weird for the TT people. I can only think it is because some of the countries have so few cyclists that a road race followed by the TT is what those countries athletes have to do so want to make it “fair” that everyone does. But as he mentioned, they don’t expect a track athlete to compete in a both a middle distance and a sprint.
As far as I understand it, it
As far as I understand it, it’s because the IOC sets limits on how many total competitors each sport can bring to the games, and it’s then up to the relevant governing body (i.e. here the UCI) to decide how to distribute those competitors among disciplines / events. Mandating that competitors in one event have to also take part in another is a way of staying within those limits without having to cut events or reduce the numbers taking part in any of them.