British Cycling’s cycle to work ad “not representative” and only aimed at “athletic people interested in sport”, say commuters; Police stop cyclist at night… and give him hi-vis vest and bag; “The future of cars is: not cars” + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Weekend round-up
From calls for urgent action to curb aggressive driving to top secret new bike exclusives from the Dauphiné (eh, where was my invite?), here’s what you may have missed on road.cc while you were enjoying the weekend sun:
> BMC prototype aero superbike spotted at Dauphiné
> Cyclists wearing helmets seen as “less human” than those without, researchers find
> New Ridley road bike breaks cover at Critérium du Dauphiné
> Ironman collision: Motorbike rider killed, cycling triathlete seriously injured
> Cyclist suffers shocking injuries as hooded gang steals £12,500 Specialized and beats victim
> “Safer if they had nicked it”: Thieves disable brake on cyclist’s e-bike mobility vehicle
> Driver who “raised his middle finger” at cyclist before knocking him off bike fined
> UCI Cycling World Championships could be disrupted by council strikes, union warns
Is golf the new cycling?
.@totamagalhaes out of cycling pic.twitter.com/7YkP9XvkVB
— O País do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) June 5, 2023
I think Bizkaia Durango pro Ana Vitória Magalhães needs to work on her swing before this week’s Tour Féminin des Pyrénées…
The rain on Haig falls… everywhere, apparently
Spare a thought for poor Jack Haig. The Australian spent most of May riding through downpour after downpour in Italy, only to turn up at the first stage of the Dauphiné yesterday… and once again get absolutely soaked.
The fella can’t catch a break…
“The future of cars is: not cars”: Motoring journalist responds to Rowan Atkinson’s claim that he was “duped” by electric vehicles
predictably, that Rowan Atkinson piece is driving me insane. it’s opinion, absolutely not fact and has some straight-up untruths in it.
it’s true, battery-electric vehicles aren’t going to be the future of using cars like we do now. because we can’t use cars like that in future
— Hazel Southwell (@HSouthwellFE) June 4, 2023
You’ve probably all read by now Rowan Atkinson’s piece in the Guardian from the weekend, where Edmund Blackadder himself claimed that, despite being an “early adopter” of electric vehicles, he’s increasingly felt “duped” by them, even arguing that it may be better for the environment if people just keep hold of their old petrol cars for longer.
“Increasingly, I’m feeling that our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end, and that’s no bad thing: we’re realising that a wider range of options need to be explored if we’re going to properly address the very serious environmental problems that our use of the motor car has created,” Atkinson wrote.
Fair enough, you might think. That paragraph especially could have been written specifically for road.cc’s readership.
However, for those of the bike-riding and active travel persuasion, it’s the actor’s proposed solutions to the environmental problems of the motor car that left many scratching their heads in confusion.
Hydrogen. Synthetic fuels. Keeping your car for longer.
Having played a character synonymous with a famous bike riding scene, it may surprise you that cycling, or walking, or wheeling, or any form of active travel was missing from Mr Bean’s electric vehicle article (though, in fairness, he does point out, briefly, that one solution is using a car “as little as possible”).
Unsurprisingly, it’s taken a few cyclists on Twitter to point out where Atkinson may be going wrong in his analysis:
The wider response to the Rowan Atkinson piece is:
– Yes, we should aim to reduce car use as much as we can – primarily by promoting walking/cycling/wheeling and public transport
– No, there is not a lower carbon alternative to EVs on the horizon for people who need a car— Andrew Sissons (@ACJSissons) June 4, 2023
It SHOULD do Susan, but no mention in this piece, plus little mention of most of the problems NOT solved by EVs.
Rowan, stick to the day job.— CHAIRRDRF (@CHAIRRDRF) June 3, 2023
“Electric cars aren’t here to save the planet, they’re here to save the car industry,” wrote Real Gaz on a proper bike. “A lot of trips could be made via other means and that needs to happen as Rowan forgets about the other pollution, congestion, and danger.”
Meanwhile, motoring journo Hazel Southwell put together an interesting thread refuting much of Atkinson’s article, which she claimed had “some straight-up untruths in it”.
“I’m a car journalist but the future of cars is: not cars. Sorry, that’s the difficult truth here,” she said.
“By far the most sensible thing for us to develop isn’t BEVs or synthetic fuel, it’s public transport to get vehicles off roads.”
