16-year-old arrested after cyclist’s altercation with four car occupants; Pimlico Plumbers edit “cycle fascists” rant; Islington protest against LTNs; ‘Road rat’ Facebook post backfires; Everesting record smashed (plus bike check) + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Everesting record smashed again, this time by over 20 minutes
After Alberto Contador broke the record earlier this month in a time of 7:27:20, it’s now been blown out of the water by 33-year-old Irishman Ronan Mc Laughlin in a time of 7:04:41. Mc Laughlin isn’t a full time professional cyclist, but raced for Ireland at the 2012 Road World Championships and for the An Post/Sean Kelly/Chain Reaction team between 2008 and 2013.
Is a sub-7 hour clocking on the cards? We probably won’t have to wait long at this rate…
Should e-bike speeds be increased?
A petition is steadily gaining support that calls for UK law on e-bike speeds to be brought in line with the US, where larger motors are permitted that cut out at speeds of 20mph (32.18kph). Full story on eBikeTips.
Pimlico Plumbers publish article describing "cycle fascists whining about their precious road space"
To all the cycle fascists and their TFL pals who think they know how to run my business: https://t.co/s2B8yAePtH pic.twitter.com/hkkPRst4Y0
— Pimlico (@PimlicoPlumbers) July 30, 2020
Why the hell would you tweet something as asinine as this? And I’m your customer! You obviously want me to swap my bicycle for a 4×4, because that’s really going to reduce traffic.
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) July 30, 2020
I am one of your customers and I will never use your business again.
— Jo Rigby (@Jo_Earlsfield) July 30, 2020
In an, erm, ‘bold’ move that appears to have ruffled a couple of high profile feathers, the owner of the London plumbing company has took the time to commission the above image accompanied by an extraordinary rant against cycle lanes. It says:
“I’ve had enough of cycle fascists whining about their precious road space when what they really want is to run all non-cycles off the road; and I’m also sick of the bike bureaucrats who have taken over TFL, and who as we speak are painting great swathes of Central London’s roads blue, making it next to impossible to run any kind of service business.
“Businesses like mine, and many others that rely on the transport of large amounts of equipment, tools and goods about the city cannot operate on bicycles. It is a ridiculous proposition. Any fool can figure out it doesn’t work. And please don’t tell me to get a cargo bike because unless they are the size of a van or a lorry and can be made secure they are exactly as useful as a chocolate teapot.
“London is a city of commerce but that cannot continue if we hand the roads to these freeloading helmet heroes who believe they have a god given right to the roads to the detriment of all other users.
“The level of stupidity at play here is unbelievable. But then we are dealing with people who care about nobody but themeslves (sic) and where they can go, at the expense of their fellow Londoners, in their precious blue bike lanes.”
The person behind the Pimlico Plumbers Twitter account claimed they actually have “nothing against” cyclists, replying to one comment: “As a cyclist there’s no animosity towards you here & as a customer the issue is that increasingly we cannot get to you in reasonable time because of jams caused by allocation of space for cycle lanes that are often empty.”
Anyone wanna tell them?
1/ I have some sympathy with your view that focusing on commercial vehicle emissions – which comprise just 16% of land transport emissions – is a bit of a red herring, but when twice the average number of cyclists have been killed over lockdown, this comes across very crass.
— Cllr Jon Burke (@jonburkeUK) July 31, 2020
2/ You should be supportive of measures that reduce the number of private motor vehicles on our roads, which will significantly benefit socially-useful businesses like yours, emergency services, public transport, pedestrians, and cyclists.
— Cllr Jon Burke (@jonburkeUK) July 31, 2020
Pimlico Plumbers continued
Thanks for reply. Can I ask, then, who counts as “freeloading helmet heroes”? Is it just cyclists who want safer bike routes? Is it all of them. Does that include, say, kids? How often do you have to ride to become a “cycle fascist”? And why “freeloading”? I don’t get that bit.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) July 30, 2020
Do they want all the cyclists back in cars? How do you become a ‘cycle fascist’? Questions questions…
Rouleur magazine will sell direct "to save over 1,000 kilograms of waste per issue"
The British cycling magazine say they will now sell direct to avoid the waste paper generated by seling through supermarkets and newsagents. They explain:
“Unsold copies of magazines produce a staggering amount of wasted paper. Even though we were more cautious than most on the newsstand, each time we distributed Rouleur in supermarkets and newsagents we were responsible for more than a tonne of wasted paper.
