“We can’t earn so lycra-clad ‘athletes’ can tootle around”: NIMBY locals thrilled by Commonwealth Games road closures; Horrendous speed bump crash during Burgos sprint; Christoph Strasser wins Transcontinental; Dreamy bike path + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Cyclist reunited with stolen bike... after mate spotted thief on train
A cyclist whose bike, worth £4,000, was stolen from outside a shop was reunited with his ride after a friend spotted a familiar-looking bicycle while travelling on a train later that day and raised the alarm.
Following the theft from outside a shop in Arnside, the thief boarded a train where they were later spotted by a friend of the victim. The eagle-eyed pal checked with the owner before raising the alarm by texting British Transport Police who met the train at Lancaster.
The Lancaster Guardian reports the suspect was arrested and passed on to South Lakes Police.
“Right place, right time,” the BTP concluded. Someone owes their mate a pint…
Trying not to jinx Transcontinental
Over 4,500km & 9 days after starting in Geraardsbergen in Belgium the #TCRNo8 non-stop, self-supporting bike race across Europe very nearly has a winner with Christoph Strasser about to arrive in Burgas, Bulgaria pic.twitter.com/PZFkNVPMr1
— Brendan Paddy (@bjpaddy) August 3, 2022
Ferry drama last night as several riders’ progress was slowed by being stuck on the wrong side of the Danube, and missing the ferry. Up ahead, and safely over the water, Christoph Strasser looks like he should be heading to victory.
There’s top-tier fashion on show too…
We seem to have found the TCRNo8 popular look. Expect to see foil warmers blanketed across A/W 2023 clothing brand ranges. Stéphane (161) at CP4#TCRNo8 pic.twitter.com/LdxBXRAoiF
— The Transcontinental (@transconrace) August 3, 2022
Please don’t give Rapha x Palace any ideas…cue Lachlan Morton surfacing with pink tin foil knees covered in ducks…
Dreamy Belgian bike paths
Astonishingly good ride between Ghent and Bruges. One of the best afternoons I’ve had on a bike. Would recommend to anyone. pic.twitter.com/JkZlJTQPNu
— Tim Cycles The Baltic Coast (@TimMcKenna01) August 2, 2022
I mean, it’s okay…but it’s no Shoreditch High Street…
What a mess Shoreditch High Street is for cycling. A disgrace a road this widely does not have protected cycle tracks pic.twitter.com/dbTQUA2wKI
— Hackney Cyclist (@Hackneycyclist) August 3, 2022
"Fast and efficient" bike washing
So how does a four-time world champion wash their bike?
Fast 💨 and efficient (kind of) Bike 🚲 wash 🧼 pic.twitter.com/wWvSbwO0j4
— Alex Rasmussen (@alexfalkeman) August 2, 2022
Filippo Ganna extends Ineos Grenadiers stay for five more years
First Aaron Ramsey, now Filippo Ganna…if you’ve no idea what I’m talking about go check out yesterday’s live blog, including a picture of Dave Brailsford proud as punch next to his new signing…yep, the Welsh international midfielder…
> Brailsford signs British star hoping for one final shot at glory… and no, it’s not Cav
Ganna has signed a deal with the team until 2027, with Rod Ellingworth hailing the news: “Filippo is one of those bike riders whose ability to generate power through the pedals is just incredible. You can never tire of watching him execute a time trial or being on the front of the bunch single handedly ripping a race apart.
Interestingly he also mentioned the techy stuff they’re Ganna do together (sorry): “To have a talent like Filippo in the team is a huge bonus to us from an equipment development point of view too. From working with him in wind tunnels, to seeing him ride on the track, it’s in part due to him that our equipment is at the level it currently is. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the coming years.”
"We can't earn so lycra-clad 'athletes' can tootle around": NIMBY locals thrilled by Commonwealth Games road closures
Nothing like a yellow jersey winner, former world champion, and pros fresh off the Tour de France racing outside your front door to light the NIMBY spirit in Facebook comments sections…
And, in fairness, there are just as many supportive comments here, and a few asking why the event couldn’t be held at the weekend? The answer to that we assume is, as is standard at the Olympics and World Championships, the road races come at the weekend meaning — for adequate rest between events — the TTs end up being mid-week affairs.
