Live blog: The London bus overtake-and-pull-in; 68% of drivers think bikes should have licence plates; Have you hit your alimentary limit? Third of disabled people in UK ‘would like to start cycling’ but face barriers + more
SUMMARY
Have you hit your ‘alimentary limit’? Scientists identify maximum sustainable level of exertion
According to research conducted at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, all endurance athletes have a metabolic limit – a maximum level of exertion that is sustainable in the long term.
Above the limit of 2.5 times a person’s resting metabolic rate, the body begins to feed on itself to obtain the additional calories needed to function.
“This defines the realm of what’s possible for humans,” said study co-author Herman Pontzer, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology, who believes the limiting factor is most likely the digestive tract’s ability to break down food.
“There’s just a limit to how many calories our guts can effectively absorb per day,” he said.
The study measured daily calories burned by a group of athletes who ran six marathons a week for five months as part of the 2015 Race Across the USA. It also looked at other feats of endurance including the Tour de France, Antarctic treks and pregnancy.
Plotted over time, the data for all events formed an L-shaped curve where athletes’ energy expenditure started out relatively high, but dropped and flattened out at 2.5 times their basal metabolic rate for the remainder of the event.
Those who ran a single marathon used 15.6 times their resting metabolic rate; Tour de France riders used 4.9 times their resting metabolic rate; a 95-day Antarctic trekker used 3.5 times the resting metabolic rate.
“You can do really intense stuff for a couple of days, but if you want to last longer then you have to dial it back,” Pontzer told BBC News.
The maximum sustainable energy expenditure found among endurance athletes was only slightly higher than the metabolic rates women sustain during pregnancy, which suggests that the same physiological limits constrain other aspects of life too, such as how big babies can grow in the womb.
e-bike vs electric car... e-bike wins
Thanks guys smashed the last 40miles at 18-20mph, full power all the way and still had 3nothes left on arrival.
Your eBike is awesome and super reliable, been no issues whatsoever
— Plug In Adventures (@pluginadventure) June 5, 2019
On yesterday’s live blog we caught wind of a ‘sustainable race’ between a VOLT e-bike and a Renault Twizy over 532 miles… and the e-bike, with the record breaking e-biker Chris Ramsey atop of it, ending up winning comfortably thanks to the quicker recharging and better range than the car.
Giro's new £375 Imperial shoes unboxed
Those new Giro Imperial shoes costing £375 you read about the other day, remember them? Well we’ve just had a pair land in the office. Here’s a super quick first look over on our Instagram page. We’ll have a proper unboxing first look video soon too so watch out for that.
Transcontinental race winner James Hayden suffers another close pass... by a police officer
James Hayden offered a bit of advice to motorists earlier this year after he suffered a nasty close pass.
Today he suffered another one. By a police officer.
Close-passed at speed by @metpoliceuk SV68BYD in Beckenham, A2015 at 10:35 6/6/19. @MetCycleCops get this driver some training as their standard is well below acceptable.
— James Hayden (@JamesMarkHayden) June 6, 2019
UCI may hit Lopez with fine or disqualification for punching fan during Giro d'Italia
Governing body says lack of action sets a precedent.
Belgian cyclist fined for speeding on S-pedelec
An S-pedelic rider near Antwerp has been fined 55 euros for doing 41km/h in a 30km/h zone. Full story over on eBikeTips.
One third of disabled people in UK cities would like to start cycling but face barriers, according to research
The “Inclusive cycling in towns and cities” report, published today by Sustrans and Arup highlights that women, older and disabled people continue to be neglected in cycling.
Almost 84% of disabled people living in the UK’s biggest cities never cycle for local journeys according to the research, even though a third say they would like to start cycling. 32% of women and 15% of those over 65 also say they would like to cycle.
The report uses data from Bike Life 2017, the largest assessment of cycling in seven major cities, and interviews with 12 focus groups consisting of women, older people and disabled people with reduced mobility, learning difficulty, hearing loss, partial sight, or mental health conditions. It found that people from these demographic groups face systematic barriers to either beginning to cycle, or to cycling more. Reasons include an association that cycling isn’t an activity for people like ‘them’, safety concerns, lack of cycling infrastructure and the high cost of adaptive cycles.
The report recommends ensuring better representation of underrepresented groups in policy and planning, creating better cycle routes, reducing traffic and providing better access to cycle training and to adapted cycles.
New Nice guidance urges employers to provide bike storage to tackle obesity
Businesses would benefit from more productive employees who would be less likely to take time off sick says health watchdog.
Almost seven out of ten drivers want bikes to have licence plates, according to survey
It might not exactly come as a surprise considering the survey participants were all motorists, but alas Motoring Research have reported that insurance company InsuretheGap have published results of a survey that says 68% of respondents think that bikes should be licensed and insured. Other stats include 53% thinking that cyclists should need to pass a test to cycle, and bizarrely 44% want cyclists to pay Vehicle Excise Duty, even though bicycles don’t produce any emissions.
