Is this the worst maintained cycle path in the UK?; Bikes ‘n’ guns ‘n’ drugs; Emergency bike bodges; Froome to leave Ineos; Emma Pooley sets new everesting record; Geraint Thomas’s cycling impressions + more
SUMMARY
“Sick of trying to stay alive on my bike in County Wicklow”
Thanks, everyone I am home. My phone has died so I can’t call anyone. The worst one was a white van I think they are called caddy vans. I got a look at the passenger as he looked in the mirror and by his face, they knew they had nearly hit me & run me off the road. Cyclists are https://t.co/JHEIDatoEl
— Bernie (@Bernieadufe) July 8, 2020
Islington’s first low-traffic neighbourhood is in St Peter’s ward
St Peter’s Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Islington – very very nice! We will definitely EXPECT CYCLES. 😀 Love that sign. pic.twitter.com/F0jw8AwwxH
— Streets for people (@BrendaPuech) July 8, 2020
Geraint Thomas's cycling impressions
French guy rides past today and shouts “allez Froome” I must be looking skinny, or just looking at my stem🤷♂️🤣
— Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) July 8, 2020
French guy presumably heading the opposite way.
Joaquim Rodriguez hospitalised after crash while mountain biking
According to Marca, Purito suffered a hard fall on Wednesday in Vallnord Bike Park in Andorra on Wednesday.
He seems to be broadly okay though.
Safe passing distance signs put up in Snowdonia
We mentioned these on the live blog the other day.
The signs urge motorists to leave a 1.5m gap when passinghttps://t.co/fjsyCfkAdh
— BBC Wales News (@BBCWalesNews) July 9, 2020
According to the BBC report, they’re basically covering the Brailsford Way.
Emma Pooley sets new everesting record
Another day, another everesting record.
The current overall everesting record is held by Lachlan Morton, who set it a week after losing what he thought was a new record because of wonky GPS data.
Earlier this week, 2010 world time trial champion, Emma Pooley, set a new women’s record, completing 10 laps of the Haggenegg climb (6.8 km at 13%) near Schwyz in Switzerland, to achieve the necessary 8,848 metres of climbing in a time of 8 hours 53 minutes and 36 seconds.
The route was approved in advance by the Hells 500 — the organisation behind the concept of everesting – which is something they said they’d start doing after Morton’s first effort.
It sounds like Pooley could have everested a fair bit quicker had she planned things differently.
She says she regretted choosing a slope with a 13.5% average gradient with insufficient gearing, adding that it was totally exposed and also featured a twisty technical descent with blind corners, gravel, and grass cuttings.
She also reckoned she made her attempt on a day when six tractors and hay carts were also doing reps of the climb and said she ran out of food and water on every climb from five onwards because she didn’t plan for enough.
“I blew up on the 8th ascent and no amount of gels and water stops would revitalise my legs,” she wrote on Strava. “Close to puking near the top of the last 3 laps.
“The whole point was to challenge myself: find my limits, and push them. Well ok, it felt more like my limits found me and punched me into a ditch but still: it was tough, I genuinely enjoyed it, and there was plenty of time to think.”
Chris Froome to leave Ineos at end of season
After a great many rumours, Team Ineos has confirmed that Chris Froome will leave at the end of the season.
Team INEOS confirms we will not be renewing @chrisfroome’s contract – so after 10 great years this season will be Chris’s last with the team.
— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) July 9, 2020
More to follow.
Emergency bike hacks
Cable ties feature prominently.
Here’s a collection of ridiculous bike hacks I’ve pulled off over the last year or two. Some I am proud of. Some I am confused about still being alive. https://t.co/oKhT5dVGmi
— Crashy McCiderface 🚴🏻♂️🌍🔥 (@philsturgeon) July 6, 2020
Bit of overlap, but you’ll also be interested in these nine roadside bodges. (When is a hack not a hack? When it’s a bodge.)
Froome heading to Israel Start-Up Nation
Welcome to our family, CHRIS FROOME!
ברוך הבא , כריס
Full statement : https://t.co/kXkZy3Uogq pic.twitter.com/eUKlwdWpdG— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) July 9, 2020
Peterborough Police seize 24 stolen bikes (plus one or two other things...)
Tour bus firm recognises that negligence on part of driver resulted in death of cyclist in Edinburgh
In May 2017, Zhi Min Soh, a medical student from Malaysia, lost her life when she was run over by a Rabbie’s Tours minibus.
