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news
Shocking close pass caused by 'magic white line' cycle lane; New material could lead to 'indestructible' bike lock; Cyclists "pollute air with strong body odour"; Quarter of National Cycle Network cut; 40th anniversary TI-Raleigh + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
richmond close pass 2 - july 2020 via Andy Litchfield on twitter.PNG20 July 2020, 17:35
As racing returns, some good safety advice to fans from Deceuninck-Quick Step
This should all be second nature after four months ... but it doesn't do any harm to give a gentle reminder.
We’re just one week away from restarting the season after more than four long months.
Here’s a few rules we kindly ask our fans and everyone at the races to follow, so that they protect themselves and all those around.
Video: @lapedalecc pic.twitter.com/T6kFLQ72zD— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) July 20, 2020
20 July 2020, 16:02
"My concern is more about the infrastructure": cyclist shares shocking close pass footage, putting blame on narrow strip of paint acting as a cycle lane
Perfectly OK to overtake a cyclist with a 30cm gap here, as the magic white line provides all the protection the cyclist needs. Cycle lanes passing through pinch points are asking for trouble. @RichmondCycling @LBRUT @KingstonCycling pic.twitter.com/Kw1OBqZ1sw
— Andy Litchfield (@AndyLitchfield5) July 19, 2020
I won’t be reporting it to the police as I think it was just a misjudgement rather than malicious. My concern is more about the infrastructure as this happens quite often on that stretch of road (A308 Hampton Court Rd between Hampton Wick and Hampton Court).
— Andy Litchfield (@AndyLitchfield5) July 19, 2020
While it's terrifying to watch and you'd think most competent drivers would understand it was not safe to pass when this lorry driver did, the cyclist who shared the footage says he blames the design of the cycle lane on the A308 near Bushy Park more than the driver.
Andy Litchfield added:" I did consider reporting it but I actually think the tweet will have more impact as evidence of the need to carry out improvements to the road layout. It was crappy driving but just a misjudgment rather than malicious, imo."
Cycle lanes that are marked out by paint with no protection have been nicknamed 'murderstrips' in the past, which was even touted as Belgium's Word of the Year in 2018. Do you think the driver should be punished regardless, or is the horribly narrow cycle lane more to blame for the error of judgement?
20 July 2020, 16:00
Cars blocking the cycle lane (again)
Seriously just going to start riding into douche bags like these full force. This stretch of Blackfriars Road is beyond pathetic.
Anyone know this cretin? He got shy when the camera came out, but he was full of colourful language and threats 😂👊🏼 #manchester #salford pic.twitter.com/rwvtrR2N6Q— Emily⚡️ (@just_barely) July 20, 2020
With today's example coming from Manchester, it seems more than ever councils should exercise their new rights to fine drivers for parking in cycle lanes.
20 July 2020, 14:19
Raleigh release 40th anniversary edition of the TI-Raleigh in celebration of Joop Zoetemelk's 1980 Tour de France win
While some of his 'training' methods would most likely have been even more controversial by todays standards, Zoetemelk is still officially the most successful Dutch cyclist ever, and in 1980 he finally captured the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. In tribute Raleigh have made a special 40th anniversary edition of the TI-Raleigh that propelled him to victory.
With a number of retro parts that are almost identical to the originals such as a Selle Italia Turbo 1980 saddle, Reynolds 753 tubing and Cinelli bars, Raleigh have made things a bit easier by equipping the Campagnolo groupset with a 10 speed cassette. Only 250 will be available to buy, including a signed certificate of authenticity from Zoetemelk himself, with full details and prices TBC so far. You can sign up for more info on a special online event ahead of the bike going on sale in September here.
20 July 2020, 16:22
20 July 2020, 15:11
Iain Duncan Smith says you're "more likely to die on a bicycle than from COVID-19"
The Tory MP made the comments during an LBC interview, in which he said there had been a "general hysteria" over coronavirus in the UK.
