How New Yorkers deal with parked cars in the bike lane; Conflicting reports about Paris-Roubaix being postponed; Shut up chain; Adam Yates gets first win for Ineos; Rapha’s A Day in Hell; Mystery artist’s floral bikes; New kit + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Scottish cyclist signed up by Movistar for 2021 virtual races
Beth Maciver, a 20-year-old student from Inverness, has won a spot on Movistar’s newly-created e-sports team. Maciver turned to virtual racing when the pandemic halted outdoor racing and has thrived since making the transition, so much so she will start racing in the Zwift Racing League Premier Division next month. Beth earned her spot on the well-established WorldTour outfit’s new e-sports team by winning the final points race of Movistrar’s Team Challenge.
She told The Inverness Courier: “Over lockdown I had more time to focus on it and it gave me something to do, and I fell in love with it. It is awesome. My boyfriend has been cycling his whole life and his dad owns Bikes of Inverness and he got me involved in it. I never expected to get to this stage and it turns out I just loved it and being competitive at it.
“I have no experience of outdoor racing yet, so I hope things from e-sports I can take as I would like to compete outdoors as well. It will be trial and error, but I want to take part in road racing and time trials.”
Vel launches new wheel range
Cycling accessories brand Vel has branched out and released a new range of wheels. The RSL is their premium line and uses DT Swiss 240S hubs with straight pull Sapim CX-Ray spokes, while the RL is their more affordable aluminium model. They’ve also got a pair of carbon 650b gravel wheels at both RL and RSL level.
Vel’s wheels are available exclusively from Sigma Sports and are handbuilt to ensure consistency and reliability. All their new wheelsets have the option of Shimano 11-speed, Shimano Microspline 12-speed and SRAM XDR freehubs.
Ian Whitmore, Product Developer at Vel, says: “Our wheel range is designed to cater for every kind of cyclist – from those looking for their first good upgrade to the next level serious rider, and those wanting to dip their toe into time trials or triathlons and experience the benefits of deep-section wheels at an accessible price.”
Rapha's A Day in Hell may be the closest thing to Paris-Roubaix in 2021
Paris-Roubaix looks increasingly likely to be called off with the Prefect of Hauts-de-France region hinting on Monday that he won’t allow the race to go ahead with the region now in a four-week lockdown. So how are we all going to get our brutal fix of cobbles? Rapha thinks it has the answer: the A Day in Hell challenge. Providing you don’t live in the UK that is, as all the home rides have sold out in double-quick time…
Covid restrictions depending, rides will set out from the Rapha Clubhouses and partner cafés around the world on the 10th and 11th of April to take in a route inspired by Roubaix. Exploring gravel sections you never knew were in your local area and cobblestone streets, the rides are designed to bring the spirit of Roubaix to you.
The UK rides will be held in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham and Leeds but have already sold out, so if you wanted to inject a touch of cobbled chaos to your weekend let’s hope you got in early enough to secure a place or are based in one of the numerous other cities across the globe with a ride. Riders who complete any of the routes will get a limited edition A Day in Hell reward and Rapha has launched A Day in Hell range if you want to get involved but can’t jump on one of the rides.
Mystery artist's floral bikes pop up across Kent
A mystery artist’s flower decorated bikes have been popping up all over Kent. Under the cover of darkness the artist, who wants to remain anonymous to keep the mystery element, has displayed floral bicycles in Gillingham, Rainham and Canterbury. Known only as Flower Power Bikes, the artist told KentOnline the bikes are dedicated to the NHS for their work.
“After I respray the bike, I tie flower garlands from end to end, then wrap them around the framework as a base and then add flowers to make them what you see, blooming fun. Making them definitely helped me through the first lockdown, it gave me a purpose and kept me motivated. It’s all about creating smiles, that’s it,” they explained.
