The cycling thread

[Dave Cooper please]

As dominant as he's been at the tour again, I don't understand why he doesn't take that clear dominance to other stage races, Eddy Merckx he is not.

Peaking at exactly the right time as many Olympic athletes do?

Or maybe Eddy Merckx had better drugs?

[luke:lamf]

I suspect it is probably a money thing. From my understanding of reading the biography of Merckx by William Fotheringham, a cyclist made a great chunk of his change back in the day from appearance money and winnings from the Classics, derny racing, and other stage races because the TdF didn't have the comparatively overwhelming financial power it does today. Also, taking Merckx as an example, he was Belgian and thus obliged by local bragging rights / history to take the various Belgian races super-seriously, and was on an Italian-owned team, with its attendant expectations re: the Giro.

From following the TdF from the early 90s onwards, my understanding has been that is was Indurain - who I loved when he was dominant, because I knew nothing about potential doping and was enthralled by the idea of a guy who was just so overwhelmingly superior to even the world's 2nd best time-trialer that he could just blow them away on 2 stages and then sit back - who introduced the TdF as the be-all-and-end-all and structured his entire season around it. Perhaps more experienced cycling enthusiasts would care to confirm this assertion, or show it up for a complete crock of the proverbial...

[CT]

Question on Road Etiquette (Buses)

I had something happen on the ride home from work last week and thought I would check before emailing the bus company involved, in case I'm in the wrong.

I'm in a cycle lane (broken  lines) and the traffic ahead is building up as it often does. A bus passes me but maybe 10 feet ahead it has to slow right down. He then makes a very deliberate move to put his bus in the bike lane. There are no left turns and he wasn't pulling in to a stop or anything like that - just a long straight bit of road.

He then moves out and as I try to go past he moves back in again, this time making a gesture in his mirror. Eventually I have to go around him and the wrong side of the road to get past. He's not a happy chap.
 
I realise all the buses now have the stickers about not passing on the inside but wondered what the rule was if you're in a bike lane and have to go past a bus which has slowed down almost to a stop. Do you have to keep going around and back in every time?

Thanks in advance.

[ian c.]

The highway code says:

Rule 140

Cycle lanes. These are shown by road markings and signs. You MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation. Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable. You MUST NOT park in any cycle lane whilst waiting restrictions apply.

So he may cross a broken white line for a cycle lane,  but only if there is no alternative.

If he wasn't stopping at a bus stop or indicating left then I don't see why you should not pass him on the left in the cycle lane.

Maybe he's read the sticker on the back of his bus and thought it was law rather than just advice and wanted to demonstrate that to you, or maybe he's just a twat.

[Jon Crofts]

As dominant as he's been at the tour again, I don't understand why he doesn't take that clear dominance to other stage races, Eddy Merckx he is not.

Peaking at exactly the right time as many Olympic athletes do?

Or maybe Eddy Merckx had better drugs?

Merckx had strong coffee and a Gaulioses. There's no doubt he has peaked for the TdF but Merckx was able to win the TdF the Giro & 4 1 day classics in a year (1972) these modern day cyclists just aren't as nails as they used to be!

[UK Redsox]

Is anyone in Brum tonight watching the road circuit racing?

[Jon Crofts]

The whiney Columbian leads the Veulta by 54 seconds from Froome going into the last few days, should be an interesting finish with some big mountain stages to come.  If Quintana pushes harder on the pedals he might do OK.

[DaveD]

30km time trial in there too, which suits Froome, so going to be very close I think...

[Jon Crofts]

Coming to Brum next year.......

http://road.cc/content/news/203573-birmingham-host-100-mile-closed-road-sportive-15000-riders

[ian c.]

I see Rachel Atherton is doing well again. 5th overall World Cup win. She won every race this season.

[Jon Crofts]

Every time I watch downhill MTB it just looks like they're on the edge of or just beyond the edge of control, blasting (falling) down a hill at top speed, fair play to anyone who does this because I couldn't do it.  I took up MTB to better my bike handling skills, which have improved greatly as a result but I still frequently end up on my arse or my face when attempting off road mad skillz like these nut jobs.

[RonBurgundy]

Thinking of giving Zwift a go - anyone tried it? wondering whether to invest in a smart trainer or just use a classic trainer i got thats been gathering dust in the loft with a power meter.

[Ad@m]

Team Sky bus nearly kills amateur cyclist!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/37309613

[Jon Crofts]

Team Sky bus nearly kills amateur cyclist!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/37309613

Situation vacant - bus driver for pro cycle team.

[UK Redsox]

If anyone watched the ToB highlights on ITV4 last night, please note that the editor completely fecked up the shots as the race passed through the Forest of Dean.

The leaders were shown going up St Whites Road in Cinderford and then tackling the climb to the King of the Mountains point at Speech House. In reality the riders did those things the other way round.