Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news

Cyclist finds 20 cars parked in 0.2 mile stretch of pop-up cycle lane; Council say 'No' to 'No cycling'; UK everesting record falls again; New bike for Vine's neighbour; Dirty Kanza founder sacked; Roglič wins Slovenian nats + more on the live blog

Welcome to Monday's live blog. Jack Sexty is your blogger-in-chief today, with Simon MacMichael taking over later this evening. ...
Mon, Jun 22, 2020 09:17
43

SUMMARY

No Live Blog item found.

Cyclist finds 20 cars parked in 0.2 mile stretch of pop-up cycle lane; Council say 'No' to 'No cycling'; UK everesting record falls again; New bike for Vine's neighbour; Dirty Kanza founder sacked; Roglič wins Slovenian nats + more on the live blogcycle lane blocked - kingsley road liverpool pop up 2 - via LiverpoolWanderer.PNG
22 June 2020, 16:31
Cafe du Cycliste co-owner says he "used to hate road cycling"
Cafe du Cycliste ride pack

For an upcoming episode of The Boss, Remi Clermont told the BBC that he was "almost ashamed" when he told his friends that his dad was into road cycling growing up as a mountain bike lover... and now he co-owns Cafe Du Cycliste, a company who specialise in clothing for roadies after catching the bug in his twenties. He started the company in 2009 to offer an alternative to what was out there at the time, saying:

"The only cycling jerseys you could buy at the time in France were racing ones with big logos and sponsors, that made you look as if you were competing in the Tour de France. I wanted to produce something completely different."

"I started to learn everything I could. I had some friends in Paris who were working in clothing and fashion, so I got some tips and helpful mentoring from them.

"And I started going to all the trade shows, and asking millions of questions, and contacting plenty of factories in Italy."

Cafe Du Cycliste said they shifted £3.6 million worth of gear in 2019, and the company has continued to grow by 50% year-on-year. 

22 June 2020, 15:15
Chris Froome set to stay at Ineos for the Tour de France, according to teammate
Chris Froome 2020 headshot via Team Ineos.PNG

Dylan van Baarle told Dutch publication AD that Froome has said he doesn't plan on leaving until his contract has expired. 

Van Baarle said: “That would be strange. And I don’t think it will happen that he will go early.

"Of course we’ve talked about it, because it’s in the news all the time. But, as far as I know, he’s staying and wants to ride the Tour with Ineos. In the end, I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes with him either, but that’s what he says to us, so I assume he’ll be there.”

22 June 2020, 13:40
"The Kingsley Road pop-up car park": Liverpool cyclist counts "around 20" cars parked in pop-up cycle lane... over a stretch of just 0.2 miles

The lengthy thread posted to Twitter by LiverpoolWanderer includes 17 photos with cars parked in a pop-up cycle lane on Kingsley Road in Liverpool. Among them there's one showing a number of cars packed together, a licenced taxi and vehicles belonging to Providor and Carter Synergy. LiverpoolWanderer told road.cc that shockingly, all the photos were taken on just a 0.2 mile stretch and around 20 cars were counted, rendering this part of the cycle lane completely unusable. 

As mention further down the page,  it would seem there's plenty for Liverpool Council to get their teeth into if they want to start enforcement against parking in mandatory cycle lanes... 

22 June 2020, 16:30
Where there is less space for cyclists

Massive cars might have something to do with it...

22 June 2020, 16:20
Surprise surprise...
22 June 2020, 15:23
Matteo Trentin unveils custom Sidi shoes with design that pays tribute to nurses during pandemic
IMG-20200622-WA0014

The artwork is from Norwich cartoonist MJ Hiblen, who said in a May interview with the BBC that he drew the pictures of NHS nurses 'fighting' the virus in a comic book style "to reflect the idea that NHS workers were superheroes." 