A fifth bike is soon on its way to “somewhere locally”…
Paris-Roubaixn't: Hell of the North postponed until the autumn
Paris-Roubaix postponed, new date to be announced soon reports @le_Parisien , likely to be in autumn https://t.co/JOIWUVtuAF
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) March 24, 2021
Le Parisien reports that the widely-expected news that Paris-Roubaix won’t be happening on April 11 is now confirmed. The French outlet says that the organisers have postponed the event, including the inaugural women’s edition, until the autumn following the worsening health situation in Hauts-de-France, where a four-week lockdown has been enforced. The signs were clear that this was likely to happen earlier this week when the Prefect of the region, Michel Lalande, hinted that he would not allow the race to go ahead.
ASO worked hard to organise the race behind closed doors with key sectors, such as the Trouée d’Arenberg, to be closed off to the public. However, meetings with the Ministry of Sports made it clear that it would be unreasonable to devote public action to a cycling race with Covid cases rising. Le Parisien speculates that the new date in the autumn could be Sunday 24 or 31 October.
Bontrager Cadence Spin Shoe
Bontrager’s new Cadence Spin Shoe is designed to be versatile and deliver the right performance on the spin bike while also being practical once your session has finished. The Cadence features a two-bolt SPD compatibility to let you clip in for some hard intervals but still be able to do your post-session stretches, walk to the shops etc. without needing to change footwear.
The foam midsole should provide extra comfort and the mesh upper gives you a bit more breathability for hot, sweaty workouts. Bontrager says the two-way BOA® L6 dial adds to the shoe’s versatility by letting riders have a tighter fit or dial it back for a more relaxed fit once you’re done stamping on the pedals.
Conflicting report from L'Équipe says ASO still aiming for April 11 Paris-Roubaix and no decision on a possible postponement will be made until next week
interesting… according to l’Equipe, postponement of Paris-Roubaix isn’t yet a done deal and there may not be any firm update until next week
ASO travaille toujours sur la date du 11 avril pour Paris-Roubaix https://t.co/svZqjETyyq via @lequipe
— William Fotheringham (@willfoth) March 24, 2021
Conflicting reports coming out of France today about Paris-Roubaix. This morning, Le Parisien claimed the race would be postponed until the autumn after ASO was unable to convince the French authorities to allow the race during a four-week lockdown in the Hauts-de France region.
However, now, L’Équipe has suggested that this isn’t the case and that no decision has been made. Their version of events is that, even if the race seems unlikely, the authorities will not make a decision on the race until next week after a recon of the course on Wednesday, and that in the meantime ASO will continue to look for solutions to limit spectator access.
More New York content: thoughts on this clip?
Is this guy’s behavior:
🙏🏽 Good and Necessary
💉 Bad but Necessary
👀 Good but Unnecessary
🥃 Bad and Unnecessary pic.twitter.com/F9bWl640G6— Anjan (@HeyAnjan) March 21, 2021
He certainly chose the right name. This video from Angry Biker on TikTok has got people talking. Is he in the right? Unnecessarily aggressive? Both at the same time?
It reminded us of this cyclist who used a car horn to let pedestrians know he was coming on the Brooklyn Bridge…
Sam Bennett wins Oxyclean Classic Brugge-De Panne, Adam Yates dominates in Catalunya
Bennett houdt Philipsen en Ackermann af in de sprint en wint de Oxyclean Classic Brugge-De Panne pic.twitter.com/wVd9rSuagN
— Sporza 🚴 (@sporza_koers) March 24, 2021
Grass is green, water is wet, Sam Bennett wins bike races…The Irishman bagged his fifth win of the season, beating Jasper Philipsen and Pascal Ackermann at the end of a long, flat day in Belgium. The form’s clearly good ahead of Gent-Wevelgem this weekend where the 30-year-old will look for his first major one-day race victory.
In Catalunya, Adam Yates was also in imperious form, winning the summit finish at Valter 2000 comfortably and taking the leader’s jersey in the process. Yates’ former teammate, Esteban Chaves, was second with Alejandro Valverde third. A late attack from Geraint Thomas powered him clear of the peloton and a flagging João Almeida.
