“I really hope they didn’t ride it”: Cyclists baffled by £100 Facebook Marketplace bike with “razor-sharp handling”… thanks to mind-boggling front end; Return of the mysterious London lock saga; Cricket fans join the TNT bashing + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Return of the mysterious London lock saga
We had something similar to this on the live blog last year, but it’s happened again — an honest mistake or something more sinister?
The case for the defence is that someone who regularly uses the bike rack has tried to leave their lock where they park their bike, probably to avoid having to lug it back and forth in between. Possibly in a rush or not thinking, they’ve accidentally not locked it to the rack, but to someone’s bike.
The case for the prosecution. Seriously? How would you even manage to lock someone else’s bike by mistake? Even if you were inclined to leave your lock at the rack to avoid carrying it back and forth, you would never do this. Surely?
The confusing bit comes from the extra lock not actually locking the bike to the rack, which it did in the other case from the live blog recently. So, in the less naive scenario, where we view this as the work of a bike thief hoping to come back for the ‘accidentally’ locked bike later… they’ve made a bit of a blunder.
“Had a weird experience last night. I locked my bike up to a bike stand on Warren Street for a couple of hours and when I returned someone had put their bike lock on my bike in addition to my own,” the rider explained.
“Thinking about it now I’m wondering if they didn’t have the tools to remove my lock as it’s a diamond standard Litelok and so wanted to stop me taking it in the meantime. Unfortunately for them they don’t seem to have realised it was a bike stand in the shape of an ‘m’ and all they managed to do was attach it to the frame of my bike and not to the frame. Any suggestions on how to remove this extra lock?”
Consensus in the comments is to ride it away and get to an angle grinder ASAP to get rid of the lock, the consensus also that this was the work of a bungling thief, not an honest mistake. Thoughts? Anyone ever had similar happen to them?
TNT Sports' woes continue as England cricket fans, including Piers Morgan, are the latest sporting fanbase disgusted by £30.99-a-month broadcast coverage... and poor Rob Hatch probably can't wait to get back to cycling commentary
Much like the English cricket team on the pitch, award-winning cycling commentator Rob Hatch, widely regarded as the best in the business when it comes to calling bike races, has had a tough old winter. Roped in to commentate on the Ashes for TNT Sports, Hatch inherited what we’d suggest was probably a bit of a poisoned chalice: England cricket fans already far from pleased with TNT’s coverage of their sport.
Things got worse when the broadcaster announced plans for much of the commentary and analysis to come from the UK… not commentators and pundits on the ground in Australia. Then, to top off the pre-series negativity, the fact Hatch and commentating colleague Alastair Ekykn (best known for his work in rugby) didn’t have a background in cricket comms meant — even if some critics were simply ignorant to Hatch’s brilliant portfolio of work — every call, line and syllable was going to be under scrutiny from the off in Perth.
The noise on social media and in sections of the press about TNT’s coverage has been near constant throughout the series, a mistake in this week’s fifth test (when Hatch commentated on a replay of a run out from moments earlier, thinking it was happening live) brought things to a head.
Cricket fans blast TNT Sports after the under-fire broadcaster makes ’embarrassing’ commentary mistake https://t.co/o1vCk28XZD
— Daily Mail Sport (@MailSport) January 7, 2026
Even Piers Morgan got involved (although, in fairness, it doesn’t take much for him to get involved): “This just about sums up the dreadful cricket on TNT Sports coverage, and is the inevitable consequence of having commentators from other sports try to wing an Ashes series from a studio in England where they don’t even know they’re watching a replay. It’s been borderline unwatchable.”
That’s the worst bit of commentary I’ve ever seen I think.
Shouting that there’s been another run out when they’re showing a replay. @cricketontnt , hang your heads in shame and give everyone their money back. pic.twitter.com/6jzm2IPePB
— Rob Barron (@MonsieurJudge) January 7, 2026
Anyway, it’s more bad press for TNT going into the second season of all cycling coverage sitting behind a £30.99-a-month paywall. It’s worth finishing by noting one aspect of TNT Sports’ cycling coverage that rarely gets criticised is Hatch, he’ll almost certainly be back performing as one of sport’s best commentators when road racing returns soon.
Do my eyes deceive me? Bike racing on roads? In the sun?
Jay Vine and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden are the new Australian national TT champs.
The Tour Down Under’s not far away now… just don’t tell road.cc Ryan… unless you really want to hear the words ‘not proper cycling’ and rants about the season not starting until Omloop.