Ben Wooltorton, CEO of InsuretheGap, said: “The explosion in bike usage in recent years is good news for the environment and should also help to ease congestion in urban areas if managed correctly.
“However, our survey picked up a definite feeling among motorists that they are often held to higher standards than their fellow road users when it comes to adherence to the Highway Code.
“Our survey also particularly highlighted that motorists are concerned about road funding, safety and also insurance, which isn’t currently compulsory for cyclists, unlike most other road users.”
Ironically InsuretheGap fail to mention the gap in serious collisions between those involving bicycles and those involving cars, the latter (and those that operate them) of which are responsible for around 1,700 deaths per year.
If you want to know how much of a faff licencing a push bike with a powerful motor currently is in the UK, check out this guide to Buying and riding an S-pedelec in the UK over on our sister site eBikeTips.
Two thirds of Beglian cyclists don't wear helmets, say national statistics
Recent figures from Belgium have found that 68% of cyclists don’t wear helmets, report the Brussels Times. In the Walloon region it’s even higher at 71%, and only Hungary and the Netherlands have a lower rate of helmet use nationally.
The Belgian road safety institute Vias reported that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of a serious head injury by 60% in the event of an accident. They also said that in autopsies of cyclists who died in accidents and did not wear a helmet, 37% of them could have survived if they had worn one; however the Flemish cycling policy centre Fietsberaad found that helmets don’t offer much protection in accidents with high-speed or heavy vehicles such as cars, lorries and trucks, but they do provide protection in collisions with objects and lower speed falls.
Fietsberaad also say that safer cycling comes from proper cycling infrastructure, which explains the Netherlands higher safety rates even though helmet use is low.
Jeremy Vine puts a name to an all-too-common London bus driver manoeuvre + video
It’s the OPI, apparently. The overtake and pull-in.
I have every sympathy for London bus drivers, but I do not understand why their instructors are teaching this manoeuvre — the OPI — pulled on me during my commute today pic.twitter.com/VatdV8U4ei
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) June 6, 2019
Peloton indoor cycling startup to go public
Virtual spin class firm could be valued at more than $8bn. (We really feel like we’re missing something here.)
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@Smoggysteve "Most would happily ride on the roads and be treated with respect by drivers". But people aren't - and as far as I can see they won't be. Not until there is a lot less driving and it's slower around cyclists, and far more people driving have "skin in the game" eg. they sometimes cycle and their friends and family do also. That's what leads to the model - which is perhaps most advanced in NL - where cycling, walking and driving are all seen as separate normal transport modes. Their needs, vulnerabilities and any dangers to others are considered. And *that* leads to "mix / share when possible, separate when necessary". But "possible" is "where your 10-year old would be safe to cycle unsupervised" - so very few motor vehicles, going slow! And AFAICS everybody - even "existing cyclists" - is happy with the result. (I dunno about a few pro cyclists - but don't they tend to have training camps in different counties anyway?)
@quiff as an Edinburgh resident I can confidently say he's speaking without moving his lips in one sense: - while as I noted in a separate comment there *is* now some real separated cycle infra, all the examples i can think of have *at least as much space* for pedestrians. The rest of the "cycle infra" is essentially similar to the situation in the rest of the UK: eg. bus lanes*, cycle lanes and shared use paths (eg. "build" infra by sticking up a sign). Edinburgh is one of the places with a moderately extensive network of former railways which have been converted to "shared use" paths (completely motor traffic few). However though shared they are not narrow by UK standards. And this is all effectively a "free extra" for all non- motorised users, not like the "sign a cycle path" where pedestrians do lose space. I think this all comes from the "popular understanding" of cycling in which ultimately cyclists are the "other". They don't fit "motor vehicle" or "pedestrian" (including wheelchairs on the very rare occasions people think about that). Thus "cyclists are cheating" in multiple ways! They shouldn't get their own space as "there aren't enough" of them. And "they can just use the road / path". But being able to *choose* "on the road" or "on the footway" (shared use path) is clearly unfair - nobody else gets to do that! BUT of course even if they did pick just one of road OR pedestrian space it's still not fair anyway because they're "too slow" for the road (don't pay "road tax" etc...) and "far too fast" for pedestrians... * Though some existing cyclists may appreciate them when there are few buses, buses and bikes are a very poor mix for several reasons.
Whilst a shame for any employees, their bib shorts had the worst chamois pad I’d ever encountered, utter waste of my money. Even though they were Strava challenge discount purchases, still a waste of money.
Thanks, just going to have to suck it up. Got next week off and will take the easy, if expensive option...
@ktache Just go for the TNT Sports only package, £30.99 for a month. Alternatively have you considered experimenting with a VPN for a few pounds, allowing you to sign up for a free stream abroad, e.g. SBS Australia which streams the Tour live? If I didn't have a kind mate's login that's what I'd do!
