12/12/2019, 17:03
Where do you stand on our L-shaped cranks article?
12/12/2019, 16:45
Heading to the polling station on your way home?
If it's of any help at all, here's our thing highlighting the various parties' key active travel pledges.
12/12/2019, 16:17
12/12/2019, 16:16
Merida’s 2020 time trial bike “ready to slice the air”
[Adopts Jim Bowen voice] "So, Rohan, let's take a look at what you could have won..."
You've already seen @MeridaBikes' lightweight #SCULTURA and aero #REACTOEVO in the new colours for 2020. Here comes the #TIMEWARPTT, ready to slice the air. pic.twitter.com/WHfOwNbuxE
— MeridaProRoadRacing (@MeridaProRoad) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 15:30
The tree clearly feels it's necessary to wear a cycle helmet
It's attire is pretty hi-vis too, you'd have to say.
Rode in the local Festival of Lights, look how much my son loved it! from r/bicycling
12/12/2019, 15:18
Last year's Portuguese national champion provisionally suspended for anti-doping rule violation
UCI Statement on Domingos Goncalves and UCI Professional Continental Team Caja Rural - Seguros RGA https://t.co/VADwB0aso0pic.twitter.com/D5jFMd4QPy
— UCI_media (@UCI_media) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 14:19
"The wild"
The wild? If you did all your riding in an airbed showroom, you probably wouldn't be all that concerned about possible blows to the head.
This is how the Hovding system would perform in the wild! pic.twitter.com/TOgGgTZtRu
— Fully Charged (@FullyChargedUK) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 13:51
The infrastructure buzz
The Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, Heidi Alexander, has a confession to make.
Something strange has happened to me in the last 18 months. I now have emotional reactions to pictures of kerbs and concrete - this one gives me a particularly warm feeling inside
https://t.co/EJMqC69OrC
— Heidi Alexander (@Heidi_LDN) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 13:44
Or get a lift off Pedal Me
People already jumping on our free rides for Election Day promo - look up feed for code! pic.twitter.com/8YWxRaFmjR
— Pedal Me (@pedalmeapp) December 12, 2019
REE RIDE CODE FOR LIFTS TO/FROM VOTING: 7DEWQA
Please pre-book to avoid disappointment - we're likely to be extremely busy.
Only applies to passenger jobs within our operating hours (8-8 tomorrow).
— Pedal Me (@pedalmeapp) December 11, 2019
We don’t endorse any one party - though this is the only party leader who’s committed to using us for their ride to Buckingham Palace to start their government, should they be invited to do so, so far...
Not too late to get in there @BorisJohnson ! pic.twitter.com/KDS3xtMvNo
— Pedal Me (@pedalmeapp) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 13:42
It's not just Beryl Bikes offering free rides to polling stations
Uber offering free Jump e-bike rides on election day: if you're London-based and yet to cast your ballot, you can take advantage of two free rides of up to 12 minutes each to the polling station and back... https://t.co/tWmY0jjATV#cycling#GeneralElection2019pic.twitter.com/kpoYgQtDyc
— ebiketips (@ebiketips) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 13:39
Israel Cycling Academy becomes Israel Start-Up Nation
The new sponsor for Israel Cycling Academy is Start-Up Nation Central, “a Tel Aviv-based non-profit organisation that connects companies around the world to Israeli innovation.”
The team will therefore be known as Israel Start-Up Nation for the 2020 season.
Our new name for season 2020. WorldTour, here we come! #yallaacademypic.twitter.com/K8eZCtm0Hm
— IsraelCyclingAcademy (@yallaACADEMY) December 11, 2019
Here’s the kit.
Israel- Start Up Nation will be racing in a new kit: #yallaacademypic.twitter.com/Wa9zkQQg4R
— IsraelCyclingAcademy (@yallaACADEMY) December 11, 2019
12/12/2019, 12:29
A lunchtime reminder of where the parties stand on cycling
As the UK heads to the polls again, we've highlighted the key active travel pledges as politicians chase your vote.
