“How the f*** does this happen?”: Cyclists baffled by rider who somehow managed to get inner tube tangled in their drivetrain + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"How the f*** does this happen?": Cyclists baffled by rider who somehow managed to get inner tube tangled in their drivetrain
Just when you think you’ve seen it all…
How tf does this happen
by
u/Ihatecheeseballs in
BicyclingCirclejerk
I’ve got to admit my first reaction was to answer the question of how this happened with a fair dose of scepticism. It’s got to be a set-up for social media engagement? Right? Nobody could actually achieve such wondrous levels of bicycle abuse?
Well, the more we dug into it, the more it does seem legit… and there are even people owning up to having done it (or at least seen someone else do it).
The most likely scenario (possibly the only one) is you get a flat, keep riding, the tyre comes off the rim and before you know it the inner tube (which has potentially also ripped in all the excitement) comes free, touches your drivetrain, goes all the way through and causes an unscheduled emergency stop.
As one poor witness explained: “I can tell you. Get a flat. Keep riding (or even pushing). Tyre bead slips off rim and exposes tube. Tube slips out of rim and falls onto gears. Voilà.”
Anyway, at least you’ve now got an image for maximum social media laughing and an all-timer comments section…
“Bluetooth headphones”
“I can’t say exactly how it happens… But I worked for a bicycle rideshare at one point and saw this more than once.”
“Sir, the tube goes in the tyre, not the cassette.”
“The tyre desired to go tubeless. You have to respect that decision.”
“It happens to everyone, eventually. Nothing to be ashamed of.”
“There are better ways to reduce noise coming from your drivetrain.”
“Might be the first you have experienced, but it’s a common issue.. something that any mechanic with more that a years’ experience has seen many times. Looks terrible, but unless it damaged the derailleur or hanger, its just a normal flat.”
Anyway, a decent reminder if you’re going out on the bike this weekend, don’t try to ride out a flat…
Anders Foldager wins Brabantse Pijl
Here’s how the men’s race ended, Anders Foldager springing a surprise in the sprint…
Anders Foldager takes a HUGE first pro win in Fleche Brabanconne 🤩 pic.twitter.com/EAvjvc1gz3
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) April 17, 2026
Zero arrests from 106 hit-and-runs on cyclists in London last year, as cycling campaigners slam “completely unacceptable” figures
Full story here: Zero arrests from 106 hit-and-runs on cyclists in London last year, as cycling campaigners slam “completely unacceptable” figures
Safa Brian teases latest descending video... and gets told off in the comments
View this post on Instagram
We’re guessing there’s only one reason why this particular clip was used to promote the latest video. Anyway, top comment? “Not sure if overtaking cars into oncoming traffic is as cool as you think it is mate…”
One of pro cycling's brightest prospects Célia Gery lands first victory
What a time for French cycling, eh? First, Paul Seixas ripping up the rulebook and looking like one of the best GC riders in the world already, aged just 19. Now, Célia Gery, also born in 2006 (*shudders*), has taken her first pro win at the women’s edition of Brabantse Pijl.
Célia Gery gets her first pro win in De Brabantse Pijl and FDJ are on fire as of late 🔥
The young Frenchwoman outsprints Mischa Bredewold to take the title 👑 pic.twitter.com/WyC3RshgF9
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) April 17, 2026
Gery won three stages of the Tour de l’Avenir last season and is the U23 world champion. On Sunday, she finished 11th on debut at Paris-Roubaix and now she’s landed her first pro victory, outsprinting some far more established, and older, names at the one-day race which marks the transition from the cobbled classics to the Ardennes.
Célia Gery. Remember the name.
Halfords are clearing the Boardman SLR 9.6 with Ultegra Di2 for a crazy price of just £1,750! Plus half price 105 groupsets, Rapha frame bags for £40 + more
"Definitely not this year, not even in 2027": Remco Evenepoel doesn't have any Hour Record plans in the near future
Here’s what the three-time TT world champ told Italian newspaper La Gazzaetta dello Sport: “Definitely not this year, not even in 2027. And besides, I’ve never spent much time on the track. We have someone like Dan Bigham on our staff who was also a record holder in the Hour, but… As far as I’m concerned, if it happens, it won’t be before 2030.”
So, there we go, no Hour Record in the foreseeable for Remco, although I’m wondering if a certain Dan Bigham might try to convince him otherwise. Bigham’s performance brain and Remco’s legs would surely put that record out of reach for a while.
We've all been there
"Cycling offers a faster, more reliable, and more affordable way of travelling": As Tube strikes set to hit London again next week, bike brand tells commuters to give cycling a go
Yep, there are Tube strikes scheduled in London from Tuesday to Friday next week meaning thousands of people will be opting for bus stop battles or the city’s ever-growing network of cycle lanes to get them into work.
