Cycling mythbusting: Cyclists don't have insurance edition; Your thoughts on 1x set-ups — are they the future?; 2024 European Capital of Cycling is... Manchester!? Cue the complaints and laughter from local riders; New kit day + more on the live blog

One of the joys of rarely posting on social media is that you can avoid the embarrassment of saying something silly and getting schooled in a stream of correcting replies. Exhibit A:

Cyclists don't know anything about it. Cyclists should have to take out insurance, I expect the premiums would be massive. https://t.co/dtUZgqBDHl

— wise old elf (@JohnWebsterja) December 5, 2023

Now, admittedly you could also avoid the embarrassment by simply avoiding posting anything silly, a situation I'm guessing might be made worse if your username starts with the adjective 'wise'. Anyway, rambling about how to avoid making yourself look silly on the internet over, on with the mythbusting.

Cue streams of people telling this 'wise old elf' about their cycling-related insurance, some included free with home or contents insurance, others obtained for a minimal monthly fee through Cycling UK, free with a magazine subscription, or other low-cost sources. I for one was disappointed to learn that the couple of coins coming out my account every month isn't going towards insurance because... an anonymous person on the internet said cyclists don't have insurance. 

£15 per year from Laka, or free with your home insurance. They literally give it away.

— Jani (@janipewter) December 6, 2023

My cycling insurance comes free with a magazine subscription, it's that cheap because cycle users present virtually no risk to themselves or others

— Gary Cummins (@GaryinScotland) December 6, 2023

Sorry, I should point out that the £4 a month also covers a great magazine, a ton of discounts that can easily be more than £4 a month and a discount on my cycling club membership which is also more than £4 a month. Apologies for not making that clear.

— Jon (@Jontafkasi) December 6, 2023

Cycling associations include third party cover as a membership benefit. It costs them about £1 pa per member.
Anybody with a home and contents insurance policy also has cover for public liability inside and outside the home, including use of bicycles.

— PaulM  🇮🇪🇫🇷🇨🇦🇵🇸🚲🐟🌻 (@Onebiskuit) December 7, 2023

And what infinite wisdom was provided in reply?

Most cyclists don't have insurance

— wise old elf (@JohnWebsterja) December 6, 2023

Right... 

Active Travel England commissioner Chris Boardman has told the BBC of his confidence in the steps Cambridge has, and is continuing to take, to be a safe environment for cyclists and pedestrians.

Visiting the city yesterday to ride part of the Chisholm Trail, a £21 million active travel route, he said cycling and walking are "part of the fabric of the city".

"Cambridge is already leading the country," he said. "All of the colleges — you can't bring a car unless you get dispensation — all of the policies and processes in this area makes cycling and walking the easier and logical choice to get around and it's just great to see them building on that legacy.

"When you see parents riding around on cargo bikes with kids you know you're on a winning route."

Jo's been doing the lord's work again for us this Friday...

while you can pick up a bargain on facebook marketplace you sometimes encounter examples of horrific abuse. who wants to take in this neglected Dura Ace equipped Lemond, nurse it back to health and give it a forever home? pic.twitter.com/a2Wif7d4EP

— Jo Burt (@VecchioJo) December 8, 2023

It's had a hard life... 

🎬 Unveiling our new colours for 2024!#RideAsOne#rideforGino

🔗 https://t.co/7sYbZZPg66pic.twitter.com/I1CFBgpKyE

— Team Bahrain Victorious (@BHRVictorious) December 8, 2023

As you'll have seen on the story and video below, Jamie has been getting stuck into 1x vs 2x this week, putting together a feature asking if a single front chainring is the future of cycling? Or just another marketing fad? Here's what you lot reckon...

In a nutshell...

Yes.

— Ian Alexander (@Ian___Alexander) December 7, 2023

No

— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) December 7, 2023

Would anyone like to expand on that?

Jamie points out, "In reality, 1x is not a perfect solution to road bike gearing, but then neither is 2x. On that setup, you're lugging around six or so gears which aren't even useful to you – and at least with 1x every gear on the cassette is useful!"

D-Squared: "After watching the pros, I might be wondering if single chainrings are the future... or I might remember that pros have mechanics to switch chain rings (and cassettes) to suit each stage profile."

wtjs: "I won't be changing to 1x, and I won't be moving to Classified, even if the cassettes no longer cost £100s each. I still have a triple on my 'racer' but that's used less than 10 per cent of the time. I use the Vitus Gravel — and that's not only because the cable disc brakes are so much better."

Bloody hell, don't mention brakes, we've already got one divisive tech topic for today...

ErnieC: "To each their own. I'm still in 2 x10 and 2 x 11 so not in a position to comment on 1x but not changing my set-ups any time soon." 

festina: "I run a 1*10 set-up on my road bike. I love the simplicity and the range of gears isn't that different, so many duplicates in 2* and 3* systems anyway."

Miller: "I put Campag Ekar on a bike for this year and I've done a lot of road riding on it. Ekar is 1x13 and I have it set up as 40 x 9-42. It works very well for road. I could maybe do with an intermediate sprocket for riding at about 30km/h but that's being really picky. For me 1x is not a revolutionary advance but it's pleasingly uncomplicated and makes washing your bike around the bottom bracket much easier!"

marmotte27: "Marketing fad."

philsinclair: "With 50/34 and 34/11, commonly used and needed where I live. The argument falls apart for a 1x."