Going to report this tweet. That's obscene. https://t.co/l5a7kj2zMX
— Simon P. (@thepuncheur) April 4, 2022
While we focus our attention today on the almost impossible, hideously cobbled Donkey Path in Whitby, lest we forget Bamford Clough, the 36 percent monster described just last year by climbs connoisseur Simon Warren as the “steepest climb in Britain”.
We came back to measure Bamford Clough. 36.5% at steepest point. SHUT UP! pic.twitter.com/x1djt1Oqew
— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) September 16, 2021
So, let’s get all Harry Hill on this – of Britain’s super-steep hills, Bamford Clough and Whitby’s Donkey Path, which is better (or just more ridiculous)?
I’ll cast the first vote for the humble rear wheel spinner Cornmill, captured in all its treacherous glory below, if only for a spot of local pride.
Finally, on the subject of Whitby's Donkey Path, as road.cc’s silly challenge guinea pig Liam Cahill is on holiday this week, we've gladly volunteered him to take on the 50 percent gradient in an upcoming video on our YouTube channel.
Now that really would make for an impressive everesting...
For those of you hoping for a more wholesome link between rock and roll and cycling after the whole Eric Clapton-BMX thing, the Heavy Metal Truants are once again raising money for charity by riding from London’s Alexandra Palace to Download Festival at Donington Park, 175 miles away.
HMT was co-founded by Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and music journo Alexander Milas in 2013, and has raised over a million pounds for charity in the last decade.
While the pandemic forced the group to take on virtual challenges, they aim to celebrate their tenth year by once again riding for three days, from 8-10 June, from London to Castle Donington, the home of Download Festival (and also the site of one of rock’s great concert videos, filmed when AC/DC headlined the old Monsters of Rock festival there back in 1991).
Enjoy a lovely few days on the bike riding through the English countryside, then settle in for some Maiden, Kiss and Megadeth – what could be better?
All money raised will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins, Childline, and Save the Children.
To find out more about this great rock and bike collaboration, and how to donate, you can visit the Heavy Metal Truants’ website here.
While Salford’s newest bike lane has gotten off to a less than auspicious start thanks to drivers using it as a bonus parking bay, on the other side of the Atlantic police in Toronto issued 16,492 tickets to motorists obstructing bikeways in the city, more than doubling the previous year’s number.
The fine for parking in a bike lane in Toronto is $150.
“Parking in bicycle lanes obstructs the use of the lanes and creates a dangerous situation where bicyclists must swerve onto live lanes of traffic,” Toronto police told Global News.
Police in the Canadian city have devoted more time and effort to clamping down on bike lane parking, which one specialist cycling lawyer claimed was “endemic”, as Toronto continues to invest in cycling infrastructure, adding 50km of bikeways during the past two years.
World champion Julian Alaphilippe finally broke his duck for 2022 this afternoon, blowing away his rivals on the uphill drag to the finish of stage two of the Tour of the Basque Country in Viana.
It was heartbreak, however, for a quartet of Pro Conti riders – Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural), Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH), Ibai Azurmendi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) – who saw their two minute lead over the peloton evaporate in the lumpy final fifteen kilometres.
The happiest rider of all at the finish seemed to be Alaphilippe’s Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl teammate Remco Evenepoel, whose text-book kilometre-plus leadout set the world champion up for what in the end was a comfortable win, while Remco himself stays second on GC behind Primož Roglič.
Remco is definitely happy. pic.twitter.com/YRpVREbXsz
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) April 5, 2022
An oldie but a goldie, from the 2011 British University cross-country championships:
BUCS 2011 X.C Carnage! from This Is Sheffield on Vimeo.
Only Geraint Thomas could nearly crash while cruising in a straight line#Itzuliapic.twitter.com/7I2hi3U5Ql
— Dan Deakins (@DanDeakins) April 5, 2022
We all got a bit excited yesterday when Tadej Pogačar, fresh from doing everything but win the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, posted a sneaky selfie at the entrance to the Arenberg Trench, perhaps the most infamous cobbled sector at Paris-Roubaix.
Alas, the 23-year-old wasn’t finessing his preparation for the Hell of the North (which takes place in just under two weeks) – instead he was reconning the cobbled sections that will make up 20km of stage five of this year’s Tour de France, which finishes in Arenberg.
While he made the Flemish kaissen look almost silky smooth as he powered around the Ronde, Pog didn’t seem too convinced about his ability to handle the much rougher, more unpredictable pave of northern France:
Tadej on the Belgian news, cycling over the Arenberg cobbles shouting “not for me, not for me!”
