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Live blog: "Inches from death" - a very fast close pass, New Garmin watches come with hefty price tag, Dockless bike share "a joke" says transport expert, Bikes – New Cervelo P5 TT bike now with disc brakes, Snowdon Ti commuter full bike + more

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
UPDATED Wed, Mar 13, 2019 23:41
17
Inches from death
13 March 2019, 17:03
"Inches from death"

This is the fastest close pass we've seen to date - with the cyclist who filmed posting it to YouTube under the heading "inches from death."

In the description to the video, Farnborough Cyclist said: "Having 2 tons on metal flash past you at 80mph with about 70cm to spare is a frightening experience - hence the expletive."

13 March 2019, 16:43
Some invstment advice from Michal Kwiatkowski after taking lead at Paris-Nice
13 March 2019, 16:34
mobike_in_milan_copyright_simon_macmichael.jpg
Urban transport expert says dockless bike share “a joke”

An urban transport expert has said that dockless bike share schemes are “a joke.”

Park Byung Joon, an associate professor at the Singapore University of Social Science, was speaking following the announcement that China’s Mobike was pulling out of the country.

Domestic operator oBike went out of business last year, while Ofo – which recently closed its UK operation – could lose its licence in Singapore if it fails to clear its bikes from public spaces by today.

Professor Park said: "If you look at bicycle-sharing, no one is making any money anywhere in the world.

“From a business point of view, this is a joke. They really don't have any viable business plan. The good times are over. Now we have to pay."

13 March 2019, 14:04
How much?? Garmin launch new MARQ collection GPS watches, and they ain't cheap

There are five watches in the new collection, with the £1,399 MARQ Athlete being the most suitable for cycling - the ClimbPro ascent planner gives you real-time information on your current and upcoming climbs, including gradient, distance and elevation gain. If you fancy a break from cycling, there are also 41,000 pre-loaded golf courses within its mapping software. Belive it or not the Athlete is the 'cheapest' in the range - the MARQ Driver, aimed at motor racers, is a whopping £2,249. 

If you or any friends with bank accounts in Bermuda want to buy one you can pre-order now on Garmin's website. 

13 March 2019, 11:59
New Cervelo P5 TT bike with disc brakes

Somebody has got a brand new disc-equipped time trial bike. Yup, it's a brand new Cervelo P5 and yes it has disc brakes. Looks fast don't it?

13 March 2019, 11:09
The Bristol Post did a car vs bike vs bus vs train thing, with predictably predictable results

What happens when you pitch a bloke on a folding bike against a car, a bus and a train in one of the most congested commutes in Europe? The bike wins, of course. These results will surprise no one, but at least it serves to show a wider audience just how inefficient private cars are in city centres (of course, the car lost). Read the story with live updates from yesterday's highly predictable race on the Bristol Live website here.  

13 March 2019, 10:42
All in a day's work for Ed on his 34th birthday

Nice to see Mr. Clancy is adopting the 'Derbados' moniker for the cycling metropolis that is Derby, first coined by Dan Bingham and his all-conquering Huub Wattbike track team we believe. Also, check the top reply to Ed's post!

13 March 2019, 09:39
snowdon paradox
Snowdon Paradox flat bar titanium road bike now available in complete build

British titanium flat bar specialist Snowdon is now offering its Paradox as a complete bike, costing from £3,999 with either Shimano Ultegra or SRAM Force groupsets. Alternatively, you can still buy a frameset for £1,999.

There’s a small running change to the frame since we tested it, tyre clearance has been increased, up to 32mm on the road bike and 40mm on the gravel bike, or 50mm if used with 650b wheels.

It’s also now offering a women’s bike but like the latest trend with big bike brands, the geometry is identical to the men’s bike and it’s the key touch points that are changed. The company says it has gotten a lot of interest from women looking for an “elite bike but do not want drop handebars”.

You can read our review of the Paradox here.

More info at www.snowdonbike.com

13 March 2019, 08:44
Check out Toms Skujiņš Trek Emonda from Strade Bianche

Low weight and wide gear range were the order of the day for Toms Skujiņš  at last weekend's Strade Bianche. 

At the opening classics weekend, the Latvian Trek-Segafredo rider was using a Trek Emonda with a 1x version of SRAM’s brand new Red eTap AXS groupset. But at Strade Bianche last weekend he instead opted for a rather more conventional 2x setup, though the SRAM groupset is anything but conventional.

