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"Addiction to more obese cars" means cyclists "bullied off the road", warns Cycling UK in call for govt action on manufacturers; How a carbon frame shouldn't look; Bike lane blockage; Geraint Thomas to take on Giro/Tour double + more on the live blog

Catch all the news, reaction and more on the Wednesday live blog with Dan Alexander
Wed, Jan 24, 2024 09:16
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"Addiction to more obese cars" means cyclists "bullied off the road", warns Cycling UK in call for govt action on manufacturers; How a carbon frame shouldn't look; Bike lane blockage; Geraint Thomas to take on Giro/Tour double + more on the live blogLand Rover dealership (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED/ Lewis Clarke/Geograph)
24 January 2024, 17:52
Geraint Thomas to take on Giro and Tour de France double

Some late Geraint Thomas breaking news: the 2018 Tour de France champ has announced he will be chasing Slovenians (and a pesky Dane) in Italy and France this year. It'll be G's 38th birthday on the penultimate day of the Giro, and with almost two decades of pro road racing and track success behind him, it seems like one heck of a challenge to be taking on the two grandest Grand Tours in a year. 

"I've never done it before, although I did in 2017 but crashed out of both," the Welshman told the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club Podcast. 

Let's hope it's less of the crashing and more of this from G in 2024... 

24 January 2024, 16:25
"Addiction to more obese cars" means cyclists "bullied off the road" warns Cycling UK in call for government action on manufacturers

There's a story on the MailOnline's website today about a new study by Transport & Environment (T&E) which suggests half of new cars sold in Britain now exceed the 180cm width of city street parking bays, with the average car width growing by one centimetre every two years.

This has wider-reaching consequences than just for parking however, what about road space and safe overtaking distances?

Cycling UK's director of external affairs Sarah McMonagle called for "government action to stop manufacturers fuelling our addiction to more obese cars" which, she says, will "lead to cyclists being bullied off the road".

The T&E study points to an increase in SUV sales. In 2013, the 'dual-purpose' sports utility vehicle represented 11 per cent of the market, now it makes up 28.6 per cent of registrations, analysis showed.

Richard Hebditch, director for T&E UK, said: "Currently we allow new cars to be as wide as trucks. This has meant our roads are now home to big SUVs and American style pick-up trucks that are parking on our footpaths, endangering pedestrians and cyclists and making everyone else on our roads less safe.

"The trend of cars getting wider has been progressing for decades and that trend will continue until the UK sets stricter limits."

24 January 2024, 17:09
Bike racing is back (and the Brits are all right)

This after Oscar Onley and Stephen Williams stage win each at the Tour Down Under, plus the Welshman winning the race overall... 

24 January 2024, 16:55
Look launches "fastest-ever" Keo Blade pedals that also offer "increased rider comfort and durability"
2024 Look Keo Blade Ceramic Ti pedals - backs.jpg

> Look launches "fastest-ever" Keo Blade pedals that also offer "increased rider comfort and durability"

24 January 2024, 09:09
"Had hoped this protected cycle lane would make commuting by bike safer": Unexpected (BMW-branded) item in the cycling area

What do we have here? 

The Leeds Cyclist "had hoped this protected cycle lane would make commuting by bike safer"... we've dropped them a message to try to get to the bottom of this one because at first glance it's quite tricky to get your head around what exactly has led to the driver of a BMW being where they were.

> London cyclist films bike lane motorist driving straight at oncoming riders

After many a year of hearing words to the effect of 'we pay all that money for those bike lanes and the cyclists don't even use them', this made us chuckle...

We're hoping the truth is closer to: person makes genuine mistake and then proceeds with caution to exit situation safely for everyone involved. The near-reversing seemingly oblivious to The Leeds Cyclist behind them doesn't fill us with hope, admittedly.

"Didn't see them drive in," they told us. "The cyclist in high-vis was in conversation with the car driver when I approached. Only thing that was said to me was a shout of 'sorry' when I shouted 'woah' as the driver reversed the vehicle towards me without looking."

A couple of years back Transport for London said it would be fining motorists caught driving in mandatory cycle lanes, one previously unpunished very high-profile case seeing presenter and pro-cycling voice Jeremy Vine film a motorist seemingly taking a protected cycle lane shortcut through Hyde Park after mounting the kerb at the traffic lights.

Hyde Park cycle lane (Jeremy Vine Twitter video)

> Jeremy Vine films motorist driving down Hyde Park cycle path

Let's hope The Leeds Cyclist's incident was a genuine mistake... (even if a slightly worrying one at that)...

24 January 2024, 15:28
Right on cue...
24 January 2024, 12:49
"I felt betrayed and not recognised for everything I may have contributed": Arnaud Démare comments on FDJ departure
Arnaud Demare wins stage five of the 2022 Giro d’Italia (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

[Zac Williams/SWpix.com]

French sprinter Arnaud Démare enjoyed plenty of success in the blue, red and white of Groupama-FDJ over the years — during his 12 and a half years with the team he won more than 90 times, including Milan-San Remo, eight stages of the Giro and two stages of the Tour.

However, speaking to France3, he has told of feeling "betrayed" and "angry and disheartened" last season when he was abruptly released from his contract and joined Arkea-B&B Hotels in August.

Arnaud Démare wins 2016 Milan-San Remo (ANSA, PERI - ZENNARO).jpg

"My feelings of anger are still present, also my incomprehension," he said. "I've always been a pro, I've always valued the team. I felt betrayed and not recognised for everything I may have contributed."

