Sunday's a big day in the world of hill climbing. Arguably, the biggest day. It's hill climb national championships day. This short film will get you in the mood for some suffering. road.cc Liam informs me he'll be there, battling up Winnats Pass considerably slower than the best. In fact, he went as far as to say that if he wins we can freely accuse him of nefarious practice...I'll be on the sofa with my feet up.
Andrew Feather is the reigning champ. Somebody Liam knows well from our 'bike or rider' vid...answering the all-important question: just how bad a bike would Andrew need to be riding for Liam to beat him up a climb?
Simon was on the ground at IWGB Cycling Instructors Branch's protest ride today against the cuts to London's cycle training budget. We'll have a full story about it up on site over the weekend...
The number of cyclists speeding through Oxford at night, with no lights, wearing dark clothes, is astonishing. Damn fools.
— Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) October 28, 2021
Philip Pullman writes something that gets people talking. Cool. Philip Pullman writes something about cycling that gets people talking. Now we're listening...
His target? Cyclists in Oxford "speeding" about at night without lights or hi-vis. Cycling commentator and writer Ned Boulting challenged the author's statement, saying: "I get how this might have annoyed you. But, please think twice about this kind of tweet. Unless you are a regular cyclists, you may not be aware of the levels of aggression we encounter day in and day out, not just on platforms such as this, but actually on the roads.
Before then apologising for sounding "sanctimonious" and accepting the author had "every right" to raise the point.
Plenty, of course, raised the point that lights and hi-vis are often used as a stick to beat cyclists when there are other more significant factors affecting safety...
Both of my friends who were killed cycling in Oxford were during the daytime. Lights and high vis wouldn’t have helped them.
— Claire Lucas (@profclairelucas) October 29, 2021
Meanwhile, motor vehicles cause this each year on Oxfordshire’s road which appears not to grate Phil’s gears at all. https://t.co/qSLFGzlqUhpic.twitter.com/4cM7E7dJ96
— Peter Smith (@Pinarello_Pete) October 29, 2021
Some agreed with the author however...
‘I’m a keen cyclist’ is not a licence to excuse people driving without looking where they are going. Lights are a legal requirement, but insisting on hi-viz is just victim blaming and excusing poor driving.
— Mike Stead (@tweetymike) October 29, 2021
Whilst the colour of clothing is irrelevant. The lack of lights is not. It is stupidity and dangerous for all road users and pedestrians in not using lights.
Yes there are idiots on radio, SM who have a pop, normally it's easy to ignore/engage. But no lights is 🤦🏻♂️— Dave 💙 (@Davebot90324770) October 29, 2021
Others, like road.cc news editor Simon, just wanted to deliver the goods...
Their Dark Materials. https://t.co/0MnEdrSWK1
— Simone Di Michele 🇮🇹 (@simonmacmichael) October 29, 2021
Alex Dowsett is having another crack at the Hour Record. In 2015, he held the record briefly before Sir Bradley Wiggins, and then Victor Campenaerts, bested his distance. Dowsett's attempt is scheduled for November 3 and is happening at high altitude in Mexico at Aguascalientes's velodrome — the same venue used by Campenaerts in 2019.
"I feel good, although there is no super feeling yet, but I should only be super within a week. That will come when I have processed the journey and am fully acclimatized. I'm good for it," Dowsett said.
"We've already done some four-minute tests and we're also testing tire pressures."
Dowsett's attempt will be broadcast by the BBC and on his YouTube channel at 4pm next Wednesday.
Packaged up some jerseys to send off to charities including a special item for @actionmedres but so far shipping is proving tricky. Now on my 3rd trip to the post office hoping I finally have the necessary Brexit customs paperwork. #thirdtimelucky
— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) October 29, 2021
Three trips to the post office later and Mrs Martin can hopefully finally breathe a sigh of relief...all that old team kit is gone. Post-retirement, the two-time Monument winner put the call out on Twitter for suggestions about where he could send the pile of team kit at his gaff and was inundated with helpful replies. Let's hope that paperwork was alright...
Romanian police have recovered the Italian team's stolen bikes, including Filippo Ganna's gold Pinarello. One reader wasn't so sure who the real bad guys are...hasn't that poor Pinarello been through enough?
Wtf. That's a crime.
They put the frame against those shelves!!!
— Sjoerd Driven F1 🏳️🌈 (@F1Sjoerd) October 29, 2021
> Romanian police recover Italian team bikes stolen from UCI Track Cycling World Championships
One of the worst #closepass reports we've received.
Footage viewed several times in court on Tuesday to accentuate the gravity of the overtaking manoeuvre. Driver received:
Points: 9
Fine: £660
Surcharge: £66
Costs: £110Report an incident on the road: https://t.co/s6rV2KEBEypic.twitter.com/wzOn84kC8Z
— ASPolice Roads Policing (RPU) (@ASPRoadSafety) October 29, 2021
Avon and Somerset Roads Policing Unit called this close pass "one of the worst reports we've received". The driver appeared at court this week and received nine points, a £660 fine, as well as a £66 surcharge and £110 costs.
Despite the severity of the punishment, some asked if it went far enough...
Pretty sure that would be an instant Driving Test fail.
