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Is this the worst bike rack ever? Substandard cycle rack that looks like toast rack mercilessly mocked online; Cadex unveils crazy top tube-less prototype triathlon bike; Happy Giro d'Italia; Election karma; DnB on a bike to Berlin + more on the live blog

Happy Giro d'Italia day! Oh, and it's Friday...so double the fun. Dan Alexander is back on the live blog today......
Fri, May 06, 2022 09:04
60
Is this the worst bike rack ever? Substandard cycle rack that looks like toast rack mercilessly mocked online; Cadex unveils crazy top tube-less prototype triathlon bike; Happy Giro d'Italia; Election karma; DnB on a bike to Berlin + more on the live blogBike rack (@HenryLangLee/Twitter)
06 May 2022, 16:26
06 May 2022, 16:04
Photo of the day
Giro d'Italia stage one Van der Poel Girmay Ewan (Image credit: RCS Sport/LaPresse)

I feel like we've seen this before...

06 May 2022, 15:47
Smooth
06 May 2022, 15:28
Mathieu van der Poel claims first maglia rosa of the Giro d'Italia — outsprints Biniam Girmay as Caleb Ewan crashes (again)

Mathieu van der Poel will be the first wearer of the pink leader's jersey at this year's Giro d'Italia having outkicked Biniam Girmay on the uphill finish to stage one. Caleb Ewan was in contention when he touched his front wheel into the Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert wheel in front, throwing him to the floor and opening the door for Pello Bilbao to complete the podium.

It was shades of stage three at last year's Tour de France for Ewan who landed heavily from a fall in the finale, but this time was able to limp across the line. We'll wait for the Lotto-Soudal doctor's word before saying for certain if he'll be riding tomorrow's TT.

What is certain is that Van der Poel and Girmay will be...and in nice sparkly new jerseys. The Dutchman resplendent in pink, Girmay glorious in white.

06 May 2022, 14:53
"That looks like an e-bike dutch grannies do groceries with": crazy Cadex prototype tri bike breaks cover

If you're a fan of the more classical bicycle silhouette and good old fashioned materials - perhaps a bit like our chief nostalgia correspondent Steve Thomas - you're probably feeling like you've been trolled pretty hard by triathletes this week. 

First there was the prototype from BMC and Red Bull that they're calling the “world’s fastest race bike”, Felt officially launched this thing and now Cadex have perhaps trumped the lot with a very radical new monocoque frame and fork. 

There's no top tube, and the massive down tube has compartments for storage integrated into it. There's also those wide fork blades, reminiscent of the Hope/Lotus bikes used by the GB track team - for that bike Hope told us the idea is to put the fork in line with the rider's legs to manage airflow around them, and we can only assume the same logic has been applied here. 

If you're wondering why lots of tri bikes are popping up this week, that's because the Ironman World Championships is happening tomorrow in St George, Utah, away from its traditional Hawaiian home for the first time. The current Olympic triathlon champion Kristian Blummenfelt will ride the Cadex prototype and is a hot favourite; so even though it's been likened to a Dutch bike and called "the ugliest thing I've ever seen" on his YouTube account so far, we're guessing Blummenfelt won't take it to heart if he wins tomorrow... 

06 May 2022, 14:30
Ed Laverack Sa Calobra KOM full effort

Here's Ed's effort in full glorious 24-minute-long HD for all you Strava stalkers out there...

06 May 2022, 14:00
One of those days

Someone give me a nudge if I start snoring...only 50km until things get lively... 

06 May 2022, 13:48
Garmin reports "normalisation" of cycling product sales amid 28 per cent decrease in fitness sales during first quarter of 2022
Garmin Rally RS200 SPD-SL Power Meter Pedals

Garmin's fitness sales for the first quarter of 2022 were down $87 million compared to the same time last year, at $221 million compared with $308 million. However, despite this 28 per cent decrease, Garmin Ltd. reported a record first-quarter revenue, according to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

President and CEO of the company, Cliff Pemble, said the reduction in sales was due to a "normalisation of demand for cycling products from the pandemic-driven levels in the prior year."