Anyway, let’s get down to why we’re here…the excited locals who just can’t wait for tomorrow’s races…
Straight in with a cracker: “The only thing that surprised me is that Wolverhampton Council hasn’t closed all the roads in Wolverhampton for months and built special extra-wide cycle lanes for the race. Funnily enough the worst congestion in Wolverhampton for months has been caused by the closure of much of Wednesfield Road at Heath Town to create sodding cycle lanes and it’s not part of the race route.
What exactly is it with Wolverhampton and bikes?” A strong start…
> “Thanks Essex, we love you, from Surrey x”: NIMBY locals love RideLondon relocation
“Lots in the news about ‘Heat or Eat’ and we can’t earn so some lycra-clad ‘athletes’ can tootle around Wolverhampton and Dudley, neither are in Birmingham.” It’s good to hear Lycra-clad again, isn’t it? We’re guessing they mean Geraint Thomas, Rohan Dennis and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio…
Superb bit of bingoing worked into the next one… “Amazing for the area, pity the cyclists training tonight ran the red light and almost wiped us out in Sedgley. If the cars stopped think they should have too.”
Refreshingly the top comment was more positive: “Lovely stuff. And great to see Wolverhampton and surrounding area getting a bit of the action for what is effectively a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
The course certainly looks ‘interesting’, Scottish hope John Archibald summed it up on his Strava recon… “Never seen a course like it. Up, down, left, right, figure eight, dual carriageway, death descent, 20 per cent bergs and more.” Good luck going down the descent at 4:25 on a TT bike…
DON'T BUY another bike until you watch THIS - Shimano Ultegra 12-speed Di2 review
Dutch Sport Tech Fund invests in Tom Pidcock's Link My Ride app
[📷: Zac Williams/SWpix.com]
Forbes reports Dutch investment firm Dutch Sport Tech Fund has invested in the community app founded by Tom Pidcock. Link My Ride will allow riders to connect with other riders, clubs and brands via a smartphone app and website. It is set to launch at the end of the year and was described as “ticking all the boxes” by Dutch Sport Tech Fund CEO Alexander Jannsen.
“As a fund, we were eager to penetrate the cycling market and community. Link my Ride stood out, ticking all the boxes; a great business model, founders, advisors, and influencers; a charitable focus, a young and ambitious team, and a cool app,” he said on the investment.
When a WorldTour race visits your hometown
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) August 3, 2022
"I'm taking on a lot, but I'm excited": Cyclist with motor neuron disease attempting 260-mile ride
A Scottish cyclist diagnosed with motor neurone disease four years ago is marking the anniversary of his diagnosis by taking on a 260-mile ride across Scotland’s five highest roads, along with a group of friends.
Davy Zyw says his health is “deteriorating” but while he still has the opportunity to ride his bike he wants to make the most of it. “I don’t know how many more chances I’ll have to do something like this again,” he told BBC Scotland.
“This challenge is difficult for a fit person let alone someone who has MND. I’m scared. It’s a step into the unknown and I’m not sure how my body will react. I’m taking on a lot, but I’m excited.”
Davy was diagnosed after returning from a snowboarding holiday in Canada. Initially presumed to be carpal tunnel syndrome, Davy’s thumb stopped working on the trip, and he kept his MND diagnosis secret for two years.
“When I was first diagnosed I didn’t think I’d be alive in four years. I wanted to live my best life rather than shouting it from the rooftops. But after two years I came out and now I’m turning this into a positive by deciding to do this cycle.”
The group, including Davy’s twin brother and friends, will have to ascend more than 5,000m of elevation and are raising money for My Name’5 Doddie.
More information and the link to donate can be found on the RideForMND website.
Horrendous speed bump crash during Burgos sprint
Wypadek na #TdP22 wyglądał źle, ale za to co miało miejsce podczas #VueltaBurgos ktoś powinien trafić przed sąd… pic.twitter.com/mP5huVSkZo
— Jakub Jarosz (@jakjarosz) August 3, 2022
Jumbo-Visma ‘pulled off’ another 1-2-3, but the result is very much an afterthought on today’s stage as a horrendous crash, caused by a speed bump in the final few hundred metres, brought several riders down.
The third Jumbo rider, believed to be David Dekker, lost his grip on the bars on impact with the speed bump and was sent flying to the tarmac at high speed. Davide Ballerini and an AG2R Citroën Team were also badly affected.
Crash for @dekkerdavid, three of our guys can continue in front.
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) August 3, 2022
In the end, Timo Roosen took the ‘win’, while everyone else was left to pick up their damaged bikes and bruised bodies. We hope for as few medical updates to this one as possible…
The ESSENTIAL Guide to Shimano Groupsets - Di2, Mechanical, Disc Brakes, Rim Brakes & More
3 August 2022, 07:54
Check out Christoph Strasser's Transcontinental-winning set-up...
