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Cyclist (nearly) escapes terrifying smash; UCI postpone Chinese races due to Coronavirus; Rory Stewart wants more hedges; Dockless bikes parked on bike lane; Chris Boardman makes discovery; Bournemouth seafront bike ban review + more on the live blog

Friday's live blog is brought to you by Jack Sexty, with Alex Bowden making the occasional contribution throughout the day.....
UPDATED Sun, Feb 23, 2020 00:11
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21 February 2020, 15:35
'Lucky' cyclist (nearly) escapes terrifying collision as van smashes into a car in front of him

This gentleman definitely has eight lives left and thankfully appears to be ok; as after hitting the side of a van that just ploughed into a car, he's able to stand and watch on in disbelief with his hands on his hips. 

We've no further information yet other than the clip was uploaded by Chris Holmes, a brand director at Marin Bikes, who says he was sent the footage from a friend in Taiwan. We're awaiting further details... 

21 February 2020, 16:48
UCI postpones all Chinese races scheduled for April and May due to Coronavirus fears
Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 - 1

The UCI have released a statement on the precautions they're taking due to the threat of the virus, saying they will announce new dates for all April and May competitions due to take place in China on 15th March. 

They also say they will 'gather information' about riders and staff members from delegations who are threatened by the virus, with all having to submit information on their movements and training locations three weeks leading up to an event. The UCI clarified their position in a statement, saying: "The UCI is following the evolution of this epidemic and the potential consequences for the organisation of international competitions on a daily basis. It is also concerned with protecting riders from all risk of contamination and avoiding the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to other countries."

21 February 2020, 14:59
Andalucia live TV images down due to military testing

If, like us, you were planning on watching some sunny bike racing while at your desk on a Friday you might be a bit disappointed.

The live images from the Vuelta a Andalucia keep going down due to military testing in the area.

Hopefully we get pictures back before someone drops a wattage bomb...

21 February 2020, 13:20
Rory Stewart accused of missing the point in hedge-praising tweet... as the illustration shows three cars parked on the drive

The study itself Stewart references was a very well-meaning one conducted by Tim Webb and Stephen Sangster (watch the full video here) in which they experimented to find out the impact of hedges on air quality in London; however, people have criticised Stewart for referencing the study with an illustration featuring a driveway that has three cars on it... 

In fact, a Rory Stewart parody account even accuses the London mayoral candidate of missing several crucial votes on reducing carbon emissions. All this appears to be at odds with Stewart's previous comments praising cycling, particularly his speech in parliament from October 2018 in which he referenced a Harvard study that found cycling is better for your sex life. 

Should Mr Stewart be encouraging Londoners to cycle and walk first and foremost, or is hedging his bets on everyone growing hedges to cut pollution a fine strategy? Let us know your thoughts as ever... 

21 February 2020, 13:11
The Tour of Antalya is a bit soggy

It's not just the UK experiencing relentless deluges at the moment, as the Tour of Antalya on the famously warm and sunny Turkish Mediterranean appears to have took place on more of a river than a road today. Even so, the riders battled on and the stage was won by Giovanni Lonardi of pro conti team Bardiani-CSF-Faizane (check out their fictional 90's TV dinosaur-inspired kit on our live blog from 17th December last year).

21 February 2020, 13:00
Man disgruntled at the Danes' love of cycling wouldn't be surprised if they 'cycle from the bedroom to the toilet to take a sh*te'

Tell us how you really feel about Danish cycling culture, Jack AD from Glasgow... can any Danes confirm if this is true? 

21 February 2020, 12:38
Why don't cyclists use the cycle lane, part 10,547

Figure quoted possibly isn't entirely accurate. We all know it's actually far higher... 

21 February 2020, 12:51
KPMG Belgium partner with Flanders Classics Women races to 'close the gap'
flanders classics women

The firm are supporting Flanders Classics with a three-year plan that aims to professionalise women's cycling further and improve the 'overall level' of women's cycling races, with more events in the pipeline and working to increase the exposure of existing ones. Flanders Classics' CEO Tomas Van Den Spiegel said: “As Flanders Classics we have always been trying to help move women’s cycling forward. We think it’s now time to move into a higher gear. Women’s cycling is already growing at many levels but there is still a lot of potential left. We are very happy and grateful with a partner like KPMG who want to work together with us in the development of the sport in the upcoming years. Hopefully it also inspires other companies to invest in the sport.”

21 February 2020, 09:01
Is dockless bike sharing a bad idea?

Even the most fervent cycling advocates (the video above was shot by Coventry's new Cycling Mayor Adam Tranter) have suggested that dockless hire bikes are perhaps a hindrance rather than a help, particularly if they're blocking the cycle lanes that their customers are supposed to use.