He said: "Only 4% of those who have died have died without any known co-morbidity.
"If you're under forty you're more likely to die by getting on a bicycle than you are by having Covid, so we need to get the balance of risks right"
20 July 2020, 15:55
20 July 2020, 13:16
Could new wonder material lead to indestructible bike locks? University researchers say Proteus is world's first manufactured 'non-cuttable' material
You can have all the gold-rated bike lock armoury in the world, but unfortunately the strongest locks commercially available can still be bypassed by a very committed thief with a huge angle grinder (although they're still a huge deterrent, so get the best one you can afford). That could all change if the claims of researchers from Durham University and Germany's Fraunhofer Institute are accurate, because they say that their new Proteus material - that is 15% the density of steel - cannot be cut by anything.
The video above posted by New Atlas shows an angle grinder is no match for Proteus, with an accompanying article explaining that while the outer layer can be cut through, the 'embedded ceramic spheres' inside actually damage the sharp edges of the tool.
Lead author of the research Stefan Szyniszewski, Assistant Professor of Applied Mechanics at Durham's Engineering department, told New Atlas: "Essentially cutting our material is like cutting through a jelly filled with nuggets. If you get through the jelly you hit the nuggets and the material will vibrate in such a way that it destroys the cutting disc or drill bit.
"The ceramics embedded in this flexible material are also made of very fine particles which stiffen and resist the angle grinder or drill when you’re cutting at speed in the same way that a sandbag would resist and stop a bullet at high speed. This material could have lots of useful and exciting applications in the security and safety industries. In fact, we are not aware of any other manufactured non-cuttable material in existence as of now."
Could this stuff put bike thieves out of a job for good? We may have to press the researchers with some further questioning, but in the meantime the full paper can be found here.
20 July 2020, 12:59
Bernal, Quintana et al whisked to Europe on special 'sports flight' from pandemic-hit Colombia
Nairo Quintana cumpliendo con los protocolos para abordar el "vuelo del deporte" que llevará cerca de 120 personas entre deportistas y entrenadores colombianos a Europa. pic.twitter.com/NdPJvlaEAo
— Arley Durán Gómez (@arleydeportes) July 19, 2020
With COVID-19 cases rapidly on the rise in Colombia, some of the nation's best cyclists were included on a special flight that has transported around 120 athletes and coaches to Europe. With all events of international significance on the cycling calendar taking place in Europe, it was perhaps inevitable that Colombia's top cycling talent were best to get across the Atlantic before they were at risk of being banned from travelling altogether.
As noted by Pasión Ciclismo below, the flight landed in Madrid this morning.
🛫 ¡Ya están en Madrid❗️ pic.twitter.com/V6uGN7zRkX
— Pasión Ciclismo 🚴🏻 (@pasiociclismo) July 20, 2020
20 July 2020, 14:11
20 July 2020, 11:22
Wattbike rename flagship indoor training bike the Nucleus due to a copyright issue
Wattbike's top-of-the-range trainer was launched as the Icon last year, but today they've announced it will now be known as the Nucleus. Their CEO Richard Baker commented:
“When we launched two new products for the commercial market last year, we were made aware of a copyright issue with the ‘Icon’ in one country. We therefore made the decision to rename the product to ensure brand consistency internationally and to treat this as a positive opportunity to bring the portfolio of Wattbikes closer as a collective by name.
"Within science; the nucleus is the positively charged central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons and containing nearly all its mass. This description fits both the product and the brand perfectly and will further help to bring consistency to our product portfolio.
"Our company history is steeped in working with the best sport scientists, so it seems fitting to continue to look to science as we grow our product range.”
The Nucleus has an RRP of £3,120, but is currently discounted down to £2,499 on Wattbike's website.