What’s the best bike for tackling the Transcontinental Race across Europe? Take a look at the leaders’ continent crushing machines
Comfort vs lightweight: here’s what the best ultra-endurance riders are using to ride from Belgium to Bulgaria as fast as possible
3 August 2022, 07:54
3 August 2022, 07:54
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Latest Comments
@Mr Blackbird where can I find photos of this study? Asking for a friend.
@Gd29 I was waiting for the classic "why don't we just ban driving completely by reducing the speed limit to 5mph or 0!" argument and here it is. The statistics are very clear on the benefits of reducing the speed limit from 30-20mph. It doesn't remove bad driving but it mitigates the damage. It also makes fuck all difference to journey times. Everything with driving is risk vs reward. Sure, dropping it to 10mph would save a lot more people but it would make travel by car ridiculous and have minimal benefit vs 20mph. The reward wouldn't be worth the cost.
@Gd29 "Speed limits are an ineffective tool when the problem is drivers not driving in an appropriate manner for the conditions and environment. Those drivers weren’t following the speed limit and/or paying sufficient attention anyway!" That is a question, not an assertion. What are the relative numbers of drivers who are eg. "don't care" criminals who may never have taken a test or are happy to take life, how many are "criminally negligent" eg. may have a licence and not intend to break the law regardless, but just aren't fussed about basic safe driving (maybe regularly drive while tired, never slow down when conditions require), how many are just normal humans (who occasionally make unfathomable mistakes)? What are the relative rates of collisions? What are the casualty outcomes? What effect does simply changing a number on a sign have? If any, why? (There's the psychological "anchoring effect", if 70% of people *are* below the limit does that slow down others, do the "don't cares" maybe just overtake dangerously (but would they anyway? ) ) etc. Reduced speed is a mitigation in that it leads to better outcomes in collisions, that's a known I believe. IIRC there's also agreement that it can mean that fewer collisions happen as there's more time to react. "If that is the problem and you don’t deal with it, but you want to keep reducing injuries/fatalities, you have to keep dropping speed limits until you prohibit road use entirely" "If" (plus as noted other safety measures are available)
@Rendel Harris - I think that driver must live near me.
@Gd29 it's good to "point out potential abuse of stats - and for "keeping it concise for the public" no doubt some measure of "lies, damn lies and statistics" applies. But unless you have your own analysis / evidence, this may sound like a "just asking questions!" rhetorical tactic.
@Gd29 exactly what variables / controlled experiments would suffice to convince you, and then how would you believe that would still hold in "real world" situations? We all know there are excellent ways to stop motoring-related KSIs - one being stop humans operating vehicles) but that isn't normally seen as realistic. Then there's another "remove the hazard" approach eg. completely isolate motorists from vulnerable road users (and "footways" alone might not be sufficient, as more people are killed there most years by drivers than eg. by cyclists in total, although that fact doesn't say much ). Though that by itself doesn't address motorists killing themselves / other motorists. Currently the UK - like many countries - is mostly doing a "remove the vulnerable road users" approach, partly by design but mostly indirectly by prioritising convenience for motoring (including journey time, which is seen to involve higher speeds).
Do you really need an AI tool to tell you that 80% of a cyclist's drag is the rider or that getting in a more streamlined position you'll reduce drag etc.? Fabulous for the professional riders who use this site but for the rest of us our money would be better spent on yoga or pilates classes to help you hold a more streamlined position in the first place.
Of course drivers need to be responsible and take care but we are in danger of getting a bit high and mighty when police raise issues like this. Since the clocks went back last weekend, I have been commuting home this week in the dark for the first time this year. I am gobsmacked by the number of cyclists I see who have no lights and no reflective gear, often with no helmets either. It's common sense to take precautions and we've got our head in the sand if we pretend all cyclists are taking appropriate steps to protect themselves and others.
@mdavidford was about to ask them if they thought the law should also been changed to ban the LAs from doing that, so as to save money...