Multiple long-serving Endura employees announce redundancies amid reports troubled cycling apparel brand is "leaving Scotland"
Today's snowy commute content comes from Paris
Rose Bikes returns to the UK, six years after halting deliveries due to Brexit... with just one gravel bike for sale
"It takes a lot to be able to compete at the highest level": Visma-Lease a Bike sports director suggests Simon Yates' retirement is due to "loss of desire"
It has been 24 hours now since Simon Yates’ shock retirement announcement, the reaction and tributes to the two-time Grand Tour winner rolling in since. While little is known about the reasoning behind Yates’ decision, Visma-Lease a Bike sports director Jesper Mørkøv has given some quotes to Danish outlet Feltet which suggests the constant grind of professional cycling may have finally caught up with the Brit.
“First of all, it’s a real shame that he’s stopping, but that’s how it is. I won’t go any further into it, but as I understand it, it’s because he himself has lost the desire,” Mørkøv told Feltet.
“It’s something that has been discussed in recent years, that it takes a lot to be able to compete at the highest level, and it’s really tough. Simon has been in the game many years, and he’s kind of gone cold on it.”
Nigel Farage claims plan to lower drink drive limit "designed by the Islington cycling classes" – as Reform UK leader says: "We're now incredibly safe on our roads"
Another new kit to reveal as Pinarello-Q36.5 add some gold touches
Brompton "optimistic" as cycling industry "normalises" – despite folding bike brand's post-tax losses doubling
Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety welcomes government's Road Safety Strategy
Here’s a statement we’ve had in from PACTS (the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety) on yesterday’s Road Safety Strategy announcement:
We welcome the UK government’s publication of the first national Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade. With nearly 30,000 people losing their lives or suffering life-changing injuries on our roads each year, the road safety community stands ready to help ensure that this strategy delivers meaningful and lasting change. Preventing these tragedies will not only spare families and friends’ profound loss but will also reduce the significant social and economic costs borne by the country.
Before the general election, more than 100 organisations united to call on all political parties to adopt a targeted, prioritised, and achievable action plan to reverse the current stagnation in road safety performance. The government has previously committed to that call, and this strategy represents an important step towards honouring that promise.
A key outcome of today’s publication will be renewed collaboration between national and local government, industry, researchers, campaigners, and communities. Working together, we can maximise the impact of the strategy and improve safety for every road user.
A strategic response to road trauma is essential to delivering the government’s broader ambitions. Road collisions cost the NHS an estimated £3 billion each year and impose a wider annual societal cost of £55 billion—around 2% of GDP. Safer travel reduces carbon emissions and opens up fairer access to education, employment, and social participation. Meanwhile, new technologies, including artificial intelligence, can expand mobility options, increase independence, bolster productivity, and help create safer streets.
The strategy contains many further commitments that will require detailed work before they can be translated into legislation, regulation, and local delivery. We look forward to working constructively with Government, Parliamentarians, and all stakeholders to ensure that this strategy puts the UK firmly back on the path towards safer roads, stronger communities, and many lives saved from harm.
Confirmed: Endura is leaving Scotland
Here’s a little bit more on one of the big stories of the day, Endura having now confirmed to us that there are to be multiple redundancies and the brand is set to move from Scotland down to London in a move to “streamline” the business.
According to Pentland, who bought the cycling clothing brand back in 2018, both Endura and outdoor clothing and equipment retailer Berghaus are set to move to a “more streamlined product process, designed to deliver innovative products to market faster and more efficiently” from a London “hub”.
Read the full story and this afternoon’s updates here.
"I really hope they didn't ride it": Cyclists baffled by £100 Facebook Marketplace bike with "razor-sharp handling"... thanks to mind-boggling front end
‘Yeah, I guess I’m selling because I never really got on with it… no, great bike… just the handling’s a bit… sharp…’
As Ryan Edwards said when sharing the snap of the baffling listing, “I really hope they didn’t ride it in this set-up.” Someone else joked it was an easy way to “tell me you don’t know what you’re selling without telling me”.
It would be a bolt upright wobbly position, or maybe you’re meant to rest your forearms on the bars… or maybe they should just be the right way around. At £100 there would probably be serious questions to be asked about where this bike came from.
With that said, we’ve seen some bizarre builds in our time, especially in the single-gear community but that reverse front end, takes the biscuit. Things continue in a rather strange way below the headtube, the back to front theme not just limited to the cockpit.
We’re not sure we want to know how this would ride, but maybe we should task the office guinea pig (sorry, I mean video editor Liam) to make an offer and give it a shot. Sorry, Liam, if you’re going to swan around London drinking £265 cups of coffee and call it work then we’re going to need you to do the messy stuff too. Get on Facebook Marketplace…
In the pursuit of trying to understand what’s gone on here, some did try to make an explanation…
“I appreciate that the whole front is spun 180° but as this is a track bike, they are generally much shorter and, as you don’t really steer a bike on the track, toe overlap is common but not an issue,” Peter Treadway tried. But… “the front wheel hitting the down tube however, not so much!”