Taking inspiration for the limited editon Sidi shoes - that won't be on sale but will be auctioned off for charity - CC rider Trentin said:

'I saw this image by an English cartoonist that immediately provoked a strong reaction in me. While his work is a direct message, I thought that the situation that the whole world is facing deserved an honest response. There is no intent behind the use of this image other than to raise people's spirits with this striking cartoon."

fizik infinito valverde edition.PNG

Meanwhile, Fizik's latest limited edition shoe is the Infinito R1 El Bala, with the Spanish theme paying tribute to the career of Alejandro Valverde and his current Spanish national title. They're £329.99 and available to buy now on Fizik's website. 

22 June 2020, 13:08
Your latest everesting update: Lachlan Morton does it for real this time, and another new British record is set
lachlan-morton-bikepacking-picture-credit-slipstream-sports

With a lot of people not paying a great deal of tax at the moment because of the pandemic, it would appear life's third certainty is now weekly new everesting records. EF Pro Cycling's Lachlan Morton went and nailed the world record for real, after irregularities in his data recording last weekend meant that his 7:32:54 effort wasn't counted by record keepers Hells 500. This time it was found he did complete the necessary 8,848 metres of elevation gain - plus one extra climb to be sure - and the world record now stands at 7:29:57. 

mason hollyman.PNG

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Mason Hollyman has now had his attempt verified by Hells 500 to become the new British record holder. He completed his everesting in 8 hours and 28 minutes and added a couple more laps to be sure according to his Strava upload, destroying the 9:02:25 mark set by Tom Stephenson just last weekend.  

Until next time folks, which will probably be in the next few hours at this rate...

22 June 2020, 15:20
Luckily we weren't sent any chamois pad pics...
22 June 2020, 11:18
Council say 'No' to 'No cycling', according to bizarre new signs painted on Hove promenade

The seafront signage shared by Labour Councillor Chris Henry has been subject to ridicule ever since, as numerous people have pointed out that the second photo doesn't actually show anything that means 'No Cycling', as per the Highway Code's guide to traffic signs and signals. 

As noted above, a Highway Code sign that 'gives orders' is typically white with a red border, with the thing that is prohibited in the middle; so to indicate that cycling is prohibited, the sign should lose the red strike-out. It's also noted that the photo on the right also has an image of a pedestrian inside a white circle with a red border, which could be taken to mean 'no pedestrians'. 

The Councillor hasn't replied to any of the comments, and there's nothing on Brighton and Hove Council's website about the new rules. It's also mentioned that Hove seafront is rather wide, with some locals saying that it's plenty big enough for space to be shared. 

Conversely Brighton and Hove have received praise for the speedy introduction of pop-up cycle lanes during the pandemic, including a 1.7 mile stretch on the busy Old Shoreham Road; however this announcement doesn't seem to have gone down so well. 

22 June 2020, 10:49
Halfords and Vine combine to gift new bike to a nurse who had her bike stolen and put on Gumtree

Mr Vine's neighbour Joey had her bike stolen outside the mental health unit where she works; and then was initially told by police that they were unable to assist her in getting it back when she spotted it for sale on Gumtree, because it amounted to 'entrapment'... this was of course untrue, and a police superintendent intervened which resulted in jail for the thief, who had previous convictions. 

The debacle was spotted by Halfords, who stepped in to offer Joey a new bike. A spokesperson for the retailer commented this morning: 

 “It’s the right thing to do. As soon as we saw Jeremy Vine’s tweet and heard about Joey’s story we put the wheels in motion and contacted them on social media. We’re trying to do our bit for all the NHS and emergency workers and other unsung heroes across the community who seem to becoming an easy target for unscrupulous thieves.

"Thefts like this can be incredibly disruptive, especially at such a critical time when it can leave many frontline workers without a vital mode of transport. Fortunately there is widespread support from the public and companies doing their bit to keep emergency workers on the road.

“We’d recommend that if you have a bike, then photograph it, capture the frame number and any unique features it has, to help you, the public and the police identify it if it does get stolen.”

