road.cc Recap: our top 10 stories of the week

1. Commonwealth Games fans warned after spectator drops mobile phone on velodrome track during race

Fans attending track cycling events at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia have been warned to hold onto their mobile phones after a spectator dropped one onto the track during a race. Fortunately, the dropped phone did not cause a crash, but the episode prompted a warning from the announcer at the packed venue. I bet the culprit wanted the track to open and swallow them up...
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2. 3T’s new Torno carbon fibre aero crankset is 1x only, and costs over a grand

3T has busy working with THM to develop this stunning carbon fibre crankset specifically for 1x road bikes like its Strada and Exploro. The price? An eye-watering 1,049 Euros. 
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3. Specialized launch Peter Sagan collection - gold bikes, shoes and helmets for triple world champion

It's just soooo Sagan... Specialized used the recent Tour of Flanders race weekend to unveil its brand new Sagan collection, comprising an S-Works Tarmac SL6, S-Works Roubaix, S-Works 7 shoes and Evade aero helmet, all in matching gold to represent Sagan’s triple world championships. “Like the man himself, the Sagan Collection masks complexity and power with a seemingly subtle exterior. Take a closer look, though, and the reality of each piece becomes clear: Its understated aesthetic is hiding the highest performing gear in the world. This is the Sagan Collection,” explained Specialized.
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4. Shimano launch new 105 groupset: new disc brakes but no Di2

In a big week for Shimano (they also dropped an Ultegra RX chain stabilising rear derailleur) there's a new version of its mid-level 105 groupset, R7000, which features disc brakes for the first time and cassettes as wide as 11-34-tooth. Previously, Shimano has offered 105-level disc brakes but they’ve not been integral parts of the groupset. Di2 electronic shifting has not trickled down from higher-end Dura-Ace and Ultegra, although aesthetically 105 R7000 borrows a lot from those higher level groupsets.
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5. Knight have made tubeless wheels that are supposed to be as easy to fit as clinchers

This story has somewhat flew under the radar, but could be just as significant as any new groupset or component release this year: the new tubeless wheelsets are supposed to be far essier to fit and have a special seal which means you don't need a special air chamber pump to fit them. It could set a precedent for tubeless-ready wheels in the future if successful. 
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6. Riders disqualified at Scheldeprijs - for going through level crossing

More than a dozen riders were disqualified from Belgium’s Scheldeprijs one-day race for illegally going through a level crossing as the gates closed. The riders expelled from the race included some such as Groupama-FDJ’s Arnaud Demare and Dylan Groenewegen of LottoNL-Jumbo who would have fancied their chances in a race that favours the sprinters. Doesn't sound like a level playing field to me...
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7. Near Miss of the Day 119: Two incidents with the same bin lorry several months apart

This almost beggars belief, but our 119th Near Miss of the Day featured a bin lorry that had nearly taken out the same cyclist a few months earlier. In the first, the driver pulled out on Conrad Dalziel on a roundabout. The second was a close-pass where he says he was almost taken out by the machinery on the back.
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8. First look: Snowdon’s Paradox 38 flat bar titanium gravel bike

Garnering many mixed reactions (and some comparisons to 90's Saracen hybrids) thus week was the new Snowdon’s Paradox 38 flat bar titanium gravel bike. Is it just a mountain bike with gravel tyres, or a hybrid, or worthy of its own genre? It ain't called the paradox for nothin! 
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9. Getting Strava kudos or follow requests from bots? Here's what Strava claims to be doing about it

For several years now, Strava users have been receiving kudos, follow requests and requests to join clubs from spam profiles. For the most part, it’s little more than an irritant, but it’s still one that many would like to see resolved. Strava simply told us "it's aware of the issue and is investigating". Sounds convincing...
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10. Prague to ban bikes (but not cars) from popular tourist areas

Proving that ridiculous cycling policies aren't just limited to the UK, Prague is to ban cyclists from some of its most visited areas between the hours of 10am and 5pm, arguing that they are a hazard to tourists. Motorists with a permit will still be permitted. “We are not against cyclists, but the problem is space,” said Oldřich Lomecký, the mayor of Prague 1, the municipality introducing the ban. “In a pedestrian zone, the advantage should be for pedestrians, not cyclists. Every day there is conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. This is the core of the problem.”
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