“Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a protected bike lane and force cyclists to use the pavement”: Why don’t cyclists use the cycle lane? Because there’s a school bus driver sleeping in it; Wout’s worlds U-turn + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“Before she went out training, I told her to be careful. She said to me: ‘Dad, we are always careful. It’s the others who have to be careful around us cyclists, because they don't understand the risks they take’”
> “The roads aren’t dangerous, drivers who don’t respect others’ lives are”: Anger and calls for road safety reform, education in “Wild West” Italy after teenage racing cyclist killed by overtaking motorist during training ride
MVDP vs WVA is on! Wout van Aert makes surprise U-turn on cyclocross world championships decision, setting up Liévin battle with eternal rival Mathieu van der Poel
The final – or so we thought at the time – cyclocross showdown of the winter between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert ended almost as soon as it began in Maasmechelen on Saturday.
Van Aert, riding only his fifth ‘cross race of a truncated season, was forced to overcome an early collision with the course fencing at the Belgian World Cup event, before making his way back up to, and even overhaul, world champion Van der Poel on the first lap – only to hit the muddy deck on a steep descent.
As the rainbow jersey disappeared into the distance, his 100 per cent record for the winter secure, Van Aert was forced to settle for second.
But that brief, fleeting battle with his eternal rival, undone by a stroke of misfortune, appears to have lit a spark in the Visma-Lease a Bike star.
Because, after months of insisting that he wasn’t going to ride this year’s cyclocross world championships – in order to prioritise his recovery from the knee injury suffered at the Vuelta and prepare properly for a full-blooded spring classics campaign – last night, Van Aert performed a shock U-turn and announced he’ll be lining up in Liévin on Sunday after all.
Yes, that’s right – Van der Poel versus Van Aert at the worlds is on.
“We’re thrilled to announce that Wout van Aert will compete in the cyclocross World Championships this Sunday!” the 30-year-old’s Visma-Lease a Bike team said in a statement.
“Motivated by his passion for the sport, Wout expressed his strong desire to be on the start line. After careful discussions, we fully support his decision and can’t wait to watch him give it his all at the worlds.”
“I’m feeling good, and my winter has gone well,” Van Aert, who will be aiming for his fourth elite world cyclocross title in northern France next weekend, said.
“The World Championships only recently came into my mind and after Maasmechelen the Belgian team coach, my coach at Team Visma-Lease a Bike, and I decided to compete.
“I am excited to start in such a beautiful race, and I think that this extra boost is doing me good in the lead-up to bigger goals on the road. Obviously, the preparation has been very different, but I’ll give it my best.”
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
While the last-minute decision is something of a surprise, given Van Aert’s indications that his 2025 preparations have been focused almost entirely on a successful spring classics season, Belgian national coach Angelo De Clercq had tellingly only named eight of his nine riders for the elite men’s race, leaving the door open for his country’s superstar attraction.
After going head-to-head on Sunday with Van der Poel – who is aiming for a record-equalling seventh world title, and looks ominously fresh after recovering from the broken ribs he suffered last month, taking back-to-back wins at Maasmechelen and his home race Hoogerheide at the weekend – Van Aert will kick off his road season at the Clásica Jaén Paraiso Interior on 17 February.
The 30-year-old will then ride the Volta ao Algarve later that week as part of his build-up for Belgian Opening Weekend.
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
“Wout is a true cyclocross enthusiast. He indicated that he wanted to race. We discussed it, weighed everything together, and as a team, we fully support Wout,” Visma’s head of performance Mathieu Heijboer said in a statement.
Whatever the thought process behind it, Van Aert’s late U-turn – after months of denials – means cyclocross fans could be treated to a cracker on Sunday, between two of the sport’s greatest ever stars. Can’t wait.
“… Then what?” Pointless cycling infrastructure of the week
Are we sure this isn’t just a cyclocross course? And that the sign isn’t just a tactical suggestion?
In the comments, Joe suggested an update to the curious signage: “Cyclists dismount… and remount a mountain bike.”
To be honest, that would make more sense than what’s currently there.