“That’s because when they don’t sell an issue, instead of sending the whole thing back – which would be expensive – the barcode is returned for a refund. Retailers usually do that by simply tearing off the cover. The rest is pulped.
“It’s a painful thing to imagine, but most importantly it’s an unnecessary wastage that we just need to stop. This crisis and the amazing support that we have received from new subscribers has given us the conviction to make this change that we have long wanted to make.
“So for the foreseeable future, aside from a handful of the best bike shops and magazine specialists, the place to buy the magazine is from Rouleur.cc.”
Cycle Surgery knock 10% off web prices before closing for good next month
After 30 years of trading, Cycle Surgery‘s last high street store in Bishops Square closed today, with the website set to cease operations on 31st August. All online sales through the month of August will come with an extra 10% discount.
Cycle Surgery said in a statement: “As the brand closes its doors for the last time, it thanks all its loyal customers for their support over the years and leaves them in the capable hands of its sister brands within the Outdoor and Cycle Concepts group.
“Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need will continue to trade and support those customers in search of quality cycling gear from the best brands by offering a small range of cycling product online. The group still prides itself on providing quality product from the best brands, alongside friendly service delivered by passionate experts.”
Cyclist attacked by youths in Derby park suffers punctured lung
Derbyshire Police are appealing for help identifying three youths after a man was left with a punctured lung following an attack in Mackworth Park.
They said in the appeal: “The 43-year-old man was cycling along the bridle path off the A38 in Mackworth Park at around 10.30pm on Thursday 23 July when he spotted three young men aged between 16 and 18 sat on a bench.
“As he cycled past the trio, two of whom were white and a third who was described as mixed-race with an afro hairstyle, one of the group reached out and grabbed the handlebars of the bike causing to him to fall from his bike.
“The man managed to ride home but eventually had to attend hospital where it was found he had suffered a punctured lung.”
Derbyshire Police say they are keen to speak to people who were in the area at the time or anyone who believes they know who the youths might be, and have asked those with information to include the reference 20*386474 in any correspondence.
Low Traffic Neighbourhood protest takes place: which looks like a pretty good advert for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
Upper Street is blocked right now by hundreds of protesters against Islington Council’s ‘people-friendly streets’ traffic measures. pic.twitter.com/0RDb513SB2
— André Langlois (@SeldonMoore) July 30, 2020
First time I’ve seen people campaigning for more traffic! The council is completely right to take these measures, protecting the people of Islington from pollution and danger – it’s time Londoners start using alternative, sustainable, future-proof means to get about
— Nicolas Clark (@NicolasClark) July 30, 2020
They’d probably get their point across better by protesting exclusively on the pavement and not the road 😙
Because they’re making traffic free streets look appealing
— CommuterCurd (@CommuterCurd) July 30, 2020
Protests took place in Islington yesterday against ‘people-friendly streets’ introduced by the council recently to curb pollution, make roads safer and stop rat-running drivers in residential areas.
Some noted the irony that the protests were actually a pretty good advert for people-friendly streets; however some of those against the council’s measures cite reasons such as lack of consultation, concerns about emergency vehicle access and congestion on the surrounding streets.
Rebecca Kelly told the Islington Gazette: “We’re not cabbies – I’m not even a motorist, I’m a cyclist. Those roads in East Canonbury are big enough for everyone. I don’t think they need to be exclusively for cycles. There’s no problem with social distancing down there. They’re not congested roads but the roads around them are congested.
“Why not give residents access? We’re not a cash cow.”
“It’s about pro-democracy. We weren’t given a say. There’s no impact report, impact statement, about how it affects the needs of the community. It isn’t so simple for everyone to just jump on a bike.”
Councillor Rowena Champion said the council was taking a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to improve the streets, adding: “Local people know their streets better than anyone else, and we are listening closely to the views and suggestions they have given us via our Commonplace webpage
“In addition, we will be consulting with local people 12 months into each people-friendly streets scheme to ask if they would like the measures to remain in place permanently.”
Pimlico Plumbers: blog post is toned down significantly following backlash
As a cyclist there’s no animosity towards you here & as a customer the issue is that increasingly we cannot get to you in reasonable time because of jams caused by allocation of space for cycle lanes that are often empty.
