Rigoberto Urán drafted by backpack-wearing local at 45km/h; MTB’er jumps straight into collision; Cyclist struck by bottle from passing pick-up; Skoda Octavia with anti-dooring tech goes on sale + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
It's not all about the watts: Alex Dowsett gives a boat load of useful tips for budding young pros
While cranking out more watts is definitely helpful, the Israel Start-Up Nation rider and former Hour Record holder has some wise words of advice for young cyclists who have ambitions to make it at World Tour level.
A rare occasion where the cyclist really did come out of nowhere
Hahahah serieus maar waar was deze fietser mee bezig dan? 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/1bgRB7YTgV
— Bas Tietema (@BasTietema) June 8, 2020
While the phrase ‘Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You’ has been bandied about by countless inattentive drivers since the dawn of the motor vehicle, we can safely say that in this case, the driver most certainly wasn’t at fault. As he approaches a crossing, a man appears flying through the air on a mountain bike and crashes straight into the windscreen; hopefully the cyclist suffered no serious damage, and will think more carefully before using a road as a stage to perform stunts on in future.
Though the caption is in Dutch we’re not certain if the video originates from the Netherlands; but if it was, ‘presumed liability’ law usually dictates that in traffic collisions between motor vehicles and cyclists/pedestrians, the driver of the motor vehicle is considered to be at fault as a starting point when cases go to court. You’d like to think that in this instance, however, common sense and the video evidence would exonerate the driver…
Sainsbury's roll out 'Chop Chop' beyond London, as bike delivery service arrives in 20 more cities
The Sainsbury’s Chop Chop service – which aims to deliver essential groceries by bike to customers within the hour – has now extended beyond London to 20 more cities. The Yorkshire Post reports that the service landed in Leeds today, and by the end of June a total of 50 stores will be offering Chop Chop.
Sainsbury’s re-launched the service in April, citing unprecedented demand due to the lockdown and those who were self-isolating. Customers can choose up to 20 essential items, and they promise delivery within 60 minutes of an order being placed. Sainsbury’s say they have doubled the number of orders they can fulfill in the London stores that are offering Chop Chop since the start of April, and rolling out to the extra 50 stores countrywide will increase capacity by another 400%.
UK plans to make scrapping of bike tyres illegal
Once this legislation has been
passed specific waste streams will be targeted and DEFRA have confirmed that bike
tyres will be one of the first. It is good that the UK cycle trade is one step ahead.#recycling #sustainability https://t.co/AZ607xaULv— VelorimLtd (@VelorimL) June 9, 2020
It’s something that has long been advocated by tyre and inner tube recycling innovators Velorim; and now the government are stepping in to ensure bike tyres are suitably recycled, making it illegal to dump them.
While dumping car tyres was outlawed in 2003, Cycling Industry News report that due to a lack of viable recycling schemes, this never extended to bike tyres despite them being made of almost identical materials.
Velorim will take charge of a collection and recycling scheme that is set to be rolled out by the end of 2020, with participating bike shops, workshops and hire schemes becoming collection points. Their CEO Dave Hawthorn commented: “The introduction of the National Bicycle Tyre Recycling Scheme will mean that cycling can rightly claim to be the most environmentally responsible of sports.”
Velorim say on their website that currently, over 30 million bike tyres and 152 million inner tubes are disposed of annually in the UK, with 99% ending up in landfill.
Things go from embarrassing to... even more embarrassing for bike-riding US cops
You remember those bicycle cops? LMAAAAO 🤣 pic.twitter.com/I8EGcu1mGo
— Witch Doctor Seuss (@X_sequitur) June 7, 2020
Last week, a rather cringey video surfaced of a police ‘Bike Response Team’ performing some pretty unimpressive skids… and now, another clip has gone viral in which a cop performs a similar move, before dismounting and taking quite a tumble while attempting to pursue a Black Lives Matter protestor.
It’s been suggested that scenes such as this could have had a negative impact on bike brands that appear in the footage, with the officers in the ‘Bike Response Team’ video all riding Trek hardtails; although Trek’s president John Burke has already written a lengthy blog post strongly condemning the killing of George Floyd and calling for change.
At a time where US policing is under intense scrutiny following the outrage over George Floyd’s death, Fuji have already recognised the potential for damage to their brand and stopped supplying bicycles to police departments: they said in a statement: “In an effort to make real change, we are beginning a dialogue with police departments nationwide to address how bikes are used in police activity and to ensure that police’s on-bike training reinforces that bicycles are not a weapon against our community.
“At this time, we are suspending the sale of Fuji police bikes until a conversation with these departments has occurred and we are confident that real change is being made.”