“I made a stupid decision in the heat of the race and regret it a lot”: Lidl-Trek’s Juan Pedro López apologises after being booted off Tour Down Under for series of super sticky bottles from neutral service motorbike
As former Ineos rider Jhonatan Narváez started life in UAE Team Emirates colours in some style, beating Oscar Onley on Willunga Hill to tee up the overall victory at the Tour Down Under, Lidl-Trek’s Juan Pedro López was busy staking an extremely early claim for the stickiest sticky bottle (or bottles) of 2025:
Sticky, sticky, sticky…
The Spaniard’s multiple (and rather brazen) prolonged tows from the Shimano neutral service motorbike duly earned him a disqualification from the Australian stage race for “irregular feeding” by the commissaires, along with a 500 Swiss Franc fine and a 100 UCI points deduction.
Taking to social media after the stage, the 2024 Tour of the Alps winner apologised for his unrelenting grip on Shimano’s neutral service bottle.
“I want to say sorry to everyone for my action yesterday. I made a stupid decision in the heat of the race and regret it a lot. I take responsibility for my mistake and will learn from it,” López said.
But hey, look on the bright side. It’s nice to see Shimano helping out a Sram-sponsored team, eh?
You know it’s been a muddy one at the cyclocross when you’re forced to jetwash the GOAT
Last year, we published a feature asking experts from the bike industry that age-old question: Is it safe to use a pressure washer on your bike?
While his analysis of the pros and cons of spraying your bike clean was typically thorough, our tech editor Mat, however, seemingly forgot to ask the experts one other crucial, albeit rather more niche, question…
Is it fine to use a pressure washer to hose down the greatest bike rider of all time after a particularly muddy day at the cyclocross?
Yes, that’s right. After finishing 13th at Maasmechelen on Saturday, eight-time world cyclocross champion (and everything else besides) Marianne Vos opted for the bus-side al fresco shower approach, favoured by pro bike mechanics around the world, to blast away an hour’s worth of Belgian mud and grime.
I really hope Visma-Lease a Bike’s washers at least have a lukewarm setting. I’m shivering just watching that video. Or maybe we’re witnessing the latest cutting-edge post-race recovery technique, and Vos is actually having an all-in-one clean and ice bath? I wouldn’t put it past Visma.
Oh, and cue the ‘You wouldn’t see the best footballers in the world being hosed down like that, cyclists are super tough’ comments…
Anyway, our very own Jo Burt has a few more original observations up his comic sleeve, regaling the road.cc office this morning with this corker:
‘What shampoo do cyclocross riders use to wash their hair? Marianne Vo5.’
He’ll be here all week, folks…
Is your boss nagging you about needing too many sick days? Try cycling to work instead – because he’ll never be able to catch you in his car (Sorry Dan, what did you say the study was about?)
> Cycle to work and you’ll need fewer sick days, new study suggests — as researchers find “further reasons for employers to encourage” cycling
“Beryl is very much part of the area and has no plans to leave”: Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council insists hire bike scheme is “integral” part of travel plans, after Beryl pulls out of nearby area due to lack of demand
Last week, you may remember, we reported on the live blog that hire bike company Beryl is set to pull out of the east Dorset area at the end of February, citing low demand for the scheme in an area where “many people are riding their own bikes”
On Wednesday, Dorset Council confirmed that their partnership with Beryl – an extension of the ongoing, successful hire bike scheme run by Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council – will come to an end next month in West Parley, Colehill, Wimborne, and Ferndown.
According to the council, Beryl’s decision was a purely commercial one, with the service, first started in August 2022, simply not attracting enough customers to use the green hire bikes, and riding their own instead – news that was greeted with glee by a section of Dorset’s motoring community, who claimed the “trip hazard” bikes “blight our pavements”.
But while some of these drivers called for Beryl’s withdrawal to be extended across the region and into Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole, this morning BCP Council insisted that the hire bike provider has no plans to leave, after becoming “an integral part of the area’s transportation landscape”.
In a statement, the local authority said the scheme has been a success across the conurbation and is continuing to grow in popularity.
Since its introduction in 2019, Beryl bikes have been used for 2.34 million journeys in the BCP Council area, accounting for over five million miles.
“Beryl is very much part of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area and has no plans to leave,” Andy Hadley, BCP’s portfolio holder for climate change, environment and energy said.
“The scheme has been very successful, and residents and visitors will be able to enjoy Beryl bikes and e-scooters well into the future.”