Planet X refuses to comment on administration rumours
Scenes! Drum & Bass On The Bike takes over London yesterday
Just another weekend in London, packed with people having a great time on their bikes…
A week after RideLondon took over the streets of the capital, yesterday saw the turn of DJ Dom Whiting and his portable decks, transforming central London once again into a joyous two-wheeled rave:
Drum & Bass on a bike today in London 🎧🚲 pic.twitter.com/jqNLGP0176
— Tooting Paradiso (@MandrakeRdChaos) June 4, 2023
What a sight it was yesterday! Thousands of people on bikes taking over central London – thank you to @domwhiting for an incredible day! pic.twitter.com/8ve7wg5YkE
— London Cycling Campaign (@London_Cycling) June 5, 2023
Lonodon not going anywhere fast! On the road with @domwhiting‘s Drum and Bass on the Bike #London #cycling pic.twitter.com/2bzjTOjaXT
— Sam Petherick (@sampetherick) June 4, 2023
A well-known music connoisseur, road.cc’s Simon was also there, enjoying the tunes and the group ride (and perhaps too much of the sun as well, judging by the colour of his face today)…
Absolutely fantastic afternoon riding around central London with @domwhiting on the decks and a couple of thousand fellow cyclists having a total blast, what a party 🥳 pic.twitter.com/2qV5IqDlpT
— Simon MacMichael 🏴🇮🇹🇪🇺❤️💙🚲 (@simonmacmichael) June 4, 2023
Though I’m sure a certain octogenarian disc jockey felt conflicted by the sight of a pedalling disco on London’s roads yesterday…
Oops…
.@300wNeilW #LoveMyTrek pic.twitter.com/6ww55486Gk
— TourDeBrad (@6WattsPerKg) June 4, 2023
Disaster. But at least it inspired a few witty Twitter exchanges…
More concerning is the slack chain
— TourDeBrad (@6WattsPerKg) June 4, 2023
Drive side crank should always be at 6 o’clock position when photographing your bike.
Other than that, nothing to see here
— Just Pat (@HillsRThrills) June 5, 2023
Simon MacMichael joins Dom Whiting for a glorious afternoon in the sunshine
I told you earlier today that road.cc’s Simon got on his bike in central London for the second weekend in a row to become part of the massive, sometimes fairly chaotic, bunch of cyclists bopping along to DJ Dom Whiting’s beats, as part of the by-now iconic Drum & Bass on the Bike.
Here’s what Simon had to say about yesterday’s sunny rave on the roads (now that’s a decent title, too), why it was different to the previous week’s RideLondon event, and why a humble DJ set can make you feel part of something big:
> Joining Dom Whiting for a Drum & Bass On The Bike ride – a glorious afternoon in every sense
“It’s like being wrongly put in prison for murder”: Canyon-SRAM’s Shari Bossuyt protests innocence following doping positive
Shari Bossuyt has protested her innocence and likened herself to someone wrongly convicted of murder, after Canyon-SRAM suspended the Belgian rider following a positive drugs test.
It was revealed yesterday that the 22-year-old tested positive for Letrozole at the Tour de Normandie in March, where she won a stage and finished sixth overall, though she claims she is a victim of contamination.
Letrozole is primarily used to block oestrogen during the treatment of breast cancer, but can be used in a sporting context to help boost the production of testosterone. It is regarded by the UCI as a specified substance, meaning it does not come with an automatic provisional suspension.
However, like cyclocross star Toon Aerts, who tested positive for the drug last year, Bossuyt faces a two-year ban from racing if the UCI upholds an anti-doping rule violation.
> Toon Aerts set to receive two-year ban for positive anti-doping test
Speaking at a press conference this morning, the young Belgian – who signed a contract extension with Canyon-SRAM in April – outlined her determination to clear her name, and explain how Letreozole ended up in her system.
“I’ve ended up in an unreal situation. I have never come into contact with Letrozole and have never consciously used it. This was even the first time I had heard of Letrozole,” she said.
“It feels unfair. I compare it to being put in prison for murder when you didn’t commit murder. That’s what it feels like.
“Everything indicates that we are dealing with a contamination. Hopefully we can quickly provide clarity to the necessary authorities. And above all that, we can prove that we are not cheaters.”
Aerts also attended Bossuyt’s press conference in Zwevegem, where the pair’s agent Yannick Prevost claimed that his riders were victims, and not dopers.
“We have been working on this file for a year,” Prevost said today, before providing a Contador-esque ‘tainted beef’ excuse. “It is very difficult to prove that it is a contamination from food.
“We are walking a track, but we cannot yet make it concrete. What we can say is that Shari and Toon both tested positive after competitions in Normandy, in Flamanville to be precise.