"The real competition is out on the road": Rigoberto Urán drafted by man with khakis, work boots and a backpack at 45km/h
He has all the gear and a very good idea, but still Rigoberto Urán was humbled by a cyclist carrying a backpack and dressed in baggy khakis on a training ride in his native Colombia. Dressed in full EF Pro Cycling kit and riding a Cannondale SuperSlice TT bike, Urán appears to be putting plenty of effort in, but our hero hangs on quite comfortably. Unless they’re some SPD-equipped heavy duty boots we don’t know about, his footwear isn’t exactly advantageous either.
According to Marca, the cyclist is a farmer and the pair were riding at around 45km/h. When they stopped for a quick chat, Urán says he was “surprised” by the man’s speed despite his advanced years: “This streamlined guy appears alongside me and I thought, this one is getting ready for the Tour”, he added.
It appears this definitely wasn’t a set up photo/video opportunity either; Uran’s Strava account shows that he completed a four hour jaunt yesterday morning, taking in over 2,000m of elevation over a distance of 112km.
An optimistic error
In fairness, the days don’t half all seem samey at the moment…
Bristol bike shop claims to have sold eight bikes in 20 minutes, as lockdown bike boom continues
Speaking to The Guardian, Andrew Bebesi – owner of independent bike shop Brisycle – claims that he works up to 18 hour days and has doubled staff numbers due to the rise of cycling since the start of the pandemic: “Last Saturday, we sold eight bikes in 20 minutes. As soon as we opened the door, they were just pulling the bikes out”, said Bebesi.
With traffic beginning to return to the roads, cycling advocacy groups are doing all they can to ensure councils and the government continue the legacy by securing funding for cycling infrastructure. Cycling UK’s Duncan Dollimore told The Guardian: “In another month, time will be running out – traffic will be increasing, people won’t be able to use public transport. There’s an urgent need to act, otherwise people who can’t use public transport will choose to get in the car again. Get on with it or the moment will have gone and we will have lost this opportunity to have this once-in-a-lifetime change to the way people move around urban areas.”
Police appeal for witnesses after cyclist punched and racially abused in Northamptonshire
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Northamptonshire Police say that the incident took place between 6.10pm and 6.20pm in Burystead Place, Wellingborough on 21st May, as the cyclist was passing through Croyland Gardens. The cyclist rang his bell to alert two men who were on the footpath that was coming past; however as he cycled past, one became verbally abusive and used racist language. The 44-year-old cyclist then stopped, and the offender punched him in the face. He is described as a white male in his 20’s, of a slim build and around 6ft tall, and was carrying a can of beer at the time of the assault.
The term 'upcycling' takes on a whole new meaning...
Up cycling 😂 pic.twitter.com/6Xzk7N41NI
— CCTV_IDIOTS (@cctv_idiots) June 9, 2020
Skoda debut new anti-dooring technology on Octavia model
Coinciding with Bike Week, Skoda’s fourth generation Octavia is now available to order to UK customers, and includes their ‘Exit Warning’ technology that alerts drivers/passengers to potential hazards when opening a car door. The car also features Predictive Cycling Protection, which gives warnings to the driver if a cyclist is detected ahead.
A Skoda spokesperson told ShinyShiny: “The all-new fourth-generation Octavia is the most technologically advanced Skoda yet and one of the most cycle-friendly cars on the market.
“Naturally cyclists face daily challenges associated with cycling on busy roads, including avoiding car doors as they open. The technology introduced in the new Octavia, particularly Exit Warning, is there to assist drivers in helping to mitigate and reduce potential accidents.”
Ford also revealed they were working on anti-dooring technology earlier this year, which would prevent car doors from opening fully when cyclists approached. Cycle safety advocates promote the ‘Dutch reach’ as the most effective non-technological way to prevent dooring; this involves the car driver or passenger opening their door with the hand that is furthest away from it, forcing them to look over their shoulder.
Witness appeal after cyclist struck by bottle from passing pick-up truck
Thames Valley Police are appealing for information after a cyclist was left with bruising and inflammation to his chest due to a water bottle being thrown from a white pick-up truck.
The incident happened at 2.35pm on Sunday 31st May, and the male victim was one of two cyclists riding on the B3021 Southlea Road from Datchet to Windsor when the assault occurred. A person from the pick-up travelling in the opposite direction threw a drinks bottle at the cyclists, which hit the victim in the chest; the victim didn’t require hospital treatment.
Investigating officer PC Alexander Massey said: “This was a frightening experience for the two cyclists, and I am appealing to anyone who has any information about this incident to come forward.