The 12-speed groupset he raced comprised a 50/37t chainset coupled to a 10-28t cassette. We don’t know the reason for his decision to switch but we’re guessing it’s likely down to the sheer amount of climbing and very steep climbs that make the Strade Bianche course as tough as it is beautiful.

He was on Trek’s Emonda, opting for low weight over the aerodynamics of the Madone, to give him every advantage on the climbs. He was rolling on 28mm tyres, wider than the 25mm he would regularly run and providing a bit more cushioning and traction on the loose dusty surface of the iconic white roads.

Claimed weight for the bike was bang on the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit. There was a nod to aero with the Bontrager XXX Carbon Aero handlebar.

12 March 2019, 23:51
Building of Cardiff's first separate cycleway on Senghennydd Road to begin on 18th March

As part of the council's "commitment to improving cycling infrastructure", the Welsh capital will follow London by phasing in segregated cycleways, starting next week on Senghennydd Road. This is the first of five proposed routes, and if approved there could eventually be 13km of cycle routes in the city. The routes would be: 

St Andrew's Crescent through to Heath High Level
Dumfries Place to Broadway in Splott
Cardiff Bay to Smart Way
Sophia Gardens through to Llandaff Village
City Centre through to Ely Bridge

Each route will undergo a public consultation and feedback will be assessed and considered as part of the detailed design work prior to the route being built, say Cardiff Council. More details on their website here.   

12 March 2019, 23:28
Dangerous driving in 20mph zones all too common according to Bristol cyclist

The footage was captured in St Augustine's Parade in the city, after a taxi driver had performed a dangerous overtake on the cyclist who said he was already travelling 20mph. Avon and Somerset Police say they are reviewing the footage. 

Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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17 comments

Avatar
Kendalred | 5 years ago
0 likes

Love the look of the new Garmin watches - but at £1400 for the cheapest model I'll just have to dream!

Avatar
Legs_Eleven_Wor... | 5 years ago
2 likes

The Bristol incident really does exemplify the sense of entitlement of the worthless pile of shit that is the British driver, doesn't it?  Not only does he act like a twat, and not only does he endanger another person's life for no reason, but he is so sure, so absolutely certain that there will never be any consequences to himself, that he feels entitled to stop and lecture the cyclist.  

If that had been me, I'd have got off the bike and walked calmly past him to place myself in front of him.  Had he made the mistake of putting a hand on me, then there would have been some consequences. 

As for the 'inches from death', well what can I say?  No driver, no matter how fast he drives, can outrun a bullet.  

Allegedly.  

Avatar
ChrisB200SX replied to Legs_Eleven_Worcester | 5 years ago
1 like

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Had he made the mistake of putting a hand on me, then there would have been some consequences.

With his arm out of the window like that, had he touched me I rather fear that the consequential fall onto his arm would not have done his elbow any favours at all.

Avatar
Legs_Eleven_Wor... replied to ChrisB200SX | 5 years ago
1 like

ChrisB200SX wrote:

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Had he made the mistake of putting a hand on me, then there would have been some consequences.

With his arm out of the window like that, had he touched me I rather fear that the consequential fall onto his arm would not have done his elbow any favours at all.

A Kryptonite D-lock to the bridge of his nose would have been detrimental to his wellbeing, too. 

Not that I would ever suggest such a course of action. 

Besides.. everyone knows that a paving stone is the way to go, natch.  

Avatar
fukawitribe | 5 years ago
0 likes

[snip]

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
1 like

With all due respect to the Cardiff cycling infra, going by that mock up the lanes are 4 foot wide, why do they think that's acceptable? The road is still wide AND straight, why not make the cycle lanes wide and straight and put the dog leg in on the road for the motors and make them narrow to slow them down?

Also, the Paradox has gone to disc only, so despite the photo of a rim brake bike on the website including the scrolling photos, you can't have one. What's annoying is that making out 32mm width for a disc brake road bike as being an improvement is a bit weak, ti rim brake bikes like the Sabbath September and many more could already do that with caliper brakes, the original Paradox accepted 30mm tyres under a short drop caliper as it was, is that 2mm extra tyre clearance on a road bike going to make a difference, why not make it 35mm considering the only frame option is disc?