"We delivered another quarter of growth and record revenue in an increasingly complex and challenging business environment," he said. "High freight cost and component supply challenges persist while new headwinds emerge such as the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and the uncertainty created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In this dynamic environment, we remain focused on creating highly differentiated products that excite our customers and lead to success."

06 May 2022, 13:22
Cav's care package for fan who got his face tattooed after Tour de France wins

That tat is starting to look like a decent investment now...how much race-worn green kit would you need to get the Manx Missile inked?

Mark Cavendish calls fan who got tattoo of his face (Paul James/Twitter)

 

06 May 2022, 13:01
Roll up, roll up...get your crap cycle racks

We asked, you delivered...

Inspired by this morning's toast rack, you've been sending in your worst bike racks. Brace yourselves for the cutting-edge forefront of human design...

06 May 2022, 12:59
06 May 2022, 09:53
Is this the worst bike rack ever? Substandard cycle rack that looks like toast rack mercilessly mocked online

You can almost hear the discussion between the people in charge, who have clearly never locked up a bike before, when their new project fell flat on its face...

"Why's nobody using our shiny new bike rack?" 

"I know, we even gave it a nice lollipop sign with a bicycle so people know what it is..."

"Maybe it's not hi-vis, so nobody can see it?"

 The good people of Twitter didn't disappoint, saying it must have been provided to the community to keep their toast upright during barbecue season... (can you have toast at a barbecue?)

A local rider offered some insight on the problem...

Cue the obligatory crap cycle rack pile in...

06 May 2022, 11:10
06 May 2022, 10:56
The Bicycle Doc hit by burglary of bikes worth £30,000

Seven masked assailants in two vehicles stole £30,000 worth of bikes and other items from bike maintenance and repair firm The Bicycle Doc Ltd just after 6pm on April 23. The crime happened at their unit in Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, and saw the group's neighbour at The Window Blind Centre threatened and locked in his unit, before the group smashed their way in, stealing seven customer bikes and other items.

"At about 6.10pm about seven people turned up in a gold BMW X5 and a black Fiat Ducato Van. Some of them were wearing masks," Chris Franklin of The Bicycle Doc told Yahoo.

"Our neighbour notified us of the break in and the group took what they could in the five or so minutes before the police arrived. They decimated the entrance to our unit and ransacked the shop floor.

"Thanks to the incredible bravery and courage shown by our neighbour in what must have been a very scary scenario, it was highly likely the burglars had to shoot off earlier than they planned thanks to him calling the police.

"Thirteen of our loyal customers' bikes were taken, along with cash registers and a bike helmet, to the total value of around £30,000."

06 May 2022, 10:34
Forza!

They're rolling out of Budapest. Moments away from the flag being dropped on the 105th Giro d'Italia... 

It's a long way to Verona on your own...

Giro 2022 (GCN)

 

06 May 2022, 08:54
DnB on a bike visits Berlin
06 May 2022, 08:33
Enjoy the Giro...just don't mention politics

Sit back, relax, clear your mind of any worries, stresses, anxieties, negative thoughts, opposition to the Giro d'Italia starting in a country with anti-LGBTQ+ laws...

Mark Cavendish at the 2022 Giro d'Italia team presentation (picture credit LaPresse).JPG

Race organiser RCS has told the media that it does not want politics taken "into consideration" during the Grande Partenza in Hungary. It's like being back in Jerusalem again, isn't it?

Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orbán, as recently as yesterday was quoted saying his nation could not support EU sanctions against Russia. While, in the past year the country has passed laws that banned dissemination of content in schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender changes.

But, here we are...day one of the Giro, rolling out of Budapest...

"I think that I would like to go out and not to take into consideration politics," CEO of RCS, Paolo Bellino, told reporters. 

"I have no barrier and I think that our intention is to create an incredible event, in an Italian style, with the best riders in the world competing and giving the opportunity of a great party. I’m not entering in any political or different situation.

"I’m a sports organiser, I think that sport is the only moment in our lives as a society where everybody is free to demonstrate their capabilities, and their passion. There are no barriers. I would like for the Giro d’Italia in Budapest to do the same thing."

Is it possible to separate sport from the regime hosting an event? Or is the only thing that matters: who's writing the cheque?