“If you were driving or cycling in the area at the time and saw anything, please get in touch. You can contact us using the online reporting form, quoting reference number 43200160762. If you cannot report online, call the 24 hour non-emergency number 101.”
9 June 2020, 08:36
9 June 2020, 08:36
road.cc Dave is taking on a very topical indoor fundraising challenge
Cummings and goings
I'm missing doing Audax a bit, but I'm also quite enjoying being on Zwift. So why not combine the two?
9 June 2020, 08:36
Full story on the plans to scrap the unnecessary scrapping of bike tyres
Scrapping bicycle tyres may be about to become illegal. Here’s how to recycle yours
A new bicycle tyre recycling scheme is due by the end of 2020
9 June 2020, 08:36
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It's worth pointing out that unlike cycling on a pavement (i.e. a footway alongside a carriageway), cycling on a footpath is not a crime; it is a civil tort against the landowner. That means it's not a police matter, and other people using the path have no standing to complain either (although of course you should still be careful and considerate of other people, regardless of the status of the right of way). Indeed, without going into a full lecture on the history of Rights of Way and the noble tradition of mass trespass (e.g. Kinder Scout), there is an argument that the law implicitly condones such "illegal" use of paths, given that new rights of way can be created by members of the public demonstrating that they have used the path without permission but "as of right" for long enough, without the landowner taking action to curb such use. As an additional point of information, I would note that the offence of causing injury by "wanton or furious" cycling applies anywhere. I'm no lawyer, but I struggle to see that the designation of the right of way would have much sway, but rather any case would rely on the broader context and whether the manner of the cycling was safe given the terrain and conditions.
@Rendel Harris I get close-passed by more riders than cars in Richmond Park. Maybe I should ride faster.
@perce I'm normally a big fan of your excellent posts perce but I must take issue with this one. The idea that Lord Khan of Tooting would ever, in any circumstances, have been friends with Nigel is surely beyond the bounds of even your fertile imagination?
Not to downplay the seriousness of bikejacking, but Mr.Taylor might want to consider that fact that many riders have been put off using the park at weekends due to the aggressive, intimidatory behaviour of members of his own club, who are notorious for riding as if the park is a private training facility just for themselves, and that's a pretty sad state of affairs as well.
In Wiggle/CR's absence, what are people using nowadays? I've been out of it for a while, but now returned.
I did a multi-day ride many years ago with someone who was a better cyclist than me by every conceivable measure but this one. I remember watching them up ahead on a quiet road trying to teach themselves - snatching brief seconds with their hands off the bars before losing balance and grabbing on again. 'Watch this' I said to the rest of my group, before I accelerated to catch them, then nonchalantly sailed past them uphill riding no hands. Very satisfying. I've been able to ride most of mine hands-free, but had a Specialized Allez that really didn't cooperate. Haven't been brave enough to try it on a Brompton or cargo bike though. And still can't do a wheelie, or any of the other things on Jo's palmares.
@Hamster now that is an exciting development. I do remove/amend signs but reporting them for flyposting is much more satisfying.
@Slartibartfast If the sign-maker can be caught in the act then the council Environmental Health can get a report for littering/fly-tipping. Hours of endless fun for that person trying to explain away a conviction. Don't report unless you're prepared to go to court though. Or remove the litter and put in the nearest bin with a sticker explaining how littering is a crime.
What would make driving safer for motorists is if they stopped driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and driving faster than the speed limit.
Some good ideas there. One point tho. Whilst I love those Wera Allen keys for steel bolt heads, they can be risky on alloy socket screws. Not ideal, IMO, for Rochshox fork axles as they eat into the alloy and lock into the socket. Play soon results. The hex+ system seems to be based on an inside out adaptation of the Snap On “Flank Drive” spanner or socket - and that’s a great idea, but sadly the design seems to overstress alloy socket head screws. Could it be that the profiled section on the end of the tool doesn’t have enough penetration on a fork axle? Maybe. All I can say is my axles last a lot longer using a regular Allen hex key. (Ideally on a torque wrench I guess). Ooh and ChrisA is right - a “Vernier Caliper” relies an a sliding scale more like a slide tile. Digital is way easier, but battery dependent.
22 thoughts on “Rigoberto Urán drafted by backpack-wearing local at 45km/h; MTB’er jumps straight into collision; Cyclist struck by bottle from passing pick-up; Skoda Octavia with anti-dooring tech goes on sale + more on the live blog”
I’ve seen the clip of the MTB
I’ve seen the clip of the MTB rider on Twitter. What the hell did the rider think he was doing? I hope he’s ok. I hope he learns something from this.
yeah, much bigger ramp
yeah, much bigger ramp
OldRidgeback wrote:
A Backflip Superman? Perhaps something more showy. 😀
That he didn’t need to
That he didn’t need to replace a helmet that obviously saved his life?