And whilst we're at it, restricting your 'gravel' bike to 40mm also seems a bit shortsighted, oh right, you can have 50mm IF you stump for another set of wheels, given there are plenty of wide 700C/29er type tyres to choose from why oh why leave it so that the only way you can go decently wide is to be forced to buy 650b and the narrow range of tyres on offer!! 

So, up the weight of the frame/forks for a 2mm tyre width increase .. and all for the princely sum of £2k!

Read the original review, Mike Stead said (in 2017) of the rim braked variant "Out in the North Hampshire Downs I equalled a five-year-standing personal best time on my go-to twisty singletrack road descent – 59 seconds at 54kph, besting times I've set on £5k disc-braked drop-bar carbon rocketsleds" 

Seems to me that improving the road variant to disc brakes only is about narrowing down what the seller has to build, so why the 80 day wait for a build when you won't build what some people want??

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
0 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

, given there are plenty of wide 700C/29er type tyres to choose from why oh why leave it so that the only way you can go decently wide is to be forced to buy 650b and the narrow range of tyres on offer!! 

Jesus wept - not again. There is a large range of 650b tyres (and wheels) available. One of reasons for going to 650b is exactly that - there is also the matter of helping to reduce height and geometry variations as the tyre sizes increase. You could also put space in for more than 40mm on a 700c/29er but that would also typically raise the bottom of the head tube due to the higher fork crown, perhaps that is not something that they want in the design. That said, 40mm is not too bad and given how pesimistic almost every manufacturer is about tyre clearance (as you yourself have mentioned on a number of occasions) you'd expect to fit a chunk wider than that. If you don't want to have extra wheelsets for different situations, which is understandable although arguably desireable, then see what will fit, use what does or don't buy this.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to fukawitribe | 5 years ago
1 like

fukawitribe wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

, given there are plenty of wide 700C/29er type tyres to choose from why oh why leave it so that the only way you can go decently wide is to be forced to buy 650b and the narrow range of tyres on offer!! 

Jesus wept - not again. There is a large range of 650b tyres (and wheels) available. One of reasons for going to 650b is exactly that - there is also the matter of helping to reduce height and geometry variations as the tyre sizes increase. You could also put space in for more than 40mm on a 700c/29er but that would also typically raise the bottom of the head tube due to the higher fork crown, perhaps that is not something that they want in the design. That said, 40mm is not too bad and given how pesimistic almost every manufacturer is about tyre clearance (as you yourself have mentioned on a number of occasions) you'd expect to fit a chunk wider than that. If you don't want to have extra wheelsets for different situations, which is understandable although arguably desireable, then see what will fit, use what does or don't buy this.

There is less range of 650b than there is of 700C/622, by multiple factors.

This is from Wiggle, one of the biggest retailers in the country, note the number of 650b tyres compared to 700C and 29ers tyres.

Forcing riders to have to have 650b wheels so that they can get the width they want when plenty of sporty robust disc frames and plenty of rim braked frames in the past could already do that with 700C/622 is just bullshit and more marketing crap.

Why not design the frame properly and use a fork that will accept a 50mm tyre with the 622 sizing for which there is a massive choice of tyres and negates the need to have two wheel sizes for the one bike! Specialized amongst others managed to do that with their rim braked 'gravel' bikes in the mid to late 00s without any problem whatsoever (carbon forks/seat stays+alu chainstays that accepted 55mm tyres) so why can't a good frame builder who offers 80 days for your build time do it with Ti and carbon forks??

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
1 like

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

fukawitribe wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

, given there are plenty of wide 700C/29er type tyres to choose from why oh why leave it so that the only way you can go decently wide is to be forced to buy 650b and the narrow range of tyres on offer!! 

Jesus wept - not again. There is a large range of 650b tyres (and wheels) available. One of reasons for going to 650b is exactly that - there is also the matter of helping to reduce height and geometry variations as the tyre sizes increase. You could also put space in for more than 40mm on a 700c/29er but that would also typically raise the bottom of the head tube due to the higher fork crown, perhaps that is not something that they want in the design. That said, 40mm is not too bad and given how pesimistic almost every manufacturer is about tyre clearance (as you yourself have mentioned on a number of occasions) you'd expect to fit a chunk wider than that. If you don't want to have extra wheelsets for different situations, which is understandable although arguably desireable, then see what will fit, use what does or don't buy this.

