Top 10 cycling stories you might have missed this week

1. BMX bike tops list of retro “toys”

As Raleigh relaunch their 80's classic BMX the Super Tough burner, they've also fed us some interesting stats about the current 'economic revival' for all things retro. BMX bikes make it to seventh on the list of the best 'nostalgic comebacks' according to web searches...
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2. Potatoes as effective as energy gels, new study finds

A new study has found that potatoes are as effective as energy gels for fuelling bike rides. Researchers described the finding as a “proof-of-concept” that shows cyclists “may use whole-food sources of carbohydrates as an alternative to commercial products to diversify race-fuelling menus.”
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3. Strava app stops supporting Bluetooth and ANT+ device pairing, and people aren't happy

The Strava smartphone app will stop supporting Bluetooth and ANT+ device pairing from 28th October, as announced on an email sent out to its many users this week. The reason Strava has dropped support of third-party devices like heart rate monitors, speed/cadence sensors and heart rate monitors is apparently due to Bluetooth pairing with some sensors directly to the app caused it to crash for millions of users.
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4. "Trans inclusion is fairness" says Rachel McKinnon ahead of Masters Track Cycling World Championships defence

Dr Rachel McKinnon has defended her right to race ahead of the UCI Masters Track World Championships in Manchester this weekend. McKinnon became the first transgender athlete to win a world title in any sport when she took the 200 metres world title in the 35-44 women’s sprint category last October.
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5. Near Miss of the Day 318: Bus driver ploughs straight across cyclist’s path on mini roundabout

This shocking near miss sees a bus driver fly onto a mini roundabout right across a cyclist’s path, making eye contact with them for the entire duration of the manoeuvre.
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6. S Glos resident calls for Severn Bridge Road Race to be routed away from village where cyclist was killed

A South Gloucestershire man has launched a petition to try and prevent the return of the Severn Bridge Road Race to a village where a cyclist was killed while participating in the 2013 edition of the race, claiming that the roads in the area are too unsafe to race on.
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7. Driver who killed Australian pro cyclist Jason Lowndes to be spared jail

The driver responsible for the death of professional cyclist Jason Lowndes is unlikely to go to jail after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death. 23-year-old Lowndes was killed shortly before Christmas in 2017 when he was struck from behind while training.
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8. Tour de France 2020 route unveiled in Paris (+ flythrough video)

The route of the 2020 Tour de France has been unveiled in Paris  – and it’s a race that will favour attacking riders with a parcours that departs from the usual formula of several days in both the Alps and Pyrenees. It also has a potentially decisive time trial finishing on the Planche des Belles Filles, passing through Thibaut Pinot’s home village on the way.
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9. Huge anti-pollution bicycle wheel artwork stolen in Bath but no-one knows when or how

Batheaston-based artist Alison Harper, who created the installation, told Somerset Live: "It's like a piece of me has gone. I have been a bit immobilised the last week and it’s still not sunk in that someone would do this.
"I feel a sense of loss. They had been a part of my life for 18 months and so much work went into them."
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10. Soma Fabrications launch the world's biggest water bottle that fits in a standard sized cage, with a 1.1 litre capacity

US innovators Soma Fabrications have made what they claim is the largest water bottle made specifically for standard sized bike bottle cages. Described as ideal of bikepackers and endurance riders with a single set of bottle bosses who want to ride for longer without stopping to refill, the Further bottle has a capacity of 38 fluid ounces, or nearly 1,100ml.
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