When people say “expect the
When people say “expect the unexpected”, that clip shows what a pointless phrase it is.
If you “expect the unexpected
If you “expect the unexpected”, then it ceases to be “unexpected”, becuase you now “expect” it, so logically you should immediately stop expecting it again, and so on, in an accelerating loop.
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
At the risk of coming across as slightly pedantic, I think you’re allowed to expect the expected too, so the phrase should be “Expect the unexpected, and the expected”, but you’re right that this just pushes everything into the ‘expected’ category. The real danger is that this gives you an infinite number of things you have to be continually expecting, which could be a distraction from actual driving.
Or to chanel Donald Rumsfeld.
Or to chanel Donald Rumsfeld.
The expected expecteds, the expected unexpecteds and the unexpected unexpecteds.
Mungecrundle wrote:
Well I hadn’t seen that comparison coming! 😉
I expect you had some
I expect you had some expectations.
No video evidence and
No video evidence and presumed liability has the driver on the hook for that one.
It’s such a great system, can’t see why we don’t do it.
Yet in 70% of cases in a
Yet in 70% of cases in a deeply biased (against the cyclist) system drivers are actually found to be at fault? (In less than 10% of cases the cyclists are at fault with the rest as ‘other’s or joint responsibility)
In this case even without video evidence I doubt it’d be too hard to put the blame rightly on the cyclist.
With no video evidence or
With no video evidence or witnesses how would you prove that the cyclist was at fault?
44,000 tonnes of tyre waste?
44,000 tonnes of tyre waste? So 44 million kilos, or a kilo of waste every year for every adult in the country. I am a keen cyclist and I don’t throw away that many tyres. Something off in those figures.
The full story says this
The full story says this represents 35M tyres and 150M inner tubes which doesn’t sound so unbelievable. As a relatively (4000-6000km/year) low mileage cyclist (I know, that looks silly, but I can’t bring myself to say “kilometrage”) I probably get through two pairs of road tyres (approx 1kg) and a pair of MTB tyres (1.5kg) each year plus half a dozen tubes, say 600g, so around 3kg per year. Clearly keen racers or trail riders will get through a lot more. Mind you I do ride a lot in glass-strewn London, and tyres and tubes are generally discarded due to severe damage rather than wear.
roubaixcobbles wrote:
Crikey I’m glad I don’t live in London! Doing at least the same milage up north my usage is <25% of that – have you considered eg some Marathon Plus or similar for your commute? And tubeless for the MTB?
Organon wrote:
Yeah, getting on towards a kilo of tyres/tubes per person per year in the UK. Pretty sure that number is just made up.
Don’t understand why there isn’t already a recycle system in place?
That number is arrant
That number is arrant nonsense.
GOV.UK says ‘ the proportion of adults cycling at least once a week in England fell slightly from 2015 to 2016 in 12% to 11% in 2017 to 2018’
Suspect they’d be better off looking at the number sold and to assume 1:1 scrappage given the number of cylists looks to be flat at the moment.
consider it a ball park
consider it a ball park estimate then,no doubt theyve counted the amount of new tyres/inner tubes sold and assumed they arent being used as talking point art installations in peoples homes and applied an average weight per item to it all.
But does it really matter if its 44,000 or 22,000, or only 4,400, its still a heck of a lot stuff going into landfill needlessly that should be recycled.
and the reason there isnt a system in place already, is because it costs extra money to process tyres/tubes and people rarely choose the pay option if they have the free option still, which then makes any system uneconomical to run, so unless everyone is legally forced to pay to recycle it it doesnt work.
Id argue the cost should be included in the price of a new tube or tyre but that would no doubt drive people to find online importers who were fractionally pennies cheaper still
With regards to the jumping
With regards to the jumping cyclist: as at Dutchman I can say It doesn’t look like The Netherlands. The yellow traffic signs seems like Sweden to me.
Jumping MTB’r
Jumping MTB’r
Teenager done exactly that to me a couple of days ago cracked my 6 week old supersix, both alright though apart from my emotional devastation
Those ‘elite’ cycle cops
Those ‘elite’ cycle cops again! I wonder what the dude in the red t shirt was doing that caused the ‘elite’ cycle cop to attempt to chase after him? In the short video evidence it seems as if he was just standing there when the ‘elite’ cycle division start bombing towards him. And quite rightly he ran away.
Here’s the version with audio