@Rendel Harris sentencing is Monday. 15 yrs minimum (not premeditated) but multiple aggravating factors. 20+ feels appropriate
31 thoughts on ““We can’t earn so lycra-clad ‘athletes’ can tootle around”: NIMBY locals thrilled by Commonwealth Games road closures; Horrendous speed bump crash during Burgos sprint; Christoph Strasser wins Transcontinental; Dreamy bike path + more on the live blog”
Lucky spot with the stolen
Lucky spot with the stolen bike. We’ve seen too many times the police won’t bother helping someone get a stolen bike back, even when they have GPS or arrange to meet the seller in a public place.
https://www.theguardian.com
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/03/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-streets-drivers-violence-oxford
Thanks. Definitely worth a
Thanks. Definitely worth a read.
As always with Monbiot.
As always with Monbiot.
P.S. : The piece linked to in the article, from 17 years ago…
https://www.monbiot.com/2005/12/20/the-anti-social-bastards-in-our-midst/
marmotte27 wrote:
That’s aged remarkably well.
AidanR wrote:
He was up there before many, if not most, others.
The problem with this article
The problem with this article, and dare I say it, many of these LTN schemes, is that they politely ignore, or demonise, the needs of those directly impeded by the schemes implementation.
To simply ignore or poo poo them is always going to cause aminosity, and the more you ignore these voices, the harder they are going to shout and the more the more extreme they will become.
I see it from both sides, and I love the idea of LTN, but doing so without addressing the cause of the issue in the first place is far from ideal.
I’ve had my eyes opened by local road works, which has crippled access to a significant industrial / commercial estate that has historically bad public transport / cycle access routes. As a commuter, you can either spend between 10-40mins going through the 1 mile works, or use a rat run. Naturally many gravitate to the rat run. These are not bad people, just people dealing with a bad situation.
For me, the order for dealing with traffic issue,s are, 1, what can be done to reduce traffic volume on struggling arterial roads (for instance, public transport improvements, better cycling access, schemes to get people on electric bikes), 2, what can be done to increase traffic flow on arterial routes, and then once both these options have been exhausted, then go for number 3, implement traffic limiting measures such as LTN’s.
Jimmy Ray Will wrote:
There’s evidence that LTNs increase the numbers of people walking/cycling in the area, so that suggests to me that implementing LTNs is part of decreasing the amount of traffic.
It’s the opposite of induced demand – if people see that there is a lot of traffic on the main routes, then they are more likely to chose a different form of transport and thus reduce the total number of large vehicles.
Jimmy Ray Will wrote:
And for the previous however-many decades road construction has deliberately ignored the needs of anyone who cannot or does not wish to drive everywhere. Consider the sheer hectrage of tarmac given over to roads and parking and just how little is left for everyone else.
Congestion is not the fault of LTNs, it’s too many people wanting to drive everywhere, all the time.
Councils should be able to provide better alternatives to car use but they can’t afford / are afraid / do not want to take that bold step. LTNs and similar pedestrianisation schemes are a small step in the right direction but the opposition is very vocal.
You can blame LTNs but the people who live in those ‘rat runs’ do not want hundreds of drivers to use it as a shortcut every hour of every day. If you don’t like queues then don’t drive, since by doing so you’re just making the queue longer. You’re worsening the pollution, the noise, the distress and fear and lots more besides.
I think there is a measure of
I think there is a measure of “you can’t get there from here”. Or at least – many people believe that. Or they believe the opposite e.g. that all objections are from the lazy / nimbys / bad actors etc.
Yes – it is more complicated. There will certainly be inconvenience, distress and cost to some. As usual the poor / those with the least power will suffer the most.
I think many people now acknowledge we do need to change our transport systems and infrastructure – for lots of different reasons. But if we do want change, then change is needed in how we do things. So we can’t fix things in the same way as before. Minor tweaks won’t do it. Keeping our assumption of motor vehicles everywhere and maximising their flow rate won’t do it. Your comment (2) about increasing arterial traffic flow might be that kind of thing? Maybe the question in response to that is “in that case, where would you like to put the congestion?”
I don’t believe it will be easy. But I also believe that we can get there from here ([1], [2]) and that some small steps are possible in the UK. Things like stopping rat-running, reducing traffic volumes and slowing some traffic. Both are moves in the right overall direction and deliver improvements on their own.
LTNs , which act to
LTNs , which act to disentangle routes, are one of the first things you should do.
disentangling reduces competition for the same road space, and naturally encourages modal shift by making walking and cycling more convenient, safer, and far more pleasant.
not just bikes covers this excellently.
BicycleDutch and David
BicycleDutch and David Hembrow also have good content on these alien landscape designs where cars and bikes travelling from A to B don’t even need to meet.
we’re sorry to say that due
we’re sorry to say that due to the heatwave conditions experienced since April the 27th public consultation on a proposedpart-time closure of Acacia Avenue has had to be postponed as the forms spontaneously combusted
I guess that was after the
I guess that was after the flash floods earlier in the year.