— Pimlico (@PimlicoPlumbers) July 30, 2020
Originally, the blog post talked of “cycle fascists” and was accompanied by a mocked up TfL image that said cyclists were “taking f**king liberties”, with a drawing of a cyclist struggling to carry plumbing equipment. The image has now had the text and mocked up logo removed, and the blog post is now titled: “It’s illogical to expect businesses to thrive on scraps of roadway when the blue bike-lanes are empty”. Some of the more inflammatory language (you can read it in full further down this page) is also toned down.
This comes after the Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins – who reportedly had a net worth of £70 million in 2018 – had a 40-minute telephone conversation with Carlton Reid of Forbes.com, who published an article on the blog post tirade yesterday. Mullins revealed that he instructed his PR team to craft the blog post, written in the first-person as if it was Mullins himself.
Complaining about delays his plumbers face getting to jobs, he told Forbes: “I just don’t feel that the way the TfL have dealt with it is the correct way.
…”There is no such thing as a quick journey anymore. Journeys that used to take an hour to get somewhere in London now take another half hour longer.
“You know, if you go to Park Lane or Euston road, or the Embankment, no one is using the blue (bike) lane and yet you’ve got massive traffic jams.”
The new Everesting record holder's bike is a truly intriguing mishmash
. @ronanmclaughlin has set a new everesting world record, absolutely smashing Contador’s time
Official time 7hrs 04mins 41secs. An incredible ride! Dan claims it’s because he coached Ronan 12 years ago… pic.twitter.com/XYSLLEhI0u
— GlobalCyclingNetwork (@gcntweet) July 31, 2020
As we reported this morning, Ronan Mc Laughlin has destroyed the Everesting record, taking it down to 7:04:41 from Alberto Contador’s 7:27:20 set earlier this month. As you can see on these photos shared by Global Cycling Network, Mc Laughlin’s bike was built for the job and it’s a franken-bike in every way. So far we’ve identified that he was riding a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL6 frameset with a current Campagnolo Record single chainring, previous generation Campag Super Record brake levers with a TriRig Omega X front brake and Shimano Dura-Ace C35 wheels. There’s a CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel System on the rear mech, and up front a set of 3T bars with the drops sawn off are attached to a slammed Deda stem. According to CyclingTips, Mc Laughlin also had his shifting modified so there were just three working gears.
Mc Laughlin – who still races at elite level on the national scene but now works full time as a cycling coach – was also fundraising for the Community Rescue Service, and is aiming to raise £8,848 (yep, that’s the total elevation needed to complete an Everesting attempt). He’s currently at just over £2,200, click here to donate.
'Road rat' Facebook post not going very well
The ‘Fife jammer locations’ account claimed a cyclist at the front of this group was “shouting abuse at every car that passes them”; although there’s no evidence of this from the footage.
Not only do the large number of those commenting back appear to disagree, but it’s also highlighted that the person filming has also captured a close pass that is most likely prosecutable.
President of India gifts Bianchi to schoolboy to "become an international cycling champion and realise his dream"
Motivating youth for nation-building!
President Kovind gifted a racing bicycle to a school boy Riyaz who dreams of excelling as a top cyclist. The President wished him to become an international cycling champion and realise his dream through hard work. https://t.co/LcwrPknMdf pic.twitter.com/J1pL5dsZ8P
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) July 31, 2020
It looks like President Ram Nath Kovind wants an Indian cycling champion, so has given this schoolboy a celeste-coloured helping hand to start his journey.
The President of India Twitter account added: “The bicycle delivered to Riyaz today, a day before Eid-al-Adha, comes as Eidi in true spirit of the festival that is marked by gifts given by elders to youngers. Riyaz is a student of Class 9 at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Delhi and works as a dishwasher in an eatery in Ghaziabad.
“President Kovind wished him very best in the life and said that his story should serve as worthy of emulation for the country’s youth who must come forward for nation-building by dint of their dedication, hard work, courage and honesty.”
Your bike hates you
Spotted by our news editor Simon out and about in London today. Hopefully that gaffer tape won’t melt in the sun…
Vuelta Bargos: Sam Bennett wins stage 4
4ª etapa | #VueltaBurgos
🥇 @Sammmy_Be @deceuninck_qst
🥈 @ArnaudDemare@GroupamaFDJ
🥉@Giacomonizzolo @NTTProCycling🎥 @ialonsopereda pic.twitter.com/TvBGprgjxm
— Vuelta a Burgos (@VueltaABurgos) July 31, 2020
The Irishman took the penultimate stage of the Spanish road race, mounting a surprise attack about 800 metres before the line and holding on comfortably.
