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"Counter-productive war on cyclists": Anger over police enforcing 'no cycling' signs; Good news: VAT on bikes cut...Bad news: in the EU; Alt Tour jersey on Ebay; World champ's Specialized (+2022 route revealed); Cyclo-cross skills + more on the live blog

Happy Friday! The weekend is just around the corner, Dan Alexander will be bringing it home with your final live blog of the week
10 December 2021, 17:16
Will these new brushes improve the post-ride chore?
Peaty's Brush Set Outdoors

Peaty’s has released a new set of brushes with unique features and materials that are aimed at being as user-friendly and environmentally-conscious as possible, without compromising on performance. 

The brand says it found "natural fibres were either too soft, too stiff or not durable enough to last months of cleaning abuse on tough components like cassettes and spokes" and so it has attempted to source synthetic fibre bristles manufactured from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. Due to material shortages caused by Covid though, currently only the bristles in the detail brush are made from PCR plastic, but the brand says it’s continuing to work with their suppliers to source PCR bristles for the remaining brushes in the future.

Let’s take a look at the new range…

Peaty's Bog Brush (£12.99) has 360 degree long bristles with flagged ends for “all over cleaning without clattering” and “thick foamy goodness”.

Then there’s the medium density bristled Detailer Brush (£8.99) which has a thin cylindrical shape for hard to reach areas and is for using on suspension linkages, pedals, seat rails, hubs and spokes. A soft cotton tip is designed to prevent scratching, as does the plastic coated wire core. 

The Drivetrain Brush (£8.99) has a lower centre with stiffer bristles to provide a channel for the chain to sit into. A chisel cut handle end should also help with removing gunk from jockey wheels.

Lastly, the Tyre Brush (£8.99) has durable, stiff stepped height bristles that help wrap around the tyre and maximise surface contact. The bristles also run 90 degrees to the handle for ease of cleaning.

10 December 2021, 16:36
VAT's not too shabby...EU cuts VAT on bikes and e-bikes
Brexit Flickr Creative Commons

I miss the days when Brexit dominated the news cycle, before Plan A, Plan B, party planning and the rest of it...Well, talking of the EU, consumers across the continent will benefit from a newly announced VAT cut on a range of goods, including bikes and e-bikes.

Cyclingindustrynews reports that on December 7th the Council of the EU announced a "modernised" VAT directive with some changes designed to stimulate EU agenda priorities. Member states' will now cut VAT on supply, rental and repair of bikes and e-bikes. It also means e-bikes will no longer be named alongside fuel, oil and gas-powered transport, so will no longer need to be subject to a 15 per cent VAT rate.

"We very much welcome the result of the Council negotiations on the revision of EU VAT rates, which will make bicycles and e-bikes even more affordable and accessible for consumers in the EU," Jill Warren, CEO of the European Cyclists' Federation said. 

"The inclusion of both conventional and electric bicycles in the list of goods eligible for reduced VAT rates adds a powerful instrument to member states’ toolbox for promoting cycling. We now call upon all EU countries to make use of this new possibility and apply reduced VAT rates for the benefit of consumers all over Europe."

10 December 2021, 16:08
Alaphilippe's three-peat dream alive as 2022 Worlds course includes punchy climb close to finish

We briefly mentioned the Worlds course had been announced while talking about Julian Alaphilippe's sparkly Spesh...

Well, here's a closer peek at the route, including an intriguing looking kicker placed at 8km to go. 1.1km @ 7.7 per cent with double digit gradients in the middle. Too hard for Caleb Ewan? Will Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe go nuclear? Could Michael Matthews be the best hope of a home victory? So many questions we need answers to...

10 December 2021, 15:15
More cycling infrastructure could prevent 15,000 deaths annually, new study finds
Brentford bike lane

A new study, shared by Planetizen, found that improving cycling infrastructure could save thousands of lives each year. The Environmental Health Perspectives study modelled the "comprehensive global public health impacts of the mode shift to cycling", finding that replacing car journeys with bike trips could prevent more than 15,000 deaths per year in the US alone.

The study took into account deaths from road traffic collisions and pollution-related diseases. The study reported: "Even if just 8 percent of those new bike trips replaced journeys in a car — an extraordinarily conservative estimate, considering that in this hypothetical world, every urban area in the world would be outfitted with Amsterdam-levels of bike lanes — researchers say that 18,589 lives could be saved across the globe, 1,227 of which would be in the U.S. alone."

10 December 2021, 14:25
Deceuninck-Quick-Step duo Rémi Cavagna and Mauri Vansevenant injured in training camp crash

 Rémi Cavagna has suffered an L1 vertebrae fracture, while Mauri Vansevenant incurred a broken thumb, during a crash at the Deceuninck-Quick-Step training camp in Spain.