It is thought that she was thrown from her bike when her wheel became trapped in a tram track.
Her family were informed there would be no criminal case against the driver, but they launched a civil action through Cycle Law Scotland.
“Whatever caused Zhi Min to fall from her bicycle on the 31st May 2017 may never be known but had she been given sufficient room by the tour bus driver, she would most likely still be here,” commented Jodi Gordon, a partner at the firm.
It was never disputed that the driver had been travelling behind Zhi Min Soh and that he had been aware of her presence on the road.
He was also driving within the 20mph speed limit but had been closing on her when approaching a junction. When Zhi Min Soh fell from her bike, he was unable to take evasive action or stop in time.
There was no formal admission of liability from Rabbie’s Tours but the insurers agreed to compensate the family for their grief and sorrow. Cycle Law Scotland say that in doing so, there is recognition that there was negligence on the part of their driver.
“Zhi Min’s death was avoidable,” said Gordon. “The hope is that we learn from this unnecessary loss of life. As drivers, we must learn to recognise the vulnerability of cyclists and the fragility of life as we interact together on the roads.”
Froome leaving Ineos to join Israel Start Up Nation from next season
Our full story’s up now, including the implications for Froome riding this year’s Tour de France.
Korean coach and team captain handed life bans after triathlete took her own life
Inside The Games reports that Choi Suk-hyeon took her own life after years of physical and verbal abuse from the coaching staff at Gyeongju City Hall’s semi-professional triathlon team.
Coach Kim Kyu-bong and team captain Jang Yun-jung have been handed life bans by the Korea Triathlon Federation. Another athlete involved in the case was banned for 10 years.
Cars trapped in low traffic neighbourhood
Salford Council are trialling planters in a few locations to close roads to cars.
This is Stevenson Street.
How are all these cars dumped on our beautiful park going to get out 😂 pic.twitter.com/Sj5GtcYS8O
— Walk Ride Salford Central (@WRSalford) July 9, 2020
Video: What do you think would be an acceptable number of people dying on our roads?
No doubt you think this is an obvious point, but we think it’s well made all the same.
What do you think would be an acceptable number of people dying on our roads?
Powerful message by Transport Accident Commission Victoria. pic.twitter.com/sTb0w5c7aM
— Cycling Professor (@fietsprofessor) July 9, 2020
Cricket World Cup winner Jason Roy’s into cycling now
We had Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff racing Chris Froome on Zwift the other day and before that Darren Gough on Channel 5 series, Tour de Celeb.
Most strikingly of all, former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior got so into cycling he set up his own team.
The latest cricketer to show an interest is Jason Roy, who was a key member of England’s World Cup winning team last summer.
He’s been riding to maintain his fitness during lockdown and recently took delivery of a Ribble Endurance SL with Shimano Ultegra Di2.
“I love this bike, the way it rides is excellent,” he said. “The bike has especially smooth handling and also looks stunning. Cycling gives me another dimension to my training and I look forward to putting the hard miles in.”
Two-year-old cycling on Sheffield ring road
He turned 2 last week, rode on Sheffield ring road this week.
I asked her, 3: (“Do you like riding on the special new bike-only road?”) “Yeah! … I want to go further.”
🥰
Thanks @Bob_of_Hills, @SheffCouncil, @CycleSheffield etc… pic.twitter.com/hv4atcKglP
— Sam Wakeling (@samwake) July 9, 2020
The break has a six-minute gap in today's stage of the Tour
Hammering along together the break pass a “modern” chateau that could have come from a film set! No #TourdeFrance so it’s #TourdeMyGarden. 6 mins to the peloton so break should stay away, fast downhill finish! #TDF2020 #TDF #Cycling. pic.twitter.com/f6IfBUe3WJ
— Englishtifosi (@41Tourstages) July 9, 2020
Cycling is ‘great to blow the cobwebs away’ says Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock was spotted out on his bike the other day.
Sir Neil Warnock out for a casual ride round Teesside, head to toe in Boro gear. Up the Boro and Up the Warnock! pic.twitter.com/4MYCiGHmBC
— Chris Garbutt (@Chris_Garbutt87) July 6, 2020
“Yes, that was me,” he told Teesside Live. “The lads went past in a car and pointed a camera at me and shouted ‘hello’.
“It’s not a club bike. I’ve had to pay for it if I’m honest. I had to pay for the hire of it. You’d think I get it sponsored at my age. It was an electric bike – I need that for the hills.”
It sounds like Warnock cycles for his mental health as much as his physical health.