16-year-old boy arrested following altercation between cyclist and four car occupants
Surrey Police are appealing for witnesses after an altercation between a cyclist and four car occupants on Kingston Road, Camberley.
At around 3:15pm on 29th July, Surrey Police say a black Peugeot containing four men was involved in a near collision with a cyclist at the junction, adding: “The cyclist and men from inside the car were then involved in an altercation, during which, damage was caused to the doors, windscreen and tyres of the car. The men in the car left the scene followed by the cyclist.”
The cyclist was described as Asian with black hair and brown eyes, and was wearing a grey hooded top with grey jogging bottoms during the altercation. A 16-year-old boy has now been arrested on suspicion of attempted GBH, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon, and he is currently in custody.
Surrey Police have appealed for anyone with information or dash cam footage to contat them quoting the crime reference number PR/45200079183.
31 July 2020, 08:55
Be more Cycling Mikey, say the Met
Met Police say they want cyclists to wear cameras and report traffic offences
“The police can’t be everywhere all of the time – but the public can”
31 July 2020, 08:55
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Latest Comments
@mitsky Just checking the figures and apparently the 2026 average cost is £58,000 per year per prisoner; worth noting that is only the direct cost, you then have to factor in ten years of lost tax income from the prisoner, ten years that the prisoner is making no contribution to society as a worker or as a consumer, plus the fact that if they were the primary breadwinner very likely the costs will include benefits for their family as well. None of which should be a reason for keeping violent recidivists out of prison of course, nor drug/drink drivers who kill, but it is a factor worth considering for lower-level offences.
@Surreyrider I ride in Surrey a fair bit and absolutely many do look like that but the point is they all *think* they're driving perfectly reasonably (as one discovers when remonstrating with someone who's skimmed one by 30cm, "I gave you masses of room") so deterrent penalties have little effect. That's why we need to strike at the root cause and actually train drivers properly and test them stringently (and more than once over the course of a potential 70+ years of driving, it's absolutely absurd that competence and knowledge in what for most people is the activity in their life that will run the biggest risk of killing people you never have to have your qualifications renewed).
@mitsky Imprisonment currently costs over £50k p.a. per prisoner and obviously that will rise over the course of a ten-year stretch with inflation. Regarding culpability and mitigating sentences etc, of course I'm not against condign punishment for drivers who kill (and cyclists on the tiny, tiny handful of occasions when this happens), including prison as appropriate; I was objecting to the ridiculous and oft-repeated demand of MM that drivers who kill cyclists must get ten years, "no excuses, no exceptions".
Hey, but their wool blend cycling adjacent t-shirts are/were fantastic.
@Surreyrider Still the boss. Ride one, you'll see why
@Smoggysteve "Most would happily ride on the roads and be treated with respect by drivers". But people aren't - and as far as I can see they won't be. Not until there is a lot less driving and it's slower around cyclists, and far more people driving have "skin in the game" eg. they sometimes cycle and their friends and family do also. That's what leads to the model - which is perhaps most advanced in NL - where cycling, walking and driving are all seen as separate normal transport modes. Their needs, vulnerabilities and any dangers to others are considered. And *that* leads to "mix / share when possible, separate when necessary". But "possible" is "where your 10-year old would be safe to cycle unsupervised" - so very few motor vehicles, going slow! And AFAICS everybody - even "existing cyclists" - is happy with the result. (I dunno about a few pro cyclists - but don't they tend to have training camps in different counties anyway?)
@quiff as an Edinburgh resident I can confidently say he's speaking without moving his lips in one sense: - while as I noted in a separate comment there *is* now some real separated cycle infra, all the examples i can think of have *at least as much space* for pedestrians. The rest of the "cycle infra" is essentially similar to the situation in the rest of the UK: eg. bus lanes*, cycle lanes and shared use paths (eg. "build" infra by sticking up a sign). Edinburgh is one of the places with a moderately extensive network of former railways which have been converted to "shared use" paths (completely motor traffic few). However though shared they are not narrow by UK standards. And this is all effectively a "free extra" for all non- motorised users, not like the "sign a cycle path" where pedestrians do lose space. I think this all comes from the "popular understanding" of cycling in which ultimately cyclists are the "other". They don't fit "motor vehicle" or "pedestrian" (including wheelchairs on the very rare occasions people think about that). Thus "cyclists are cheating" in multiple ways! They shouldn't get their own space as "there aren't enough" of them. And "they can just use the road / path". But being able to *choose* "on the road" or "on the footway" (shared use path) is clearly unfair - nobody else gets to do that! BUT of course even if they did pick just one of road OR pedestrian space it's still not fair anyway because they're "too slow" for the road (don't pay "road tax" etc...) and "far too fast" for pedestrians... * Though some existing cyclists may appreciate them when there are few buses, buses and bikes are a very poor mix for several reasons.