Why is this driver allowed to keep their Driving Licence?
— Fonant (@fonant) October 29, 2021
Others pointed out the driver of the red car in front also overtook on solid white lines ahead of the oncoming vehicle...
Avon and Somerset Police urged cyclists to report incidents via their website. Here's some more of the reaction...
Richard Chambers said: "I assume the red car before the really really close pass also received points on their license? They also overtook too close and over a solid white line."
Yep, I thought the red car was bad, with the truck coming the other way... That cyclist was luck to stay upright and not get killed by any following cars. Shocking.
— Peter Lewis (@PeterH_Lewis) October 29, 2021
That’s shocking.
Not just the pass, but that someone who did that, and was shown to do that in court, is still driving.
— Yeti (@yetiayrshore) October 29, 2021
Bontrager has released its new Circuit WaveCel “do-it-all” helmet with an aerodynamic profile as well as Blendr magnetic mounts for attaching a GoPro and daytime running lights. “With premium features and a comfort-focused fit, plus a 5-star rating from Virginia Tech’s third-party testing facility, the Circuit WaveCel is at home from the tarmac to trail, bike path to bike park,” says Trek. What’s more, it is made with 50% post-consumer recycled EPS foam.
The new Circuit includes WaveCel technology which is a collapsible cellular structure that lines the inside of the helmet. “It’s designed to be more effective than traditional foam helmets in protecting heads from injuries caused by certain cycling accidents,” says Trek.
Versatility is also covered with the helmet’s mount. “The magnetic connection makes light installation simple, stays secure through rough and fast riding, and is tested for breakaway forces to make sure accessories detach in the event of a crash,” says Trek.
Bobonabike, Chrisonatrike and roboito, take a bow! Virgil van Bike, Saddle-o Mane, Carbon Robben and Donny van der Bike. Very strong work...let me chuck Kurt Zoom-a and Rim (brake) Cahill into the mix...
Here's some more cycle-ball for your entertainment...
Cycle ball is the weirdest sport you've probably never heard of pic.twitter.com/lDCuFVUvic
— Mashable (@mashable) January 12, 2020
EDIT: Stop the count. We have a winner...Peléton! mdavidford, take the acclaim of the entire live blog...
Cyclist really just put this driver in a 30s timeout then everyone went about their day 😂 #whatisnewyorkpic.twitter.com/TbigirRUzF
— WhatIsNewYork (@whatisny) October 22, 2021
This one's from last week, but too good not to share. The pettiness of it all, loud and proud counting, delaying his own journey, topped off by the cheerful "have a nice day"...tremendous. There's almost certainly a serious point behind it about cyclists having to protect themselves from serious injury on the road, but we're just going to enjoy it for the theatrical value...
Dan Miller owned up to this display of road karma, explaining: "Hey, this was actually me. So just before the video begins, I was riding in the bike lane, with the car to my left. The car, either not knowing I was there or not caring, made a right turn directly into my path and I had to jam on the breaks. It was dangerous and shitty driving.
"I yelled and hollered and both of us had to come to a stop. At that point, I decided that he should face consequences, so he got a thirty-second time out."
His efforts didn't go unrewarded either. Bike Lane Uprising, the app allowing cyclists to easily report drivers parked in cycle lanes, has a new hero...
Dearest, @meelar - please slide into the dm’s with your shirt size and shipping address 😘
— Bike Lane Uprising® (@bikelaneuprise) October 22, 2021
— 👼🚵♂️ Boulder Fiets Opa 🚵♂️👼 (@BikeBoulderBike) October 22, 2021
Not all heroes wear capes
— Entitled Cyclist🚲 (@EntitledCycling) October 22, 2021
More power to you, Chris
— Ned Boulting (@nedboulting) October 28, 2021
Starting today, the 2021 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships!
🌈 Cycle-ball & Artistic cycling
🗓 Oct 29-31#Stuttgart2021— UCI (@UCI_cycling) October 29, 2021
Who'd be good at this? Jimmy Floyd Saddlebaink, Harry Chain, Chainy Vardy, Ashley Roll, Wheelo Ferdinand...cut me some slack, it's early.
We cover a lot of bike thefts here at road.cc, it's an unfortunate reality of owning a bicycle — someone somewhere will nick it if they can. However, rarely are they this organised, committed and professional...
Vancouver Police are investigating after a bike thief was caught on CCTV raiding the bike storage facility of an apartment building by removing a glass pane from the door. Building manager Ovidiu Mihuti told Global News the thief used suction cups to remove the panels, before using bolt cutters to remove six expensive bikes, believed to have been singled out.
The building manager believes it was a multi-day operation, involving a group of offenders who scouted the scene twice in the week before the raid. One man then returned early on Monday morning to complete the break in.
"It was on the night between Sunday and Monday," Mihuti said. "They came without masks, they came without gloves or anything. Just tools and that’s all. I have no idea what’s the mentality of it."
> “It makes you feel powerless” – victims in UK's bike theft capital share their frustrations
Closer to home, Met Police yesterday recovered a £50,000 haul of stolen bikes. The force says six owners have been reunited with their bikes, some worth up to £6,500.