Poetic cinema
— Justine (@jus10ld) April 4, 2022
While the UAE Team Emirates rider was bouncing along the pave, video emerged of his angry confrontation with Dylan van Baarle as the pair crossed the line after Sunday’s dramatic finale. Given that we barely ever see the two-time Tour winner flustered never mind lose his cool, you can mark this footage down as something of a collector’s item:
Estonian pro and Vuelta a España stage winner Rein Taaramäe is currently training in Rwanda as he prepares to ride the Giro d’Italia next month.
But when the Intermarché-Wanty rider swapped bikes with a local for a spot of match sprinting, there was only going to be one winner:
Rein Taaramäe is back in an action in #Rwanda. A country full of friendly and active people .. why not to do something different during the training and change bikes with a local guy. Who won this challenge? Check from the video 😄👍 #talent#cyclingpic.twitter.com/vXjAeWkr21
— Hanna Taaramäe (@HannaTaaramae) April 4, 2022
I think we’ve seen this before somewhere...
Last week on the blog we featured the staggering number of rock and roll stars who have expressed their love of bikes over the years, from Robert Plant, Mick Jagger and Bono to Madonna, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Kraftwerk (obviously), David Byrne, Paul Heaton and, ehhh, Richard Coles of the Communards (the cycling vicar – now there’s an idea for an ITV drama).
Well, it also turns out that Derek of Derek and the Dominoes himself, Eric Clapton, was fond of spinning about New York on his BMX in the 1990s (I’m sure that would have been a curious sight…).
The legendary guitarist-turned raving anti-vaxxer bought a bespoke Brooklyn Machine Works 24” hardtail BMX cruiser bike when he was living in the Big Apple and later had it shipped back to London, where he gifted it to the Kings Road streetwear boutique Fly.
The bike was one of only 36 made in collaboration with American clothing and skateboarding brand Supreme and, I have to say, it does look pretty cool. None of the bikes were made available to the public.
Until now – well kind of. Auction house Sotheby’s is selling the bike for an estimated $50,000 to $70,000. Now you’d have to be a massive Cream or BMX fan to part with that kind of money – or perhaps someone with selective memory when it comes to their favourite musicians (Birmingham, 1976, for one horrifying example).
If you want to own a piece of, ahem, rock and roll and cycling history (well maybe not history, but it is something), you only have until 5pm to make an offer.
So far there have been no bids…
“Layla, I’m begging, darling please, Layla, darling won’t buy this bike of mine?”
Alright, that’s enough of that.
Celebrating a year since my bike got stolen and the wee boy put it on FB marketplace that evening and I stole it back the next day.
— Sarah H (@GooseCG) April 4, 2022
My favourite bit about the saga was the boy's moonboot. pic.twitter.com/C7kQOhR11A
— Sarah H (@GooseCG) April 4, 2022
Contacted the wee shite all interested. Think I kept my cool pretty well. Also, reader. It is a small frame, the idiot. pic.twitter.com/kbPtsC3WRw
— Sarah H (@GooseCG) April 4, 2022
Thankfully I had fallen off on the ice a couple of weeks before and it had quite a distinctive scratch down the gear stick. Shaft? The bit you change the gears with.
Also my hair was wrapped around the handlebar and Bella's fur stuck to the frame.
Bingo. It was mine.
— Sarah H (@GooseCG) April 4, 2022
And lo. The bike was mine again.
— Sarah H (@GooseCG) April 4, 2022
This road in Whitby looks close to steepest I’ve ever seen apart from Bamford plus the cobbles make it a killer. Anyone done it? @100Climbspic.twitter.com/scC9fJcYro
— Paul Johnson (@pdjohnson) April 4, 2022
We were treated over the weekend to a feast of terrifyingly steep cobbled climbs at the Tour of Flanders, but none quite so ferocious as this ridiculous road in Whitby.
Known as the Donkey Track – because that’s the route the poor donkeys were taken on their way to carrying children up and down the beach all day – the road runs parallel to the more famous 199 steps in Whitby, leading up to the abbey and the top of the East Cliff.
Apparently, its gradient is 50 percent, over double the maximum slope of the fearsome Koppenberg in Flanders – and I’m sure the cobbles don’t help much either.
Some foolhardy cyclists have taken it on over the years, with varying degrees of success:
Lady who owned cafe at bottom says many attempts funny to watch them come to a grinding halt.
— Gareth (@THEREDMACHINE) April 5, 2022
I’ve seen a mountain biker go up it. Not within my capabilities… the cobbles are very shiny and slippy and it’s so steep I would fall backwards off the bike (as nearly happened to me on nearby less steep Grosmont on nice tarmac 🤣)
— Richard Lunt 🇺🇦 (@RichardLunt) April 4, 2022
I’ve been at the bottom of it when a couple motor bikes came up to it, one just sailed up no problem, the other was on the steep side, did a wheelie and tipped over😲 took a right chunk out of the cobbles
— Ian Moreton ☺🚴☺🚴 (@moreton_ian) April 5, 2022
Walked it at night with 10 pints on board… does that count?