There is less range of 650b than there is of 700C/622, by multiple factors.

This is from Wiggle, one of the biggest retailers in the country, note the number of 650b tyres compared to 700C and 29ers tyres.

Yeah - so firstly they can't even categorise their tyres probably and you've missed out some of the options; actually search for 650b /27.5" tyres and you get significantly more - 59 for 650b and 194 for 27.5", duplicates not culled - and this is from a more road oriented shop. Secondly, yes there is more choice of 700/29" tyres, i've never pretended there wasn't, it was simply in reply to you saying that the range is narrow. It's not, even from Wiggle. Seriously, go and actually look what's available in the market.

 

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Forcing riders to have to have 650b wheels so that they can get the width they want when plenty of sporty robust disc frames and plenty of rim braked frames in the past could already do that with 700C/622 is just bullshit and more marketing crap.

Why not design the frame properly and use a fork that will accept a 50mm tyre with the 622 sizing for which there is a massive choice of tyres and negates the need to have two wheel sizes for the one bike! Specialized amongst others managed to do that with their rim braked 'gravel' bikes in the mid to late 00s without any problem whatsoever (carbon forks/seat stays+alu chainstays that accepted 55mm tyres) so why can't a good frame builder who offers 80 days for your build time do it with Ti and carbon forks??

No-one is forcing anyone to do anything - that bike is another choice and a decent one at that for what it was marketed for - gravel. In that area the 700c tyre widths should be more than adequate, have a look at the tyre sizes used in e.g. the Dirty Kanza - most folk are in the 35-42mm range for 700c which should be fine here given how gnarly that is. If you want to go further off-piste and want to use larger tyres having chosen this bike, then you could by getting another wheelset - or you could choose another bike which allows more options, which I agree would be nice to have more range of. There are potential advantages to that wheelset if you wanted to buy it, especially at the lower pressures you'd presumably be running, but it would cost you - it's a choice. Having that extra choice is a nice-to-have, if you're serious about going on and off-road in differing enough conditions that you need radically differing tyre sizes, you're probably not going to using 700c wheels for all those situations - if you're not that serious then what is so seriously limiting in real, honest, practical terms with this ? It's all choice.

Avatar
joules1975 replied to fukawitribe | 5 years ago
2 likes

fukawitribe wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

fukawitribe wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

, given there are plenty of wide 700C/29er type tyres to choose from why oh why leave it so that the only way you can go decently wide is to be forced to buy 650b and the narrow range of tyres on offer!! 

Jesus wept - not again. There is a large range of 650b tyres (and wheels) available. One of reasons for going to 650b is exactly that - there is also the matter of helping to reduce height and geometry variations as the tyre sizes increase. You could also put space in for more than 40mm on a 700c/29er but that would also typically raise the bottom of the head tube due to the higher fork crown, perhaps that is not something that they want in the design. That said, 40mm is not too bad and given how pesimistic almost every manufacturer is about tyre clearance (as you yourself have mentioned on a number of occasions) you'd expect to fit a chunk wider than that. If you don't want to have extra wheelsets for different situations, which is understandable although arguably desireable, then see what will fit, use what does or don't buy this.

There is less range of 650b than there is of 700C/622, by multiple factors.

This is from Wiggle, one of the biggest retailers in the country, note the number of 650b tyres compared to 700C and 29ers tyres.

Yeah - so firstly they can't even categorise their tyres probably and you've missed out some of the options; actually search for 650b /27.5" tyres and you get significantly more - 59 for 650b and 194 for 27.5", duplicates not culled - and this is from a more road oriented shop. Secondly, yes there is more choice of 700/29" tyres, i've never pretended there wasn't, it was simply in reply to you saying that the range is narrow. It's not, even from Wiggle. Seriously, go and actually look what's available in the market.

 

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Forcing riders to have to have 650b wheels so that they can get the width they want when plenty of sporty robust disc frames and plenty of rim braked frames in the past could already do that with 700C/622 is just bullshit and more marketing crap.

Why not design the frame properly and use a fork that will accept a 50mm tyre with the 622 sizing for which there is a massive choice of tyres and negates the need to have two wheel sizes for the one bike! Specialized amongst others managed to do that with their rim braked 'gravel' bikes in the mid to late 00s without any problem whatsoever (carbon forks/seat stays+alu chainstays that accepted 55mm tyres) so why can't a good frame builder who offers 80 days for your build time do it with Ti and carbon forks??