According to Beryl, user surveys show a significant shift towards active travel since the scheme was introduced, with hire bike trips displacing over 400,000 car, van, taxi, or motorbike journeys and removing more than 2.72 million vehicle kilometres from BCP’s road network, saving 294 tonnes of carbon so far.
Meanwhile, BCP’s partnership with Beryl has recently been extended until 2028 and includes plans to expand to 800 pedal bikes, 750 e-bikes, and 500 e-scooters, distributed across more than 400 parking bays throughout the area.
“Beryl impacts include more people returning to cycling, jumping on a bike more often, and making fewer journeys by car or van, creating capacity for those who need to drive,” Hadley said.
Photo of the weekend: The Flying Dutchman
Super Van der Poel soars through the air (and kicks out the back wheel as part of a nice display of showboating) in Hoogerheide yesterday, on his way to win number seven from seven races during a staggeringly dominant winter for the Dutch superstar:
Hang it in the Louvre.
Pro-level pedals for under £100?
> Will these new Look Keo-compatible pedals deliver pro-level performance for under £100? Plus cool things from Merida, Santini, Northwave + Madison
“It was like having a dead leg, I thought nothing of it at the time”: Cyclist who underwent double leg amputation after first noticing pain during bike ride joins awareness campaign
A cyclist who lost both his legs, after first detecting fatigue and pain in one during a bike ride, has joined a campaign aiming to raise awareness of preventable amputations.
The project AmpuNATION aims to highlight how many of the 3,000 amputations which take place in the UK each year are preventable, many of them resulting from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), or diabetes.
Karl Sweeney, a cyclist who also enjoys hiking and running, first experienced fatigue in his right leg while cycling near his home in Wallington, Sutton, in 2021.
“I was around three miles from home, when my thigh felt fatigued, so I just rested it for a second,” he told Surrey Live as part of the campaign.
“It was like having a dead leg, but I thought nothing of it at the time. But the following Monday as I was going to work, I had this horrible fatigue in my left leg.”
After seeking treatment through multiple hospital appointments – which his solicitors argue saw his “horrifying” condition “brushed under the carpet” for months – a blockage in his artery was eventually discovered. This led to stent surgery in the aim of improving blood flow to the leg, a common treatment for those with PAD, a form of cardiovascular disease usually caused by the build-up of fatty deposits in the walls of the leg arteries.
However, despite the surgery, Karl began to develop symptoms in his left foot, leading to his leg being amputated from the knee down in February 2023.
“My toes were turning numb on my left foot, and couldn’t get any feeling back. I went to the doctors and saw a few different practitioners, but there was nothing they could do, so they had to amputate,” he said.
The, during his rehabilitation, Karl began experiencing pain in his right leg, leading to its amputation last summer.
“It was a massive shock, but I had resigned myself to the fact that I would need the amputation because of the condition of my leg, and it was really painful,” he said.
“Then as I am recovering from the left leg the right one had problems and I had to start all over again.”
> Double amputee doctor says if she can cycle to work anyone can
While remaining positive about the future, Karl says he hopes taking part in the AmpuNATION project will increase awareness that could lead to earlier intervention and diagnosis for those with cardiovascular diseases.
According to research conducted at the University of Leicester, the 80 per cent of amputations could be prevented with earlier intervention, while the NHS could save £8 million a year if the percentage of major lower limb amputees with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia was reduced from 10 per cent to three per cent.
“Losing both legs has been a life-altering journey, and going through it during the pandemic only made it harder. With the right information and support earlier on, I could have been better prepared,” Karl, who said he aims to return to cycling and hiking in the near future, added.
“I hope that by sharing my experience, I can help others facing amputation know what to expect and the tools that have helped me to support me in this transition.
“I took part in this campaign as I wanted to raise awareness of the risks of these procedures. If it helps just one other person, I will be happy. I had no idea that this could happen to me. Greater awareness is needed if we’re going to help others and bring about change.”
All eyes on the worlds (through muddy glasses) for in-form Backstedt
Most convoluted local newspaper anti-cycling headline of the year so far? Surrey Live reports on study assessing which sports help you live longer – and claims “cycling isn’t one of them”
By now, we’re all well used to local newspapers and publications shoehorning cycling into headlines, in a bid to attract those sweet, sweet, ire-fuelled clicks.
