BBC criticised for reporting police apprehending “e-bike driver” without mentioning the machine was illegal; Sadiq Khan reps Rapha on latest mouth-frothing ride for social media + more on the live blog

@Mr Blackbird Its amazing for keeping fit in the cold, dark months in the UK. I stopped using it when the price went up simply because it didn't offer me good value for money any more. I have probably ridden indoors on the trainer about 4-5 times since march this year because the weather has been so bloody consistently good for cycling. I have a training peaks subscription that does more stuff for me and includes a "zwift like" platform so thats replaced it. I quite enjoyed the Zwift races but perhaps not enough to pay for another cycling related subscription. I would have been more interested in keeping it if there was a better pricing structure to reflect my desire to have it available over the summer but not paying full price.

@ChasP The price increase wasn't particularly egregious if you consider that they hadn't raised it in a very long time but the lack of a family plan was certainly something they should have addressed.

@Rendel Harris "perfect trimming of the gears after every shift so that the chainline was always absolutely perfect" Ah - so you're using their "cog-shifting" system where the rear and/or front are displaced sideways so the chain always runs without any lateral deviation? (IIRC I've seen a design that does this - for a ?"mid-drive" system on a velomobile. Looked interesting mechanically which is likely why I've never seen one again...)

@OldTom additionally the guidance "take appropriate action to let [an emergency vehicle] pass" doesn't *require* that you have to drive onto the cycle lane / footway to demonstrate you're doing so. In fact you're enjoined not to endanger other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. I believe in NL separated cycle paths next to roads are built to a spec that envisions motor vehicles crossing them and so it may be possible for those to *use* the cycle path to get round motor traffic in a pinch. Of course in the UK most cycle facilities (even bi-directional ones) are too narrow to allow this...

"no cables to stretch" Cables don't stretch, the housing ends simply bed in a little. Set up, bed in, readjust then it's all good until you need new cables. Digital vs mechanical is about whether you want easy now or easy later. Easy now can be harder later, harder now is generally easier later. Like so many things in life that this applies to.. take your pick.

@Rendel Harris "Do try not to be quite so silly in future please." Good luck with that one. History suggests that Nigel/Jack is ineducable and so deep in his own little rut that climbing out is impossible.

Somewhat predictably I forgot a tape measure, but you can see from this image where they old lines have not been fully removed and compare the difference. As the road ceases being a cycle street, just after changing from Adams to Wilberforce Road, the double yellow lines are still the old size. The speed limit is still 20 M.P.H.

Claptrap?

@Nigel Garage You do make things difficult Nigel, because whilst one's first instinct is to ignore you just as one would ignore a badly behaved toddler you tell so many lies that they can't really go unchallenged. So, briefly: – Khan is a genuine cyclist, as far as I recall he began cycling with an electric Brompton around 2019 and then graduated to a Giant Fastback. He regularly rides in Richmond Park and has participated in a number of cycling events, including the BHF London – Brighton ride; – He is able to cycle in Richmond Park in the same way that Boris Johnson was able to jog around Green Park when he was prime minister and the King is able to go walking in the highlands, he is accompanied by his police close protection detail. He goes very early for safety reasons; someone I know who has seen him says he has two bodyguards on bikes with him plus a follow car. This is hardly surprising for a man who receives daily death threats. Just as an aside, it might interest you to know that unlike your hero and namesake Mr Farage, who whines like a baby about not being given enough security (even when it's been proved that it was offered to him) and claims that he has to accept £5 million dodgy donations to pay for it himself, Khan originally refused security when he became mayor of London and only reluctantly accepted it when the police informed him that the threats against his life and against his family were extremely credible. It's rather peculiar that you apparently find it amusing and baffling that Britain's highest-profile Muslim politician with a global reputation which includes frequent attacks from the President of the USA should require security in this day and age. It's a bit rich for someone who in their numerous previous, now banned, personae was enthusiastic in promoting hatred against Khan then to complain that he needs security because of the levels of hatred against him; – That Rapha kit and shoes aren’t new, he's been wearing them in photographs for months. If they were new, why would you think that was such a gotcha? He's a very successful and well paid man, why shouldn't he buy himself new cycling kit if he fancies it? - On Sunday it was 15° at 7 am in London, quite cool enough to wear a light jacket as indeed I did all last week when leaving home at a similar time; - I don't know about the bike, as above previously he had a Giant Fastback flat bar bike, maybe like many people as they get the taste for more cycling he's decided to upgrade to a full road bike. Again, why shouldn't he and why do you think this proves he's not a genuine cyclist? Why is it "suspicious" that his bike looks immaculate? He only seems to ride in good weather, he's probably only had the bike a couple of weeks and maybe (I know this seems hard to believe) he cleans it? Do try not to be quite so silly in future please.

@AidanR Khan is a Muslim, Labour politician. jackcycles is a bad faith actor. I hope this answers your question.