A drain subsequently collapsed and people moaned like hell because, well, it needed repairing, which meant roadworks. (the alternative to doing that was residents and business shitting in their own back yards, which wasn’t too popular).
Well there you go. We can’t
Well there you go. We can’t have Dutch-style cycling here in the UK because we have floods. And as people in e.g. South Holland will point out it’s also flat in The Netherlands.
But the objection to any
But the objection to any active travel proposal is almost always:
It’s a recipe for getting nothing done.
While in an ideal world there would be a strategic plan for a town or city, we need to get on and implement decent schemes even if they are not 100% perfect.
HarrogateSpa wrote:
In so far as cycling is concerned, you can get pretty close to 100% by looking at what teh Dutch do.
HarrogateSpa wrote:
exactly this. Eniugh of the piecemeal bollocks. City wide plan. Do it.
The TT course looks
The TT course looks absolutley bonkers.. maybe not in a good way either.. If that was a club course I suspect the results sheet would be a long list of results which stated either ‘off course’ or ‘DNF’.
It’s not a TT where you can look at your stem for long that’s for sure!
Well, I’ll be on Catholic
Well, I’ll be on Catholic Lane with my Camino and a big smile if anyone cares to join me. Just look out for a white beard and orange socks, lol!
I always wonder what the
I always wonder what the actual financial benefit of motorists driving through an area actually is.
These are low traffic neighbourhoods, not no traffic neighbourhoods so you can always drive to a shop inside a LTN and, if anything, find it easier to abandon your vehicle in the street using the blinksy orange lights of absolution whilst you stock up on fridge freezers or something else that couldn’t possibly be carried home or delivered any other way.
One of the biggest
One of the biggest impressions that Amsterdam left on me was the thriving small businesses along the main tram and cycle routes. When the trams are every 5 minutes it is easy to jump off, pop to a shop and jump on the next one along or on the bike it is easy to park and pop in. In the car you would think about finding parking, decide it was too much trouble and just buy whatever it is online.
would imagine that businesses in LTNs will actually see an improvement in business as people who can easily enter their premesis will feel more comfortable being nearby. I would love to see some data though if it exists.
2018 – academic paper –
2018 – academic paper – effect of cycle infra on new business in London: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6301709/
2016 – From the DfT – general “value of cycling” including ecomonic benfits: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-value-of-cycling-rapid-evidence-review-of-the-economic-benefits-of-cycling
Various publications from TfL (your mileage may vary!): https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/economic-benefits-of-walking-and-cycling
I think there is a fair bit out there (including EU stuff) for a quick google. It’s a regular trope in discussions – that doesn’t mean it’s true of course. I think the bigger problem is that the benefits are broadly distributed and some are in “savings”. Compare that with motor transport which definitely puts huge sums of money into a more limited range of pockets. (However there are very large “infrastructure” costs. We do count some of those but there are lots of “negative externalities” which means “it’s bad so we’re not looking”).
You mean all those “All the
You mean all those “All the shops will close if they put in a cycle lane” stories aren’t true? I, for one, am flabbergasted.
eburtthebike wrote:
You – and the Dutch, in 1975. Shopkeepers in The Hague were up in arms about one, it was planter-demolition-level stuff. There was argy-bargy for several years and plans for a long “route” were pretty much scrapped.
So as long as we actually start now we should be OK in about 47 years.
please advise anyone “trapped
please advise anyone “trapped in their homes” by the time trial
Someone was telling me just
Someone was telling me just the other day how he had been “locked in my own home” during the 2019 World Champs in Harrogate.
He was not locked in his own home. There were some road closures which may have been inconvenient for him.
The Black Country is the area
The Black Country is the area that Birmingham looks down on for being backward and with a weird accent. I’m surprised the internet stretches as far as Wolves.
And for Brummies to look down
And for Brummies to look down on something takes some doing 😉
After all, “Alright” can be a complete (and lengthy) conversation, as I discovered in Erdington when I first moved there in ’81.
Has anybody seen my camel?
Well we sent you to Coventry
Well we sent you to Coventry so…….
It actually looks like the TT
It actually looks like the TT lap has more elevation then the RR lap.
Quick strava attempt at the route shows about 600m of climbing on that lap for the mens TT course and 128 metres for one lap of the road race circuit.