Cavagna remains in hospital for further treatment where the team says he is being looked after by Dr. Ignacio Muñoz at Hospital IMSKE Valencia, with the plan being to operate on Monday. The French rider thankfully avoided any neurological damage.

10 December 2021, 14:06
Friday funny ft. Boris Johnson and Alberto Contador
10 December 2021, 13:36
Fancy buying Lachlan Morton's Alt Tour jersey off eBay? It'll cost you...
Lachlan Morton - Photo Credit Grubers 06

One 'heavily used' jersey for sale on Ebay is nothing uncommon, but this is no ordinary jersey. This is the EF Rapha kit Lachlan Morton wore for the entirety of his Alt Tour challenge. Morton successfully beat the peloton to Paris, and if you want a piece of history to remember the ride this could be the memorabilia for you...

Oh, did I forget to mention you'll need a fat wallet? Bidding's already at US $3,250.00 and there's still four days left...

"I thought about holding onto it but it can do more good changing hands than under my bed. It’s going up on eBay today with all proceeds going to Pedalling Minds here in boulder," Morton wrote on Instagram.

10 December 2021, 12:46
Return of 'Le Roi'

 The route of the 2022 Road World Championships was announced earlier today, so it’s only fitting that we’ve been treated to an off-season rainbow sighting.

The current king of the Worlds Julian Alaphilippe is in Calpe for his Deceuninck–Quick-Step team’s annual winter training camp. Ahead of the trip to Spain, the French superstar posted photos of his partner and former pro Marion Rousse and their six-month-old son, with the caption ‘here we go again’.

It’s the fifth year in a row that the Belgian squad (which will be known as Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl in 2022) have visited the Costa Blanca town, so Alaphilippe will be hoping that the familiar roads and sunshine act as a good omen for the upcoming season.

And with a pesky one kilometre climb included in the Worlds circuit in Wollongong, we may be seeing that rainbow-clad S-Works for a while longer yet.

10 December 2021, 12:33
LightUpTheNightCycleRide
10 December 2021, 11:10
British Cycling announces dates and venues for 2022 youth and junior national road calendars

Five new races on the junior national road calendar is the headline here, plus the news that the junior national road and time trial championships will take place in North Yorkshire, with the circuit champs in Scarborough. All the details are over on British Cycling's website...

10 December 2021, 10:00
(Not) stuck in the mud cyclo-cross skills
10 December 2021, 08:43
"Counter-productive war on cyclists": Anger over police enforcing 'no cycling' signs

Loads of reaction to round-up from this...mainly people not very happy to see the major crime of riding a bike where you shouldn't being punished.

Some pointed out the irony of being able to drive a bulky diesel van into a park to stop people pedalling a push bike. Others shared pictures of cars and vans parked on pavements and asked why the authorities think this is more pressing.

Ben, who shared the photo from a park in Wandsworth, called the action an "endless, counter-productive war on cyclists who want to keep themselves safe."

And while some pointed out the parks police have different powers to the regular coppers and can only deal with offences in areas under their control, it's fair to say the majority of replies couldn't understand the crackdown.

That's of course assuming this incident was definitely a 'no cycling' enforcement. Rory Meakin asked Wandsworth Police if there were any aggravating factors in the case, but only got a reply saying the parks police isn't part of the Met and is a service employed by the council.

Here's some of the reaction...

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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46 comments

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
1 like

All kicking off in Bristol over a collision with cyclist and ped.
Plenty of fact free comments.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/woman-critical-condition...

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chrisonabike replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
1 like

Fact free as you say. Not all one way though - there's "whataboutthecars" too and some snarky buggers from here appear to have got there now to take the piss:

 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
1 like

Another Boo nom-de-plume? Got some of his style to it. 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
0 likes

Be interesting what the full details are. There is an on pavement cycle path as well as lots of pedestrian crossings so could have been on the pavement or on the road when collision occured. Nothing about cyclist being injured or doing a runner or staying on scene. I'm guessing the latter as not reported otherwise.

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brooksby replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
2 likes

Someone on there this morning has posted

Quote:

Why is someone on a bike at 10:20pm? Cycling is a hobby, not a genuine means of transportation. Stick to the Brecon Beacons and trails.

Its a busy junction in the middle of a busy area.  At 10.30 at night it's just as likely that the pedestrian made an assumption that there'd be no traffic and didn't look (relied on their hearing) as that the cyclist jumped a light or was Somehow at fault.  But that won't stop the good folks BTL on the Bristol Post...

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chrisonabike replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
1 like

brooksby wrote:

Its a busy junction in the middle of a busy area.  At 10.30 at night it's just as likely that the pedestrian made an assumption that there'd be no traffic and didn't look (relied on their hearing) as that the cyclist jumped a light or was Somehow at fault.  But that won't stop the good folks BTL on the Bristol Post...