But this one, from Surrey Live, surely takes the biscuit.
Yesterday, the online news site published a story summarising a study conducted by a team of neuroscientists from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow, which assessed the links between six different sports and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality risk.
The study, which followed the lives of 80,306 adults across England and Wales for over a decade, considered physical activity level, demographic factors, health conditions, and lifestyle in a bid to determine, in a nutshell, what sports can help you live longer.
And, according to the researchers, they observed a “significant reduction” in mortality in those who enjoyed swimming, racket sports, and aerobics. Racket sports in particular were associated with a 47 per cent reduction in death from any cause, compared to those who weren’t as fond of badminton or tennis.
No significant reductions in all-cause mortality, however, were observed for participation in cycling, football, or running.
Interesting stuff. So how did Surrey Live spin this decade-long study?
By opting for the headline: ‘People live longer by doing certain sports – but cycling isn’t one of them.’ No mention of football or running, just cycling. Typical.
Anyway, the site’s rather blunt headline only serves to obscure the nuances in the study, which noted that racket sports tend to encourage greater adherence to physical exercise, creating a positive impact on the health and mood of those taking part.
Focusing on the benefits of racket sports, lead researcher Daniel Amen said: “They live longer than everyone else because what coordination does is that it activates your cerebellum, 10 per cent of the brain volume in the back, and it is half of the neurons in the brain. If you activate that, you turn on the rest of your brain.”
But will they end up with fewer sick days? That’s the real question…
Six cyclists hit by driver in major Mallorca collision, three riders seriously injured
Horrible images from Mallorca this morning:
> Six cyclists hit by driver in major Mallorca collision, three riders seriously injured
“It can only make the world championships more beautiful”: Mathieu van der Poel relishes Wout van Aert showdown at cyclocross world championships
Wout van Aert’s last-minute decision to ride this weekend’s cyclocross world championships in Liévin has been welcomed by the very man the Belgian is aiming to unseat as the sport’s dominant force.
Reigning world champion Mathieu van der Poel is aiming for a seventh cyclocross rainbow jersey in northern France on Sunday – a feat that would bring him level with all-time record holder Erik De Vlaeminck, who secured his seventh world title in 1973 – but believes the presence of his biggest rival will only add to the sense of occasion.
“A world championships with or without Wout is always different,” Van der Poel told Het Nieuwsblad today.
“It can only make the championships more beautiful, for the fans, too. And you never know with Wout. I have to keep him in mind, just like I do other riders.”
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Van Aert and Van der Poel’s rivalry – which started in the youth ranks and extends from the ‘cross field to the cobbled bergs of the road classics – has arguably helped define the past decade of the sport.
They’ve shared nine cyclocross world titles between them (Van Aert’s three to Van der Poel’s six), and since 2015 have stood together on the podium at the ‘cross world championships six times.
However, Van Aert – who has opted for a truncated cyclocross season this year to properly prepare for the road – knows it will take an almighty effort to dislodge his Dutch rival, who has appeared imperious throughout his unbeaten season, and admits he is now “close to the best version of myself” after overcoming a rib injury suffered at the Loenhout ‘cross last month.
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
“The race has to be ridden,” he insisted nevertheless.
“There are a few names I am keeping in mind. Thibau Nys is someone who can excel at world championships, Michael Vanthourenhout as well And now there is Wout.”
And that rainbow record?
“It’s a record that I can equal next Sunday,” the 29-year-old said. “It’s been in the books for a long time, so that means something. It’s something unique, but for me, the most important thing is that I become world champion again.”
While Van der Poel remains the big favourite for Sunday, the Belgian camp – now with Van Aert firmly entrenched – are cautiously optimistic about their chances now, too.
“There are a number of scenarios that you can name and with Wout, you have an extra iron in the fire. You have someone who is really a leader,” national coach Angelo de Clercq told Wielerflits.
“He never really went there as a title favourite, but he still got to wear that rainbow jersey three times. So he is a contender, but Mathieu is the big favourite.”
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
However, the organiser of this weekend’s world championships in northern France has a very different outlook on things.
