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Bernie Sanders – ex-pro cyclist Phil Gaimon’s woes show flaws in US healthcare system; Lachlan Morton slo-mo hair toss (before it is shaved off for charity); Pony trike for sale; Peloton parody + more on live blog

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
22 January 2020, 20:48
22 January 2020, 19:45
Lachlan Morton tosses his curls one last time before having them chopped off for Aussie bush fires fundraiser
22 January 2020, 19:40
Phil Gaimon's medical insurance woes flagged up by US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders

Phil Gaimon's 'Worst Retirement Ever' got even worse last year when he was saddled with a six-figure medical care bill after a velodrome crash ... and now, Bernie Sanders, who is hoping to get the Democratic nomination for this year's US Presidential election, has flagged it up as an example of what is wrong with the country's healthcare system.

Sanders was citing this article, which explains how Gaimon, who was paying $500 a month for his medical insurance, still ended up with a bill for $250,000.

22 January 2020, 19:37
Loving this video of a school cycling bus from Ireland
22 January 2020, 16:41
Silca launch Nastro Cuscino bar tape... at $50 a pop
silca bar tape.PNG

The tape from luxury tools and accessories brand Silca is just 3.5mm thick, but they claim it provides comfort equivalent to a 4.5mm thickness thanks to the 'Cuscino' texture, inspired by F1 tyre technology. You can also wrap the tape in a moderate or high texture so you can tune your level of grip. Silca have also developed a fully adhesive 'butterfly' back of the tape to better cover the back of the lever clamp area without adding bulk. 

You also get aluminium expanding bar end plugs thrown in, and at $50 we'd expect so too. There's no word on UK availability yet, but you can check it out on Silca's US website here

22 January 2020, 16:31
If you get offered a Tacx Neo under a bridge for 40 quid...

...just say no. Why these thieves are going for gear that's probably more difficult to flog and a whole lot heavier than actual bikes we don't know, but you can read the full story here in any case.

22 January 2020, 14:18
One-of-a-kind 'pony trike' for sale for £4,500 ONO (ponies not included)

When the little one is sorted with a 12 grand gold-plated bike and your spouse is happy inside with their Peloton (see further down the page), how about treating yourself to a pony trike? Far from an object of pure indulgence, this contraption that owner Emma Massingale claims is probably only one of its kind in the world is actually seriously impressive, and well worth the £4,500 asking price for someone who needs to carry some serious cargo and their equine friends. It can haul two ponies, 250kg of cargo and has multiple shelving decks depending on your needs... looks like great fun until you need to go uphill!

Ms Massingale is a horse trainer and documents her adventures on her Instagram page and Youtube channel. In summer she took the trike and two ponies on a 1,034km adventure across Europe, raising thousands for working horse charity The Brooke - check it out below. 

Ponies not included unfortunately!

22 January 2020, 12:02
“You’ll love the puddle of sweat that soaks into your designer carpet”

"Why pay $200 for a bike that can take you places, when you can pay $2200 for a Peloton that doesn’t take you anywhere?", asks Youtuber JP Sears in this latest takedown of the spin bike corporation. 

He also says Peloton can give you a sense of belonging to mask childhood abandonment issues, and the added cost "reaffirms that you're getting a boutique fitness experience, which is what you want as a well-off white person."

22 January 2020, 11:48
London's going Dutch

Blackfriars has seen quite the transformation in the last decade, and we can only hope the rest of the city goes the same way... 

22 January 2020, 09:57
When your truck painting lines for a 'cycle lane' needs more protection than the actual cyclists

You can't help but recognise the irony in a truck needing the protection of cones to paint lines for a cycle lane where there is no protection... maybe they should leave the cones out permanently?  

22 January 2020, 10:48
Froome confirms he will return to racing at the UAE Tour

Froome's first competitive race since his horror crash while recceing the Dauphiné time trial back in June will be at the UAE Tour, which starts on 23rd February. 

"Training's been going really well over here in Gran Canaria, so I'm really happy to announce that I'm going to be starting my season at the UAE Tour next month starting in Dubai. It's a race I missed out on last year so it's a great place to start my season this time around", says Froome - full story here

22 January 2020, 10:37
Trek-Segafredo now using Pirelli tyres
mads pederson pirelli trek segafredo.PNG

Mads Pederson and team will use Pirelli's P Zero Velo tubular tyres for racing, with Pirelli saying: "The technological aspect is at the core of this partnership with the Trek-Segafredo team, as it will also see a continuous technical development on the product, with particular emphasis on the new P Zero Velo tubulars, ultimately giving amateurs an increasingly performing product."

With Trek-Segafredo announcing a complete switch to disc brakes in late 2019, we did wonder if this committal to innovation might extend to tubeless tyres;  but it appears they're sticking with the tried and tested for now. 

22 January 2020, 10:27
Viviani assesses his wounds

In his first major race for new team Cofidis, the Italian crashed hard on stage two of the Tour Down Under and managed to avoid any broken bones. Simon Yates and Richie Porte were amongst the other riders to go down, with Yates left nursing a severely gashed left knee. 