A masterclass from Adam Yates 🙌
Another day, another stage win for @INEOSGrenadiers at #VoltaCatalunya100 pic.twitter.com/nGWmIk1MC1
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) March 24, 2021
Shut up chain! Jens Voigt partners with Silca
Jens Voigt is Silca’s new spokesperson and partner for 2021. The former pro, famous for his ‘shut up legs’ line, is the new face of the lube brand on a mission to stop squeaky chains. Silca’s Secret Chain Blend Hot Wax claims to be the lowest friction and lowest wearing chain lubricant of any type ever tested.
“We knew from developing the product that it was freakishly quiet,” Josh Poertner, CEO of Silca said. “If you put it on an indoor trainer like a Wahoo for instance, it’s silent. There’s no noise, it’s sort of magical. It’s like noise cancelling headphones without the headphones. From the very beginning of testing even before we launched the product, I had this vision of Jens saying ‘Shut Up Chain!’”
"As soon as a rider succeeds, people think doping is behind it": Marc Hirschi explains delayed start to the season
Marc Hirschi has spoken out about his delayed start to the season and told L’Équipe he is “learning to live” with speculation and suspicion surrounding his departure from Team Sunweb (now DSM). Hirschi was one of the breakthrough stars of 2020, winning a stage of the Tour (pictured above) before extending his run of form to the rescheduled Ardennes Classics and World Championships where he won Flèche Wallonne and was on the podium at the UCI World Championships Road Race.
Hirschi said: “In cycling, there’s nothing you can do. As soon as a rider succeeds, people think doping is behind it. I’m learning to live with that. I’m trying to accept that there will always be critics. It’s the same for other riders, like Tadej Pogačar. To keep that at bay, I’m working with a mental coach who doesn’t have anything to do with cycling, who helps me to get away from that stress. I’ve been working with him for a few seasons, it’s a bit of an experimental collaboration. He’s become a friend and I call him in the moments when I think I need it.”
The Swiss rider left Sunweb abruptly in early January with both parties signing a non-disclosure agreement. He had been expected to debut for his new team at the UAE Tour and the Boucles Drôme Ardèche but dropped out due to a wisdom tooth extraction and a hip issue.
*Pinned post* How New Yorkers deal with cars parked in bike lanes
The hero we need. pic.twitter.com/5Ft2sh31bB
— Claudia (@claudianvm) March 23, 2021
No messing about here, just get the forklift and move the car out the way. Aside from almost running his mate over as he reverses, this video has gone down well with the common reaction being how can we get one where I live?
Active travel supporting accounts from as far as San Francisco, the Netherlands, Dublin and Germany were envious about the New Yorker’s no nonsense approach to clearing the cycle lane…
Out of curiosity, how many forklifts do you have, @DubCityCouncil? 👀 https://t.co/eVaWnIvBtQ
— Dublin Commuter Coalition (@DublinCommuters) March 23, 2021
Dealing with cycle-lane parkers – New York Style. ANy chance of one of these on The Slade @OxfordshireCC ? https://t.co/j5wZTeNrYb
— Oxfordshire Cycling (@OxonCyclingNet) March 23, 2021
24 March 2021, 09:01
24 March 2021, 09:01
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Latest Comments
@ grumpyoldcyclist I had a reply from the BBC last year on this issue when it reported someone knocked down by a Surron-style bike as having been hit by an ebike, they acknowledged they were mistaken and changed the wording in the story, so you never know.
@Chris RideFar Better tell the 75kg Matthieu Van der Poel that...I have a Fizik Antares that came with my bike when I bought it secondhand (it previously belonged to a Paralympic gold medallist who fulfilled all your criteria), I'm 85kg, ride fifteen hours a week, don't have an aero position (saddle is only 8cm higher than stem) and very definitely don't push 300W for most of the day and it's the most comfortable saddle I've ever had. It's a very personal decision of course and won't suit everybody but too many people are put off pro racing saddles because they think, as you say, they're only for pro level riders when they could suit perfectly.
Just call them electric motorbikes, or e-motorbikes. Stick a battery in a car and your still a motorist, but stick a battery in a motorbike and suddenly you're a cyclist - why?