“This is a course where you can perfectly ride alone. You have to choose your own pace, otherwise you will quickly blow yourself up. The two steps can also play a role, because they are quite high. The strong runners can take advantage of that,” Mickaël Lemardele said in an interview with the Dutch cycling site.
“If I have to name one potential winner? This course is perfect for Wout van Aert.”
Sunday could be very interesting, indeed.
“Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a protected bike lane and force a cyclist to use the pavement”: Why don’t cyclists use the bike lane? Because there’s a school bus driver sleeping in it
I know the good ol’ US of A has got a lot on its plate at the moment, so we were pleased to discover that they’re still more than happy to contribute to the international edition of our long-running ‘Why don’t cyclists use the cycle lanes?’ series.
This absolute classic of the blocked bike lane genre comes courtesy of New York-based social media cycling campaigner Boba Cyclist, who – while riding in a lovely two-way protected cycle lane next to a typically frighteningly American road – found her path completely blocked by a school bus, of all things.
Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a jersey barrier protected bike lane and force a cyclist to use the sidewalk
— Boba Cyclist 정 (@bobacyclist.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Upon closer inspection, Boba discovered that the bus had been planted on the bike lane, ‘protected’ from the road (and presumably buses) by a concrete Jersey barrier, so… the driver could take a quick afternoon nap at the wheel.
Only in America, folks.
“This is great,” Boba can be heard sighing as she makes her way onto the snowy, icy footpath and around the snoozing Otto Mann wannabe. Now that’s an understatement.
> Why don’t cyclists use cycle lanes?
“Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a jersey barrier protected bike lane and force a cyclist to use the sidewalk,” Boba posted on BlueSky.
“I was nervous to bike onto the kerb because it was covered in ice, and I had pannier full of big-ass hamster bedding and groceries. Was afraid I’d tip over.”
“Only downside of protected bike lanes for cyclists is that when people do park in them, it is so much harder to get around,” added Frank.
“If you have a cargo bike or a trailer, this can be a situation where you have to just turn around and find another way.”
“Someone needs to stand on the jersey barrier and blast some speed metal,” said Chris. Now there’s a suggestion.
While Otto the bus driver fully blocking a cycle lane may be the most stereotypically American thing I’ve seen in 2025 (and that’s saying something), it’s still got a long way to go to beat last January’s classically British blocked bike path story – when a stretch of cycling infrastructure in Suffolk was completely covered by a dumped pile of sugar beet, estimated to weigh 700 tonnes.
Gotta love the special relationship of blocked bike lanes.
Help us to bring you the best cycling content
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £2.49. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
28 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
@jaymack A thoughtful response to the article. Cycle campaigners seem obsessed with ever-improving infrastructure yet pay no attention to what people really think and feel, not what they claim in a survey. A while ago, my local Green party ran a pro-cycling event where they showed a documentary film made by local teenage schoolgirls to ask why hardly any of them cycled to school. The main reason? Not looking stupid in front of their cool friends or boys.
A reason many people don't own a bike is they have nowhere to keep it securely at home. Who likes having a bike in their kitchen or living room? The homes of lower income people are mostly too small and have no garage or outhouse, so where would they store bikes, particularly if there are several people living there?
@open_roads So... exactly the same as a human but there will presumably be a point where it judges it's unsafe to proceed - unlike your typical Uber driver? I genuinely do not give a shit what technology (LIDAR, radar, sonar, cameras, magic, white cane etc etc) a robocab uses, provided that it satisfies any safety case put forward by a regulator.
It would appear that going forward, the Definition Integrale version will be the only model available, meaning that electronic groupset is the only option. There’s still stock available of the Definition 3.0 as of now and I’ve just ordered one with mechanical 105 to replace my aging winter sh*tter.
This is why genuinely I only expect my front and back time stamped bike cameras to ever be used in the event of my death on the road, that is if I don't get killed as pedestrian on a crossing with these bloody taxi drivers who keep stopping on the crossing... as I'm crossing it. It seems to me someone is going to have to take extreme and over the top measures for this constant harassment to been seen as the public danger it is, I'm not saying I or anyone else should do it but it would be great to see a bad driver leave court with a conviction with the word 'kryptonite' embossed backwards on their face... just a hypothetical...