20 July 2020, 09:44
Updated National Cycle Network map is now live on Ordnance Survey
In case you missed yesterday - the updated Ordnance Survey map of the reclassified #NCN is live today https://t.co/q25e2Yut0G - and click the NCN layer https://t.co/61aN2BJmwC
— Laura Laker (@laura_laker) July 20, 2020
The new slimmed down map - minus Coast to Coast and the Caledonian Way amongst many other routes that have been taken out - is now live. You can find it here by selecting 'National Cycle Network' on the Map menu on the bottom right.
20 July 2020, 08:56
"They pollute the air with their strong body odour": hilarious caller has some dubious reasons for disliking cyclists in public meeting
road.cc reader Mark has made us aware of this gem on YouTube, which was part of a virtual public meeting held by the San Francisco Recreation & Park Commission.
The caller seems super keen to ban cyclists from parks in San Fran, and even backs up his argument with 'science':
"We know from research that they are so entitled and self-righteous and rude.
"And we know from science that many of them, they smell bad and pollute the air by their strong body odour when they ride to the park. To deny it is to deny science.
"93% of San Franciscans don't use a bike for anything. The rest of us want a better city with less bike dependence.
"I'm a supporter of bike-free streets, I have been hit three times by a bike. I see people biking recklessly and aggressive. I avoid the one side of the path because the bikes there are so aggressive..."
It gets better...
"Bikes are bad for the environment. Bikes create 12,800% larger carbon footprint per month than pedestrians. That is science. The self-righteous bikers are a shame. The park should be for people, the parks should not be for bikes."
It seems we've been denying science all this time, so our sincerest apologies to this caller.
20 July 2020, 09:15
Join us at 7pm tonight on Zwift for the chance to win socks!
We're back again for another Ride Your Socks Off! event on Zwift at 7pm BST. This week it's a D week, so it's a flat course and a gentler pace. Tonight we're doing five laps of the Classique circuit in London. We might throw a couple of (optional) sprint drills in for fun. There will be a sock giveaway at some point too. Come ride with us!
20 July 2020, 08:26
Sustrans' CEO responds to reports that they've 'lost' 4,000 miles of the National Cycle Network
@sustrans + partners are working together to deliver a core network of #pathsforeveryone, scores of projects underway and we will still promote iconic routes like C2C and Caledonian Way. https://t.co/rCjuDYGCnh
— Xavier Brice (@_XavierBrice_) July 19, 2020
The Guardian reported at the weekend that from today, a quarter of the National Cycle Network has officially been cut off because of poor maintenance, signage and some dangerous sections that take cyclists onto roads with heavy traffic. The routes that will no longer form part of the official Network include the popular Coast to Coast path.
Sustrans, the charity who have the huge task of maintaining the network along with various landowners, say this is part of their wider ambition to make the Network "traffic-free, more consistent and accessible", and say they want to see 5,000 more miles of traffic-free paths by 2040. This ambition forms part of the #PathsForEveryone campaign that was first launched in 2018, which includes a list of 15 recommendations to achieving Sustrans' 'vision' for the Network.
Sustrans' Ceo Xavier Brice says above that they will still promote routes that are no longer part of the official National Cycle Network, but their resources are now focussed on delivering the improved infrastructure that meets the 'Paths For Everyone' standards going forward.
Absolutely. We committed to doing this in our #pathsforeveryone report. It’s not easy where we don’t own the land but it’s essential. And we are working with a range of partners to make it happen.
— Xavier Brice (@_XavierBrice_) July 19, 2020
20 July 2020, 08:25
Apparently, foxes eat cycling shoes
Top tip, if you finish a wet ride, don’t leave your @rapha shoes outside over night for the foxes to eat them... pic.twitter.com/A2YDja4AOz
— Rory McCarron (@CyclingLawLDN) July 19, 2020
And Rory McCarron found ourt the hard way... who knew?
20 July 2020, 08:18
Weekend catch-up
Where have you been? Here's what you've missed if didn't read road.cc at the weekend...