Then again, brakes on a track bike? Those pedals? I’m trying to work out if the cable and housing for the front brake has actually been fitted to its backwards set-up… or if the cables for when it was potentially previously the right way around have just been squeezed into this reverse effort?
Anyway, don’t try at home… unless you’re road.cc Liam and we’re going to get a video for You’ve Been Framed out of it and the £250 for that coffee back from our submission*…
*Google tells me the final episode was back in 2022… do it anyway Liam, it’ll be a laugh!
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Latest Comments
@mdavidford disc brakes and helmets too provocative, mayhaps.
(except we could only think of 8, so 3 of them are variations of 'different sized wheels'.)
I don’t think I’ll ever I understand dropper posts, even on the most brutal downhill you’re standing and the saddle is kind of useful for stability around knee height. My mate says it stops you getting whacked in the cobblers but I’ve never had that happen. I know people swear by them but I almost never use mine…
@Rendel Harris that's interesting because the article could simply say "from £45" to indicate that the shoe might not be available in your size or colour at that price. The review itself is very specific about the pricing, so it is not difficult to do.
@Freddy56 Yep, Or rather she was told she can step down and say what she likes (which was nonsense then and even more nonsense now) or she will be fired, which would be way more harmful to her career.
@Nigel Garage Oh yes, the defence of the country and adequate provision for the disabled are very much an either/or, we can't possibly have both. Hang on, what if we set about closing all the tax loopholes and avoidance schemes advised by greedy Essex accountants, then there might be enough to go round.
@Rendel Harris tut tut, you obviously haven't taken your DEI course yet. You can't say "the disabled" in this day and age because it objectifies them. You're turning an adjective into a noun, very poor form by someone who self-certifies as an expert in the English language. "Disabled people" is the non-discriminatory way to describe those with disabilities. Putting aside your ridiculous and cliched comparison of my vision of an equal society with National Socialism, the last thing I'm going to say on the topic is that society has infinite number of wants on a finite number of resources. Clearly you think doling out free cycling gear to people is more important than spending those same precious resources on treating people in the NHS, educating our children, or defending our country. Well, more power to you, but I'm certain the overwhelming majority of people think otherwise.
@chrisonabike Yes, of course in any march of 250,000 plus people you're going to get some nasty bits of work and idiots. The police have arrested some of these and from what I hear (friends have gone on the marches, I haven't) they are reasonably assiduous in doing so within the obvious limits of trying to identify and then isolate and arrest a person responsible for shouting stupid things in a massive crowd. However, and I'm happy to stand corrected if they should wish to make their position more clear, I assume from the tone of open_roads' remarks and his description of the marches as antisemitic that they regard any march protesting the behaviour of the Israeli government with regard to the slaughter in Gaza as being antisemitic. In any case, the point I was making still stands, as backed up by those arrest figures I quoted, which is that it is not accurate to say that the Met have a "not a priority" attitude to these marches, quite the opposite.
@Ramz Not in the slightest, because the supposed wrong price isn't part of the review, so no misleading or inaccuracy there, and the shoes are available, albeit only in one colour, for £45 as stated.
@Rendel Harris Are you agreeing that the review was misleading and inaccurate?
20 thoughts on ““I really hope they didn’t ride it”: Cyclists baffled by £100 Facebook Marketplace bike with “razor-sharp handling”… thanks to mind-boggling front end; Return of the mysterious London lock saga; Cricket fans join the TNT bashing + more on the live blog”
I think we all know which
I think we all know which shop it came from.
Yeah, no idea why people are
Yeah, no idea why people are even talking about the front end being backwards. Its stolen. The front end is absolutely fine if you know anything about bikes or you legitimately owned that bike…
Could this be part of the
Could this be part of the government’s road safety review?
“Lillie’s family have called for people who cause death while driving to have their licence immediately suspended.
“The main aim of Lillie’s Law is to prevent other families from enduring the torment of knowing that people who kill someone while driving are still allowed behind the wheel after causing a death,” Debbie Clack said.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn40mdg3kdmo
mitsky wrote:
There was a petition along similar lines a few years ago:
https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/548682
Perhaps it just needs the police to make greater use of their existing powers?
Re London lock saga:
Re London lock saga:
The idea that it was someone who just wanted to leave their lock there for future use seems implausible for me. It might make sense if OP had left their bike there for longer, or had parked next to another bike already attached to the rack (belonging to the owner of the other lock). But the idea that someone was passing by and decided to drop off their lock there for potential future use really makes little sense to me.