22 June 2020, 13:06
22 June 2020, 09:35
New powers for councils to fine drivers parking in cycle lanes come into force today
Cycle lanes - 4.jpg

We reported earlier this month that councils in England will be able to fine drivers who park in cycle lanes using CCTV, and the new rules have come into force today. 

The measures apply only to mandatory cycle lanes that are marked by a solid white line, with motorists still able to drive or park in advisory cycle lanes (with a broken white line) if it's “unavoidable". 

22 June 2020, 08:17
Dirty Kanza release new statement on sacking of founder Jim Cummins, after he described police shooting of Rayshard Brooks as 'justified'

Over the weekend, the founder and director of arguably the world's premier long distance gravel event Jim Cummins shared a post on Facebook, in which he described the shooting of Rayshard Brooks by police in Atlanta as "justified". Brooks was shot dead on Friday as he fled officers after seizing a taser gun. The mayor of Atlanta and a number of politicians have described the use of lethal force as not justified, and it's sparked another wave of anti-racism protests. 

Shortly after Cummins' aired his views, Life Time, the company behind the Dirty Kanza, "mutually parted ways" with its founder, and have released a new more detailed statement on social media clarifying their decision. One part says: "Our cycling community is very diverse, and it’s one of the key factors that make us so unique and strong. At the same time, we stand by our decision as a company and by our vision and values that aim to ensure that everyone is accepted and supported. Those visions and values do not have a place for racism, prejudice or discrimination.

"We are committed to taking action to ensure these values are upheld and continue to be centred in our work both as a brand and as an event. Most of all, we are committed to listening, learning and continuing to grow."

Life Time also says they have launched a 'Diversity and Inclusion Council' to 'put intentional focus' on changes they want to make to their company, clubs and events. 

The team have received much praise for their decision - while others have accused them of stifling Mr Cummins' 'freedom of speech' - but many are also calling for the event to change its name, because it's claimed that the phrase 'Dirty Kanza' is actually a racial slur against Native Americans. The even has resisted calls to change its name in the past, but while the first statement on Cummins' departure made no mention, this latest statement has addressed concerns. Dirty Kanza say: 

"In addition, we have been working throughout this year on options for a name change. Our event name wasn’t created with ill-intent, and while we have worked with and received support from the Kaw Nation, we also understand that our name should not cause hurt. This process does take time, and we want to make this change in the correct manner. Please know that we will share progress as we work through this process."

The Dirty Kanza is still set to going ahead this year despite the pandemic, with the dates re-scheduled for 10th-13th September. 

22 June 2020, 09:52
22 June 2020, 09:16
Bus drivers put on static bikes to experience close passes

Back in 2016, a video went viral in which Brazilian bus drivers were placed on static bikes so they could experience how it feels for a bus to drive past them closely; and this latest clip that is doing the rounds on social media is reportedly from Costa Rica, despite the video's description... cue the "you think THAT was close?" comments. 

22 June 2020, 09:24
Primož Roglič wins (real life) Slovenian national title, the first major UCI event since the start of the pandemic
slovenia national champs 2020 primoz roglic et al - via Jumbo Visma.PNG

As cycling's World Tour gets set to come back to life later in the summer, Slovenia has already held its national road race championships - the first major UCI event since the start of the lockdown - as the 2019 Vuelta champ powered to victory on the the 146 kilometre course. After an early breakaway that was caught, Roglič was left with UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogačar for company, but eventually got away on the final climb of the day.   

Roglič said: “It was a tough race with a very tough final climb. Given the results in the spring, Tadej was the favourite and it was certainly not easy to beat him. I had reckoned the climb well in the past few days, so I knew where I had to attack. The fact that I take the victory here in my first race of the season feels very good. I am definitely not in top form yet, but I am already looking forward to the upcoming races."

Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

Add new comment

43 comments

Avatar
Dangerous Dan replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

So you think the the actions of Senator Joe McCarthy in the US in the US were OK?  No, you don't.  What exactly is the difference?

The American writer Ambrose Bierce Bierce was an abolitionist who joined Union Army, fought with extreme bravery in the U.S. Civil War, and was gravely wounded.

