Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Met road safety cop to review stop & search of Black Cyclists Network founder; Eastbourne cycling group slam town centre scheme; Deceuninck-Quick Step 2019 video; Brailsford on CEO role of Kipchoge’s sub-2 hour marathon + more on live blog

All today's news from the site and beyond... ...
19 November 2019, 20:11
Met superintendent promises to review stop and search on Black Cyclists Network founder

More on the stop and search of Black Cyclists Founder Mani Arthur that we covered yesterday and earlier today here on the live blog (see below)

Metropolitan Police Superintendent Andy Cox, the force's lead on road safety, has pledged on Twitter today to undertake a review of the incident.

19 November 2019, 17:08
Eastbourne cycling group Bespoke say town centre improvement scheme is "laughable"
1024px-NatWest_Bank_Eastbourne_Town_Centre_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_1739122

The Bespoke Cycling Group, who campaign for safer cycling across Eastbourne, have been highly critical of the Eastbourne town centre improvement scheme, as they say it restricts access for cyclists. The plans involve new bus lanes that won't allow access for cycles, which Bespoke say will discourage cycling in the town centre and force cyclists onto a busy ring road. 

A statement reads: 

“The routes now open to cycles are being restricted. Choices will be either get off and walk or go on the busy, and for most, inappropriate ring road. The ring road is shown on the crash database as one of the routes with the most traffic incidents. So the young, old and disabled are discouraged from using cycles.

“A cycle route alongside buses was in the original plans. Now buses are permitted in this stretch, and taxis at certain times, but cycles are forbidden.

“This is so far from the national direction as to be laughable. Phase 1 also built out many of the local streets so that the road widths were reduced, forcing cycles further into the path of cars, vans, lorries and buses.

“To make the modal shift away from cars, people need to use buses or cycles. People will not use cycles if they perceive it is more difficult and more dangerous to do so. The town centre plan will make provision for cycling throughout Eastbourne worse and people will continue to drive throughout Eastbourne."

In response a Council spokesperson told the Eastbourne Herald: “The scheme has to strike a balance between the interests of a range of people with differing needs, including pedestrians, people wanting to access the area who use mobility aids or who have visual or sensory impairments, bus users and those choosing to cycle.

“The kind of configuration we’ve opted for is primarily aimed at improving conditions for the pedestrian environment, and it doesn’t easily lend itself to including access for people choosing to cycle.

“While the scheme does require cyclists to dismount, this only applies to a few town centre streets and we’re actively working to improve cycle routes between the town centre, residential areas of Eastbourne and the seafront. Cycle parking is also proposed to be provided at key entry points into the pedestrianised area. 

“We are investing £6 million in walking and cycling in Eastbourne and south Wealden which includes new cycle routes, and we are also consulting on a Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan for the county in the new year."

19 November 2019, 15:54
Senator Craughwell's bike ride: The Movie

The Irish politician who took on a challenge to go for a ride after being questioned on an anti-cycling Tweet has spoken to Newstalk FM about his experience on camera. He said it's already changed his driving habits, and commented: If we're serious about moving the capital (Dublin) away from fossil fuel-burning vehicles, we're going to have to start looking at proper cycleways the whole way around the city. 

19 November 2019, 16:12
Deceuninck–Quick-Step’s 2019 season in film

Quick-Step notched up 68 victories in 2019, and there was also a memorable two weeks for Julian Alaphilippe in the Yellow Jersey. Take a look at their season recap above.  

19 November 2019, 14:44
Sir Dave Brailsford reveals struggles with extreme workload that came with CEO role of Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two hour marathon attempt as he fought cancer

Brailsford spoke to the BBC as part of a fascinating feature about the finer details of Kipchoge’s successful sub-two hour attempt in Vienna last month, saying he took on the role as CEO of the attempt in April even though he’d just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He said: "It was a real deep dive. This sounds a bit geekish but I read quite a lot about how you can educate yourself quickly and learn fast.