“Letrozole is used for the fertilization of cows and sheep. That is a relatively new technique. It is currently a hypothesis that we cannot yet substantiate. Because the food industry does not yet test for Letrozole.
“Shari and Toon are not doping users, but victims.”
Don’t panic, I’m back! Julian Alaphilippe roars back into form with stunning sprint win on grippy day at the Dauphiné
Happy for you, Loulou!#Dauphine
Photo: @GettySport pic.twitter.com/DmIUn3SC09
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) June 5, 2023
We never really doubted him, did we?
After a tough 18 months characterised by bad luck, crashes, and badly-timed bouts of illness, former double world champion Julian Alaphilippe roared back into the imaginations of cycling fans everywhere – and put down a marker for next month’s Tour de France – with a dominant win in a wide-open sprint finish at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
After Jumbo-Visma’s Steven Kruijswijk crashed out of the race early on, along with Steff Cras and Romain Combaud, a draggy, grippy circuit around La Chaise-Dieu once again proved too much for the big-name sprinters at the race, with Sam Bennett fading to 11th while Dylan Groenwegen pulled the pin a few kilometres back down the road.
A flurry of attacks in the final 20km, first by Victor Campenaerts and Kenny Elissonde, before Tobias Bayer and Harry Sweeny each vainly darted off the front, was eventually snuffed out by Jumbo-Visma, as Jonas Vingegaard again worked to tee up yesterday’s winner Christophe Laporte.
However, the leg-sapping nature of the finishing circuit upended the traditional sprinting hierarchy, with Alaphilippe proving the fastest in a motley crew finale which saw Richard Carapaz and Natnael Tesfatsion take second and third ahead of the yellow jersey Laporte.
Loulou 🤗#Dauphine pic.twitter.com/mU98nhQsgJ
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) June 5, 2023
But all eyes today will be on the rampaging Frenchman who, after an indifferent spring campaign, appears to have put aside the setbacks that have plagued him on the big stage since his last worlds win in Leuven in 2021, and regained some of the sparkle in the legs that made him one of the peloton’s biggest stars.
As Alaphilippe demonstrated in his typically flamboyant – and early – celebration across the finish line, there was never any real need to panic after all…
Now that’s what I call Strava Art! London to Lviv cyclist Tom Hashemi follows up epic trip with 221km homage to Ukraine
60-70 riders joined for the final day of the London to Ukraine bike ride which was just amazing. And we even got a police escort (!)
The ride was in aid of landmine removal in Ukraine, and we hit the 20k target this morning.
A huge thanks to everyone that has donated already -… pic.twitter.com/kGMyTY7GAI
— Tom Hashemi (@tomhashemi) May 14, 2023
It turns out that riding 1,300 miles to Lviv, Ukraine, while raising funds to clear landmines in the war-torn country and overcoming a tramline-induced crash and subsequent hospital stay along the way, wasn’t enough for Tom Hashemi.
Less than three weeks after completing his epic trip, Hashemi was back on his pimped-out Giant Defy, covering over 220km (at a decent speed too) over eight and a half hours… to draw Ukraine on Strava.
Drew the map of Ukraine today… with my bike. #GPSart #StravaArt pic.twitter.com/dcyFtKAsCk
— Tom Hashemi (@tomhashemi) June 4, 2023
I know we see a lot of Strava Art™ on the live blog, but that is very cool. Though I feel tired just thinking about it…
Police stop cyclist at night during long-distance ride… to give him hi-vis vest and bag (and motorists aren’t happy)
A cyclist who misjudged the time it would take to complete an epic 200-mile-plus ride from Galway to Belfast was stopped by police at the weekend, 30 miles from his destination… and handed a hi-vis vest and bag before being sent on his way.
The cyclist was riding on a main road in Portadown (not quite Northern Ireland’s premier location for bike riding, if I’m honest. Sorry Portadown people) at round 11.30pm on Saturday night when he was stopped by officers from Northern Ireland’s Road Policing and Safety unit.
“This cyclist had no lights or reflective markers on his bike or clothing and could not be seen due to the darkness,” the unit said on its Facebook account.
The rider, the unit said, was attempting to cycle the 320km or so from Galway, on Ireland’s west coast, to Belfast, but “had failed to prepare, not expecting to be cycling so late into the evening”.
The unit continued: “Following a short chat with our team, this cyclist was provided with a high visibility vest and bag cover to improve his visibility on the road to other road users.
“Everyone [has] a role to play in improving the safety of our roads. Be Safe, Be Seen.”