— Lambretta Clinic (@robert2burns) April 5, 2022
Arkéa–Samsic pro Connor Swift, who was on the attack over the Ronde’s cobbled bergs on Sunday, says he’s only ridden down it, though former Madison Genesis rider Tom Stewart reportedly “made it look easy”.
Came down it on the road bike and that was hard in itself 😂 Wouldn’t fancy going up 😳
— Connor Swift (@SwiftConnor) April 4, 2022
Ah yes mega trip! Of course @mtb_tom rode up it too💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/GmAsZa5oaP
— Connor Swift (@SwiftConnor) April 4, 2022
The thought of cyclists struggling to make their way up stupidly steep hills immediately reminds me of my local leg-breaker, Cornmill, a short and sharp ramp famous for riders comically falling off as they take it on in wet conditions during Dromara Cycling Club’s annual Hilly sportive.
If you’ve got a spare eight minutes (and don’t pretend that you don’t), sit back and enjoy the absolute carnage of the 2012 edition:
Needless to say, I tend to ride past the turn for Cornmill when I’m out for a spin…
What’s the steepest climb near you? Let us know – preferably with a funny video or photo (we all need a laugh) – in the comments!
With Salford’s new Liverpool Street cycle lanes only opening for business last week, you’d have assumed that local drivers would allow for a short grace period before they inevitably start parking in them.
But apparently not…
Barely finished and the new Liverpool St. cycle lane is already infected with the car-owner virus. What's the enforcement strategy here @SalfordCouncil? pic.twitter.com/l215fnZqxa
— Prestwich Pootler 🌱 🚲 🌍 ❄️ 🇪🇺 (@pootlers) April 5, 2022
LibDem Ealing Manifesto, not sure how doing the top one will help the third and fourth one. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/YVNHC7lTpN
— simon johnson (@physrj) April 4, 2022
And as for the last two... pic.twitter.com/g8Mbo0Rx24
— Matthew Marks (@MatthewMarks42) April 4, 2022
Cannot believe you typed this and thought it a good idea to send.
Dover is hilly. 5 mins in a car is likely 2-4 miles (not a reasonable walk for most). Less than half the population have a bike (mostly the young).
Dover is REALLY struggling with traffic issues you clown.
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
Now we all love a good Twitter spat on the live blog…
Well, yesterday active travel campaigner Adam Bronkhorst was on the receiving end of some pointed online comments from a Conservative councillor, after he questioned why locals stuck in gridlock in Dover – which is currently experiencing increased congestion due to a shortage of ferries – couldn’t just walk or cycle for short trips.
Chris Vinson, who is the portfolio holder for climate change at Dover District Council, replied to Bronkhorst’s tweet: “Cannot believe you typed this and thought it a good idea to send.
“Dover is hilly. 5 mins in a car is likely 2-4 miles (not a reasonable walk for most). Less than half the population have a bike (mostly the young).
“Dover is REALLY struggling with traffic issues you clown.”
Nothing worse than being called a clown on Twitter in 2022, really…
Some were quick to criticise Vinson’s comments and his apparent ‘pro-car’ agenda, with the councillor – who also works as head of external communications for Southeastern Railway – giving as good as he got in return:
Hi @DoverDC - this is your cabinet member for climate change, abusing someone who suggested that traffic issues could be ameliorated by some people walking or cycling.
Not sure you've got the best person for the job, there.
— Simon 🪗 (@mzdt) April 4, 2022
You do realise the issue in Dover right now is HGV congestion because of delays at the port? His initial comment was foolish massively insensitive to those Dover residents - like me - who’ve been stuck for hours in traffic in recent days. Nothing to do with bikes or walking.
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
The issues Dover is currently experiencing are longstanding and largely driven by the need for effective infrastructure and management of HGVs through the port and strategic road network - I’m a big supporter of cycling, but it isn’t the solution here. I wish it was that simple.
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
Absolutely - and there’s loads of cycling and walking here too, which is great. But it’s not suitable for all, and doesn’t solve the issues with HGV-congestion at the port, sadly.
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
However, others – including local cyclists – defended the councillor’s remarks:
Dover is also an absolute nightmare to cycle, for what it's worth. Hardly any lanes. The Dour path is narrow and busy with walkers. Folkestone Road as a designated cycling route! Yes it's hilly but ebikes substantially mitigate that. But it's only a town for the bravest riders. pic.twitter.com/25jgRSNo3a
— Jon (@ormondroyd) April 4, 2022
We're at risk here of conflating the acute problem we've seen this week (huge numbers of lorries being poured unmanaged into Dover on the wrong routes) and the active travel situation in Dover, which is chronically bad but would not have materially made an impact this week.