Note: These saddles might not work for you if you don't meet all of these requirements: A. Ride at least 30 hours per week. B. Have a minimal amount of your weight on the saddle because 1) your bars are super-low for maximum aerodynamics, 2) you're pushing 300+ watts into the pedals most of the day, 3) you weigh at most 65 kg. If these things aren't true for you, then you should ignore what saddles pro' riders are using and find something that's more appropriate for your type of riding style, frequency and physique.
The last competitive cycling event I entered also happened to be a warm-up for the Paris Paralympics for Sarah Storey. She had the quickest time in a 10-mile time trial. It's fair to say I didn't trouble the leaders' board (something of an understatement...). A legendary athlete. I'd have Pogačar, though, obvs!
@ktache Sickening, ain't it? Someone should take him aside and say look mate, you're already pretty much guaranteed GOAT status, do you have to be the coolest and seemingly one of the nicest as well? Didn't go to my predictions today, anyway, I thought he and Jonas would summit Tourmalet together and then Pogacar would take maybe 25-30 seconds on the final climb. He's unpredictable in his predictability, shall we say!
It may be a little predictable, but he is magnificent. He even looks good in white shorts...
This is an expensive vacuum flask, and as a water purification system, it's a non-starter compared to: https://www.pureclearfilters.co.uk/filters/ This also deals with viruses
@GravelIsNothingNew Just finished watching the whole stage today flag to flag, really enjoyed seeing Pogacar showing us how he thinks winning is irrelevant. Definitely couldn't have cared less about winning, no sir.
Unfortunately while we (probably) know what he means, technically if " BBC amends the language in the article so that it refers to ‘illegal e-bikes’ throughout, rather than just ‘e-bikes’ "... ... then they'll still be inaccurate. As (last I checked) it's the use of the machines for riding anywhere other than on private land that is illegal *. ... although that might be good propaganda? Certainly I wouldn't mind at all if there was also more done to steer sellers away from flogging them to the public with nothing but possibly a warning buried on page 94 of the manual. * That is, without them being type-approved. And then assuming that's done and they fall under the motorbike rules getting a suitable licence (driver would need to be old enough), insurance, paying any tax, then riding them *only* in accordance with those rules eg. only on (some) roads always wearing a suitable helmet and having the machine pass MOTs as required ... is this right? Obviously you could still legally use them as eg. a paperweight most places...
21 thoughts on “How New Yorkers deal with parked cars in the bike lane; Conflicting reports about Paris-Roubaix being postponed; Shut up chain; Adam Yates gets first win for Ineos; Rapha’s A Day in Hell; Mystery artist’s floral bikes; New kit + more on the live blog”
I wonder if he was clearing
I wonder if he was clearing the bike lane…. or clearing the entrance to the building being as the video ends as he seems to be going forward into it. Especially as that isn’t a bike lane as such.
“Ian Whitmore, Product
“Ian Whitmore, Product Developer at Vel, says: “Our wheel range is designed to cater for every kind of cyclist”
…unless you’re using rim brakes that is.
Indeed, they look good…
Indeed, they look good… well specced and cheaper than the Prime RR50 Black Edition too. Would have been seriously interested in their 50mm set except for the fact I have rim brakes!
Not a cycle-lane parker, but
Not a cycle-lane parker, but shared-path plonker I encountered today.
Despite slowing to a walking pace and patiently waiting for a large HGV to go by and the path to widen a bit before politely ringing my bell and asking to go past, I got a mouthful from this ‘delightful’ old lady telling me to get on the road as she ‘feels this is more of a footpath’. Nice. Not really sure I can do anything more than just ignore this selfish person and crack on.
I’m guessing they were a
I’m guessing they were a party of three walking together taking up all the path with no consideration for other people. The others were fine but she decided it was not on.
Yep, they were. There was a
Yep, they were. There was a jogger behind me that got a bit held up by this too. I wondered afterwards if she would have had a go at the jogger?
edit: there were so many people out in groups today I thought it might have been the day restrictions were relaxed, so just checked and it’s not until the 29th! So, had they not been illegally meeting up as a group of 3, there wouldn’t have been a problem – the cheek of it!