While the photo posted by the officers of the cyclist in his newly acquired hi-vis gear doesn’t appear to show the rider in too happy a mood (is that a V sign, anyone? Just joking…), the police’s decision to kit him up for the last 30 miles into Belfast really didn’t go down too well with some motorists on Facebook.
“So, let’s get this clear,” wrote Mark. “You stopped him for no lights whilst riding on a public highway, you then gave him a bag cover and sent him on his way to still ride on a public highway with NO LIGHTS… and you still expect every motorist on the road to have lights or they’ll get a ticket??
“This is exactly why there is a massive hatred for cyclists by drivers. If I were local, I’d be saving this and riding my motorbike with the lights off, hoping I’ll get a nice waterproof high viz bag cover.”
Meanwhile, Ian wrote: “A car driver would have been given a fine and points on their licence, not a set of bulbs. Traffic laws are supposed to be for everyone.”
However, Eddie was a lot more forgiving of the cyclist’s planning skills, writing: “Super act guys for helping out a fellow citizen. Loving all the haters commenting on an honest mistake. Fair play lads.”
“Two water bottles for the commute?” Readers react to British Cycling’s latest ad
British Cycling’s commuter advert has certainly generated some discussion in today’s comments section. Here’s a selection of your thoughts:
EddyBerckx: “British Cycling is not a utility cycling champion. It exists mainly for the racing side of things and so yes, the ad is fine. I don’t moan about EVERY SINGLE OTHER utility cyclist organisation running ads that don’t represent me because I’m not a d***head and I understand and support what they are trying to do.
“The ad represents me including the carbon bike with aero wheels and the long-distance commute. I’ve tried every type of bike on my commute and this suits me best.”
Simon E: “Since BC is not a utility cycling champion why run this type of paid advert? Who is the target audience and why? I commute in lycra on a nice road bike but I can’t see how this would appeal to someone like me, to my cycling club friends or to other people I know (including family members) who are pure utility cyclists. Just seems pointless to me, a bit of a missed opportunity.
“BC would probably be better off sticking to the sportive/leisure/competitive cycling (and do a better job of supporting clubs, race organisers etc) and leave the campaigning to bodies who know what they’re talking about.”
Two water bottles for the commute?
— Tom Sanders (@TomSanders4) June 5, 2023
Didnthurt: “People misunderstand what BC is supposed to do. They’re the governing body of cycle sport, not an organisation focused on active travel. If that’s what you’re looking for, Cycling UK or even Sustrans are better options. BC is about bike racing, and their various attempts not to be have fallen pretty flat over the years.”
Rendel Harris: “Then perhaps they shouldn’t offer ‘Commute’ and ‘Ride’ (‘for your everyday rides’) memberships alongside the ‘Fan’ and ‘Race’ options? If, as you say, they’re just about bike racing they should say so, not try to boost their coffers by trying to attract members by pretending to be something they’re not.”
No mudguards. Great commuter bike.
— Macc Active Traveller (@lkchdschh) June 5, 2023
Jetmans Dad: “Not a member of BC any longer, but their advert definitely represents me, and my 21 mile each way commute, that I wouldn’t dream of trying to do in my teaching clothes.
“What I would like to see is more of a co-ordinated approach to these campaigns with Cycling UK and BC combining forces to cover as many bases as they can … I moved my membership from BC to CU precisely because I was moving away from sportive type riding into short triathlons and concentrating most of my riding on utility/leisure.
“And I am with Chris on his comment (in the article). There are plenty of people who just do the training, long ride stuff who don’t ride to work who should also be encouraged to do so. That’s why all bases need to be covered.”
British Cycling’s cycle to work ad “not representative” and only aimed at “athletic people interested in sport”, says commuter
Another week, another social media debate about British Cycling…
Our latest episode of ‘people criticising the national governing body’ (a regular fixture of 2023, it seems) comes courtesy of an Instagram post encouraging cyclists to commute to work by bike – an ad which, one commuter claims, presents cycling as a “niche” pursuit for “athletic people interested in sport”.
The ad in question – put together as part of a paid partnership by cycling Instagrammer Biking Maz – lists some of the reasons cyclists might want to ride to work in the summer, including the fresh air and endorphins, the financial and environmental impact of not using a car, and having more time to spend in the evening with your dogs.
The video, because it’s a British Cycling advert after all, also advises commuter cyclists to join BC for the insurance benefits and the bonus of a free rucksack for new members (ah, the old perks for newbies trick, a British Cycling classic).