— Jon (@ormondroyd) April 4, 2022
And on it went, with the pair trading tweeted virtual blows once again, like an online Rocky and Apollo:
Apologies if you found my comment insulting but I stand by my view that your initial tweet was extremely insensitive and wholly impractical for most under the circumstances.
Feel free to check our record on active transport and EV public transport locally if you have the time.
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
I have one! They’re great. But sadly they won’t solve the HGV congestion around Dover.
And I know that while some can, many people can’t walk or cycle even a relatively short distance. Presenting it as a universal solution on its own isn’t realistic I’m afraid.
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
Oh god.
Twitter has decided to eviscerate me for calling out some bloke in Brighton for suggesting the solution to HGV congestion at Dover port is more walking/cycling.
It’s possible to be pro active travel/public transport and STILL think we need to tackle Dover’s roads 🙄
— Chris Vinson (@CllrChrisVinson) April 4, 2022
Oh God, indeed.
We are pleased to be supporting the #NPCC2Wheels campaign. Over the next two weeks, we will place an additional focus on the safety of cyclists and motorcyclists to raise awareness about the dangers of not having the correct skills, knowledge and personal protection equipment. pic.twitter.com/Ph6p9EBaHQ
— NI Road Policing and Safety (@NIRoadPolicing) April 4, 2022
While their new uniforms may be a rip-off of 2013-era Team Sky, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) seems to have adopted the confused and outdated tactics of Movistar when it comes ensuring the safety of cyclists on the roads.
A cycling and motorcycling safety campaign endorsed by the PSNI yesterday has come in for criticism online after Twitter users pointed out that it is solely focuses on how cyclists can better protect themselves, rather than trying to change motorists’ behaviour, with a number of cyclists describing the campaign as evidence of ‘victim-blaming’.
Organised by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the ‘2 Wheels’ campaign focuses on the safety of cyclists and motorcyclists. While other police forces used the campaign last year to raise motorists’ awareness of the danger of close passes and careless driving, as well as educating riders on how to stay safe, the PSNI appears to have forgotten about that crucial first part.
In a tweet that was accompanied by an strange, low-quality illustration (don’t worry, it’s not your eyes), Northern Ireland’s Road Policing and Safety unit wrote: “Over the next two weeks, we will place an additional focus on the safety of cyclists and motorcyclists to raise awareness about the dangers of not having the correct skills, knowledge and personal protection equipment.”
Unsurprisingly, the campaign’s focus on instructing vulnerable road users instantly backfired, with Cycling Twitter uniting to condemn the tweet as “embarrassing” and indicative of “car blindness”.
Graham Finlayson responded to the campaign by tweeting: “Drivers. The danger to me when I’m riding my bike is drivers, in oversized cars, on their phones. Police their behaviour instead of victim blaming. A helmet doesn’t help if you get run over by a 4x4.”
Patrick Eakin echoed Graham’s sentiments: “Motor vehicles. It's motor vehicles that cause the injuries. Every day, killing five people in the UK. Focus on them.”
Belfast bike rider wrote: “Wow - let’s talk to cyclists about how it’s their fault that car drivers kill them.”
Tom Flood said: “Same old weak and backwards messaging but this time they can’t even be bothered to use a hi-res/legible version of a terrible communication. This is how little we care. Checking boxes.”
“Two weeks instructing cyclists and motorcyclists on road danger. They must kill 50+ people on NI roads every year,” Brian Shannon sardonically noted.
I hope @NIRoadPolicing will have a word with the electricity pole about "the dangers of not having the correct skills, knowledge and personal protection equipment."https://t.co/Gy5ssTr1lf
— TBSteve (@TBStevesPix) April 4, 2022
Just wondering, what personal protective equipment has a proven track record of protecting cyclists from dangerous drivers, especially those on mobile phones, speeding, close passing etc etc etc? Don’t you think targeting the ACTUAL problem would do more for road safety?
— Peter Smith (@Pinarello_Pete) April 4, 2022
I mean...given the responses...is there ANYONE at HQ, popping into the Super's office to say "I think we may have miscalculated here, Chief..."pic.twitter.com/x8WRgFlxGP
— CycleBelfast (@BelfastCycle) April 4, 2022
And, finally, someone got around to analysing THAT image:
Why is there a woman cycling in a trench? Why is the horse on the wrong side of the road? And why is it mauve? Why are the women super hot and in miniskirts? Why is there a 1989 Sierra Cosworth? Why is it all happening in the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro?
— Cycling Folkie 🌳 (@VeganCyclist4) April 4, 2022