12/12/2019, 11:31
Peloton shares continue to slide
The Peloton Christmas advert backfired quite spectacularly. Faced with the loss of $1bn of its value as a consequence, the home exercise bike firm… defended it.
Over the weekend Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds had a pop, hiring the actress who plays ‘Peloton Wife’ to appear in a promo for his gin that very clearly references the ad. The actress – seemingly playing the same character – drinks solemnly with friends and toasts ‘new beginnings,’ clearly scarred by a recent experience.
Short-seller Citron Research this week produced a report claiming that Peloton shares are only worth $5.
CNN reports that Peloton shares dropped 6% on Tuesday and another 6% on Wednesday to just under $31.
This is still above the company's initial public offering price (IPO) of $29 in September, but Citron reckons that the competition is “not only making virtually identical exercise bikes but ones that are both more affordable and functional," which means there is little reason to spend $2,300 on a Peloton bike.
The report says that Peloton CEO John Foley, "has a reputation for 'loose lips' and 'shooting from the hip,'" and has a "hard time with the truth."
Peloton was valued at about $8 billion at its IPO. Citron says it’s worth $1bn.
12/12/2019, 10:17
Doing the double
Maybe this can help us segue into another topic for a bit...
#BikesAtPollingStations
followed by #treebybikepic.twitter.com/NS0v9X0ERk— Nick Flynn (@nickflynnUK) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 10:02
Beryl offering free rides to polling stations
A reminder that British bike share company Beryl are offering users free rides to their polling stations.
Beryl operates in the City of London, Hereford, Bournemoth and Poole, and say they’re running the complimentary rides to "encourage riders to choose sustainable transport to and from their local polling stations."
The promotion will be automatically applied to everyone with a Beryl account. Voters can make use of two rides with a free unlock and ride of up to 30 minutes each.
12/12/2019, 09:22
#bikesatpollingstations fail
I was going to do a #BikesAtPollingStations photo, but I went at 07:00 and it was still dark. When the flash went off and my tyre sidewalls reflected back, I jumped and took a picture of my feet instead.
— Goth on a Brompton (@GothOnABrompton) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 09:16
Very important election day sociological analysis
Early days, but I've noticed something while embedding #bikesatpollingstations on a website that throws a whopping great tantrum whenever it encounters non-alphanumeric characters.
People who cycle to vote are far less likely to deploy emojis than the average social media user.
12/12/2019, 09:15
#cargobikesatpollingstations
#bikesatpollingstations#cargobikesatpollingstations#GE2109pic.twitter.com/fE90WSZh5d
— Rob Wilson (@mrrobwilson) December 12, 2019
voting for a brighter day #BikesAtPollingStations#cargobikesatpollingstations#GE2019pic.twitter.com/rGNyxhKcbo
— Jack Thurston (@jackthurston) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 09:13
London's cycling commissioner's been down already
Voted! #bikesatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/wVwYzEH4zF
— Will Norman (@willnorman) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 09:10
#bikesatpollingstations
#bikesatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/93R331kyCm
— David Knight (@furnivalknight) December 12, 2019
Voted. #BikesAtPollingStations#BromptonsAtPollingStations#GE2019pic.twitter.com/sdqIznnHwV
— Graham Boulton (@gboulton66) December 12, 2019
#BikesAtPollingStationspic.twitter.com/EEwqMSDBLy
— Cycle Sam (@MCRCycleSam) December 12, 2019
12/12/2019, 09:06
Morning
Think we're going to have to pace ourselves a bit today. It's already feeling like a gruelling day and it's barely past nine.
A logical place to start for a cycling live blog on the day of a general election is with a round-up of where each of the main parties stands on cycling.
My colleague Simon MacMichael has done a nice rundown of the various policies and promises.
We know there are plenty of other issues, but it's interesting to think about how cycling policy reflects the broader attitudes of each of the main parties.