However, while most cyclists could get behind the ad’s message, it was the way this message was presented – featuring a racing cyclist wearing cycling kit and riding an expensive bike – that attracted the attention of some commuters on Twitter.
“This Instagram ad for cycling to work makes it look like it’s only for athletic people interested in sport,” wrote Jack Fifield, a journo at the Oldham Times.
“Not representative of the people I see cycling casually in Manchester.”
Here’s some photos I took today of people cycling in Manchester and Stockport pic.twitter.com/6uVVb3aXkU
— Jack Fifield 🐼 (@jackfifield) June 3, 2023
Jack’s criticism of British Cycling’s ad, it’s safe to say, divided the masses on Twitter.
Katy agreed that the video was “unhelpful for active travel” and claimed that it makes cycling “look niche, specialist, hard to identify with… makes it also far easier for any opposition to say exactly that. And it’s not true.”
“I cycle to work every day, no matter what the weather, spring, summer, autumn, winter. I cycle in my regular clothes. I never get dressed up in a special costume,” wrote Citizen Wolf.
Totally right @jackfifield.
We prefer:
* Buy any old bike that works (from £100 or so)
* Ride it to where you need to go
* Er, that’s it pic.twitter.com/QHXZqlY7Ku— Oxfordshire Cycling Network (@OxonCyclingNet) June 3, 2023
“Couldn’t agree more,” said Jamie. “The culture change necessary to cement cycling into commuter thinking needs all parties to have a look at themselves and how they portray what should be the most accessible of all travel options.”
However, not everyone agreed with Jack’s analysis.
“You’re getting angry at an advert,” Connor argued. “People cycle in all types of clothing on all types of bikes. British Cycling are constantly doing comms directed at more casual or beginner cyclists.”
“It’s just some budget Insta ad,” agreed Jacob. “God forbid they use a cyclist who does use cycle specific clothing. At no point does it imply this is the only way you can chose to cycle.”
Adverts by their very nature tend to be aspirational— I don’t really see it as that much of a problem, tbh
— Ian Wills (@ianjwills) June 3, 2023
However, one cyclist, Chris, decided to offer some much-needed balance to the whole debate (balance? What’s that? Never heard of it…).
“They’re both right,” he said. “Most commuters aren’t roadies. But more roadies should commute. Selling commuting as an athletic pursuit for a specific audience that doesn’t commute enough is good. I commuted like this when I was racing and loved it.”
What do you think? Should a cycle to work ad from British Cycling be more inclusive and representative of all cyclists who commute? Or does it really matter what a cyclist is wearing, either out on the roads or in a social media clip?
5 June 2023, 08:57
5 June 2023, 08:57
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Latest Comments
I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
52 thoughts on “British Cycling’s cycle to work ad “not representative” and only aimed at “athletic people interested in sport”, say commuters; Police stop cyclist at night… and give him hi-vis vest and bag; “The future of cars is: not cars” + more on the live blog”
https://www.theguardian.com
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/05/ministers-face-legal-challenge-over-cuts-to-walking-and-cycling-investment-in-england
Sunak is keen on helicopters
Sunak is keen on helicopters as utility transport but not bikes. No surprise that active travel funding was cut when he moved into No. 10.
The good thing is that Active Travel England were already set up. Now we wait for a decent govt that will fund ATE properly.
Does this mean I can get a
Maybe he ordered a chopper in the cycle scheme and there was a mixup at his local bike store?
Ride On wrote:
Mark Harper is my MP and I can say with some confidence that he is a chopper. Two emails in the last two months: no response.
I am sure there is an
I am sure there is an intersection on here of “commutes in not-fitness-gear” and “is on instagram”
Sounds like that intersection could get themselves a British Cycling advert to balance things out.
Meet the Biggest Bike Dork in
Meet the Biggest Bike Dork in Congress
Rep. Earl Blumenauer bikes to the Capitol. He wants the feds to pay you to bike to work too.
https://slate.com/technology/2023/06/earl-blumenauer-bicycles-interview-congress-ebikes.html
“Should a cycle to work ad
“Should a cycle to work ad from British Cycling be more inclusive and representative of all cyclists who commute?”
It’s not really a zero-sum game though, is it? BC could run this ad, aiming at sporty-roady types, encouraging them to use the commute as a training opportunity, and run other ads targetting other people. Whether they will or not is another matter.
jmcc500 wrote:
— jmcc500It seems to me that BC wants to talk to aspirational keen cyclists but surely a good proportion of that audience are either already members or previous members or have chosen to let their membership lapse.
