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Live blog: Will Norman corrects reporter who claimed London cycling in decline, Trek says its Domane+ e-bike does Tour de France speeds, Strava says 50-59s clock up most bike miles +more
Meanwhile, Chris Froome is today’s unlikely source of banter on social media as he compares his legendary jog up the Ventoux to Christmas shopping!
Wed, Dec 19, 2018 16:36
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Jack is group editor across road.cc, off.road.cc and ebiketips, overseeing all three sites in the F-At Digital group to make sure everything’s up to scratch. He’s been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of road.cc including tech, news and video, and also contributed to ebiketips before being named editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town, and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism, and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
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Latest Comments
SVXY 4 hours ago
@SVXY Rule 66 of the highway code says you can ride two abreast but to also 'be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups.' It does not say you can ride three or four abreast which would not be considerate of the needs of other road users. As the highway code is used by prosecution lawyers as evidence to convict in Road Traffic Act offences cases you certainly could therefore be prosecuted and convicted for careless cycling if cycling three or four abreast
mdavidford 4 hours ago
@SVXY This is a curious tactic - rebutting your own argument with your very next sentence.
No Reply 5 hours ago
Affordable? Starting at £6K? You 'having a larf?
chrisonabike 5 hours ago
@SVXY Ah, so it *is* the "flood the zone with shit" argumentation technique then? Or perhaps ... you are genuinely unclear about the difference between the Highway code and the law (and perhaps the difference between cyclists, drivers and indeed horse riders? And rusty on safe practice? As mdavidford notes you appear to be confusing rule with Rule 66 (for cyclists, which doesn't say anything about not riding x abreast) with Rule 53 (for horse riders which gives guidance not to more than double up - I don't think this is a direct summary of any law since "should" not "must"). Charitably I'm going with "*i* know what it says!" which as I noted many of people feel they do. Anyway away with you, I feel you've had your fill of attention for today.
kingleo 6 hours ago
Road tax was abolished in 1937 by Winston Churchill because, as he said, "road tax makes motorists believe they are the moral owners of our roads." He got that right.
SVXY 6 hours ago
@SVXY None of the magistrates who sentenced him said the CPS should have charged him with dangerous driving. Why should they? He was not speeding, he was not on his phone and he was not drunk or under the influence of drugs either
Rendel Harris 7 hours ago
@SVXY The court does not decide on whether someone was driving carelessly or dangerously, they can only decide on the guilt or otherwise of the defendant on the charge the CPS decides to lay against them. The CPS is notorious for preferring to charge careless rather than dangerous because it's an easier win; this results in entirely unjust sentences such as this one.
SVXY 7 hours ago
@Rendel Harris Wearing sandals may be fine if cycling on tracks over fields or in a quiet residential street with a 20 or 30mph limit. It is not sensible cycling on a 60mph main road
belugabob 7 hours ago
@chrisonabike maybe, but things that used to be banter & jokes in the 1960s/1970s have (thankfully) become socially unacceptable , and this is mostly because enough people spoke up about it. We even managed to make drink-driving a lot less acceptable, by the same means.
SVXY 7 hours ago
@Rendel Harris Yes, he was driving at 55mph in a 60mph road. The court verdict was he was not driving dangerously but carelessly eg he should have had his visor down to keep out the sun so he could monitor the road ahead.
6 thoughts on “Live blog: Will Norman corrects reporter who claimed London cycling in decline, Trek says its Domane+ e-bike does Tour de France speeds, Strava says 50-59s clock up most bike miles +more”
The Amsterdam moped ban is a
The Amsterdam moped ban is a good thing (obviously).
Having lived there for a year, I can attest that many exceeded the speed limit, and drove recklessly around cyclists and pedestrians.
Seeing the larger capacity mopeds using the bike lanes was a regular occurrence too, despite them being banned.
Increase in use of cycle
Increase in use of cycle lanes on Vauxhall Bridge would probably be even higher had they not stuck ruddy great concrete and armco barriers in one of the lanes!
It’s a concern how close you are to cyclists passing in the opposite direction with pedestrians encroaching on one side, and downright scary when someone goes for a questionable overtake! 5 far wider lanes for motorised traffic though!
I’m not sure “words of advice
I’m not sure “words of advice” is the best way to deal with stupid/irresponsible/careless/agressive motorists. I can do that myself, and do so on an almost daily basis….. Although I suppose you often couldn’t really call it advice as such.
Interesting to read that the
Interesting to read that the older groups are the busiest cyclists. Do the manufacturers read and believe that to be the case? Manufacturers aim their best kit at the much smaller group of pros and athletically better young riders but the older groups generally have more money to spend on their hobbies and have different technical requirements. I don’t, for one minute believe doing away with the triple chainring setup or reducing mtb’s to a single chainring is in the interests of the over 50’s.
Dingaling wrote:
You will also note that those in that age group have an above average speed too! I suspect that is more to do with the demograph of that group who actually log their rides on Strava.
Manufacturers aim their top end kit at those that want quality without too much concern over price. They also often have ranges of more affordable kit, or other manufacturers target that part of the market, so there is something for everyone.
Often it is the older generation that have more disposable income. Supply to pro riders foc is advertising and a test bed. I freely admit to liking top quality kit and am willing to pay for it. It is all down to disposable income and how one chooses to spend it. Cycling is my passion and I spend a fair chunk on it, better that than fast women, loose cars and drugs! (Yes, that was deliberate!)
As regards triple chainrings, well, you can get MTB like gear ratios with a double on a road bike these days so I don’t quite buy your argument. Again, single chainring MTBs have huge cassettes which gives low enough gears if you choose correctly. It has been done for simplicity and more reliable performance, not to get at the over 50s.
You need to remember that you are one individual and not typical of the norm. I’m over 50, ride with several different groups where I am one of the youngest, and none of the fifty or so cyclists that I know in that age bracket (or significantly above) have any issue with a double chainring (or lack of a triple). Oh, and I live at the foot of the Peak District, so hills are our playground. Pick your front and rear ratios to suit your ability/ fitness/ terrain, there are plenty available.
mtb like gearing on a road
mtb like gearing on a road double is not particularly good, for many reasons that have been covered over and over again.
I don’t want an 11-34 or 36 or 42 tooth sprocket, I like my 11/12-28 with a triple and a 24 inner means I can get up pretty much anything even with a load.
Having the stupidly big jumps on MTB like road gearing using a double or worse a single ring, is cack.