Should all hire bikes have dedicated spaces? 

21 February 2020, 12:06
Rapha to the rescue: cycling apparel brand step in with sponsorship to save Lincoln GP

The prestigious race is now known as the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix, after Rapha took over as title sponsors to allow the race to continue. In a statement Lincoln GP's race organiser Dan Ellmore said: “The Lincoln Grand Prix team are excited to be working with Rapha for the 2020 and 2021 events and to help develop a more sustainable approach to the race to ensure we can continue adding to the history of the event for many years to come. Having a brand such as Rapha recognise the importance of the event and get behind us to keep it running is a fantastic position to be in and we’re really looking forward to working with them” 

The initial title sponsorship deal runs for two years. 

21 February 2020, 10:05
Zebra crossings at side roads aren't permitted in the UK... except at the Transport Research Laboratory
21 February 2020, 11:16
Evenepoel making a summit finish look like a sprint finish

Combine a lot of power with a tiny rider and you get this...

21 February 2020, 08:17
Bournemouth seafront cycling ban to be reviewed
bournemouth_2

A controversial cycling ban on Bournemouth's promenade is set to be reviewed by Bournemouth City Council, with cabinet member for transport Andy Hadley considering whether it's "the right thing" the continue it, report the Bournemouth Echo. 

Current rules state that cycling is banned on the promenade between 10am and 6pm in July and August, due to the high volume of pedestrians on the promenade in peak season. ​

Bournemouth's 'prom wars' have been going on for quite some time, with the council rejecting calls for a separate cycle lane and numerous council members urging for the ban to be extended year-round; Bournemouth Council were even quotes as saying it's "perhaps the most commentated on and divisive challenge we have" in 2018. 

Councillor Hadley says he is looking into the possibility of scrapping the ban to encourage more people to cycle, and says as far as he's aware "there's never been a problem with cyclists." ​The council say whenever the issue arises, the lifting of the ban is dismissed because of concerns it will be ruined by “a handful of irresponsible cyclists”.​​

Even Bournemouth's Active Travel Forum chairman Jason Falconer is in favour of keeping the ban, commenting: “The difficulty we have here is there is only one single route for everyone along the promenade – if you go to Blackpool they have three and Brighton has two levels. I’d err on the side of saying ‘if it’s not broke don’t fix it’."

Falconer also suggested building a dedicated cycleway along the seafront, while numerous locals on Facebook just seem to dislike two-wheeled transport altogether... 

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What do you think? 

 

21 February 2020, 10:31
Benjamin Bowden's Spacelander bike

The Spacelander was moulded from fibreglass.

Its predecessor, the Classic, designed in 1946, had a hub dynamo that stored energy during descents to be used when you were riding uphill.

A third version of the bike, the 300, didn't make it past the prototype stage.

A Bowden 'Spacelander' bicycle designed in 1946 but only went into production for one year in 1960. At $89.50 only 522 units were shipped before production was halted. from r/interestingasfuck

21 February 2020, 09:06
The Dutch bicycle love affair comes to Sudan

The Dutch ambassador to Sudan is shown riding with a government minister and members of the Sudanese Female Cyclists Initiative, with the latter being set up to empower women in the troubled African nation. The whole video is below... 

#

Jack Sexty

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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12 comments

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

I have just seen quite a good Co-Op mini artic, cyclist (person) detecting side bars on the trailer, lowered windscreen, with angled binacle/dash to make use of the lowered windscreen and little windows in the bottom of the doors (like trucks used to have).  Not exactly Direct Vision cab, but a definite improvement.

Kind of spoilt by the nasty message on the back..

Stay Alert - Stay Alive....

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45 South | 4 years ago
0 likes

Fantastic to see that the Lincoln Grand Prix has got sponsorship. I spent the first thirty odd years of my life living there and several summers riding up either Michaelgate or Steep Hill to my student holiday job. They’re both absolute bastards (but in a good way) and it’d be criminal if a race that finished with them was allowed to go to the dogs.

Chapeau Rapha, if I ever win the lottery I’ll buy some of your kit.

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nniff | 4 years ago
2 likes

That hedges thing - quoting 'pollution parts per million' (whatever that might be).  If you look at that photograph and assess 'stuff parts per hundred' (or percent if you'd rather), you get something along these lines:

Tarmac and hardstanding for cars - 30%
Cars  - 20%
House - 10% (of which garage for car = 30%)
Hedges and and stuff- 40%

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hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
5 likes

Typical ex-tory pandering to hedge funds...

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ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

On the Bournmouth thing, is there carnage outside the limited ban?