06 May 2022, 08:25
Soooo....how did those elections go?

We'll have something more in depth about yesterday's elections, and what they mean for LTNs, up on the site later today. Simon will have all the results, analysis and knowledge, but in the meantime let me offer my personal expertise on the subject...the memes and shithousery...

06 May 2022, 08:05
Happy Giro d'Italia!

Countdown

Ladies and gentlemen, we made it...

GCN+'s coverage of the Giro d'Italia gets underway at 11, so hopefully you're working from home. If not, better get that sly tab open and keep a keen eye for your boss' fun-stifling gaze. That is, of course, assuming you aren't the boss yourself, nipping away from the action to check on the peloton's progress. Or maybe you've taken the day off?

The Grande Partenza in Budapest will see the riders ease out for a fairly simple day of racing, backended with 10 minutes of fireworks at the summit finish in Visegrád. It'll be a slow burner with tension and expectation building throughout the stage before...BANG!

Is that the sound of Mathieu van der Poel detonating 1,000w on the five per cent slopes? Is that the elder statesman Alejandro Valverde dancing to a maglia rosa in his final Giro? Is that Caleb Ewan's redemption for Milan-San Remo disappointment? Or how about breakthrough star of the classics Biniam Girmay getting another sport-changing win? Get your predictions in down below...

06 May 2022, 07:57
Drive slow (or just ride a bike) to hit Russia
Fight Putin, Ride a Bike

Europe's largest motoring association has sent a clear message to its members, get on yer bike...or just drive slow. 

Obviously we prefer the first suggestion: tip number three of the ADAC's top tips on reducing fuel consumption to reduce dependence on Russian energy imports. In an open letter published on ADAC's website, Christian Reinicke said:

The war in Ukraine and the incomprehensible suffering of the population fill us in the ADAC Presidium with horror and deep sympathy like everyone else. Watching helplessly is hard to bear.

In recent weeks, our country's dependence on Russian energy imports has become very clear. It is all the more important to reduce these quickly. Each individual can contribute to this.

You, dear ADAC members, can use many options to reduce fuel consumption when driving a car. Speed ​​plays a major role in this. However, anticipatory and steady driving is also important. On our homepage you will find many tips on how to reduce fuel consumption. All in all, you can reduce consumption by up to 20 percent just by driving.

At the same time, we ask you to check whether and which car journeys you can possibly do without. If you have good access to public transport, you should make more use of it. Some routes can also be covered by bike or on foot. With this in mind, let us remain mobile and exploit the potential together.

Dear members, we can already see how you are getting more information and how willing many of you are to save energy. If more than 21 million members behave more consciously and more fuel-efficiently, the effect will be clearly visible. And a strong sign is set. In the spirit of personal responsibility and voluntariness: "Save fuel. Help. Stay mobile."

So, there you have it...just drive slow (or ride a bike). We know which one we'd rather do... 

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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60 comments

Avatar
Slartibartfast | 2 years ago
1 like

With the introduction of a new 'community' editor person, do you think we could look at the use of derogatory mental health related terms to describe things? We wouldn't see a 'mongy' bike rack, or a 'totally gay' saddle in a headline, but describing things as crazy, mad or mental is close to the same thing (though more accepted in society).
Road.cc generally does adopt a pretty progressive approach to stuff, and in a time of massive increases in poor mental health post Covid, it would be good to see the impact of using stigmatising terms like 'crazy' being considered.

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hawkinspeter replied to Slartibartfast | 2 years ago
2 likes

Dogless wrote:

With the introduction of a new 'community' editor person, do you think we could look at the use of derogatory mental health related terms to describe things? We wouldn't see a 'mongy' bike rack, or a 'totally gay' saddle in a headline, but describing things as crazy, mad or mental is close to the same thing (though more accepted in society). Road.cc generally does adopt a pretty progressive approach to stuff, and in a time of massive increases in poor mental health post Covid, it would be good to see the impact of using stigmatising terms like 'crazy' being considered.

I'd agree about not using certain terms, but "crazy" does have alternative meanings that are not to do with mental health e.g. "full of cracks or flaws" and "possessed by enthusiasm or excitement". If anything, it's better to push the non-mental health meanings of the word, so I'd encourage its use to describe inanimate objects (e.g. crazy paving).