I usually wear a folding helmet - a Hedkayse ONE. What I've learnt from this report is that the Newlane with MIPS is one of the best helmets around. But that's not what the headlines say. It would be a shame if miselading headlines led to yet another folding/alternative design for commuters disappearing from the market (Hedkayse no longer make the ONE and Hovding - the airbag alternative - went bust).
I bought one of these in 2015 and I still ride it. Bought specifically for Paris-Brest-Paris (which I had just failed) and I rode this bike (successfully) in the 2019 edition. Then I changed the tyres on it to 38mm and rode North London Dirt very happily on it a couple of months later. Super versatile. The only box it fails to tick these days is the aero one, but I can live with that. I keep thinking I need a new bike and I list what I really need - fast enough, mudguards, comfortable, disc brakes and think I should buy a Defy or Synapse, then I realise I already have that bike! 15mm front axle and QR rear is a total PITA - you can sleeve the front to 12mm bit even so. Luckily it is flat-mount so there is an upgrade path on the groupset - I have upgraded groupset once and I think only the seat post is original now, but a great find from Genesis' heyday. I had a flyer about this time too and loved that as well.
@eburtthebike Well there's (at least) a third thing - we're letting too many people drive who should never have been on the roads in the first place.
@chrisonabike Something to do with existing in a liminal world between cooperation and competition where every action has multiple meanings, even to the same person, perhaps?
I have given my thoughts on this in the forum thread "Derbyshire: action on close pass reports only in “exceptional circumstances”". My first attempt with links was submitted on 30/10/26 and is STILL AWAITING MODERATION so I resubmitted replacing the links with descriptions. It is copied below : Gloucestershire Constabulary is way ahead. They never took any action on close passes but in September 2024 they started sending out advisory letters to close passers. Note that in Gloucestershire an advisory letter merely asks the driver to refresh their knowledge of the highway code and is not a warning letter. search : close-pass-isnt-offence-says-police-officer on roadcc for the article I have had action taken for a close pass since. In one I am convinced that action was taken because an oncoming driver was inconvenienced. near-miss-day-of the day 946 In the other I suspect someone on the team slipped up and the driver was sent a NIP. I was told afterwards that the driver was going to go to court to challenge the decision but changed their mind when shown the footage. near-miss-day-931 The link also shows that a very similar close pass a year later was back to advisory letters and I have had many similar outcomes since. Some on here think advisory letters are a waste of time and I agree that for some drivers it will be as water off a ducks back, but I have noticed a distinct improvement in driving around me since the policy started. I think most drivers genuinely think they have done nothing wrong but a letter from the police is a real wake up call. In answer to your question then in Gloucestershire someone has to be inconvenienced for action to be taken. Inconveniencing an oncoming driver is one possibility but having to swerve or brake to avoid being hit is another. Obviously this rarely happens with a close pass, especially those at speed which are the most dangerous, you simply don’t have time to do anything. As far as I can make out being frightened out of your skin doesn’t count as inconvenience either. They now seem to have stopped sending even advisory letters for close passes as they are short staffed.
28 thoughts on ““Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a protected bike lane and force cyclists to use the pavement”: Why don’t cyclists use the cycle lane? Because there’s a school bus driver sleeping in it; Wout’s worlds U-turn + more on the live blog”
In light of all the
In light of all the complaints Road.cc frequently receives BTL for only reviewing expensive gear, how about nipping down your local Argos and getting one of these for a review? 18 speed drop bar road bike for £89.50, I would be genuinely fascinated to know how it rides!
Rendel Harris wrote:
Changing gears looks “interesting”.
That was actually a pretty
That was actually a pretty common configuration for gearshifters on cheaper machines back in the day, goodness knows why!
Hey Rendel, not sure what era
Hey Rendel, not sure what era you’re thinking of as “back in the day” but my Reynolds 731c Orbit Gold Medal (1983) came with friction levers on the down tube! Mind you I think indexed systems were coming in by then. They might be old fashioned but I still love using those levers, now driving a 2003 triple Sora system.
Nothing to do with the actual
Nothing to do with the actual levers – my 1986 731c Road Ace had downtube shifters as well, brifters didn’t come in until 1990 for Shimano and ’92 for Campag. I was thinking more of the positioning of the levers either side of the stem where, as Richard Ballantine memorably put it, “they are perfectly positioned to rip off your crown jewels if you go over the bars in a crash.” You never saw them positioned there on medium or high end bikes but for some reason they often were on cheaper models.