"I found out that I'd got cancer around March, which I wasn't expecting. When Jim asked me it was kind of 'take a deep breath' because this is going to be a lot of time and commitment. What was exciting about it was that I'm normally involved in trying to win races or winning Olympic medals. But this felt like a fairly unique opportunity. First of all it was in a different sport, which was really appealing, and it was a landmark in making history rather than just winning a race.

"I worked really, really hard on it from April time onwards. Through June, through the Tour de France. I look back now and think I was ridiculous, I really do. I behaved in a ridiculous way - it's quite embarrassing really looking back.”

On the subject of Kipchoge’s carbon-injected Nike shoes – that some have claimed offered Kipchoge an advantage that was too great - Brailsford said: "Show me a world-class team that hasn't got a sports science department. I don't know what sport they are watching. Rugby, World Cup football, Formula 1, any kind of human endeavour everyone is using sports science. You wouldn't win without it."

Finally he reflected on the historic day on 12th October, when Kipchoge crossed the line in a time of 1:59:40: "I really did try and absorb it because when you are told you have got cancer and you don't know what's going to happen it does make you change your perspective and you do realise you should live a bit more for the day.

"I am always thinking of the next thing and the next thing and the next thing so I did sit down and think: 'Wow, I'm so proud to have been involved in that.' It was just sensational. I'll never forget it. The way he ran down the last kilometre… we had three or four options for the final depending on how Eliud was feeling and he came in in our best scenario. It was perfect.”

19 November 2019, 14:29
Reactions and comments continue to flood in on yesterday's top story

Our story yesterday detailing how Mani Arthur was stopped and searched by a Metropolitan Police officer because he claimed he could "smell marijuana on him" has been met with a general outpouring of shock and disappointment. We'll be looking to follow up in the coming days if necessary. 

19 November 2019, 13:24
The funeral of Raymond Poulidor is today, with some of cycling's buggest names paying their respects

Bernard Hinault and Bernard Thévenet have joined mourners in giving a final send-off to French cycling legend Raymond Poulidor, who passed away last week at the age of 83. The ceremony is taking place at Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat in the region where Poulidor was born. His grandson Mathieu van der Poel is also in attendance. 

19 November 2019, 12:45
Can you really see the value?

Rich Mitch asked this one over on Twitter. Obviously you can get some aero benefits, but what else is better about carbon hoops? Enough to justify the price?

Let us know in the comments below.

19 November 2019, 12:40
Bennati Retires

The veteran Italian sprinter has called time on a long and successful career.

19 November 2019, 12:09
Trek-Segafredo launch HeadCheck concussion care assessment tool

The World Tour team have partnered with HeadCheck Health to offer the company’s concussion assessment tool to riders. Using evidence-based science and smartphone technology with cycling-specific modifications, Trek-Segafredo say the tool will allow their medical staff to rapidly and accurately assess concussions as well as track rider recovery.

In October, four medical professional used HeadCheck to assess all the Trek-Segafredo riders, and they can now use this data as a baseline to check for concussions if a suspected head injury occurs in training or racing. Staff can access headCheck data from their phones and respond immediately with the best course of action, comparing results to the baseline data.  

Trek-Segafredo Head Doctor Nino Daniele said: “This is a very powerful tool. Now we can easily and accurately measure when it is safe for an athlete to continue riding after a concussion.”

HeadCheck is already used by football, rugby and hockey teams amongst other sports, and Trek-Segafredo worked extensively with HeadCheck to adapt the tool for cycling. They already supply tools and support for Trek Factory Racing’s Downhill, Cross-Country, and Enduro teams.

19 November 2019, 10:59
Castelli collaborate with 2Bros for new Garngantua LE jersey
castelli GARGANTUA LE JERSEY

Italian sibling design team 2Bros (no relation to the 80's pop stars-turned documentary meme sensations) have added their funky and loud patterns to Castelli's latest jersey, with a colourful geometric print front and back. It's priced at €84.95 and is available on Castelli's website now. 

