Cargo bike campaign addresses the classic cyclists "pay no tax" myth; Reaction to former health minister's "anti-driver" rant; Stevie Williams wins Flèche Wallonne; SRAM tea-Tap and Shimano tea-i2; Pro cyclist rain jacket fiasco + more on the live blog

It's a tale as old as time (or as old as social media, at least). Cargo Revolution, a campaign "celebrating pioneering businesses who are adopting cargo bikes" and encouraging others to "join the zero emissions revolution", posted a fairly inoffensive tweet about the sun being out so why not hop on a bicycle for your next journey? Shocking, I know...

Naturally...

And pay no Tax…..

— Hoxtonboy (@Hoxton_mob) April 16, 2024

Fair play to the Cargo Revolution, displaying admirable patience, and offering an educational reply: "Cyclists pay tax when they buy their bicycle, their tyres, their brake pads and their shoes. All of this pays for upkeep of roads (and hospitals, schools etc.) Drivers pay an additional charge called Vehicle Excise Duty, which is based on the emissions their vehicles produce." Not to mention council tax which if I'd known I was exempt from, as a cyclist, I would have cancelled years ago...

A couple more for the (taxed) road?

Everyone pays tax Hoxtonboy.

Everyone (perhaps except the people in massive cars and yachts and houses who can afford to keep their cash off-shore).

Cyclists aren’t your enemy where tax is concerned.

— Bernie 💙 Author | Speaker (@_WhatMakesAMan_) April 17, 2024

We all pay tax. No one pays road tax. It doesn't exist.

— endless (@endlesstime0001) April 17, 2024

Anyway, on the somewhat related money topic, here's Money Saving Expert's Martin Lewis offering some pedal-related advice earlier today...

Good to see @MartinSLewis suggesting 'ditch your car' as a way to reduce the cost of motoring.

Car clubs, taxis, public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling could be a better option for some. pic.twitter.com/RIEv4KQ44w

— Transport Action Network (@TransportActio2) April 17, 2024

> Shimano patents hint at fully wireless groupsets

> Near Miss of the Day 900: Police offer "suitable advice" to driver who squeezed between cyclist and oncoming campervan in dangerous close pass

Good day to be a retired pro cyclist 😳 https://t.co/9mVYf1RwyW

— Brent Bookwalter (@brentbookwalter) April 17, 2024

It looks like a rather cold, sodden peloton will decide Flèche Wallonne on the Mur de Huy, unless the most predictable race in cycling decides to go off-script in the next few kilometres. If not, at least we've got the women's race afterwards for a second shot at entertainment.

Anyway, back to the rain...

😅 Dans ces conditions, mettre un imperméable relève de l'exploit, n'est-ce pas @JiimmyWhelan ?

😅 In these conditions, putting on a rain jacket is quite a feat, isn't it @JiimmyWhelan?#FlecheWallonne pic.twitter.com/M4PjBfTXqz

— La Flèche Wallonne (@flechewallonne) April 17, 2024

And on the subject... disgraceful scenes...

ALL THESE CYCLISTS ALL OVER THE ROAD LIKE THEY OWN IT AND ONLY ONE IS WEARING PROPER HI-VIZ!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/ADql1QZQo7

— Rob Whittle (@PolkaDotRob) April 17, 2024

> "Speeding" lorry driver who killed cyclist blamed low sun – but cyclist's terminally ill wife says she doesn’t want to see motorist jailed

> Remember that mono-strapped Canyon helmet? We've tried out a prototype, and it's unlike any other bike helmet we've used before

It's the second race of the Ardennes week triple-header — leg-shredding gradients galore as the world's best tackle the iconic Mur de Huy. As a reminder, here are the best of Zac Williams' snaps for SWpix from last year's race...

Any hill that does this to Tadej Pogačar is one to be feared...

Just the four ascents of the 1.3km climb that averages 9.8 per cent for the men this year, the women will tackle it twice, still two times too many for my liking. Finishing with the famous, brutal ramp to the finish in excess of 20 per cent, it's a hill-climbing dream for those of us watching on the telly... less so for those involved, unless your name is Alejandro Valverde or Anna van der Breggen, of course.

The one race that I targeted but never managed to win. Always came up against somebody stronger. Missing the atmosphere on the Muur today. Not missing the overload of lactic on the finish line. @flechewallonne

— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) April 17, 2024

Sometimes you've just got to take a minute and reflect on how far humanity has come...

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by -⚙️Fahrradmechaniker -🛠️Mecanico de bicicletas -⚙️Bike mechanic (@fahrrad_velowerkstatt)

What next? Using a disc rotor to chop up your fruit and veg? Oh, wait...

Let's remind ourselves of what Thérèse Coffey said yesterday about a proposed £5 million active travel scheme in her constituency "to make Woodbridge's streets better-connected and more people-friendly" (how dare they!)...

The former deputy prime minister and health secretary, who served the roles during Liz Truss' flying visit to No.10, was unimpressed by the idea for a 20mph zone, shared-use paths, modal filters and footpath improvements, calling it "anti-driver" and saying it "fails to deliver and antagonises".

Instead, the former minister for health suggested, the money would be better spent providing cycling proficiency courses at local schools, improving crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists, and repairing road and pavement surfaces.

Cue the comments...

She is totally out of touch with the majority of residents. The quiet ones who don't turn into keyboard warriors. It is a fantastic scheme!

— IronGranny (@nellieh64) April 16, 2024

Orpington Cyclist took issue with the part where Ms Coffey suggested cycling proficiency courses at local schools would be a better destination for the money, calling the suggestion, very eloquently... "bollocks".

"There is no point in additional cycling proficiency if it isn't matched by safer routes for children to cycle on," they pointed out.

stonojnr: "I'd love to know what she thinks is anti-driver about these plans.

"Two modal filters, daren't even call them LTNs anymore, on minor roads, a kind of cycle route which may be a very local local desire line route, it does nothing for cyclists trying to pass through Woodbridge, an improved pedestrian/cycling crossing of the very type she's espousing, and some 20mph limits, again on minor residential roads and around schools, exactly where you need them. It's not exactly groundbreaking cycling infra, just a few more signs, bit of paint and a couple of extra bollards, how in the hell can you complain about that?"

chrisonabike added that Ms Coffey's suggestions of how to spend the money are "pretty much the 'encouraging cycling' of the last decades in the UK".

"It involves 'soft' measures*, seeks to divide things between walking and cycling ('let them fight over scraps') and additionally seeks to divert some of the little funding provided away from active travel to motoring (fixing the potholes). In fact merely getting more people choosing to walk or cycle is actually a boon for ... other drivers!  Those who are 'pro-car' should be welcoming this (see e.g. frequently supportive and sensible communications from the president of the AA).

> Drivers should welcome cycle lanes, says AA president

"*e.g. that do helpful things like training children — but then not providing any place for them *to* cycle, or addressing the fact that cycling is still seen as a children's recreational activity by many adults [...] 'Fails to deliver' would be a good description of the kind of 'active travel support' she's proposing. We know this, because we've been doing it (or not doing nearly enough) for decades."

Oh, we did get a couple of replies (on Twitter obviously) agreeing with Ms Coffey, one from Ian in Ingleton in *checks notes* the Yorkshire Dales. Good to get the local view. Time for a post-Coffey coffee...