road.cc recap: ten of our top stories this week

1. Brompton launch the affordable B75, with a £30 a month finance option available

Brompton have launched their most affordable model yet, the B75. At £745 it's considerably lower in price than other bikes in their range, and in a first for Brompton it can also be purchased directly for £30 a month on a two year finance deal - cheaper than the average gym membership. 
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2. Martin Lewis polls Twitter over Lord Winston's call for cyclists to be licensed and insured - and is surprised by the replies

Martin Lewis, owner and founder of the website Money Saving Expert, got rather more than he bargained for when he posted a poll on Twitter asking people what they thought of Lord Winston’s call for cyclists to be licensed and insured – likening the response it provoked from some users of the social network to the one he got from members of the black cab trade when he ran a poll about Uber.
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3. Cyclist grabs tow from lorry on dual carriageway

Footage has emerged of a cyclist getting a tow from a truck on the A41 dual carriageway in Wolverhampton – and apparently, it’s not the first time he has done it. According to the London Economic, the footage was shot on Monday afternoon, and at times the presence of tram tracks also create an additional danger for the rider.
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4. Specialized Roubaix 2020 First Look

A few days before the start of the legendary race it is named after, Specialized unveiled a brand new Roubaix. The new bike builds on the 2016 redesign and is claimed to be more aerodynamic not only than the bike it replaces but also Specialized's current Tarmac SL6 race bike, whilst also having lighter, stiffer frame and incorporating the new on-the-fly adjustable Future Shock 2.0 with rebound and compression damping.
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5. Pro Bike: Peter Sagan’s Specialized Roubaix ready for Paris-Roubaix

Can Peter Sagan make it a consecutive victory at Paris-Roubaix this Sunday? However he does, he'll be riding the brand new Specialized Roubaix. 
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6. Pinarello Dogma FS offers electronic full suspension to “absorb 42% of vibrations”

As well as Specialized, Pinarello has also launched its brand new Dogma FS ahead of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, with electronically adjusted front and rear suspension. The new bike provides 20mm front and 11mm rear suspension travel and is claimed to be able to “absorb in average 42% of the vibration coming from the ground that directly means an increase in comfort and bike stability,” and can be automatically or manually controlled.
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7. Chris Froome says he had issues trusting Bradley Wiggins at 2012 Tour de France

Chris Froome says he had issues trusting Sir Bradley Wiggins during the 2012 Tour de France, and that he considered attacking his former team-mate. The Team Sky pair finished first and second overall, with Wiggins becoming the first British rider to win the yellow jersey. But it was evident that there were tensions between the pair, highlighted on Stage 11 of the race when Froome rode off ahead of Wiggins, only to be ordered to drop back by sports director Sean Yates.
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8. Cycling worth €150 billion a year to the EU economy, says new report

Cycling is worth at least €150 billion a year to the economy of the European Union (EU), according to a new report from the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF). Published ahead of the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework – more commonly referred to as the EU budget, and covering the seven-year period from 2021-27 – the ECF’s report, titled The Benefits of Cycling: Unlocking their Potential for Europe, urges the EU to draw up an integrated cycling strategy to maximise the benefits of cycling.
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9. Happiest ever post-race interview courtesy of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig

Ludwig described herself as "A happy dead fish" in this epic post-race interview. 
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10. Matt Prior: Cycling must change to become "stable and healthy" sport

Former England batsman and wicket-keeper and One Pro Cycling founder Matt Prior says that cycling needs to change if it is to become a “stable and healthy” sport.
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