In response, team boss Marc Madiot told Cyclingnews' Alasdair Fotheringham: "I don't wish to make any comment but I maintain what I said in the past. Arnaud is a great rider and I would have liked things to have worked out differently. I bear no grudges."

24 January 2024, 12:13
Prolific thief jailed for seven months for stealing bike from railway station
Cambridge Railway Station CyclePoint 15 (copyright Simon MacMichael).JPG

> Prolific thief jailed for seven months for stealing bike from railway station

24 January 2024, 11:30
Anyone else riding a Giant folding bike? Nope, just you...

PAIN.

Cracked frame (Facebook)

Couple of smug steel bike owners in the comments on this one saying this has never happened to them. Most have questioned if that seatpost is too far out, but still...

Other less helpful replies included: 

"If you can't fix it with duct tape, you haven't used enough duct tape..."

"Wouldn't have happened with rim brakes."

"I don't see an issue duct tape can't fix..."

Remind me never to share any cycling misfortune on the Roadbike Cycling Facebook page...

24 January 2024, 10:23
How to stay cycling fit over 60 — top tips to defy the years on the bike

> How to stay cycling fit over 60 — top tips to defy the years on the bike

24 January 2024, 10:10
Pro cyclist does big bike ride shocker
 

Winter miles, summer smiles... although not sure Tenerife counts as winter, to be honest. Bit chilly was it? Only 19°C and a bit overcast. Either way, just shy of 5,000m of climbing is a monster day in anyone's book. 

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and has spent the past four years writing stories and features, as well as (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. Having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for the Non-League Paper, Dan joined road.cc in 2020. Come the weekend you'll find him labouring up a hill, probably with a mouth full of jelly babies, or making a bonk-induced trip to a south of England petrol station... in search of more jelly babies.

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67 comments

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Matthew Acton-Varian replied to Steve K | 7 months ago
0 likes

Not really. When you come off a motorway you are on a slip road approaching a junction. Your are expected to slow down and the infrastructure is designed to allow you to safely do so. Where Motorway regulations end without junctions rarely do you find a significant speed limit drop.

However in rural areas it is quite common to go from NSL to 30 or 40 (and now 20 in Wales) with no more warning than a pair of gate signs and some rumble strips covering no more than 20 metres distance, and there aren't always the /// - // - / signs before hand as a warning ahead of the limit change. Have that after a bend with poor visibility it's asking for trouble, despite the fact that safe driving practice is to only travel at the speed where you can see your stopping place if you needed to perform an emergency brake (this is a recommendation most drives ignore for the sake of trying to keep to the speed limit despite it not really being safe).

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chrisonabike replied to Matthew Acton-Varian | 7 months ago
0 likes

I'm up for practical but I think you've identified the point of divergence.

Some people who drive: we can't have 20mph limits as they aren't practical (or rather - "I'm in favour but not here" where "here" turns out to be "anywhere I drive").  They may appear without warning when we're driving at 60 (because National (Minimum) Speed Limits) round a sharp bend / not paying attention to the road ahead / haven't had an eye test in decades.

I'd say: problems with specific instances of limits?  Don't simply reverse the situation.  This is exactly why there is (as there was before) some local flexibility.

Is there genuinely insufficient warning of a change which would allow you to adapt?  Perhaps there is some unusual stretch road with very frequent changes in a short space?  We have road experts, so no doubt they can give us metrics for allowing appropriate leeway for "humans" and judge potential solutions.  Obviously they'll need suitable guidance on the "new regime" - because for many "can you fit more vehicles down that?" has been the norm.

I guess solutions other than "give up" might involve e.g. lowering speed on short NSL sections or possibly flattening out e.g. 40 - 20 - 40 to 30 all the way.

Perhaps even more paint and some signs to warn people?  Not usually a fan of these but this might be a politically pragmatic way forward?  Probably won't quiet the shouty but it might steady those who are wobbling on this one.  It's likely cheaper than having to say "OK, we'll reverse this, no limits" if there is a lot of public pressure - because we'll be back to paying for extra road damage and casualties and people "having to drive".  It's normally cheaper than physically fixing the roads.

And if our problem is "people driving at 50+ round blind bends" perhaps the issue isn't really to do with speed limits, either way...

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don simon fbpe replied to brooksby | 7 months ago
2 likes

The people were already able to take part in the 2 year consultation period, this is why not all 30mph roads are 20mph, contrary to the lies from the leader of the conservative and unionist party in Cymru. They then had a vote which left Labour in power and obliged to carry out their promises in the manifesto.

1) Clearly enough people voted to carry it through, that's democracy for you.

1a) If you missed the legal consultation period, tough titties! Stop whinging, move on, no one is interested, suck it up, etc...

2) The majority of negativity is not aimed at 20mph limits, it's aimed at devolution and any self respecting party of Cymru should protect the devolution and be pushing for independence.

3) With all due respect, if you don't have a vote in Cymru, feel free to have a little opinion, but it's not really any of your business.

4) If you think it's cool to take the piss out of Welsh place names (general comment), take a long hard look at how pathetic you are.

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OldRidgeback | 8 months ago
3 likes

Well it would've been a BMW (or Audi or Range Rover) in a cycle lane I suppose.

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mctrials23 replied to OldRidgeback | 8 months ago
14 likes

The weird thing is that they said sorry though. No self respecting BMW driver would apologise for doing their duty as a beamer driver and driving like an utter twat. Something doesn't add up. 

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ktache replied to OldRidgeback | 7 months ago
0 likes

Moving up into top spot in the past few weeks, The Jag...

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brooksby | 8 months ago
6 likes

Unexpected (BMW-branded) item in the cycling area

Someone needs to tell wheelywheelygood of this parish about this item… 

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