Whilst a shame for any employees, their bib shorts had the worst chamois pad I’d ever encountered, utter waste of my money. Even though they were Strava challenge discount purchases, still a waste of money.
Thanks, just going to have to suck it up. Got next week off and will take the easy, if expensive option...
@ktache Just go for the TNT Sports only package, £30.99 for a month. Alternatively have you considered experimenting with a VPN for a few pounds, allowing you to sign up for a free stream abroad, e.g. SBS Australia which streams the Tour live? If I didn't have a kind mate's login that's what I'd do!
65 thoughts on “16-year-old arrested after cyclist’s altercation with four car occupants; Pimlico Plumbers edit “cycle fascists” rant; Islington protest against LTNs; ‘Road rat’ Facebook post backfires; Everesting record smashed (plus bike check) + more on the live blog”
Why on earth do we need to
Why on earth do we need to bring our laws in line with the US?
alexls wrote:
Brexit?
You don’t. There’s no reason
You don’t. There’s no reason why you couldn’t have the 28mph speed pedelec regulations from EU instead, but that is blurring the lines between bicycles and mopeds too. The purpose of a pedelec is to make cycling easier not faster.
But notice how they have
But notice how they have moved the language forward, they speak of comparing an electric bike with a car. By changing the pieces of the game without anyone calling foul they find themselves in an argument they can only win.
Isn’t that what we do all the
Isn’t that what we do all the time, rail against motorists for being so stupid as to drive a car 3 miles instead of riding a bike there faster? There’s no way of avoiding that bicycles are being promoted as an alternative to some car travel, and they’re classed as a vehicle. The comparison is inevitable. Too late to close the gate, the horse has already bolted.
Regulators don’t want faster e-bikes, because it will cause some mode shift from public transport, have little to no effect on the volume of car traffic for the foreseeable future, and result in increased energy consumption. It will probably cause an increase in injuries.
As they top out at 20mph (and
As they top out at 20mph (and I doubt many people would then put the effort to go faster) that seems reasonable….they will not average anywhere near that speed on any compute (Unless it is a road with no turns on it). Plus it will give non assisted cyclists someone to sit behind (when ever that is possible given COVID-19) …. I would like to think that my average of 19mph, would still beat an electric with a top speed of 20mph. That said I do need a shower at the end of it.
These bikes are to help compute, they are work horses or to get people to do a little bit of exercise….so 20mph max seems ok to me….it is not faster than a fit cyclest can manage.
Although I am concerned that there will be a learning curve for people jumping on these and thinking that 20 mph is slow, as they hit a tight corner….but that will only be the x% idiot fringe and all transport has those…i.e. Cars, Motor bikes, Vans, etc…and yes even cyclist.
Pedal those squares wrote:
The extra boost will get them from the lights quicker and without tiring them.out, so yeah I think they would average 20mph.
Don’t think it’s a great idea. It’ll require bigger batteries, more electricity and will be even worse for the environment.
15mph bikes are harder to ride like a total dickhead than 20mph ones too…but then again, I can see the argument on 20mph roads without cycle lanes and so on. But when are they just an electric moped?
EddyBerckx wrote:
The petition is only calling for the cut-out speed to be increased – it doesn’t mention any change in the power limit, so in theory acceleration away from lights wouldn’t be any different.
The other thing to look at is
The other thing to look at is most Electric bikes are bloody heavy, (he wife’s is 25Kg) so adding 5mph more can add to more damage to a pedestrian in a collision. As you mention most people using them are using them for a commute (fix your autocorrect
) but most people who commute will be travelling at 12-15mph max ebike or not.
Anyone who wants to go faster with an Ebike can but a lighter road one which would enable them to pedal faster once up to speed and the assist will end but the momentum and bigger gearing will allow them to go faster.
I wouldn’t dream of prying
I wouldn’t dream of prying into your domestic arrangements but what is a “he wife”?
I would have said a tired
I would have said a tired typo’s, but being as she fought off two people trying to rob someone in a bank queue where the three other men in the queue stood doing nothing (and one ran out), she is definitely more “manly” then some.