Bungling thief gets my vote.
Maybe that single speed bike
Maybe that single speed bike is for a vicar from the 1950s who likes to indulge in a spot of track racing.
Poll time: Do Q36.5 have the
Poll time: Do Q36.5 have the most boring kit in the peleton?
o Yes
o Absolutely
o ZZZzzzzz
[Vote]
I think it’s lovely, one of
I think it’s lovely, one of the few current professional kits I would consider wearing (after consideration I would decide not to because it would only draw attention to the vast discrepancy between the speed and ability of professionals and myself) – less is more! Also nice to see a professional cycling team with the name of a bike manufacturer, cycle clothing manufacturer and cycle components manufacturer on their jerseys instead of a sportswashing endorsement.
My only critism is that in
My only critism is that in Tom’s case the Red Bull helmet is such a clash that it looks as awful as Red Bull tastes.
rct wrote:
A huge bugbear of mine (yes I know I should get out more), I think it was a massive mistake to allow riders to have different helmets for individual sponsorships. Teams should all wear the same kit, with the honourable exception of WC and NC jerseys. In the case of Red Bull the one advantage of the helmet, that it was easy to pick WVA and Tom out in the peleton, has been negated by the fact that the Bora team are now all wearing them too.
On the plus side I do think the new Dogma colours for Q36.5 look superb:
Quote:
I must confess I have done this several times over the decades, usually in a rush, in the dark, locking to the other side of a black Sheffield stand with a black bike leaning against it. Fortunately I have a habit of always giving my lock a good yank after I’ve turned the key to make sure it’s locked and I’ve always realised what I’ve done and rectified matters, but I can see how it might happen.
The bigger question for me is why do people leave their helmets, often quite expensive ones, attached to their lock as in the picture? It doesn’t take a Raffles-level of criminal cunning to realise you just have to unclip the chinstrap and walk away with it…
The pic of NF is funny/ironic
The pic of NF is funny/ironic.
Is he drinking that or deporting it…?
What other “non-British” food/drink items should he be boycotting/deporting?
mitsky wrote:
He’s secretly planning on banning brown bread, brown rice, black pudding etc.
Q36.5 did a good job with
Q36.5 did a good job with their 2026 WT kit. Elegant and classy. Today I saw the INEOS outfit which is definitely ugly. The orange jersey is close to fluo, and the bib shorts are a light gray, like sick little mouse grey. Ugly, it is.
Rule #14 Shorts should be
Rule #14 Shorts should be black
I am genuinely amazed that
I am genuinely amazed that people display extreme emotions over cycling kit that other people are wearing. Looks fine to me, and makes Pidcock look like a determined and victorious cyclist, which seems correct. I’m all in favour of somebody who overtook the Frog (no, the other frog, not the racist liar) in the final few hundred yards and gave us the inestimable joy of the rest of the Frogs claiming that was cheating.
PS Pidcock’s helmet OK, apart from being adorned with ‘Red Bull’,a noxious substance consumed by morons who throw bottles out of car windows. Nothing wrong with the Ineos kit either
wtjs wrote:
The Frog is who?
The Français beaten by
The Français beaten by Pidcock at the last Olympics
With reference to Rob Hatch
With reference to Rob Hatch getting it in the neck for his commentary error, this happened in 2021 when Covid meant commentators had to work off TV pictures instead of going to the ground:
TMS stalwart Jonathan Agnew was undone by the perils of remote working in the evening session of the fourth day. Joe Root had just taken a good catch at slip to remove Wanindu Hasaranga off the bowling of Jack Leach, and Agnew could barely believe his eyes as the dismissal was seemingly repeated the very next ball.
“Here’s Leach, bowling, and the new batsman’s edged it,” said the veteran broadcaster. “Has Root caught him again? Or has it spun straight out of the rough? He has! It’s like an action replay. Exactly the same. I don’t know what [Dilruwan] Perera was doing there to his first ball, his eyes lighting up.”
It was only at this point that Agnew realised his mistake. “Or, it was a replay. It was a replay. Oh god I’m sorry. Why didn’t someone tell me?”
(Wisden website)
So Piers Morgan’s “This is what happens when you get people in from other sports” is, unsurprisingly, bollocks. For what it’s worth I’m a huge cricket fan (though not a huge TNT fan) and have watched as much of this Ashes as is consonant with being able to get anything at all done during daylight hours and Hatch has done a thoroughly competent job, in my opinion.
Agree about Rob. I have only
Agree about Rob. I have only watched on YouTube highlights but Rob’s commentary has only stood out because he is the voice of cycling!!
I did him the disservice of almost expecting him to not know fielding, or ground, positions but he has been good.