They push the 3rd party liability carrot but it’s only available on the more expensive options. Commute is £40, the claimed benefits include “A vital say in campaigns for cycling in Britain” and “Commute safely with access to Commute Smart videos”. Pathetic. BC members don’t get any say in their lopsided, erratic campaigns and does anyone actually benefit from watching those videos?
BC would probably be better off sticking to the sportive/leisure/competitive cycling (and do a better job of supporting clubs, race organisers etc) and leave the campaigning to bodies who know what they’re talking about.
That’s not to say they shouldn’t work with instagrammers pedalling through the open countryside (to me it looks more like she’s going for a picnic) but that fluffy crap is not going to get them far.
I would be interested to know how many people – women in particular – feel more inclined to ride a bike to work or to the shops after viewing that post.
A Cycling UK tweet yesterday:
Britih Cycling is not a
Britih Cycling is not a utility cycling champion. It exists mainly for the racing side of things and so yes, the ad is fine.
I don’t moan about EVERY SINGLE OTHER utility cyclist organisation running ads that don’t represent me because I’m not a dickhead and I understand and support what they are trying to do.
The ad represents me including the carbon bike with aero wheels and the long distance commute. I’ve tried every type of bike on my commute and this suits me best. If I hadn’t been gentrified out of the place I was born and brought up in then I’ll be in jeans and trainers and a cheap, upright bike. Live with it.
Best post on here for this
EddyBerckx – best post on here for this story
EddyBerckx wrote:
Since BC is not a utility cycling champion why run this type of paid advert? Who is the target audience and why?
I commute in lycra on a nice road bike but I can’t see how this would appeal to someone like me, to my cycling club friends or to other people I know (including family members) who are pure utility cyclists. Just seems pointless to me, a bit of a missed opportunity.
Simon E wrote:
As others have pointed out, commuting can be a great form of exercise / training / whatever even if you are used to lycra and a road bike on the weekend. In fact, until the recent popularity of ebikes…they were more or less the only way a longer distance commute could be practical / comfortable for many (not all).
A decent proportion of my local cycle club were also commuters at one time (less so now to to WFH and hybrid working)
EddyBerckx wrote:
Except – as Rendel pointed out – it often does decide it’s a utility cycling champion. But I agree that that is mission creep from its real job – governing and promoting the sport of cycling.
Regarding the Portadown
Regarding the Portadown cyclist, I can’t imagine there’s a fully street-lit route to Belfast so not sure what he intended to do after leaving Lurgan without a front light?
http://citizenrider.blogspot
http://citizenrider.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-overhead-paradox.html
brooksby wrote:
I think the issue with modern “cheap” bikes is that the market is a race to the bottom. Older bikes didn’t come with so many marketing gimmics (e.g. suspension forks), so the build quality acted to differentiate between good and bad bike brands. Nowadays, your average consumer will go for a £150 full suspension MTB from Argos as it certainly looks like a bike shaped object and for the most part, it’ll be used a handful of times and then left to rust in a shed. This ends up raising the price for quality bikes as most people won’t see the benefit of spending over £500 on a bike and thus there’s a much smaller market for the higher quality.
Not a member of BC any longer
Not a member of BC any longer, but their advert definitely represents me, and my 21 mile each way commute, that I wouldn’t dream of trying to do in my teaching clothes.
What I would like to see is more of a co-ordinated approach to these campaigns with Cycling UK and BC combining forces to cover as many bases as they can … I move my membership from BC to CU precisely because I was moving away from sportive type riding into short triathlons and concentrating most of my riding on utility/leisure.
And I am with Chris on his comment (in the article). There are plenty of people who just do the training, long ride stuff who don’t ride to work who should also be encouraged to do so. That’s why all bases need to be covered.
So do any nice bike rides in
So do any nice bike rides in the sun at the weekend? catch a bit of the Dauphine? get involved with world bike day? no got huffy about an Instagram ad, well done.
i’m surprised they also didn’t complain the bag wasn’t hi-viz enough too, or the route didn’t reflect urban commuting.
I may be delusional, but I
I may be delusional, but I thought that any one who cycled was beautiful with the physique of a greek god!?
When was the last time you saw a car advert featuring a 20 stone, sweaty man driving their products, but yet…
Some (actually, loads these
Some (actually, loads these days) just love to whine, don’t they?
Cycle To Work Scheme does what it says on the tin: if you ride to work you’ll get a tax break. Duh! You can even use it for an electric bike I believe?