Because I want my Chlorinated
Because I want my Chlorinated Pedelecs discounted on prescription from a private US supplier to the NHS goddamit!
Guns…
Guns…
I can now see why Pimlico
I can now see why Pimlico Plumbers chose James Whale to do their good awful TV advert. Similar mindset .
Quote:
Wear a brown jersey?
I thought gammon plumbers had
I thought gammon plumbers had a bit of a bad reputation anyway?
Why dont these muppets realise that less private motor vehicles in front of them the more space is available for their vans?
A bit rich for tax-avoiding
A bit rich for tax-avoiding Pimlico Plumbers to accuse cyclists of ‘freeloading’ (presumably because cyclists don’t pay road tax innit).
There once was a plumber
There once was a plumber named Lee
Who was plumbing a girl by the sea.
She said stop your plumbing, I hear someone coming.
The plumber still plumbing said IT’S ME!
Quote:
Any thoughts on what sort of
Any thoughts on what sort of climbing is best for a fast ‘Everesting’… a long, less steep one, or a short steeper one?
Having done the ‘Ventoux Cingles’, which is only half an Everest, my chapeau is well and truly tipped to anyone who’s done an Everest.
PRSboy wrote:
My guess would be shorter and steeper is better, and on a cold day too. What counts is how quickly you go vertically. The total energy cost of the vertical component is fixed. On a shallower climb you need a higher horizontal speed, so more rolling and wind resistance which only add to the energy input required. But of course unless it’s cold enough you would need the horizontal speed to cool you down. Still, should be cold enough on Everest!
For me 20mph makes sense for
For me 20mph makes sense for a pedelec. Vast numbers of roads in London now have 20mph speed limits, so bringing these bikes up to that limit helps make bikes part of the traffic rather than a slow moving obscacle in the mind of drivers. Also, I think some of the people who currently de-restrict would probably no longer do that following an increase.
Its a limit not a target.
Its a limit not a target.
De-restricters gonna de-restrict.
If this is genuinely about Car replacement then e-velomobiles at the current limit make far more sense than souped up e-bikes. They also make (some) more sense if you are going to mix it with traffic.
Souped up would be 30mph. I
Souped up would be 30mph. I just think allowing bikes to become part of the traffic makes sense. If you can comfortable ride at 20mph you now have a right to be in the middle of the road, rather than being forced off to the side as a slow moving irritant. Yes there is progress on the cycle lane front, but ultimately 95% of roads will still not have them. Yet at the same time the number of 20mph roads is growing exponentially.
Personally I also think enabling more bikes to move at the same speed as vehicles will also help to reduce accidents. A bike at 15mph is an easy target for a car to overtake and cut across.
squired wrote:
You are making an argument for e-motorbikes, rather than e-bicycles.
No because fit cyclists are
No because fit cyclists are already able to comfortably go at 20mph and be part of the traffic. 20mph is not fast for those of us who cycle regularly, but for people who are less confident being able to move with traffic has to be a good thing.
I would class an e-motorbike as something going over 30mph.
20mph is fast for cycling,
20mph is fast for cycling, very fast for cycling for most people, the kind of people picking up bikes now will be doing 10-12mph max to begin with, theyll hit 15mph if they keep at it, and might even be comfortable averaging 15mph eventually, a 15mph ebike is more than capable of meeting the needs of most of the people who’d need them. at 15mph I can still beat in time taken terms buses and cars on my commute, so speed is not the trigger point at which cycling becomes the better option for alot of people, environments to feel safer cycling in are.
and these 20mph ebikes wouldnt just be used on the road, theyd be used on shared paths,, cycle paths, canal paths, you would almost certainly see the number of collisions between cyclists/pedestrians increase (isnt that the issue in Holland thats surging their cycling injuries ?), an increase in speed also results in more serious injuries and so there would be a corresponding call to do something to curb cyclists speed which would almost certainly be to the detriment of us all as most politicians are the ones very much in the 10-12mph max bracket and would look aghast it was remotely safe to ride twice as fast as them and almost as fast as cars do on a road, without insurance, without annual checks the bike is safe, without….etc etc etc
if you want to go faster get a moped
The car is still going to
The car is still going to want to get in front. It now has to exceed the limit by a greater amount to do that. It’s going to take them longer to get past and there will be more close passes. Enabling e-bikes to just reach the limit would increase friction significantly. Cars do not drive at the limit…
A good observation. Given the
A good observation. Given the proposed urban default speed limit of 20mph, the availability of eBikes, legalising eScooters and a nascent industry for self driving vehicles maybe there could be space for a whole range of 20mph electric vehicles designed specifically for those urban environments.