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Slartibartfast replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
0 likes

Crazy does mean full of cracks or flaws yes, as in crazing I guess. 'crazy' to describe the lack of a top tube or a final sprint doesn't fit that definition.

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hawkinspeter replied to Slartibartfast | 2 years ago
2 likes

Dogless wrote:

Crazy does mean full of cracks or flaws yes, as in crazing I guess. 'crazy' to describe the lack of a top tube or a final sprint doesn't fit that definition.

Yes, but another meaning of "crazy" is: departing from proportion or moderation also foolish or impractical.

My point is that the word is in such common usage for a wide variety of topics, so you're unlikely to get far with asking for it to not be used when describing things.

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Slartibartfast replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
0 likes

It's another meaning, but it being used to describe people being unwell predates any other meanings.

I get what you're saying about it being a battle I won't win, and I realise people won't stop using it but it doesn't take much to substitute words for others, especially when doing so actually describes something more precisely e.g chaotic/absurd/bizarre/unexpected etc

I only ask road.cc to consider it as their business is words and the impact of them and they're usually pretty good about these sort of things; as is the readership, judging by *most* of the comments BTL (with the obvious exceptions).

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hawkinspeter replied to Slartibartfast | 2 years ago
1 like

I'm usually more than happy to substitute words when there's a better one and I realise it, but I don't really think that specific word is itself offensive unless it is applied to people suffering with disorders. However, I don't speak for the journalists or editors, so maybe they'll take it on board.

Interesting to see the etymology shows that the earlier usage was more related to cracking

Quote:

late 14c., crasen, craisen "to shatter, crush, break to pieces," probably a Germanic word and perhaps ultimately from a Scandinavian source (such as Old Norse *krasa"shatter"), but it seems to have entered English via Old French crasir (compare Modern French écraser). Original sense preserved in crazy quilt (1886) pattern and in reference to cracking in pottery glazing (1815).

Mental sense of "derange the intellect of, make insane" (late 15c.)  perhaps comes via the transferred sense of "be diseased or deformed" (mid-15c.), or it might be an image of cracked or broken things. The intransitive sense of "become insane" is by 1818.  Related: Crazed; crazing.

... there is little assurance in reconciled enemies: whose affections (for the most part) are like unto Glasse; which being once cracked, can neuer be made otherwise then crazed and vnsound. [John Hayward, "The Life and Raigne of King Henrie the IIII," 1599]

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Slartibartfast replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
1 like

That is really interesting etymology, thanks for that. Crazy is perhaps a bad example of the issue; 'mad' or 'mental' are harder to defend.

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chrisonabike replied to Slartibartfast | 2 years ago
0 likes

The Mad Pride (and related movements) have rightly had good fun with all of these.  Sometimes at cost to themselves. 

Now wildly off topic - although there's more than merely statistical overlap between "cyclists" and people who have personal awareness of this topic, I'd warrant - but worth a (disturbing) dive in.  Even if this hasn't visited your own life yet there's a good chance it may at some point.  There are some thoughtful examinations / well written personal reports hiding in plain sight between the Hollywood and the self-help guides.  More than Stephen Fry, much as i enjoy his varied emissions.  You may lose some certainty though. It's real-life Philip K Dick / Lovecraft stuff for obvious reasons.

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Slartibartfast replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
0 likes

The cross over between cyclists and poor mental health, you mean? I can certainly vouch for that, even if we just look at the accepted desire to 'suffer' or hurt oneself as a hobby - it seems normal to us, but when you look at it objectively it meets many of the criteria for self harming behaviour.

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eburtthebike | 2 years ago
4 likes

Coincidentally, just seen this on fb.  Lovely to look at but useless.

The notice says

"Please slot your bike into the rack.  You can chain your tyres together to keep secure.   If you wish to keep an eye on your bike we recommend using the outside seating in front of the tea room."

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mdavidford replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
2 likes

I particularly like the helpful sign to explain to dimwitted cyclists how bikes work:

"Please slot your bike in to the rack

You can chain your tyres together to keep secure"

Er - in so many ways - no.

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brooksby replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
1 like

National Trust, eh?  Do they know it's doesn't work as a bike rack?