19 November 2019, 11:55
Want to comment on off.road.cc and eBikeTips articles? Introducing Single Sign On
Single Sign On screen

So you don't have to faff around making new accounts for all of our sister sites, your road.cc account will now allow you access to off.road.cc, eBikeTips and Dealclincher too for quick and easy extra liking and commenting powers. Read more here

19 November 2019, 10:42
Halfords launch Britain's cheapest e-bike
Halfords Assist Biggest bargain

At £398, Halfords claim the Assist Deluxe with 20" wheels is the UK's most affordable electric bike - full story to come over on eBikeTips, where you can now leave comments easily thanks to our brand spanking new single sign-on functionality

19 November 2019, 08:59
Work has started on Manchester's extensive Bee Network for cycling and walking

The brainchild of Cycling and Walking Commissioner Chris Boardman, the Bee Network will be a fully joined up, 1,800 mile network of segregated cycle lanes, wider pavements and safe junctions - and it appears that work has now started to make it a reality. 

It was proposed by Boardman in his Made to Move report for the Mayor, a 15-step plan "to transform Greater Manchester" - and received unanimous approval from the ten district leaders in the region. If and when the whole Bee Network is completed, Greater Manchester will become the first city region in the UK to have a fully joined up cycling and walking network, and it will also be the most extensive in the country. 

19 November 2019, 08:51
Cycle lane at dangerous Greenwich island delayed until the new year

From the Murky Depths report that work to make a segregated cycle lane at the Angerstein roundabout in Greenwich have been pushed back until 15th January 2020 - it was due to start this month.  

The most recent fatality on the roundabout was in May 2018, reportedly occurring after Mayor Sadiq Khan removed safety improvement plans for the junction which would have seen it incorporated into Cycle Superhighway 4. 

19 November 2019, 08:37
This looks like it could be fun

The photo from BBC Hereford and Worcester isn't really selling it, but apparently this railway line could become a new 25 mile cycling and walking trail. 

19 November 2019, 08:35
Quick-Step on the top step for 600 days

The 'Wolfpack' have been the number 1-ranked UCI World Tour Team for almost two years straight now. 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

Add new comment

3 comments

Avatar
brooksby | 4 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

The scheme has to strike a balance between the interests of a range of people with differing needs, including pedestrians, people wanting to access the area who use mobility aids or who have visual or sensory impairments, bus users and those choosing to cycle.

The kind of configuration we’ve opted for is primarily aimed at improving conditions for the pedestrian environment, and it doesn’t easily lend itself to including access for people choosing to cycle.

Oh, well that's all right then... 

Avatar
burtthebike | 4 years ago
6 likes

Senator Craughwell's video was a revelation, with him admitting that a brief ride around the city has caused him to change his behaviour, and that proper cycle routes are needed everywhere.   Congratulations to him for being brave enough to take up the challenge and open minded enough to change his views.

Avatar
burtthebike | 4 years ago
5 likes

"In response a Council spokesperson told the Eastbourne Herald (link is external): “The scheme has to strike a balance between the interests of a range of people with differing needs, including pedestrians, people wanting to access the area who use mobility aids or who have visual or sensory impairments, bus users and those choosing to cycle."

The modern excuse used by all incompetents everywhere; balance.  Perfect cover for the fact that you are ignoring all your own policies, just claim it's due to balance.

I wonder if the local cycling policy supports this ridiculous position?  Apparently not:

"The Eastbourne Cycling Strategy was developed in 2011 jointly by East Sussex County Council and Eastbourne Borough Council. This strategy set out the approach to improving cycling in the town up until 2027. A Borough-wide network of cycle routes is identified in the Strategy."

And:

"This will be achieved by delivering infrastructure which tackles congestion at key pinch points of the strategic and local road network, unlocks development sites and supports access by active travel and contributing to improving local health and wellbeing."

I wish Bespoke Cycling Campaign the best of luck in getting the council to follow their own policies, but my own experience in dealing with South Glos council does not indicate success.  Perhaps they could suggest a visit to Manchester.

Latest Comments