“I did about 38km yesterday and I really enjoyed it,” he said. “You can get suffocated if you’re not careful and the problems become gigantic so you’ve got to just calm down and play it by ear.
“It was nice to blow the cobwebs away. I’ve always enjoyed that. And the countryside round here is just unbelievable so it was great to get out and do a few miles.”
Is this the worst maintained cycle path in the UK?
Essex County Council reportedly says that this stretch doesn’t need any repairs.
But is it the worst cycle path in the UK?
Is this the worst maintained cycle path in the UK?@TDF79 thinks this path in @essex_cc is the worst he has seen.https://t.co/gLFhYTucqO
— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) July 9, 2020
If we were to mix all the replies to this tweet together and boil them down to their essence, it would be something like, “Well that’s absolutely terrible but no, it isn’t even close to being the worst cycle path in the UK – let me tell you about this one path near me…”
Iwind – the world's first personal cycling air filter
Well this is, um….
Let’s just say it’s one of those Kickstarter campaigns and leave it at that, shall we?
“The essence of Iwind is optimum comfort and maximum efficiency. It sucks in the impure air around you, purifies it, and supplies fresh air back to the nose cone through the air duct.”
In the words of our editor: breathtaking.
9 July 2020, 08:04
9 July 2020, 08:04
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He "never thought of that" and "some of my best friends are" . Sounds like he doesn't think of much and is just blinded by his hatred into inventing things. Why is road.cc giving him air space!
Barry Shitpeas (Philomena Cunk's sidekick) was a very prescient character. Basically a quarter-wit expressing ignorant opinions without any understanding of the issues at hand, with ample doses of Dunning-Kruger.
Never mind the police - many cyclists (at least in the UK) would be totally unfamiliar with a velomobile, so perhaps police can be forgiven for ignorance there. (I've "normal" recumbents and even those cause lots of head-turning). And for "e-things" the tail of the market is very much wagging the dog of regulation. Or rather there's almost zero political interest in that. In an ideal world someone would find the money and time to get the police trained - but I wonder if most of them even keep abreast of things like the highway code wording tweaks? (Do those not specialised in road policing / pursuit driving get any more training than the average driver eg "enough to pass the test, once per lifetime"?)
I thought that the lengthy technical downhill section on narrow roads was a poor piece of organisation. It was inevitable that faster riders with their team car would catch up with team cars of slower riders. Riders passing each other was a bit of a lottery at times. The camera motorbikes struggled to get out of the way at times.
It's not a 'statement' though - it's road.cc's words, based on l'Equipe's interpretation. The actual statement issued on it said that the judge authorised it "guaranteeing strict proportionality between the infringements on the rights of the athlete and the stakes of the fight against doping in terms of fair competition and protection of his health."
Trust me Callum, if you'd grown up watching the Tour in the 1980s, as I did, you would not be hankering after those long flat stages that weren't even as exciting as watching paint dry, it was more like listening to paint dry. As for the supposed benefits of those long TTs, what did they give us? Indurain winning five Tours in a row without winning a single road stage in any of them. As McT says below, you simply can't Pogacar-proof a course and we just have to accept, and enjoy, the fact that we are watching the greatest GT cyclist of all time. Anyway I think it has been a great Tour so far, yes no enormous drama about the inevitable winner (though of course Vinegaard and now Lipowitz have shown us that anything can happen) but just about every day has had a fascinating plot and multiple subplots. Some time in the future there will be another Indurain-style winner, playing it cautious, following moves, making incremental gains and winning without ever lighting up the race and we'll be saying I wish the old days of Pogacar making those spectacular solo breaks were back.
The main issue is the layout of the stages with the bigger climb first then a shallow finish climb. It means pogacar can get a gap at the top of the big climb and then stretch 10-15 seconds to a minute plus at the finish over smaller riders like Vingegaard. A summit finish on the hardest climb might not lead to the most exciting racing but equally would keep the gaps closer. I totally agree with the TT kms though, they should have 60+km tts in the grand tours.
@MaxiMinimalist I mean, that statement makes it sound like they had reason to think those two are doping. Either they didn't follow procedure and are making shit up to cover themselves up or something is going on.
Quite possibly. But the changeover time loss would be a bit more significant if it was done on the flat just after the downhill when the riders are travelling faster, the deceleration, changeover and acceleration loss could easily be around 30 seconds, which is quite a lot of a 34 minute effort.
