Frothing Facebook group dedicated to 20mph speed limit bashing learns of time trial ban in 20 zones — and the reaction is as bizarre as you'd expect; Santander Cycles Hour Record; Soudal Quick-Step tease Man United for latest loss + more on the live blog

You'll no doubt of heard yesterday's news broken on this website that Cycling Time Trials, the governing body of the sport in England and Wales, has made the big decision to ban time trials on roads that have a 20mph speed limit.

> Cyclists fear safe time trial courses will be lost as governing body introduces ban on events in 20mph zones

Despite speed limits not applying to cyclists, the governing body's decision relates to safety and optics... "CTT would not approve of cyclists overtaking other vehicles which are subject to a 20mph limit and pedestrians would not expect riders to be travelling at higher speeds," a letter from National Legal Adviser David Guy said.

On yesterday's live blog we rounded up some of the reaction from cyclists (plus there's plenty more in the original article), but the story has gone far and wide, even making it into the murky world of Facebook... the groups dedicated to people slating 20mph speed limits, to be more specific.

Such as this from the *checks notes* Action Against Unfair ULEZ CAZ, LTN & 20mph Nonsense group...

There was also some noise from the *checks notes again* Action Against 20 mph Speed Limits group "for all folk who think that 20 mph speed limits are too slow"...

Just brace yourselves for these... (I've left them unedited for your enjoyment/despair)...

"There would be uproar if temp road speeds were introduced just to accommodate cycle races when the rest of us have to put up with this crap 24/7"

"Ban them all if its good enough for cars, then its good enough for bikes"

"Should not be racing on public roads anyway, they tried doing road closures around here, there was uproar, telling people to either stay at home or go out between x time to x time etc. Funny a lot of drawing pins and tacks suddenly appeared on the routes they did close, since then it's been very quiet..."

That particular one coming from the obligatory 'account with pet dog as profile pic spouting bile about cycling'. Some more?

"Ditch the time trials simple! Have a 20 mph safety cycle. I am sure Drakeford would like to hand out the prizes for safe cycling and staying at a snail's pace. No accidents, nobody hurt and therefore no time trial. Why have a time trail if it puts cyclists at risk of putting pressure on the NHS? The very thing 20 mph is supposed to stop! I say Time trails are a danger stop them now!"

"The Welsh Government will probably raise the speed limit to 30 mph just for them on the days they want to race."

"Even the cyclists don't want to visit Wales anymore!"

Of the more normal reaction and comments we saw yesterday there was a mix of organisers and participants concerned at the impact of the rule on safe time trial courses, something that might push events onto faster, busier roads, making the sport less accessible. 

However, road.cc reader Miller commented on our original story: "It's a bugger, and affects some courses round me, but I don't think CTT has any alternative. It's all too easy to imagine the right wing culture warriors gleefully tearing into time trialling on this point."

There are loads of other considerations and views, of course, which can be found in our original article and yesterday's live blog...

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Chapeau Mr Jeffers, as you might have seen earlier, there's a new Santander Cycles Hour Record... another chapter of incomprehensible sporting achievement has been written.

Can it be challenged? Well, admittedly I'm not sure it will be on Filippo Ganna's radar for 2024, but someone out there will be up for it I'm sure...

I’m sure there’s @RPcyclists crack team already strategically planning their attempt

— Rory McCarron (@CyclingLawLDN) November 9, 2023

For now though, you can take the plaudits...

Left_is_for_Losers: "Fair play on the Boris Bike record, that is a great effort — as he says, with limited gears it's the cadence that's the issue!"

Steve K: "I had no idea there was such a thing as a Santander Cycle Hour Record, but I am very pleased there is."

Me and you both...

Things we didn't expect to read today...

> Cyclist catches driver watching adult film and 'spanking the monkey' in heavy London traffic

Quite hilarious is some of the reaction to the video, transport journalist Carlton Reid doing God's work and going into the Daily Mail comments section so we don't have to...

Daily Mail runs news story about @theJeremyVine retweeting footage of a van driver cranking one off at the wheel. Naturally, commenter blames cyclists. https://t.co/gubMLPtVN2 pic.twitter.com/r8psBfYCIU

— Carlton Reid (@carltonreid) November 9, 2023

Another comment claims, in what must be a pisstaking exercise, "Thanks to Sadiq making the 20mph speed limits and putting so many bike lanes in, most traffic crawls anyway. Van drivers have to do something to pass the time."

'Oh not these bloody bike lanes again, stuck in traffic...ah well... guess there's only one thing for it...'

And another one closer to home...

So was the cyclist concentrating on his driving or staring in a cars as he went passed??

— midnightflyer (@midnightflyer4) November 9, 2023

Meanwhile...

> Cyclist catches driver watching adult film and 'spanking the monkey' in heavy London traffic

The Vélo d'Or is going to have to be scrapped and voted for again with YouTuber Cameron Jeffers on the ballot. Sorry Mr Vingegaard, your yellow jersey's looking a little bit weak now...

If you're looking at that 32km/h+ average enviously for any ride, let alone one on a 23kg hire bike, then join the club. Jeffers took marginal gains to the max for this feat of cycling achievement, risking life and limb to tape his feat to the pedals, because apparently Transport for London hasn't bothered to provide clipless compatibility... how lazy of them.

Targeting eight kilometres around Regent's Park every 15 minutes, Jeffers was fortunate not to get taken out by some questionable driving on lap one, before running into the main problem of the challenge...

"The issue now is not necessarily the lack of power, just the lack of gears," he told the camera. "I'm just constantly having to hold a high cadence... well over 100rpm."

Oh, and because he's a YouTuber you can enjoy the full vid, including the spinning suffering, here...