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HoarseMann replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
4 likes

That's the passive-aggressive way of saying don't bring your bike anywhere near the tea rooms and if you're wearing that cycle clothing then sit outside or your bike will be nicked.

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brooksby | 2 years ago
4 likes

It was just a nudge, I shouldn’t have been dragged to court over 4X4 Insulate Britain row, fumes Range Rover ‘ram’ mum

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18478579/mum-nudged-insulate-britain-prote...

Quote:

A RAGING mum today hit out at being dragged to court for nudging an Insulate Britain protester with her Range Rover on the school run.

Sherrilyn Speid, 34, rolled the 4x4 into eco-warriors sitting in the road while with her 11-year-old son.

...

Speid was today banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay a £40 fine, £95 victim surcharge and £105 in costs.

She will also have to carry out 20 days of community punishment.

The mum had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in March but an offence of assault was dropped by prosecutors.

...

 

“It was a nudge - just to get them to move. There are a lot of examples of far worse driving where people don’t get treated like this.

“I think it’s double standards. We all called the police and they did not come."

 

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Hirsute replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
3 likes

She now selling hoodies with range rover mum on them (although I'm sure we can think of a better slogan). Who says crime doesn't pay?

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eburtthebike replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
9 likes

She should be very, very grateful that the assault charge was dropped, or she'd be in prison.

Are all 4x4 drivers quite so comprehensively entitled?

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grOg replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
0 likes

Bigger fine but prison? nah..

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iandusud replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
7 likes

I agree with her: "There are a lot of examples of far worse driving where people don’t get treated like this."

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brooksby replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
8 likes

What I hate about it is all this "nudge" nonsense, to try and gloss over that what sh3 did was drive her SUV into protesters sitting on the road. At low speed, yes, but nevertheless she deliberately drove into them surprise

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grOg replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

Yep, she bumped them; were they hurt? no. she wanted to encourage the entitled tossers to get off the road; I wouldn't have used a motor vehicle to nudge them.. my method would have been far more effective.

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brooksby replied to grOg | 2 years ago
4 likes

grOg wrote:

Yep, she bumped them; were they hurt? no. she wanted to encourage the entitled tossers to get off the road; I wouldn't have used a motor vehicle to nudge them.. my method would have been far more effective.

You mean you would have talked to them in a rational manner about why they were doing what they were doing?

Or you would have gone another route while considering the life choices that leads you to drive your kids to school in a Range Rover while wearing leisure wear and fluffy slippers?

Or (because IIRC you're in Australia, grog) you'd have herded them over the nearest cliff?

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Hirsute replied to grOg | 2 years ago
5 likes

You would have just committed GBH instead. Is that an entry requirement for australian police?

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ktache replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
3 likes

Only against an indiginate indiginous.

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Mungecrundle replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
4 likes

Maybe it hurts less if a Range Rover rolls over you slowly?

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brooksby replied to Mungecrundle | 2 years ago
1 like

Mungecrundle wrote:

Maybe it hurts less if a Range Rover rolls over you slowly?

Less kinetic energy, innit? 3

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ktache replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
1 like

Didn't "someone" posit that because of the smaller, higher pressure tyres road bikes do more damage to the roads than huge 4x4s, so stands to reason that being rolled over by a massively oversized range rover would hurt less than that done by a hypothetical mamil on a carbon bicycle...

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AidanR | 2 years ago
3 likes

My "favourite" bike racks are in Knole Park. They're Sheffield-style racks, but to be more sympathetic to the surroundings they're made of wood rather than steel. The problem is, they're far too fat to fit a D-lock around, rendering them useless to most cyclists.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to AidanR | 2 years ago
3 likes

Wouldn't the scrotes only need a wood saw rather then a heavier unwieldy angle grinder?

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OnYerBike replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 2 years ago
0 likes

Assuming they are solid wood and given they are "too fat to fit a D-lock around" I can't imagine there's any way to cut through one that is faster/easier than applying an angle grinder to the lock itself. 

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eburtthebike replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
1 like

OnYerBike wrote:

I can't imagine there's any way to cut through one that is faster/easier than applying an angle grinder to the lock itself. 

Chainsaw.

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