So Skoda have taken a leaf out of Dung-Old Karen Taco Trump's book and are re-naming something when they have no authority to do so?
17 thoughts on “Is this the worst maintained cycle path in the UK?; Bikes ‘n’ guns ‘n’ drugs; Emergency bike bodges; Froome to leave Ineos; Emma Pooley sets new everesting record; Geraint Thomas’s cycling impressions + more”
Good to see those passing
Good to see those passing distance signs – not a silver bullet but may help.
The BBC Wales Tweet says they are a UK first, but having read about stickers of Ainsley Harriott & Alan Partridge put on Bournemouth’s signs, I know that’s not true.
I have had many close passes
I have had many close passes just off those roundabouts so I’d say they work pretty well
HarrogateSpa wrote:
They’re a nice idea, but
I’d prefer to see a centre line between the cycle and car, and ‘Pass wide’ instead of ‘1.5m’.
According to the BBC report,
According to the BBC report, [i]”Cyclists taking to mountain roads in one part of Wales will see new signs reminding motorists to keep their distance…”.[/i]
And that is doubtless the truth of it. As to what the motorist will see, probably neither the signs nor the cyclists.
Wow, big Procycling news. I
Wow, big Procycling news. I know there were rumours, but now confirmed. That really puts the kybosh on Froome taking a fifth TdF title this year – there’s no way they will work for him now he’s off at the end of the year. In fact I suppose there’s now a big doubt that he’ll even make the squad. Or am I just venturing into tinfoil hat territory?
Can’t see INEOS taking Froome
Can’t see INEOS taking Froome with them, he’s not going to be allowed to lead and he’s not the right sort of rider to tow Bernal in the high mountains, even if he was prepared to bury himself for him (highly doubtful). Two options I think, either there’s been an agreement that Froome will miss the Tour in exchange for total support in the rescheduled Giro or Vuelta or there’ll be an earlier break by mutual consent – Israel Startup would be favourite to snap him up I think – so he can ride the Tour with another team.
If they left him at home then
If they left him at home then it’s defo not on performance grounds. I wish they’d have allowed a mid-season transfer. Would have made for an even more interesting race.
The question now is, who does Israel SUN bring in to support Froome?
Rumour is that the new UK
Rumour is that the new UK Team, Pirate Juice CC is eager to pick him up. Well put together with the best looking kit i have ever seen.
I notice from the recovered
I notice from the recovered bikes that they were mainly mountain and hybrid types, a few “ladies” too. I hope that some of them can be returned to their former owners.
Of course, because the police do not seem to be taking many bike thefts seriously, unless the victim is making an insurance claim there seems very little reason to always report the crime.
In the emergency bike hacks
In the emergency bike hacks thing, the double fishermans knot is mentioned, it is a far better knot for attaching two ends if they are going to be under tension than the standard reef (or granny). I have used it in the last week at work to improvise a securing “o” ring on a peice of equipment, and used the singled knot in elastic to create a very strong hair band.
I find it odd that Salford
I find it odd that Salford Council are using Road Closed signs when they only mean road closed to motor vehicles.
Because according to the police (and some posters) on this story the signage is unequivocal. https://road.cc/content/news/numerous-cyclists-ignoring-box-hill-closure-say-police-272657.
Why would a council put up a sign that meant no cycling (AT ALL!) when the whole intent seems to be to encourage cycling?
Hmmm….
Probably because ‘Road closed
Probably because ‘Road closed’ signs are readily available, whereas no-one’s bothered to make ‘Road closed to motor vehicles’ ones before (that there’s deviant thinking, after all).
Yup, as was me mentioned by
Yup, as was me mentioned by some at the time of the Box Hill brouhaha, if I recall.
ktache wrote:
There are plenty of examples of road closed signs with bicycle exemptions.
eburtthebike wrote:
The “no low flying motorcycles” one would seem to be about right.
There is a “no motor vehicles
There is a “no motor vehicles” sign which would serve the same purpose though – a motorbike and a car in a red circle.
“What do you think would be
“What do you think would be an acceptable number of people dying on our roads?”
That video brings home the fact that everyone killed has family and friends, and they aren’t just a statistic; should be shown to every driver annually.
Reminds me of the professor who asked his students to imagine a boon to society, anything they wanted, and it would be granted, and they came up with some great ideas. Then he told them that there would have to be human sacrifice for this boon, thousands of innocent lives every year, especially young people, so would they still want it? They all said no, then he pointed out that was exactly the situation with driving; a huge boon, but costing thousands of lives every year.