So, it's now the month of July and I'm going to have to pay to watch the TdF, for one month only. On a tablet unfortunately, as I didn't manage to get a laptop to rig up to the TV, grrr. Just wondering, what package will I have to fork out for? Not wanting to pay for the wrong one...
Not that it sounds like a dealbreaker given the other faults you've identified, but that cable isn't really a "proprietary" cable, four pin magnetic cables like that are quite common on bone-conducting headphones and other devices (my inexpensive smartwatch uses one) and they can be had for £4.99 on UK Amazon.
There was never really anything to say about le col kit. Most of it was alright. Some of it was poorly designed/made. Trying to position yourself as a Rapha competitor whilst always offering 40% or more off doesn't scream premium though.
Up next in the MucOff product line; for when the cassette won't budge, (chain)whip-it!
17 thoughts on “Live blog: The London bus overtake-and-pull-in; 68% of drivers think bikes should have licence plates; Have you hit your alimentary limit? Third of disabled people in UK ‘would like to start cycling’ but face barriers + more”
Isn’t the Renault Twizy
Isn’t the Renault Twizy technically a quadricycle rather than a car?
At 18-20mph the eBike shouldn’t be providing any power, given that the are limited to 15.5mph.
ChrisB200SX wrote:
Correct, but you feel the main benefit when accelerating, riding into a headwind and climbing. Cruising at 18mph is fairly effortless on any bike.
Isn’t the point of excise
Isn’t the point of excise duty to penalise emissions? What emissions does a cycle have?
darrenwinfield wrote:
Indeed, the VED should be on the cyclist (in my case atleast).
darrenwinfield wrote:
Okay yes I admit it – last night I had a curry and this morning, on my way into work, I may have farted – a few times – maybe more than a few – oh and I’m maybe going to do the same in a short while when I cycle home again, but everybody farts – even car drivers and especially Audi and BMW drivers cause they are full of shit.
This is proof of why
This is proof of why democracy doesn’t work; between 44% and 68% of people are morons!
S-pedelecs are not ebikes in
S-pedelecs are not ebikes in the ‘cycling’ sense. S stands for speed and they are limited at 45kph, not 25, as are most of the common ebikes in the UK. They must be registered, taxed and insured. So non story really – fake news? Rather like reporting a moped or motor bike rider has been caught speeding
youngoldbloke wrote:
The Volt Pulse E-bike used has a 250W motor & advertises electrical assistance to 15.5 mph or 25 kmh. So, it probably never travelled as fast with assistance as boasted, and a 25kg hybrid wouldn’t be something that most people would choose to pedal fast!
I love my bike wrote:
I think we are posting at cross purposes – I was commenting on the “Belgian cyclist fined for speeding on S-pedelec” story.
Maybe we should have a
Maybe we should have a registration number on a number plate that extends five feet to the right of the bicycle, thus also indicating how much space we should have when being passed.
“Ben Wooltorton, CEO of
“Ben Wooltorton, CEO of InsuretheGap, said: “The explosion in bike usage in recent years is good news for the environment and should also help to ease congestion in urban areas if managed correctly.
“However, our survey picked up a definite feeling among motorists that they are often held to higher standards than their fellow road users when it comes to adherence to the Highway Code.
“Our survey also particularly highlighted that motorists are concerned about road funding, safety and also insurance, which isn’t currently compulsory for cyclists, unlike most other road users.””
Cognitive dissonance on a society-wide scale, as a result of the msm demonising cyclists 24/7. Every single one of those statements is demonstrably wrong.
Here’s #1 on my wish list:
Here’s #1 on my wish list:
Drivers liscenses should last for 5 years and people should have to pass a refresher test to renew the liscence.
Why do these people target
Why do these people target bikes at 0 VED as opposed to other cars that pay 0 VED? They do realise that there’s cars out there paying 0 Road tax, don’t they?
Pushing for cyclists to be registered is only one step away from carrying ID cards, I suppose they’d be up for this too.
But it is not really about
But it is not really about cyclists being: licensed, insured or roadworthy. It is about creating enough “reasonable” legislation to effectively remove cyclists from the road without simply calling for them to be banned which would look more unreasonable.
Mungecrundle wrote:
Indeed and then all those people who would ride to work, now jump in their cars. Then who would the cage drivers blame for the extra congestion? I saw a t shirt today, which said one car equals 9 bicycles. Imagine the chaos. Government isn’t going to license cyclists, or impose registration plates, it’s just tooooooo expensive to introduce and enforce. Dream on deluded drivers, including the wanker driving his mx5 who thought all cyclists were arseholes, just because I’d filtered to the front of the queue he was stuck in.
An insurance company that
An insurance company that wants to get insurance premiums from a low risk demographic – now that’s a surprise.
“OPI” going hand-in-hand with
“OPI” going hand-in-hand with the “OTL” (left hook) and the “OTR”, the latter of which was pulled on me twice yesterday 🙁