No-one is forcing anyone to do anything - that bike is another choice and a decent one at that for what it was marketed for - gravel. In that area the 700c tyre widths should be more than adequate, have a look at the tyre sizes used in e.g. the Dirty Kanza - most folk are in the 35-42mm range for 700c which should be fine here given how gnarly that is. If you want to go further off-piste and want to use larger tyres having chosen this bike, then you could by getting another wheelset - or you could choose another bike which allows more options, which I agree would be nice to have more range of. There are potential advantages to that wheelset if you wanted to buy it, especially at the lower pressures you'd presumably be running, but it would cost you - it's a choice. Having that extra choice is a nice-to-have, if you're serious about going on and off-road in differing enough conditions that you need radically differing tyre sizes, you're probably not going to using 700c wheels for all those situations - if you're not that serious then what is so seriously limiting in real, honest, practical terms with this ? It's all choice.

 

Step away. BTBS is an opinionated keyboard warrior who goes on about being forced into things, but if he stepped back he'd realise that what he's constantly arguing would force others to the narrow constraints defined by his own exacting standards/prejudices/opinions/mind-set.

And I'll now leave him to bite, only as I'm not likely to look back at this page again, I'll probably never see the resulting rant ... shame!

Avatar
ktache | 5 years ago
1 like

I have just checked out Farnborough Cyclist's YouTube channel, a lot of  terrifying driving.  The area in and around Farnborough can be very nasty.

Avatar
Bigmck64 | 5 years ago
4 likes

That close pass looks like the A324  road to Pirbright? I’ve riden it regularly and haven’t had too many issues. As it’s quiet when I use it there’s  plenty of room (as in this case!!) but speeding is always evident. That seemed deliberate to me? Hopefully Hants Police can take action?? 

Avatar
cbrndc replied to Bigmck64 | 5 years ago
2 likes

Bigmck64 wrote:

Hopefully Hants Police can take action?? 

Hampshire Constabulary take action! Don't make me laugh. they are probably preparing a public order offence charge for the cyclist because he swore.

Avatar
brooksby | 5 years ago
1 like

On the Bristol episode - that junction there - splitting off to either go up Park Street or along toward At Bristol (sorry - "We the Curious"  ) - is terrible whether you're on a bike or in a car.  People seem to lose all ability to look ahead and decide where they need to be, to go where they want to go.

(Also - to me, looked like the taxi just undertook/cut-off the cyclist).

Avatar
Redvee replied to brooksby | 5 years ago
0 likes

brooksby wrote:

On the Bristol episode - that junction there - splitting off to either go up Park Street or along toward At Bristol (sorry - "We the Curious"  ) - is terrible whether you're on a bike or in a car.  People seem to lose all ability to look ahead and decide where they need to be, to go where they want to go.

(Also - to me, looked like the taxi just undertook/cut-off the cyclist).

I ride through the centre daily and see all sorts usually cars trying to beat the lights from the bus turning  to Baldwin Street junction which is only possible if they do an F1 style launch and speed. I can't beat the lights on my bike so don't really bother accelerating but still you get cars passing me which I then pass and filter to the front.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Redvee | 5 years ago
2 likes

Redvee wrote:

brooksby wrote:

On the Bristol episode - that junction there - splitting off to either go up Park Street or along toward At Bristol (sorry - "We the Curious"  ) - is terrible whether you're on a bike or in a car.  People seem to lose all ability to look ahead and decide where they need to be, to go where they want to go.

(Also - to me, looked like the taxi just undertook/cut-off the cyclist).

I ride through the centre daily and see all sorts usually cars trying to beat the lights from the bus turning  to Baldwin Street junction which is only possible if they do an F1 style launch and speed. I can't beat the lights on my bike so don't really bother accelerating but still you get cars passing me which I then pass and filter to the front.

I don't go through there that often, but I go for the tactic of trying to put myself well in front of the buses/taxis/cars. However, that does entail going "slightly early" at the lights. If all goes well, I get to the next queue of traffic before anyone's caught up with me (more of a sign of how congested it is rather than me being quick).

Avatar
OldRidgeback | 5 years ago
0 likes

Another reason IMHO for my son to go to Cardiff Uni

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