Bike path cyclist tries to keep up with pro women’s peloton… faceplants miserably; How many cyclists does it take to lift a cargo bike over cycle route barrier?; Downtube shifter-controlled dropper post; Timmy Mallett is back + more on the live blog

26 thoughts on “Bike path cyclist tries to keep up with pro women’s peloton… faceplants miserably; How many cyclists does it take to lift a cargo bike over cycle route barrier?; Downtube shifter-controlled dropper post; Timmy Mallett is back + more on the live blog”

1. Suffolk gets 7.9million in
   Suffolk gets 7.9million in latest active travel fund round (why it costs 4million to make a mini Holland in Woodbridge who knows – also love the pic they chose for the article)
   https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23406166.suffolk-council-gets-7-9m-active-travel-schemes/

   And my regular highlighting who is actually checking what was spent in the last rounds ? Anyone ?

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   • We certainly should have

     We certainly should have monitoring on this – same as with any public scheme.  In practice this is not obviously well done for lots of public finance.

     AFAIR this was part of the remit of Active Travel England – not just to say if bids were good enough but check up on what was delivered?

     So what are they getting then?  What’s the detail?  The article you posted doesn’t seem say.  Without knowing that and some comparative values for road works in general it’s a bit “they spent 100k on cycling?  Bonkers!  I bought a bike off ebay for 10 quid!”

     7.9 million is peanuts when you start seeing what normal highway works cost.  Scheme to replace a couple of double mini-roundabouts in Colchester was estimated at 8-10 million before it started (2016) apparently.

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     • It wouldn’t surprise me if

       It wouldn’t surprise me if 100k went directly on cycling and 3.9m on “upgrading” junctions…

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       • nosferatu1001 wrote:

         It wouldn’t surprise me if 100k went directly on cycling and 3.9m on “upgrading” junctions…

         — nosferatu1001

         “We split one crossing into four to make it quicker for cars and put in some lovely beg buttons for the wickle cyclists to press. They don’t make a difference to the sequencing – the cyclists still have to wait 2 minutes per crossing. Go active travel!!”

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         • …
           Sadly not satire.

           …

           Sadly not satire.

       • this is apparently what

         this is apparently what 4million will get us

         Quay Street junction – pedestrian friendly surfacing and crossings.
         Cumberland Street – one-way reversal.
         Church Street – one-way northbound and pedestrian friendly surfacing.
         Reorganisation of parking to create traffic calming in Burkitt Road.
         One-way only system in Theatre Street.
         Improved signalisation to prioritise cyclists at Thoroughfare junction.
         Reversal of one-way direction on Thoroughfare.
         Pedestrian/cycling crossing on Ipswich Road.

         so some new one way signs, a bit of paving and some new traffic lights, soak up that Dutch style infra

         with the public consultations expected to take the whole of the rest of this year, and changes wont be made till 2024…at the earliest.

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     • They’re finally replacing the
       They’re finally replacing the magic roundabouts 🙂

       There’s no other info published on the Suffolk schemes, I know St Chris & ATE visited and we’re shown Market Hill as part of the mini Holland prep work
       https://maps.app.goo.gl/vji1S9tNhi12L7Xi8
       But to me that part of Woodbridge is fairly low traffic cycle friendly anyway. Its what I’m assuming they’re calling South Woodbridge, Station Road, that’s bad for cycling.But will 1million fix it I doubt it.

       As for the other schemes lots of it looks like rebolstering existing cycle routes, and there is precious little for large chunks of the county. East Suffolk Council produced their own cycling strategy and I don’t see any of their top priorities being tackled by this.

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   • So 5.1/7.9M to Woodbridge a

     So 5.1/7.9M to Woodbridge a small, pretty and gentrified town and 1.3M to the county town of Ipswich which is a more affordable place to live .. about the same as the much smaller Felixstowe.

     No wonder the local Labour council complain of being Suffolk-ated by the Conservative county council.

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     • Well they did just commit to
       Well they did just commit to spend 7million on a bridge that will enable you to cycle across the waterfront. The same bridge their last Labour MP blocked largely because it wasnt his partys idea. https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/23401726.ipswich-new-7m-bridge-approved-towns-waterfront/

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       • I’d missed that – thanks.

         I’d missed that – thanks.

         Not sure it will solve the problem caused by the star lane, college street gyratory separating the waterfront from the town centre … is that what the additional bridge will be for ?  The big picture isn’t really explained in the article.

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         • They’ll never solve those
           They’ll never solve those roads with this bridge, it just gets you round the wet dock across the lock gates, they need another bridge to get across to Whersted Road side, then you have a West/East link that enables you to avoid cycling the gyratory route.

           theres an Ipswich transport strategy, written by the Ipswich MPs out for consultation at the moment, no surprises its top priorities dont align with this Suffolk county council set of plans, and includes infra on roads they pressured the county council to remove
           https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/23356212.will-new-travel-strategy-end-traffic-issues-ipswich/

2. I think the more pertinent

   I think the more pertinent question local to me is how many people does it take to lift a motorbike or quad bike over a barrier. The answer is seemingly only two or three. So the barrier fails at its purpose and just blocks access to people who should be able to use the routes.