Indeed - but equally it might be a certified wrongun on a bike (gang member, drugs etc.). I get the point and that the outrage is not there for cars. Being better and looking at the bigger picture (once facts are in) this might be a) poor behaviour by cyclist b) avoidable with e.g. better street design.

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hawkinspeter replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
1 like

I sometimes go through that junction late at night and there's usually a few tipsy pedestrians around. It's worse near to the Arches as they sometimes spill into the street around there and the road is narrower, but it's easy enough to avoid them if you pay attention.

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Chris Hayes | 2 years ago
1 like

I was fined £60 by two pointless plods cross Hyde Park on a cold winter's day a couple of years ago.  It really endears you towards them.  I was hopinh they'd found my stolen Ducati.  They hadn't.

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BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 2 years ago
2 likes

was stopped by the Parks Police in Hampstead Heath. It was a cold, mid - week, wet winter afternoon, the place was deserted, I was cycling up hill at about 5mph when a Range Rover coming the other way  blocked me. I was told to get off the bike. When I asked why, the Police told me it was because cycling was banned and a danger to  Heath users. I pointed out the obvious: the place was deserted, i was barely moving going uphill and that they were driving a 4x4 so how was that any safer? If you don't get off the bike we will fine you £350 was their answer. So i got off. 

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Rendel Harris replied to BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 2 years ago
3 likes

I was stopped last summer riding through Hyde Park around 6AM on a Sunday on a permitted cycle path and warned not to ride on any of the internal paths that cross the park. When I pointed out that I wasn't doing so and had no intention of doing so the officer agreed but explained that they were "just warning people not to." I thanked him and went on my merry way, buoyed by the knowledge that my tax quids were being spent on such a sensible exercise rather than fripperies like catching criminals.

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Steve K replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
3 likes

Rendel Harris wrote:

I was stopped last summer riding through Hyde Park around 6AM on a Sunday on a permitted cycle path and warned not to ride on any of the internal paths that cross the park. When I pointed out that I wasn't doing so and had no intention of doing so the officer agreed but explained that they were "just warning people not to." I thanked him and went on my merry way, buoyed by the knowledge that my tax quids were being spent on such a sensible exercise rather than fripperies like catching criminals.

Which, of course, is particularly ironic given apparently we 'don't need' the Park Lane cycle lane because we can ride through the park.

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Rendel Harris replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
1 like

Steve K wrote:

Which, of course, is particularly ironic given apparently we 'don't need' the Park Lane cycle lane because we can ride through the park.

Given the RP's well-documented negativity towards cyclists I'm quite surprised the Hyde Park Corner - Marble Arch path hasn't been closed to cyclists yet...

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Steve Garratt replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
0 likes

I've been along the northbound Park Lane on buses recently and have seen virtually no cyclists except the odd one actually using it. Observing the South Gate at Hyde Park Corner, MANY cyclists seen entering and exiting, seems that the vast majority are using the internal Hyde Park cycle path in preference to the Park Lane facility.

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Rendel Harris replied to Steve Garratt | 2 years ago
2 likes

Steve Garratt wrote:

I've been along the northbound Park Lane on buses recently and have seen virtually no cyclists except the odd one actually using it. Observing the South Gate at Hyde Park Corner, MANY cyclists seen entering and exiting, seems that the vast majority are using the internal Hyde Park cycle path in preference to the Park Lane facility.

I do at the moment, because Hyde Park is pretty sparsely populated in winter, particularly a Covid winter, and it's both more pleasant and a bit quicker if you're heading from/towards Lancaster Gate. In a normal summer the internal path is packed with tourists and kids and it's impossible to make swift progress safely, so then I'd use the Park Lane route. The true utility or otherwise of the Park Lane route will only be seen when tourist numbers, and so pedestrian density in the Park, return to normal pre-Covid levels.

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markieteeee replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
5 likes

On the way to one of the Stop Killing Cyclists die-ins (on Blackfriars I think) I was stopped with another cyclist in the advanced stop zone and given advice about having lights on our bikes.  Both of us had lights on our bikes, both sets switched on.  It was good-natured chat, seemingly part of a charm offensive by the police; but, just like you being stopped for using a permitted route, we were advised about an issue that didn't apply to us.  During the course of the conversation a lorry pulled over the advanced stop line behind us, completely blocking it for it's intended users and a red-light jumping offence. I politely mentioned this to the officer and he said they were only speaking with cyclists this particular evening.