When I was a 1st Cat I used to ride to work three days a week, 56 mile roundtrip, and on top of 11hr days. I’m no fit, save the planet cycling snob, but I do know common sense when I see it.
Stop complaining and get up off your lazy behind. Jeez…
Maybe Jack Haig is a rain god
Maybe Jack Haig is a rain god?
https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/So_Long,_and_Thanks_for_All_the_Fish
Golf is definitely not the
Golf is definitely not the new cycling. It’s boring, a shit sport and it turns land into a sterile environment. Plus there’s no way of getting to a pub on a golf club.
People like Atkinson are so
People like Atkinson are so far behind the curve it’s staggering.
Wait until they discover that there is no, actually that there cannot be, a technical solution to climate catastrophe. And that if there were it would make the assorted catastrophes so much worse that we’d go extinct probably even faster…
Atkinson, has correctly
Atkinson, has correctly identified that he has been duped by the car industry and by the government. However, he hasn’t really thought about listening to other voices. As a result, unlike members of The Who, he will get fooled again.
The cyclist in Portadown – I
The cyclist in Portadown – I don’t think they are throwing the V sign. The police have just given him a hi-vis vest and a hi-vis rucksack cover. I think they are simply waiting for the police to supply them with a cigarette too….
Anyway – the police response and the drivers complaints about it. Understand why they would be annoyed, but its a little different for a cyclist. Our bikes don’t come with lights, we supply them. We don’t need to use them during the day – same way drivers don’t need to use their lights during the day. I would argue it is therefore more like a driver being pulled over for not having their lights on at night. The police in that instance would likely just tell the driver to turn on their lights, not fine them.
However, sending the cyclist on their way without lights (and given what road.cc says about cycling in Norn Iron) I think is quite dangerous.
HoldingOn wrote:
There’s a major difference between a cyclist and a driver not using lights though. A cyclist is mainly endangering themselves but a driver would be endangering others.
I wonder how many drivers
I wonder how many drivers have actually recieved tickets for not having their lights on? I suspect very few, if you did happen to get stopped because you forgot to switch your lights on in an urban environment I think the police would just ask you to switch them on and send you on your way. If drivers think they’ll be given a ticket for a blown bulb then they clearly haven’t been paying attention to the other drivers that I see with bulbs out.
As for the motorcyclist that wants to risk his life for a free hi-viz jacket ….
One issue on new cars though
One issue on new cars though is the dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree and daylight running lights are actually quite bright. I followed a BMW down a dark lane and he was clueless as to not having his lights on as the DLR were lighting his way, but the back of the cat was unlit. No amount of flashing made home realise, when he stopped I was able to get out and tell him and he was oblivious.
That’s not to excuse it before anyone loses it, it’s just another reality of what should be a safety aspect potentially having the opposite effect.
I regularly tell my fluffy
I regularly tell my fluffy tailed cat to put some lights on, but he says it ruins his squirrel hunting ?
I would hope that the rozzers
I would hope that the rozzers would at least do a breathalyser test on a driver in that situation, instead of a little pat on the arse and an “on yer way”
Years ago the RUC pulled me
Years ago the RUC pulled me over for driving with sidelights in Belfast and reprimanded me for doing so. I pointed out to them that the HC stated that urban driving required only sidelights and not dipped and I was not at fault especially as the street lights had just turned off as the constable was lecturing me. On another occasion at a VCP the constable pointed out to me a light was blown and he would have to ticket me. I thanked him and asked if it would be ok to park up in front of the land rover and swap out the bulb as I had a tub of spares in the boot, he grudgingly told me to be on my way and make sure I sorted it. Sadly a lot of vehicles nowadays involve you taking the car apart to swap out bulbs hence the amount of defective lights.
People misunderstand what BC
People misunderstand what BC is supposed to do. They’re the governing body of cycle sport, not an organisation focused on active travel. If that’s what you’re looking for, cycling uk or even sustrans are better options.
BC is about bike racing, and their various attempts not to be have fallen pretty flat over the years. HSBC did them no favours in that regard – BC are only just now recovering organisationally from the caveats placed on that round of funding – they lost a large number of experienced staff trying to pivot to a more “participation focused” approach, to the detriment of all their other programs.
Didnthurt wrote:
Then perhaps they shouldn’t offer “Commute” and “Ride” (“for your everday rides”) membership alongside the “Fan” and “Race” options and state on their website:
If, as you say, they’re just about bike racing they should say so, not try to boost their coffers by trying to attract members by pretending to be something they’re not.