Susannah Constantine apologises for “joke” about killing cyclists
Another Bikehangar break-in – but new security measures can now be installed
Poole watersports enthusiasts angry about protected cycle lane on National Cycle Route 2
Decision looms over Mavic’s future as court assesses rescue bids
Virtual Tour de France: Stephens and Clarke triumph on the Champs-Elysées
Near Miss of the Day 445: "Lytham on a Saturday lunchtime, bloody death trap"
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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42 comments
brooksby
|
4 years ago
1 like
That retro Raleigh is gorgeous, but - looking at their website
The TI-Raleigh 40th Edition Bike will retail for £2500. The Frameset will retail for £1500.
puts it a bit out of my price range...
(I wonder if I could start a Gofundme for "Sh!t I really want to buy"?) 
If anyone is interested, there's a review of the Raleigh over at the Retrogrouch blog:
http://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com/2020/07/retro-raleigh-new-team-repli...
rkemb
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4 years ago
0 likes
"Within science; the nucleus is the positively charged central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons and containing nearly all its mass. This description fits both the product and the brand perfectly"
I'm not sure that "containing nearly all the mass" is the best marketing for a cycling company.
eburtthebike
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4 years ago
3 likes
Nice to see Iain Duncan Smith maintaining the tories almost unanimous failure to understand cycling in any way shape or form, and to deter some more people. Without wishing to get too political again, the only tory who gets cycling is Boris, and he is an incorrigible liar, cheat and hypocrite.
eburtthebike
|
4 years ago
4 likes
That close pass was terrifying, and even though it was clearly dangerous, it's probable that the driver would never be convicted as he didn't intrude into the cycle lane. Andy is right, and the infrastructure is dangerous.
The highway authority has undoubtedly ticked the cycle provision box on some government application form, and they claim that they are getting so much done for cyclists, while actually putting cyclists more at risk. If there have been collisions there, they should be held to account for endangering highway users. There's something wrong with any system which didn't identify the clear and obvious danger created by those narrow, worse than pointless, cycle lanes. I hope Andy has submitted the vid to the council responsible, and demanded action.
I know I'll be getting a reputation for my unwavering views on this... but I would simply never cycle in a dangerously narrow cycle lane. Instead I would use the road and take the flak rather than an impact.
The cycle lane's hidden danger is that it requires an additional shot of road-confidence to decide affirmatively NOT to cycle in it.
I know I'll be getting a reputation for my unwavering views on this... but I would simply never cycle in a dangerously narrow cycle lane. Instead I would use the road and take the flak rather than an impact.
The cycle lane's hidden danger is that it requires an additional shot of road-confidence to decide affirmatively NOT to cycle in it.
Yes, but when you get run over, they'll say "If only he'd been riding in the cycle lane." Catch 22.
We need safe infrastructure, not this shit.
I know I'll be getting a reputation for my unwavering views on this... but I would simply never cycle in a dangerously narrow cycle lane. Instead I would use the road and take the flak rather than an impact.
The cycle lane's hidden danger is that it requires an additional shot of road-confidence to decide affirmatively NOT to cycle in it.
My initial reaction is that the council has rather lazily turned the area to the left of the carriageway boundary into a de facto cycle lane. I've been accused of not using this area in the past by work colleagues who have never realised that the line is a boundary and not a cycle lane. The only purpose it serves is to provide an area for a pedestrian to walk on country roads.
My initial reaction is that the council has rather lazily turned the area to the left of the carriageway boundary into a de facto cycle lane.
That is what it looks like - how wide is it?
It looks narrower than the handlebars on my hybrid.
They can range from 6" to 24" depending on the road and the verge! That was me looks about 2 foot. As said. Laziness on the councils behalf in their eagerness to tick boxes. They've put effort into creating a refuge for crossing to what looks like a bridleway or off road NCR so why not develop infrastructure on the main carriageway?
My initial reaction is that the council has rather lazily turned the area to the left of the carriageway boundary into a de facto cycle lane.
That is what it looks like - how wide is it?
It looks narrower than the handlebars on my hybrid.