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3. Pretty sure that Timmy
   Pretty sure that Timmy Mallett pic is actually looking down Loch Long. You can just about see where it meets Loch Goil and the Portincaple lighthouse between the two. (Not that you said any different!)
   I’ll be up there later today – not riding my bike unfortunately but driving the train, the West Highland line sitting just below that track.

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   • I’ve just enjoyed looking

     I’ve just enjoyed looking through his Strava…he does some lovely painting.

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     • I remember seeing an aricle

       I remember seeing an aricle about his art and travels by bike, it was really interesting. Didn’t even think to seek him out on strava.

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       • I think he’s redeemed himself

         I think he’s redeemed himself over his mallet capers.

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4. Infrastructure blocking cargo

   Infrastructure blocking cargo bikes is a problem. Central London is certainly much better. The suburbs still have these motorbike traps. It is a problem as they do keep motorbikes out but also cargo bikes. 

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   • My experience is that they

     My experience is that they don’t actually stop motorbikes. I cycle the Thames and Medway canal path regularly and often see a bunch of yoofs tooling down there on motorbikes. They are young, fit and strong enough to just lift the bikes over. All they do is restrict the less able, who don’t stand a chance and if they do make it through are faced with yobs speeding along on motorbikes.

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   • Not sure about keeping

     Not sure about keeping motorbikes out?  The ones that can actually block motorbikes are almost certainly now illegal under accessibility regs.

     In Edinburgh they don’t keep motorbikes out.  I’ve seen a car driving on the shared paths at least once, back before the council slimmed down the bollards and barriers at the entries / exits.

     IMHO it’s all about a commitment to stop motor vehicles being where they shouldn’t.  So minimal bollards, where needed – to be reviewed if/when numbers of infra users increase.  I think the biggie is all the parking in lanes / on cycle paths next to roads.  Enforcement and/or better designs are needed – bollards can’t always be applied.  Near me there’s a cycle path which crosses several minor side roads.  Some bonehead has parked a van on a side road right across where the path crossed it more than once, blocking the entire width…

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     • TBF the ‘biggie’ depends who

       TBF the ‘biggie’ depends who you.

       If you are someone using a wheelchair who has been locked out of the local park by these barriers for 30 years, these may well be the biggie.

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       • True – although they should

         True – although shouldn’t they already be getting those “squeeze” A-barrier ones gone?  IIRC you did a dig on this but aren’t they non-compliant?  If so they can now be in court for increasing sums of money until fixed if someone wants to make a claim. (Per Crippledbiker RIP)

         That’s “some of the people, all of the time”.  The parking in the cycle lane / track is “all of the people – to some extent – at some point in time”.  No one likes uncertainty.  I’m sure knowing there’s a certain chance you might be inconvenienced or actually blocked from using a route is also not welcomed by those with mobility issues.

         But yes – still being one of the fit and reasonably brave I personally can get round most of these barriers.  Other people who are also fit but not so “brave” (e.g. don’t want to cycle in traffic) – or those with kids, or carrying heavy stuff on the bike?  “Small inconveniences” may just make them not bother.

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   • No, they don’t.

     No, they don’t.

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     • As per my other comment a few

       As per my other comment a few weeks back at one of these barriers there was a group of chavs with their chavlings, they had a couple of motorbikes and a small quad bike. An A barrier didn’t stop them at all. Meanwhile it will inhibit families with large pushchairs/buggies, cyclists with mobility issues and larger/heavier bikes etc. 

       I used to defend these barriers, but no longer do due to the number of times I find myself warning pedestrians and other cyclist I pass of the motorbikes I have just seen. I usually phone the police non emergency number as there are signs that they are aware etc. They simply do not work.

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5. The poor spectator at Brugges

   The poor spectator at Brugges – De Panne looks like he may have snapped his chain, he jolts heavily near the bottom of the downstroke before sliding out. I’m sure there were a few giggles amongst the Peloton, though

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6. Well done, Pfeiffer! Another

   Well done, Pfeiffer! Another young British hotshot to keep an eye on. The fact we keep producing such amazing talent despite so many domestic sport struggles (as discussed in recent live blogs) is a testament to our athletes and their support teams. Who knows where we would be if BC pulled their fingers out as a national sporting governing body.

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   • absolutely, shes been given a

     absolutely, shes been given a bigger role in the team this year since Wiebes departure, so should get lots more opportunities like this to take wins.

     but Alice Barnes had a nasty crash, overlapped wheels with De Wilde and both hit the deck hard.

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