Bike brand Quella hopes it will show many more people just how accessible cycling in the city is these days… (unsurprisingly, the people at Quella also reckon you should be on one of their products)…
“Tube strikes underline just how fragile London’s commuter network can be, and how quickly workers look for alternatives,” Quella’s general manager Josh Hale told us this morning. “During past strikes we saw a surge in searches for commuter bikes during the disruption, with interest in single-speed commuter bikes up over 1000% in Google searches and traffic to our own site more than doubling for models such as our Edinburgh e-bike and Nero Classic.
“It’s no surprise: when the trains stop, people still need to get to work. Cycling offers a faster, more reliable, and more affordable way of travelling, particularly as rail fares continue to rise. With Cycle to Work schemes bringing the cost of a quality bike down to less than a monthly travel card, more commuters are recognising cycling as a practical long-term choice, not just a back-up during strikes.”
Protective wands installed on “abused” cycle lane notorious for parked cars after “strong support” from locals – but some claim they’ll make the road “more dangerous”
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@Barraob1 Handy Guide to Met Police prioritisation: Violent Mugging / Bike Theft - Not a Priority Antisemetic marches / banners - Not a Priority Illegal eMotorbikes - Low / No Priority Drug dealing - Low Priority Hurty Words online - Top Priority This may be a little unfair but if they can't even be bothered to get the hirer details of a lime bike involved in a violent mugging they can hardly claim to be effective as a force.
"'Ello, 'ello, 'ello. Had our expensive bike stolen have we, sir?" "Maybe you should consider yourself fortunate to have been able to buy one sir? And think of those less privileged, sir. Also there are some would argue that you shouldn't be on the road because you don't pay road tax, as well as slowing motorists, sir." "I hope we didn't retaliate or use any foul or threatening language, sir. We will be checking doorbell cameras just in case, sir. We don't condone that type of behaviour."
Can you imagine if it was a car jacking incident with one of the thieves using a hire car, they'd just hired? Call me cynical, but I can't believe the Met wouldn't contact the hire car company a little quicker.
That brings it home rather too forcefully, just a few streets and half a mile away from my door. Thankfully an extremely uncommon event around here, in fact I can't actually recall such a thing happening in East Dulwich in the two decades since we moved to this particular (and particularly lovely) neighbourhood. Not that that is any consolation for the rider of course, for whom many sympathies. Absolutely disgraceful reaction from the police, imagine if someone had been pulled from their car by thieves who had then driven off with it, five will get you ten that the area would have been flooded with squad cars, they'd probably have sent the chopper up as well. It's an indication of how far down the priority list cyclists and bicycles are; most forces/officers seem to regard bikes as, in the phrase so beloved of motoring forums, "children's toys" and prioritise their theft accordingly.
If ever you needed proof of how seriously police treat bike theft, this is it. One of the bike hackers paid for a lime bike rental and two months on, nothing. Make a rude gesture and it's game over, tracked down in a matter of days.
I've ridden the first half of this route doing the Five Ferries, which can be done in a single day if you want or at a much more leisurely pace. Ferry chasing does lead to a sense of adventure though! Don't recall the Boguillie being that bad a climb, the one out of Tighnabruich (carry on past Kennacraig, get the ferry from Tarbert on the Five Ferries) was much worse to my memory. Never taken a bike to Islay as yet, but been there a few times. Port Charlotte is lovely and the food and people at the hotel are always great too.
@Mr Blackbird No they don't- it's just a police dodge designed as part of the 'get the driver off killing a cyclist, or at worst a joke suspended sentence' procedure. It's rather like the stupid police attempt to insist on incriminating videos being removed from social media, when what they really don't like is the public being allowed to see how indisputable the evidence really is. Daniel Thomas has now been charged with criminal damage or some similar charge for slashing a dinghy out in the middle of the Channel- the video was livestreamed and has since been shown on TV to countless people. Are the police saying 'he can't possibly have a fair trial now, we'd better let him go'? No, they aren't- they only use that dodge when the people who have been KSI'd/ offended against are people they don't like: and cyclists are among those
Worse than that - they used all those pastel shades!
I'm not sure you can occupy a petard. It would have to be an unusually large one. And you'd presumably have to remove its contents first, which would render it benign anyway.
An espresso version would be better, to put the top of the mug somewhere near the bike. (Or maybe a Sheffield stand...)
19 thoughts on ““How the f*** does this happen?”: Cyclists baffled by rider who somehow managed to get inner tube tangled in their drivetrain + more on the live blog”
So apparently Birmingham is the #1 place to avoid…
“Nearly 160,000 uninsured cars seized on UK roads”
Though it is good to see the correct language being used at least…
“…cars are being driven…”
Small wins.