They can range from 6" to 24" depending on the road and the verge! That was me looks about 2 foot. As said. Laziness on the councils behalf in their eagerness to tick boxes. They've put effort into creating a refuge for crossing to what looks like a bridleway or off road NCR so why not develop infrastructure on the main carriageway?
Because, "bicycles", isn't it.
I had 'gone on holiday by mistake' along a short section of the A66 near Brough. The edge strip there looked even wider than this sorry excuse for a cycle lane. Scary, but at least it was a dual carriageway, and my bars just about squeezed in. (Maybe I should have taken the lane, but discretion...valour etc.)
I'm surprised Surrey County Council didn't have to fit the 'bike' marking in sideways!
I had 'gone on holiday by mistake' along a short section of the A66 near Brough. The edge strip there looked even wider than this sorry excuse for a cycle lane. Scary, but at least it was a dual carriageway, and my bars just about squeezed in. (Maybe I should have taken the lane, but discretion...valour etc.)
I'm surprised Surrey County Council didn't have to fit the 'bike' marking in sideways!
Is 'going on holiday by mistake' a similar thing to 'going to Barnard Castle to check my eyesight'? 
I was trying to think of my favourite scene, but it's one of those films that is almost entirely favourite scenes.
Withnail: [seeing a road sign reading "ACCIDENT BLACK SPOT. DRIVE WITH EXTREME CARE"] Look at that, accident black spot! These aren't accidents! They're throwing themselves into the road gladly! Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness!
[shouts out of the car window at a man standing on the pavement]
Withnail: Throw yourself into the road, darling! You haven't got a chance!
That close pass was terrifying, and even though it was clearly dangerous, it's probable that the driver would never be convicted as he didn't intrude into the cycle lane. Andy is right, and the infrastructure is dangerous.
But blaming the infrastructure shouldn't get the driver off the hook - he completely failed to give the cyclist adequate room when passing.
There is NO WAY you can blame the white paint or the cyclist for that. I'm sure West Midlands road safety team would have something to say about it!
I'd not hesitate to contact the local plod, provide a link for Heverin Haulage via https://www.heverinhaulage.com/contact-us/ and an invitation to swap places with the driver.
That close pass was terrifying, and even though it was clearly dangerous, it's probable that the driver would never be convicted as he didn't intrude into the cycle lane. Andy is right, and the infrastructure is dangerous.
But blaming the infrastructure shouldn't get the driver off the hook - he completely failed to give the cyclist adequate room when passing.
There is NO WAY you can blame the white paint or the cyclist for that. I'm sure West Midlands road safety team would have something to say about it!
I'd not hesitate to contact the local plod, provide a link for Heverin Haulage via https://www.heverinhaulage.com/contact-us/ and an invitation to swap places with the driver.
Thanks. You are right of course and it should be reported, but I doubt that plod would take any action and even if they did, would any jury convict?
Secret_squirrel
|
4 years ago
2 likes
The NCN/Sustrans news is stupid and contrarian that I wonder if its a con job to save them money by ignoring the crappiest 1/4 of their routes.
If you believe their stated reasons they could have been accomplised by relabeling them as the equivalent of "B" or "C" roads.
Or have the NCN and the SCN where S stands for "S**tty"
Quietly hoping they will go away is a terrible idea.
mdavidford
|
4 years ago
1 like
Eh - it appears to have cut through a good few inches before getting stuck on the 'nuggets' - if my bike lock has to be several inches thick to defeat the thieves, I'm not sure how practical it's going to be.
Also, what's going on with Quintana's multiple masks? Takes off one to reveal another one underneath, then puts a third one on over that, and by the time he gets to check in he seems to have the first one on again - seems like slight overkill.
brooksby
|
4 years ago
2 likes
"We know from research that they are so entitled and self-righteous and rude.
Really? I wonder if he can point us at some peer reviewed papers on this subject? I'm sure that road.cc would have covered it before now (if it wasn't just in his imagination, of course...).
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