After the war he became a writer and journalist.  His satirical word definitions were collected into a book which became "The Devil's Dictionary."  Get a copy and look up "African".

It was as offensive when he wrote it in the  late 1800's as it is today, but he was talking about you lot.  If you vote "my way", you are to be protected.  If not, throw you to the wolves.

What happened was that a company in a precarious financial position decided to show themselves "virtuous" by attacking someone for expressing a personal opinion which they believed would harm their business.

 If Jim Cummins made that statement as an official statement of Life Time Inc. without approval of the requisite board, then I don't have an issue with them sacking him.

If it was a personal statement, and it looks to me that it was on a personal account, then what they are doing is a huge danger to freedom. If big business is allowed to dictate which opinions can be voiced we will be living in tyrany

Avatar
StuInNorway | 4 years ago
3 likes

<We reported earlier this month that councils in England will be able to fine drivers who park in cycle lanes using CCTV, and the new rules have come into force today. 

The measures apply only to mandatory cycle lanes that are marked by a solid white line, with motorists still able to drive or park in advisory cycle lanes (with a broken white line) if it's “unavoidable". >

Simple, issue the fine for parking there and let the parked car owner argue the case as to why it was "unavoidable" . . .  "I NEEDED a can of coke" . .  or "I was only going to xyz"

Avatar
Titanus replied to StuInNorway | 4 years ago
0 likes

Given the state of that particular cycle lane, the cars can have it. Not a nice place to ride on 700*23s.

In general something needs to be done about it. It's effectively not a cycle lane if there are vehicles in it.

That said I sympathise with car drivers. They're dammed if they go fast, they're dammed if they stop moving at all. Not condoning moronery, just sayin.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Titanus | 4 years ago
1 like

There's always the middle way: driving to the conditions and parking appropriately. This is not difficult, just requires some discipline and planning.

Avatar
jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
1 like

Nice gesture by Halfords - Boardman himself has been doing similar to other victims too.  Although I'm curious where they found that bike given that pretty much every shop in the country is sold out of every bike under £1k right now.

Avatar
Awavey | 4 years ago
2 likes

So didnt Jeremy Vines neighbour get her original bike back in the end ? or is it locked up in some police station as evidence, Or is she n+1 now ?

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
4 likes

I thought she was in prison for entrapment offences.

Avatar
HarrogateSpa replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
3 likes

It's not clear.

I suppose it's nice of Halfords.

If they really want to do the right thing, I look forward to them giving a new bike to someone who has had theirs stolen and isn't in the news.

Avatar
paulrbarnard replied to HarrogateSpa | 4 years ago
4 likes

HarrogateSpa wrote:

If they really want to do the right thing, I look forward to them giving a new bike to someone who has had theirs stolen and isn't in the news.

So how would they know?

Avatar
brooksby replied to HarrogateSpa | 4 years ago
2 likes

HarrogateSpa wrote:

I suppose it's nice of Halfords.

I wonder who's just been told that their ordered bike is now out of stock and there might be a delay...?

Avatar
EddyBerckx | 4 years ago
10 likes

"The measures apply only to mandatory cycle lanes that are marked by a solid white line, with motorists still able to drive or park in advisory cycle lanes (with a broken white line) if it's “unavoidable". "

The reason why every dashed line cycle lane in the country is utterly useless 99% of the time. A joke of a rule.

Avatar
Awavey replied to EddyBerckx | 4 years ago
2 likes

The rules are utterly useless because they never get enforced, so i dont see making the council responsible for it will in anyway change that be they advisory or mandatory lanes

Avatar
paulrbarnard replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
5 likes

Isn't the point that they have now made it enforcable, or finable at least, simply by driving a video equiped car around.  This is easy money for councils that already have parking enforcement vehicles.  I can actually see this having some impact, even if it is only the DM featuring pictures of sad faced motorist brandishing their fines.

Pages

Latest Comments