Why would any plumber
Why would any plumber complain about bike lanes? Where would they park without them?
Pimlico should look at how
Pimlico should look at how their competitors deal with this:
https://www.pimlicoplumbers.com/blog/lekky-bikes-pimlico-plumbing-heating-is-fully-charged-going-green
Oh. Wait.
If the reason people
If the reason people derestrict their ebikes is that the process to legally acquire and use a more powerful machine is too complicated, isn’t the answer to simplify that process, rather than to remove the distinction? I mean, it seems as though we’ve managed to devise a system for cars that’s simple enough for the vast majority of the population to cope with – we ought to be able to do the same for pedelecs.
Upping the ebike assistance
Upping the ebike assistance cut out speed.
I suppose it depends on what you want the ebike for, and the style of riding you do.
I’m a disabled ebike rider and I’m more than happy with the 15.5mph cut off on the assistance.
True, it can be a bit annoying when you’ve just hurtled down a hill and your faced with a 9% climb the other side, and you have to loose a shed load of speed before the assistance cuts in.
I’m not the fastest rider in the pack, average speed is around the 15mph mark … But on the assistance is there to *help* me, not to do all the work.
If I wanted something with a motor that was going to do all the work, I’d have got a moped.
Yes, 20mph does seem a bit
Yes, 20mph does seem a bit excessive – not many people will be doing that as an average speed! 15mph seems about right to me as it’s a decent speed, especially for the majority of people I’ve seen with e-bikes who use them for getting round town or to and from work where you would rarely go much above 15mph anyway. As you say, if you really want to have a powered vehicle that helps you go faster than that, you’re straying near to moped territory.
The motor doesn’t do all the
The motor doesn’t do all the work – it does some of the work and very little if you are on low assist mode. The issue you point out well is the decline followed by incline when the speed suddenly surges right down to permit the assistance to cut in again. It takes all the momentum out.
And that’s a problem because.
And that’s a problem because…?
the current limit is right in my view. It’s about assistance, not making you the fastest on the road.
Pimlico Plumber; Wow! Just
Pimlico Plumber; Wow! Just Wow!
Competition for the most utterly inane stupid comment about cyclists 2020 is really hotting up. Nick Ferrari was the early leader with “If cycling is so healthy how come Boris got covid?” but then Mike Graham weighed in with a three minute rant of such incredibly stupid statements that it is impossible to single out one, and then Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumber decides to try the Ratner approach to running his business by calling his customers fascists.
OK, road.cc, over to you to run the competion. How about a top ten that we could vote for in December, with the winner being announced in January, with a big fanfare and some sort of very cheap, shiny, tacky cup being awarded with a video?
The Pimlico Plumbers Cup.
The Pimlico Plumbers Cup. Obviously it would be made out of lead.
(Yes, I know they don’t use lead pipes any more. :))
FrankH wrote:
And the Copper Knob goes to…
FrankH wrote:
Brilliant!
How about a lead toilet pan?
The Cycling Ranter Ranker
The Cycling Ranter Ranker 😉
So, you’re stuck in a traffic
So, you’re stuck in a traffic jam and journeys take 30 minutes longer, yet you see an empty, beckoning cycle lane: do you adapt to the situation or whine like a spoilt brat?
Reminds me of just the other night – my wife and I were watching some porn and she turned to me and complained “This is so unrealistic”
I said, “Just because you’re not willing to try new things doesn’t mean that everyone is like that”
“Not that,” she explained, “It’s just the plumbers that come to our house have tiny cocks.”
On the Pimlico Plumber
On the Pimlico Plumber episode. According the Forbes article the guy things that cyclists should pay tax which tells you all you need to know – a guy who opperates a fleet of vehicles doesn’t understand how the tax he pays on them in calculated – it must be really easy to become a millionaire…
As I understand it, he is
As I understand it, he is quite ‘efficient’ with his own tax affairs. controversially so.
(I’m referring to the fact
(I’m referring to the fact that he lost a case against HMRC for claiming that his staff were essentially self employed, allowing him to avoid national insurance etc)
Pimilco guy is no fool – he’s
Pimilco guy is no fool – he’s done very well for himself through hard work. So he must be able to see that some things are worth working for, instant gratification is not where it’s at.