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hawkinspeter replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
4 likes

markieteeee wrote:

On the way to one of the Stop Killing Cyclists die-ins (on Blackfriars I think) I was stopped with another cyclist in the advanced stop zone and given advice about having lights on our bikes.  Both of us had lights on our bikes, both sets switched on.  It was good-natured chat, seemingly part of a charm offensive by the police; but, just like you being stopped for using a permitted route, we were advised about an issue that didn't apply to us.  During the course of the conversation a lorry pulled over the advanced stop line behind us, completely blocking it for it's intended users and a red-light jumping offence. I politely mentioned this to the officer and he said they were only speaking with cyclists this particular evening.

That sounds like an excellent opportunity to confront the lorry driver and demand that they reverse back out of the ASL. I can just imagine the confusion of the police if they're talking to you about one thing and then you prevent the lorry moving off because it's blocking the ASL. Maybe couple it with a bit of "This is your job - you should be doing this" to the police.

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markieteeee replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
5 likes

Yes, I wish I'd done that - I wasn't quick enough off the mark in the moment, partly as it wasn't in our lane. I did mention to the rozzer that he had just witnessed a breach the law by a class of vehicle responsible for many deaths on the road, while unnecessarily advising people riding safely with lights about the use of lights. 

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Rendel Harris replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
2 likes

A few years ago a cyclist was killed by a left-turning HGV driver at Elephant & Castle, coming from the Walworth Road. The next day I happened to be riding through on a bus and saw there were a number of officers present, and I thought good, they'll be watching for dangerous driving...then saw four of them converge on a cyclist who had stopped with his front wheel maybe a foot over the stop line at the lights... 

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markieteeee replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
3 likes

The lorry I mentioned was also left-turning at the top of Walworth Road. And also was soon after a death, hence why I was attending a SKC happening. It's possible it was the same time, although there have been occasional charm offensives between Elephant and Camberwell with the police out in force having friendly chats with cyclists.  These wouldn't be so bad, if they were giving sensible advice and showing cyclists that they take their safety seriously, but it's baffling that they can ignore illegal and/or dangerous road offences on a given day because they are only focussing on chatting to cyclists. 

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
6 likes

NSL - check

Chevons for tight bend - check

Blind Bend - check

Cyclist in strong secondary/primary check

Low sun obscuring view ahead - check

OVERTAKE !!!

 

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Dogless | 2 years ago
2 likes

As James Hayden said on Lachy's Instagram post: it's a shame he's decided to auction it not raffle it. No guarantee that the auction will raise more money, but it will guarantee that it goes to the person with the most money rather than some lucky fan, which seems like a shame.

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Philltrz | 2 years ago
8 likes

So Peloton's share price has dropped about 10% today off the back of the Sex and the City reboot killing off Big (one of the main characters) with a spin session induced heart attack. I feel the live blog deserves to know so we can all congratulate Sarah Jessica Parker for accidentally doing what we've been trying to achieve for years now: bring down Peloton.

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brooksby replied to Philltrz | 2 years ago
7 likes

SPOILERS!! surprise

 

(Just joking - don't think I've seen a single episode of that show...).

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Awavey replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
16 likes

It was so funny because I had Sky on as background noise, hadnt even realised it was the Sex & the City thing, not paying attention at all but glanced up just to see the Peloton scene and just thought wow Peloton bike ads have gone a bit dark for Christmas  1

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
10 likes

Well it seemed to have gone dark last XMas if you saw the tone of those as "controlling husband buys wife fitness machine to bodyshame her after giving birth and she then feels forced to use it". 

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brooksby | 2 years ago
3 likes

Quote:

only got a reply saying the parks police isn't part of the Met and is a service employed by the council.

So not actually police.

So, passing themselves off as police.

So - committing an offence themselves!

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Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
2 likes

brooksby wrote:

Quote:

only got a reply saying the parks police isn't part of the Met and is a service employed by the council.

So not actually police.

So, passing themselves off as police.

So - committing an offence themselves!

Sadly they have full police powers

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brooksby replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
0 likes

I meant that I was under the impression that you can't call yourselves "Police" if you are not actually a police force (there must be some sort of legal procedure for establishing a police force?).  Otherwise every local councils 'environmental enforcement' people would be calling themselves 'the Green Police' or some sh!t...

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Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
1 like

brooksby wrote:

I meant that I was under the impression that you can't call yourselves "Police" if you are not actually a police force (there must be some sort of legal procedure for establishing a police force?).  Otherwise every local councils 'environmental enforcement' people would be calling themselves 'the Green Police' or some sh!t...

I don't know the details, but they report into the Dept of media culture and sport rather than the HO. I understand that there are other council run parks police, but they don't have teh same powers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Parks_Constabulary

I particularly like the last sentence of the article:

Wiki wrote:

The Royal Parks Constabulary had white vehicles with Orange decals on them. Later on, they had yellow decals.

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mdavidford replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
0 likes

This would have been the Wandsworth Parks & Events Police, though.

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