The UK’s National Infrastructure Commission has urged the government to invest in cycling to ease the misery of gridlocked roads.Lord Adonis, who heads the commission, said that the country needs “alternatives to the private car, upgrading and expanding rail and metro systems, better facilities for cycling and walking and improved bus networks.”It’s all part of … Read more
Cyclocross season is in full swing and right on cue Canyon has launched its first ever dedicated cyclocross race bike. The Inflite CF SLX 8.0 Pro Race, which gets the unboxing treatment in the video above, is Canyon’s first proper attempt at a pure cyclocross race bike. No mudguard mounts, no concession to versatility. This is … Read more
Cycling UK have presented the officers behind West Midlands Police’s much praised close pass operation with an award recognising their contribution to making the UK’s roads safer for cyclists.Since it was launched in September last year, the initiative has been adopted by other forces across the country, although some – including, as we reported last … Read more
For today’s near miss, we have front and rear footage of a close pass on the outskirts of Belfast. The white van driver responsible seems reluctant to cross the central white line, even if failing to do so means skimming a whole bunch of riders out on a club run.Here’s footage from the front of … Read more
Vulpine’s Women’s Extrafine Merino Boyshorts add a noticeable degree of comfort when riding in civvies/jeans compared with going unpadded, but they are expensive and, like the Women’s Urban Cycling Jeans, come up larger than expected.The cushioning in the pad is quite soft, but it does mean if you’re keeping the shorts on while you’re off … Read more
One of Brighton’s bike share hubs has been removed after a resident complained about bikes taking up the pavement and riders making noise at night.BTN Bike Share launched on September 1 and Brighton and Hove News reports that users have been making on average 800 journeys a day.However, at least one Whitecross Street resident was … Read more
A pregnant woman in California has told of how she put her children in a bike trailer and cycled through the wildfire that has ravaged large parts of the state’s wine growing region north of San Francisco. Others to lose their homes to the fire, which has claimed more than 30 lives with hundreds of … Read more
The month after he finished second to Chris Froome at the Tour de France, Rigoberto Uran found himself in a rather different kind of battle – taking on Cannondale-Drapac team mechanic Jorge Quieros in a challenge to find out who can wrap handlebar tape quickest.Their contest features in this video from team sponsor fi’zi:k upladed to … Read more
A man from King’s Lynn has broken the Guinness World Record for most countries cycled in seven days. The Eastern Daily Press reports that Robbie Ferri had been aiming for 14 countries but had to settle for 12 – one more than the previous record.
Last year, Ferri set a new record by cycling in five countries in 24 hours. He’d intended this to be just part of a seven-day record attempt, but had to abort after suffering a knee injury halfway through.
“It was a real shame looking back but I’m glad I had to work for it,” he said. “It made it a more realistic possibility.”
In September, he tried again. He started in Poland, rode through Eastern Europe and finished with a 250-mile day that got him to Germany – his twelfth country – with just 45 minutes to spare.
Ferri said he’d hoped to travel through a couple more countries, but after poor weather in the Balkans, he’d fallen ill.
“I lost 12 hours in the end and I woke up thinking there was going to be a high chance of not making it. Without the problems I could have definitely been able to do the 14. I know my level of fitness.”
He added: “I lost a lot of daylight hours but I really liked riding at night, it was beautiful. Because I was spending a lot of time at dusk and dawn it was stunning everywhere.
“I can’t believe how beautiful eastern Europe was, I can’t wait to go back. Although the weather was terrible the wildlife was beautiful.”
He says he will make a third attempt at the record next year.
Great Britain’s men’s endurance coach Heiko Salzwedel was this week escorted from the Manchester velodrome amid claims of a rider revolt. The Telegraph reports that British Cycling has failed to confirm that he has been sacked, but goes on to suggest that this is only because the matter is with the two parties’ lawyers.Salzwedel, who … Read more