22 January 2020, 09:02
For the child who has everything?
gold kids bike screenshot.PNG

Here's a gift for sale on eBay that would make Veruca Salt blush... it's only a vintage Bobbins kids' bike plated in 24k gold with an asking price of $16,000 (about £12,250). The seller Leoget077 says: "This 12’’ classic vintage-style bike by the famous ‘Bobbins bike’ has been 24k gold-plated by Alpha Gold UK giving the ultimate child’s bike, with stabilisers, chain guard and a reupholstered leather seat. Even the bell inside is gold-plated! The perfect bike for the perfect Prince or Princess in your life for Christmas."

As we're now into January we'll assume the bike didn't sell in time for Christmas last month, but if your nipper has a birthday coming up and you have 12 grand lying around then why not make an offer? Strangely the seller appears to be based in Holt in the United Kingdom but postage is specified to the US-only; they've also listed a gold-plated stunt scooter for £6,500 if that's all your child is worth to you. 

Anyone who does splash out is also welcome to get in touch with us for a free pair of road.cc socks as well to sweeten the deal... for everyone else though, check out our guide to the best kids' bikes that don't cost into four and five figures. 

22 January 2020, 10:24
$16k, and they can't even put the brake on the right way around...

Maybe you need to fork out a bit extra for a working front brake... 

22 January 2020, 09:46
Tour Down Under stage 2: Caleb Ewan wins in sprint finish

The number of riders contending the sprint was greatly diminished due to a huge pile-up a few kilometres out from the finish, and Ewan's victory was quite textbook with Daryl Impey coming in second. 

22 January 2020, 08:47
Council approve £19 million plans for new cycling and walking network across Cornwall
Strawberry_Line_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_1194315

Plans for four multi-use trails for cyclists, horse riders and walkers have been backed by councillors in Cornwall. The Saints Multi-Use Trails will cost £19 million to build, and will link Newquay, Perranporth, St Agnes and Truro.

The first trail will link Perranporth and Newquay directly, another will run from St Newlyn East to Carland Cross, one will be from Idless to Trispen and the last from St Agnes to Truro. The council hope that as well as people using them for leisure, the trails will also encourage commuters to ditch their cars.

Negotiations with land owners are still taking place, but cabinet member for transport Geoff Brown says that discussions have been positive and no compulsory purchase orders have had to be made yet. ​

Councillor Paul Wills said: "These are not just for cycling, it will be for horses and walkers as well. It can only be a wonderful thing.

"Once this scheme has been completed could we extend it further? Newquay to Padstow for example, or Padstow to Bude.

"The more we can encourage people to get out and enjoy our countryside on dedicated routes will be good for our people, our economy and our environment."

22 January 2020, 08:36
Ok Peloton...
peloton first gen.JPG

We'll kick off today's blog with this tempting offer. Unfortunately we're not sure where it's listed or how much it will set you back, but presumably a bit less than the two grand the Peloton bike of today will cost you... 

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.  

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21 comments

Avatar
peted76 | 4 years ago
1 like

Loving the new 'blog format page!

@Burt please stop bringing your biased political leanings into 'any cycling article'. In the words of Princess Elsa, wise beyond her years 'let it go'. 

Avatar
HarrogateSpa | 4 years ago
0 likes

[Never mind.]

Avatar
handlebarcam | 4 years ago
3 likes

Bernie Sanders has a good point. But of course he won't win, because changing the US sickness exploitation industry into a healthcare system would require people to make a mental effort to imagine a better world, and then pay a couple of extra cents per dollar in taxes. Too many are far too stultified by lives spent travelling from one box (their home) to another box (their workplace) in a third box (their car) to ever conceive of making such an effort. It's much, much easier for them to believe some Facebook advert that says he's a communist. They'll only ever vote for one of two things: either more of the same, or to shit on another group in order feel better about themselves by comparison.

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to handlebarcam | 4 years ago
3 likes
handlebarcam wrote:

Bernie Sanders has a good point. But of course he won't win, because changing the US sickness exploitation industry into a healthcare system would require people to make a mental effort to imagine a better world, and then pay a couple of extra cents per dollar in taxes. Too many are far too stultified by lives spent travelling from one box (their home) to another box (their workplace) in a third box (their car) to ever conceive of making such an effort. It's much, much easier for them to believe some Facebook advert that says he's a communist. They'll only ever vote for one of two things: either more of the same, or to shit on another group in order feel better about themselves by comparison.

Ugliness which has now crossed the pond to us.  This is the first time I've felt ashamed to be British, with PM who has no morals whatsoever, has already broken election promises, will sell the country to the highest bidder and has an adviser who is in contempt of parliament.  And so many people gullible enough to believe them.

If someone had written this as a novel, no-one would have published it because it would be too fantastic.

Avatar
Rich_cb | 4 years ago
4 likes

.

Avatar
check12 | 4 years ago
2 likes

Ok now bend over, that’s nice, bit further, nice, now caress the tyre, nice nice, ok that’s a wrap! 