Sadly another cyclist has
Sadly another cyclist has died in Glasgow
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/23566611.cyclist-64-dies-following-serious-crash-glasgows-fielden-street/
Original articles
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23553630.man-rushed-hospital-cyclist-hit-car-glasgow/
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23557536.cyclist-left-fighting-life-hit-car-glasgow/
Typical of this crap “newspaper”, not one of the above articles mentions anything about the driver of the car.
Condolences to Mr Morton’s family and friends.
Condolences to Mr Mortons
Condolences to Mr Mortons family and friends.
I cycle past there on my commute, and the segregated cycle path is not complete, and the traffic lights controlling the cycle path are bagged off.
It’s a shit show of a junction.
Was gutted when I heard this
Was gutted when I heard this news. Met him a couple of times over the years. Great fella.
So is that a special folding
So is that a special folding seat, to enable you to fit your bike onto those bike stands on trains?
No – it’s what happens if you
No – it’s what happens if you try and ride under Tower Bridge before they’ve raised it…..
Specially designed for people
Specially designed for people addicted to stoppies…
So anyone do the last ToC? I
So anyone do the last ToC? I did contemplate it but held offafter I noticed the route was drastically changed to save a load of money on road closures by looping the first section. But even then there was a section on open roads.
The road race / Gran Fondo was shortened to the 66 mile route which was probably good beng as the looped nature would have meant the racers suddenly piling into the slower riders from mile 34 onwards (although that probably happened anyway with the chain gangs just doing the sportive). And from some reviews, the rest of the route wasn’t well marshalled either.
Yeah, I did the 50 mile route
Yeah, I did the 50 mile route. Originally entered pre-Covid and finally got around to taking up my delayed entry this year. It would be unfair to say it was badly marshalled. It was poorly signed though with route splits not being signed until virtually the turnings. I think a few people missed the 100 mile split where it went into the loop. And for those of us tootling round there were some close passes when those doing the race / fondo came haring past at pace. The crouds in the villages were great though and very encouraging. It’s a shame to see another closed road ride go – they are always more enjoyable as an organised ride than the open road ones.
‘This is exactly why there is
‘This is exactly why there is a massive hatred for cyclists by drivers.’
an exaggerated overreaction to someone who inadvertently misjudged the distance of their ride. And what these nasty people do not realise (or choose to ignore) is the level of risk. A cyclist without lights is a danger to him/ herself. A motorbike or motor vehicle without lights is a greater danger to other as well as to the driver.
Cyclist punched after
Cyclist punched after crashing into child needs ‘extensive surgery’ on broken jaw (Metro)
Hit-and-run driver who left
Hit-and-run driver who left girl, 10, for dead avoids jail and told to pay £900 (Metro)
Hit and run (abandoned the car and attended a police station the next day)…
To note. The victim was 10
To note. The victim was 10 years old and using a lit crossing in a residential area. The driver passed through the lights on red, at speed. The child hit the windscreen before he drove off.
And from the comments:
ELLIE
8h ago
I blame the parents or parent for allowing the little Girl to roam up and down the busy streets on a bike without proper gear and supervision.
Just when you think people
Just when you think people can’t get any worse, someone yells “hold my beer” and piles in.
The internet is really not a pleasant place.
Edit: I know on here “Like” is also used as an acknowledgement of a post, but I can’t bring myself to “Like” this. brooksby & Mungecrundle – i acknowledge your posts and appreciate you both highlighting this story.
Here’s hoping it’s just
Here’s hoping it’s just “internet” – however from the continual reports and poor behaviour I’ve experienced it seems there is actually a strain of public opinion which holds that brooksby’s two examples are “fair enough” – the victims are culpable (or the child’s parents).
Because “roads are for cars” and if you’re not in one you’re chancing it.
I guess the apologists would say “realism” or fatalism. I say don whatever PPE you feel the need for and cycle to the media buildings, council offices and seats of government while we still can before remote working means we can only protest online.
HoldingOn wrote:
Totally understand, HO 🙂
Mungecrundle wrote:
It’s shocking how the cognitive dissonance affects car-brains and they come up with almost anything to excuse the might of the motor. It was clearly the driver that needed supervision – he went through a red light FFS.
And don’t forget the judge’s
And don’t forget the judge’s summing up:
FFS!
brooksby wrote:
That judge is a disgrace to his “profession”.
If a driver is so concerned about themselves that they leave the scene without even attempting to assist their victim, then they are clearly not suited to be in control of a tonne of speeding metal. That’s a clear case where they should never hold a driving license ever again.
Quote:
Sorry meant for another thread…