Sir Chris has gone to the TRL, the shared use cycle route from Crowthorne village to the road that goes to the TRL has those Beware Concealed Entrances nonsense signs, and beyond, going to Bracknell (and Swinley) has so many dark grey speed limit posts and huge signposts for the motorists, with those awful white triangles painted on the tarmac, which are of course covered in filth.

Now generally good route, and far better than sharing the terrifyingly fast roads with shockingly impatient drivers, but it has been there for the best past of 30 years (or more?) on the way to and from Britain's Transport Research Laboratories, cover or paint those dark grey metal posts with white (or even reflective) stuff, and maybe ask the householders to angle the hedges down when they cut them, same for the fences when they get replaced, and they have been.

Given it's postition it should be the best in this country.  Pretty much all other bits of road has been improved over the years.

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kil0ran | 4 years ago
1 like

The problem with the prom is that its a fantastic surface to cycle on and encourages you to go bombing along, which you can't safely do because there's a lot of cross prom traffic from beach huts and concessions and the like. And obviously kids going backwards and forwards and playing and generally not paying attention. In theory it should be self-regulating because as a cyclist you'd have to be crazy to do more than 10mph along it in peak season but it is only going to take one accident with a child for their to be an Allison-style OUTRAGE response. The locals are particularly gammony about it because there was a child seriously injured on a zebra crossing by a hit and run cyclist (who ended up being jailed for GBH)

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10889269.jailed-cyclist-who-mowed...

Just down the coast at Mudeford there's a section of prom with a dedicated painted cycle path, I'm not aware of any issues. It's wide, but not as wide as Bournemouth prom and speeds are low. Further along at Friars Cliff there's a narrow section of prom where cycling is banned, which makes sense. Bournemouth prom is like a motorway in comparison, should be straightforward to paint a dedicated cycle path.

The reason it's popular is because its a flat route bypassing all the chines which are seriously good workout. 

Avatar
kevvjj replied to kil0ran | 4 years ago
1 like
kil0ran wrote:

The problem with the prom is that its a fantastic surface to cycle on and encourages you to go bombing along, which you can't safely do because there's a lot of cross prom traffic from beach huts and concessions and the like. And obviously kids going backwards and forwards and playing and generally not paying attention. In theory it should be self-regulating because as a cyclist you'd have to be crazy to do more than 10mph along it in peak season but it is only going to take one accident with a child for their to be an Allison-style OUTRAGE response. The locals are particularly gammony about it because there was a child seriously injured on a zebra crossing by a hit and run cyclist (who ended up being jailed for GBH)

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10889269.jailed-cyclist-who-mowed...

Just down the coast at Mudeford there's a section of prom with a dedicated painted cycle path, I'm not aware of any issues. It's wide, but not as wide as Bournemouth prom and speeds are low. Further along at Friars Cliff there's a narrow section of prom where cycling is banned, which makes sense. Bournemouth prom is like a motorway in comparison, should be straightforward to paint a dedicated cycle path.

The reason it's popular is because its a flat route bypassing all the chines which are seriously good workout. 

There's a dedicated bike path on Brighton seafront (promenade?) which is used well by cyclists... and pedestrians. Doesn't seem to be any issues though.

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kil0ran replied to kevvjj | 4 years ago
0 likes

From memory the path in Brighton is at road level though, isn't it? Rather than at beach level?

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Hirsute replied to kil0ran | 4 years ago
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Yep, but there are loads of pedestrians to knock over avoid as you negotiate the layouts and narrow parts. Just by the zebras is great !

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Awavey replied to kevvjj | 4 years ago
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I wouldn't say there werent any issues in Brighton with it,there are sections iirc that arent cycle permitted and the route takes you back to the road,but its roundly ignored,which does lead to conflicts with pedestrians. And I remember walking along the prom and seeing alot of near misses at the road crossings as the cycle route tries to keep you nearer road side than beach side,but people cross towards the beach and suddenly find a cyclist in their way,I also saw one guy on a bike whose choice was slow down and share the cycle path with the oncoming cyclists,or keep riding at speed and just veer into and around the groups of people walking on the prom instead and he chose the latter. So there are conflict points and people riding bikes like idiots there for sure just like Bournemouth.

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shufflingb replied to kil0ran | 4 years ago
0 likes

For Bournemouth, if they put a cycle track on the prom, they'll need something better than white paint. White paint cycle lanes do not work on the roads for drivers who are required by law to take notice. Why would anyone expect them to work on the prom for pedestrians; many of whom are going to be rather more interested in sandcastles, ice creams and wondering what their kids are doing 3 ?

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nniff | 4 years ago
1 like

Dockless bikes: - my office is the one with the steps in the background.  That's a fairly good day at Holborn Circus.  On a bad day, they've all been blown over by the wind.  It's also a Santander bike hub, but that is very well managed and staffed by a diligent and polite crew. 

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