Avatar
Balvenie | 4 years ago
3 likes

The image used with the 'Saints Multi-Use Trails' blog looks like is a bridge in Winscombe (North Somerset) over the Strawberry Line (part of route 26 of the national cycle network) and for the vast majority of it is gravel/dust/mud, apart from the nicely tarmacked section through the tunnel

Avatar
P3t3 | 4 years ago
0 likes

I wonder what surface they will use for the Saints Multi use Trails? I can't see horses getting along with tarmac, but if they aren't paved they will be useless for transport cycling, which seems to be one of the main ways they have sold the project... I wonder if it'll be the usual sustrans crap or something decent.

Avatar
Wardy74 | 4 years ago
5 likes

As someone who spends most of their working day at the side of the road, I can assure you we are treated with the same contempt as cyclists. Having signs, cones, beacons and hi-viz means you can speed past with impunity apparently.

Avatar
peted76 | 4 years ago
1 like

Who says it 'has' to be for Ponies.. why don't we lock close passing drivers in there and leave it on the hard shoulder of the motorway.

 

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism | 4 years ago
14 likes

The pony trike: I think I know someone who might be interested as they have complained that they currently can't cycle as they need to muck out the horses. 

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Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
12 likes

The cones are there for the protection of motorists. They could be injured in a collision with the truck.

Avatar
Grahamd replied to Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
4 likes
Mungecrundle wrote:

The cones are there for the protection of motorists. They could be injured in a collision with the truck.

They should replace cones with councillors.

 

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
3 likes
Mungecrundle wrote:

The cones are there for the protection of motorists. They could be injured in a collision with the truck.

Or they could be woken up if they're having a crafty nap.

Avatar
PRSboy replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
7 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:
Mungecrundle wrote:

The cones are there for the protection of motorists. They could be injured in a collision with the truck.

Or they could be woken up if they're having a crafty nap.

Hitting the cones serves as a useful haptic notification for drivers that they've veered off the highway to save them having to look up from their instagram feed.

Avatar
Cyclolotl replied to Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
0 likes
Mungecrundle wrote:

The cones are there for the protection of motorists. They could be injured in a collision with the truck.

 

Came to say exactly this. 

Avatar
eburtthebike | 4 years ago
14 likes

The truck with cones to protect it in the cycle lane is almost as ironic as Boris the Liar demanding that other people take lie detector tests.

Avatar
bobbinogs replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
6 likes
eburtthebike wrote:

The truck with cones to protect it in the cycle lane is almost as ironic as Boris the Liar demanding that other people take lie detector tests.

Oh give it a rest, I look at cycling stuff to get away from sweeping comments about politics or politicians.  We had an election, if you don't like the result then the good news is that you get to vote again in a few years time. 

Avatar
Rik Mayals unde... replied to bobbinogs | 4 years ago
3 likes
Bobbinogs wrote:
eburtthebike wrote:

The truck with cones to protect it in the cycle lane is almost as ironic as Boris the Liar demanding that other people take lie detector tests.

Oh give it a rest, I look at cycling stuff to get away from sweeping comments about politics or politicians.  We had an election, if you don't like the result then the good news is that you get to vote again in a few years time. 

Well said Bobbinogs, some people don't know when to stop. Why on earth would you bring Boris into a story about painting a cycle lane? 

Avatar
Rick_Rude replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 4 years ago
1 like
biker phil wrote:
Bobbinogs wrote:
eburtthebike wrote:

The truck with cones to protect it in the cycle lane is almost as ironic as Boris the Liar demanding that other people take lie detector tests.

Oh give it a rest, I look at cycling stuff to get away from sweeping comments about politics or politicians.  We had an election, if you don't like the result then the good news is that you get to vote again in a few years time. 

Well said Bobbinogs, some people don't know when to stop. Why on earth would you bring Boris into a story about painting a cycle lane? 

Tory derangement syndrome has obviously evolved from Trump derangement syndrome for poor Burt. Maybe it's part of that new virus that has killed a massive 9 people so far, meanwhile in China I bet a lot more than 9 cyclists have died. 

 

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 4 years ago
9 likes
biker phil wrote:
Bobbinogs wrote:
eburtthebike wrote:

The truck with cones to protect it in the cycle lane is almost as ironic as Boris the Liar demanding that other people take lie detector tests.

Oh give it a rest, I look at cycling stuff to get away from sweeping comments about politics or politicians.  We had an election, if you don't like the result then the good news is that you get to vote again in a few years time. 

Well said Bobbinogs, some people don't know when to stop. Why on earth would you bring Boris into a story about painting a cycle lane? 

I was comparing irony levels, which I think was entirely justified, but I can understand why tory snowflakes might not like it being pointed out that their leader is a liar, cheat, hypocrite and coward.  

Since more people voted against the tories than for them, I don't like the result because it isn't democracy.  Getting a massive majority under those circumstances shows that our system is utterly broken, and Boris the Liar doesn't have a mandate, let alone a claim to be the people's party.  Why is he hiding the report into Russian interference in our elections?

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