Is that the Olney bridge?
Is that the Olney bridge? Absolutely terrible. If you’re coming in to town the shared path comes to an abrupt halt just beyond the bridge so you’re better off on the road except for the fact that the drivers will close pass you just to ensure that they get in to town before you. That is of course despite the fact that 90% of the time I can keep up with traffic going through town. Last week, at that very point, I had an i10 close pass me whilst leaning on their horn and traffic coming towards them. Going out of town on the Road nearly as bad as drivers accelerate in to the 40mph zone.
Yep it’s Olney bridge. I hate
Yep it’s Olney bridge. I hate this bit. You get abused on the road for not being on the cycle path, had 2 incidents recently that were bad enough for a police report. Going through Emberton Park is no fun either if busy. I really try to avoid leaving town this way if I think it’s going to be packed with pedestrians – but it really wasn’t today, mid-week, weather not great. Can’t win!
There’s a lady that does
There’s a lady that does bicycle deliveries around town. ReSync Deliveries. This clip gives you some idea of how bad it is.
IanMK wrote:
How did I not know about this! Sounds like a great idea, thanks for the link.
I did flinch as she rode closely past those parked cars as you come off the bridge – I had a door thrown open in front of me there a couple of days ago, but thankfully I was in the middle of the lane, so no problem. It was a Toyota GT86 – a surprisingly long door when fully extended!
Yeah, she has a facebook page
Yeah, she has a facebook page “ReSync Deliveries of Olney”.
Quote:
Are ‘feelings’ and opinions legally binding, now?
[/quote]
Are ‘feelings’ and opinions legally binding, now?
[/quote]
To completely misquote one of my favourite Bill Hicks lines…Having feelings is great but please don’t cherish and share them like they’re the truth.
IanMK wrote:
Are ‘feelings’ and opinions legally binding, now?
— HoarseMann
To completely misquote one of my favourite Bill Hicks lines…Having feelings is great but please don’t cherish and share them like they’re the truth.— IanMK
That man was a goddamn prophet.
I had to search to find the relevant quote:
And here’s one for free:
HoarseMann wrote:
Have you tried the Angry Biker approach?
There is a certain age group
There is a certain age group and gender that are obsessed with bells and passive aggressive comments. Even when I slow down to politey pass. Especially the ones who have dogs off the lead. I’ve literally been told ‘this isn’t a cycle path’ within 10 metres of a blue sign saying it is, on a newly paved trail that was paid for with ‘Chris Boardman’ money. I am not interested in crashing into you dog either love, perhaps you shouldn’t ask surprised and panicked when a cyclist appears on a mixed use route. The real problem is they think because a cyclist doesn’t come along for 5 minutes that we won’t be coming and the path is for their exlusive use.
One berk walking with his family calls out to his dog (off the lead) just as I am approaching, and instead of continuting to safety snuffly in the verge it darts back to them right in front of my wheel. Just the worst. Roads are nice but not always were I want to go.
Not nice – usual ignorance on
Not nice – usual ignorance on display!
TBH I didn’t even know that was still a shared path all the way down there. It goes a bit wonky around Emberton so I always just use the road but take more space than the delivery lady in the video. Going the other way from Emberton I have always found the path full of thorns etc so avoid anyway.
it’s covered in thorns at the
it’s covered in thorns at the moment – runs well when they haven’t been trimming the hedges though
Re: New York Cyclist. I’m
Re: New York Cyclist. I’m assuming it is a parody of what a car driver does when around cyclists in the same space. It must be.
Anyone know what the law is
Anyone know what the law is for cycle paths in the US – do Jay-walking rules apply?
The sections with seats right next to the cycle path looks like very poor design.
Angry and agressive bike lane
Angry and agressive bike lane guy… well, it is New York.
I’ve not been there but I have a strong impression that’s how you need to be there. I loved the sarcasm, I sometimes do the same but in a much more subtle way. I particularly liked “The sidewalk is on your right!”