Plenty of cheaper bikes in
Plenty of cheaper bikes in the 70s and 80s had stem gear levers as an alternative to down-tube levers. I think it was to maximise damage in the event of a crash.
For a little more there’s a
For a little more there’s a disc brake version with Microshift brifters here:
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1404351
Someone will still complain
Someone will still complain about the internal cable routing.
Getting MvdP on this ‘cross’
Getting MvdP on this ‘cross’ bike might even up the competition next weekend?
GCN did some stuff on a very
GCN did some stuff on a very similar looking ‘Cross’ branded bike starting back in August. They played it mostly for laughs (of course) but there was some interesting stuff about some bits being surprisingly good and others surprisingly awful.
Two of the key features are
Two of the key features are 18 and Not included…
“… Then what?” Pointless
“… Then what?” Pointless cycling infrastructure of the week
What is the infrastructure? I presume that the cycle path (probably shared-use) goes toward that sign and then turns right. In which case what is that piece of textured paving for, too?
Do we have any locals who can comment, or just a location so we can try and street-view it?
The issue here is surely that
The issue here is surely that there should be an equivalent sign for car drivers saying “Motorists get out of your car”?
I would imagine that it’s
I would imagine that it’s shared use up to the sign, and then the bit that goes off to the right is (non-shared) footway. The tactile paving is to warn pedestrians coming from the right that they may be about to encounter the hazard of, er, cyclists speeding into the hedge…
I bet this is a case of
I bet this is a case of “something was supposed to be there, but never actually materialised”, which is apparently more common than I realised.
There was a picture on a cycling Subreddit a couple of weeks ago of a series of Toucan crossings connecting two sets of pavements that cyclists weren’t actually allowed on. Turns out that one of the conditions of a new IKEA being built (that one of the pavements serviced) was a cycle path/MUP being built as well. The local authority installed the infra they were supposed to, but the lanes never actually got built. So now there are two cycling-specific crossings sat there, complete with road markings, that cyclists aren’t allowed to use.
BalladOfStruth wrote:
So, like this one (BBC) – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-67508846
It gets even better when you
It gets even better when you look at it from Maps.
Quite a good looking cycle
Quite a good looking cycle lane to get you over the M49, though…
(at least, I think that’s what it is – from the north on your map, then looping up to be adjacent to the roundabout, then heading off toward the souh east)
“Dangerous junction to get
“Dangerous junction to get safety improvements
From 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2024, cyclists were involved in 22 of the 31 collisions that happened at the roundabouts there.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9w51v18pn0o
“cycling isn’t one of them”
“cycling isn’t one of them”
Somebody with enough time and expertise needs to analyse this study for us, as it goes against many other studies which show that regular cyclists live longer.
I wonder who funded the
I wonder who funded the research?
The problem is that ‘regular
The problem is that ‘regular cyclists’ spend a lot of time interacting with people determined to ensure that ‘cyclists don’t live longer’: regular drivers
Well this is weird. This
Well this is weird. This looks very much like the study referenced, but (a) the Dr Amen quoted in the story doesn’t appear to be anything to do with it and (b) it says that four of the six sports, including cycling, were associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality (football and running weren’t).
Cardio-vascular disease mortality was not significantly reduced in those who cycled, though.
From what I can make out they
From what I can make out they counted anyone who’d done any kind of cycling at all in the last four weeks – so that could just be a pootle to the shops, whereas the other activities are more unambiguously sporting. About 10% of people were counted as cycling on that basis.
Rather surprisingly (to me anyway), 13.6% of people said they’d been swimming in that same period.
mdavidford wrote:
Pool on holiday on the Costa?
Triathlon still going strong?
Triathlon still going strong?
They found robust association
They found robust association between cycling and reduced all cause mortality as you say mdavidford.the opposite of what is reported.
They also discuss whether there is a U shaped dose response curve for cycling and cardiovascular disease, speculating that doing too little or too much cycling may be bad. They say more analysis required
Apparently Yahoo hates
Apparently Yahoo hates cycling too. Whereas in Bristol they hate football (understandable…).