But then: “… the close call a car had on the motorway when using the hard shoulder to pass vehicles”
And given:
-Hayley Sutcliffe, from the MIB, said: “It’s a diverse area so people coming into the country might not know the laws and the legislation of the Road Traffic Act.
“We need to raise awareness around when people need to have the correct level of cover of insurance.”
and…
The organisation said uninsured vehicles and their drivers were more likely to be involved in secondary offences like driving while disqualified or be under the influence of drink and drugs.
Officers also found several empty gas canisters, with mouthpieces on, inside another vehicle when it was stopped.-
As I’ve often said, petrol station CCTV needs to be tied to government DVLA/MIB databases so any untaxed/unMOTed vehicles are flagged with whoever pays for fuel.
Then the authorities can send a note in the snail mail and any non-responders can be taken off the road and prosecuted.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyr7dmry5mo
“We have the technology.”
We just don’t have the political will to put it in place.
Good that strong deterrent action is being taken over this here then.
Oh.
As the saying goes
“If the punishment is a fine, then it is legal for the rich…”
Though the excuse used “can’t afford it” contradicts that…
And if the fine is less than the cost of avoiding the fine, then it’s basically legal for everyone.
And:
“Offenders could receive a fixed penalty of £300”
*could*…
“The MIB said someone in the UK was affected by uninsured or hit-and-run drivers every 20 minutes”
There is a huge difference in meaning between that and,
“The MIB said that every 20 minutes someone in the UK was affected by uninsured or hit-and-run drivers”
Well, either way, that person must be getting _really_ pissed off.
Good spot.
As I’ve often said, petrol station CCTV needs to be tied to government DVLA/MIB databases so any untaxed/unMOTed vehicles are flagged with whoever pays for fuel.
Then the authorities can send a note in the snail mail and any non-responders can be taken off the road and prosecuted
Wot!? Like they’ve done with BF64 TGE, no VED for almost 4 1/2 years when the DVLA, DVLA minister Lillian Greenwood, the police, my MP all know where it stays every night in Garstang. Or HN21 VXB, commercial Transit, all over social media, Companies House address at local accountants, over 2 years without VED, 9 months without MOT. The authorities, and in particular The Filth, already know about these offenders, but daren’t/ can’t be bothered to/ are paid not to do anything about them. Therefore, they are on a go-slow to prevent any further means of telling them what they desperately want to not know
“As I’ve often said, petrol station CCTV needs to be tied to government DVLA/MIB databases so any untaxed/unMOTed vehicles are flagged with whoever pays for fuel.
Then the authorities can send a note in the snail mail and any non-responders can be taken off the road and prosecuted.”
We could do it just in time for electric cars to become most of the fleet!
Re inner tube in drivetrain, see this photo I took on a dirt road tour in 1983. My tyre blew off the rim on the non-drive side and wound up wrapped around the axle and brake. If it had blown off on the drive side it could easily have ended wrapped around the drivetrain. As I recall, it was a Michelin World Tour tyre on a Weinmann concave rim.
Lovely Blackburn rack, just like the one concertina-d up by the Baggage Manglers at Manchester Airport as she went out to the Lofotens last summer
Re “How the f*** does this happen?” If anyone has read Les Woodland’s book 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭 they’ll know anything is possible in cycling…
With the volume of cyclists in those pics taken during previous tube driver strikes…
I’m surprised that people (cyclists) stay in such a big block and wait.
I’m sure Cycling Mikey and others have published videos of themselves getting off their bikes at a red light to walk through/around it and then get back on.
If a decent number of people at the front of the queue did that, safely, presumably it would significantly improve commute times.
Even if I was not near the front, depending on the wait time I’d get off and walk past the light myself.
If anything, I’d be more likely to do so if I was not near the front as when the light goes green there is a chance I’d get stopped at the next red phase before getting through.
That picture is on Victoria Embankment leading up to the T-junction with Westminster Bridge/Bridge Road and Parliament Square, the rush-hour traffic is so heavy coming over the bridge and through Parliament Square that if you walked up to the lights you’d still have to wait for them to change before you could cross, and the pavements are always thick with pedestrians especially at rush hour as the early tourists mingle with the thousands of Whitehall/Parliament/St.Thomas’ Hospital workers, so you’d be better off waiting in the bike queue.
A bit of good news for London cyclists which may be of particular interest to those who don’t usually commute but are thinking of doing so in the tube strikes next week, Albert Bridge has reopened to pedestrians and cyclists and a temporary prop has been installed in the weakened area of the structure, making it less likely that it will have to be closed again whilst the major repairs are undertaken.
What a coincidence that today’s round-up has two completely unrelated tube strike stories.