Take traffic congestion – first you have to build cycle lanes and campaign for cyclist safety, then you have to encourage people out of their cars and onto their bikes. Expecting cycle lanes to syphon drivers out of their cars overnight is unrealistic, and ranting against cyclists is hardly going to speed up the process.
I can’t imagine he was happy back when all lanes were congested with traffic. Congestion increases until it is in equilibrium with the next best alternative. Adding or subtracting car lanes makes no difference to that equilibrium because it does not change the alternative. Now there is a viable alternative he would do well to encourage it’s adoption.
I used to dispatch ride on a
I used to dispatch ride on a motorcycle in the ’80s and the Embankment (for example) was a bloody car park then. I’ve lived in London for >30 years and I really struggle to remember any period (lockdown aside) that resembles the working driver’s nirvana that eedjits like this recall so fondly.
I love that Islington protest
I love that Islington protest footage – lots of people walking in the road saying its disgusting that the council wants to allow people to walk in the road…
brooksby wrote:
I wonder if they would have objected if someone drove a car at them, demanding the right to drive on the road, the right they are protesting about and demanding?
I suspect some of them are
I suspect some of them are people who live down those roads and now have to drive 1.5 miles to get to the shop a mile away.
But then to actually cause delay and blocking off roads to get the point across does sound very Alannis.
Your bike hates you – looks
Your bike hates you – looks like one of those bamboo bikes to me.
Exactly, as featured at
Exactly, as featured at length in a series on ‘building your own bamboo bike’ in RoadCC.
I was going to say ‘…don’t you read your own website?’ but the number of typo’s and grammatical abominations suggest that you don’t.
pockstone wrote:
Typos – that’s ironic
Yes. But a) it could be
Yes. But a) it could be argued that an abbreviation is in use and b) back in the olden days of Usenet before the web was invented and no one ever saw really cool squirrel pictures, it was compulsory when complaining about speling or grammar to include an error of one’s own. And don’t get me started on your lack of a full stop
Underrated comment by The
Underrated comment by The Billder..
Buste’d!
Buste’d!
Can we please stop referring
Can we please stop referring to all people who happen to ride bicycles as cyclists. That article about the 16yr old arrest reads like the “cyclist” was the aggressor. There are equally dodgy people who commit similar crimes whilst walking. They don’t get described as “walkers” and make it onto the news of a hillwalking website. The incident has absolutely no need for a mention here I’m afraid! I know it’s the police who have used the term, but in repeating it as a cycling focussed news outlet it is just confounding negative attitudes to proper cyclists.
I find the story fascinating
I find the story fascinating though. A near collision between a car and a bike lead to damage to the car, attmpeted GBH and robbery. Four “men” against a 16 yo. Did he have one of those machetes like the guy last year? Had he stolen the bike and the men in the car tried to retrieve it and it went wrong? Or did he steal from one of the men in the car at that incident?
It doesn’t actually say that
It doesn’t actually say that the incident led to the robbery. The robbery may have already happened previously and separately, and the incident only served to bring it to the attention of the authorities. If they were already in possession of an offensive weapon, it’s not a stretch to imagine that they weren’t the most upstanding of citizens before this happened.
Regarding the Road Rat. The
Regarding the Road Rat. The fella is more focused on filming the cyclists and venting when it actually looks that they are going as fast if not faster than the van up front. He also seems oblivious to the warning sign as well.
It is a page to warn drivers
It is a page to warn drivers where speed cams are so they can speed along and not get caught and then moans about other people legally using the road by passing them in an illegal manner. Does the loophole lawyer have stakes in it?
i will never, ever use
i will never, ever use Pimlico Plumbers.
Lukas wrote:
My sister lives not far from there.
I’ve mentioned this story to her, she said she will show it to her (rather well-heeled) friends on social media and ask that they use someone else in future.
There’s not really anyone
There’s not really anyone else to use in London now that they’ve snapped up most of the independent plumbers. It’s an interesting business model, charge 4x the going rate and pay your staff double to attract everyone to work for you so there’s no real choice. I used Aspect once and they nearly blew my house up, no joke ,then had to get Pimlico in to redo everything. I will begrudgingly admit that they did a very good job though, and the customer service was top notch
I think some eBike riders see
I think some eBike riders see them as a moped that you don’t have to tax or insure. I certainly see many derestricted ones in London. 30mph with no evident pedaling is not uncommon.
I’d be OK with upping the limit to 20mph provided there was some enforcement.