Programme for Government promises a 2:1 split on public transport vs roads.The Government would be breaking its Programme for Government commitment if any of the Apple tax is planned to be spent on roads without twice as much being spent on public transport, a campaign group has said.As IrishCycle.com reported last week, the 2:1 splint on public transport vs roads has yet to be met by the Government. The Department of Transport said that it was a commitment over the lifetime of the Government, and it could not confirm if the Budget 2025 would fulfil the commitment.The Department also confirmed that the public transport split in funding is calculated outside of the 350m per year active travel budget, which is a separate Programme for Government commitment.Jason Cullen, chairperson of the Dublin Commuter Coalition, said that the group was very disappointed to hear the reports that the Government will be allocating a portion of the 14 billion Apple tax money to spending on roads without any reference to public transport spending.While covering how Tnaiste Michel Martin believes that a very significant allocation of the 14bn Apple tax revenueshould be spent on water, the Irish Independent reported yesterday that The Government already agreed in principle to invest the 14bn Apple tax revenue in housing, roads and water infrastructure.The Taoiseach Simon Harris said he wanted the spending from the Apple tax to be outlined on Budget day, on October 1st.Cullen said: The Fianna Fil, Fine Gael, Green Party Government has committed to spending on sustainable transport at a rate of two-to-one against roads. The additional windfall of the Apple tax money is very welcome, and could allow us to address some of the significant gaps in our public and active transport networks.New Luas lines for Finglas, Lucan, and Poolbeg are within the Dublin transport strategy 2024, and could be brought forward to alleviate transport demands in the Capital. The initially planned Luas Green line upgrade to Metro Standard could be reinstated, or the actions of the All Ireland Strategic Rail Review could be enacted, he said.Cullen said that councils around the country have also been fighting for every Euro they can get towards safe cycling routes and greenways and that any additional funding that can be provided to active transport can seriously alleviate congestion issues, especially during the school run.Referring to the effect known as induced demand, he said: No amount of additional lanes of traffic have ever provided a long-term solution for congestion, as traffic will always expand to fill available space.He said that with a growing population and legally binding climate reduction targets, that the Dublin Commuter Coalition sees it as vital that the Government are delivering sustainable transport infrastructure, rather than propagating a continued over-reliance on the private car.Cullen added: The Dublin Commuter Coalition would like to remind Government of their commitments on two-to-one spending for sustainable transport, we would like to point out that one off tax windfalls are included within that commitment, and that we look forward to the announcement of new active, or public transport projects as a result of the 14 billion Apple tax money.

All the social media posts from the world of cycling you need to see, I suppose

Last weekend in Limburg, the men's 2024 European Championship road racewas held. Pre-race, the big favouriteswere the Belgian duo Tim Merlier and Jasper Philipsen and in the end, it was the formerwho took the title in a frantic bunch sprint.On the latest episode of theirWatts Occurring podcast,...

The2024 World Championships in Zurich are quickly approaching and nations from across the planet continue to unveil their lineups. The latest of these is the French and national coach Thomas Voeckler has brought out the big guns.Led by two time Rainbow Jersey winner Julian Alaphilippe, Voeckler ca...

Ribble unveils the new Allroad Ti. Crafted for more. Cutting-edge titanium construction, seamlessly sculpted lines, optimised for performance. Marrying state-of-the-art 3D printing with traditional construction techniques, this is the future of titanium bikes.Ribble, the UKs largest titanium bike brand synonymous with a longstanding heritage in hand-built bikes and innovative British design, showcases the future of titanium bikes with the Allroad Ti. Designed to maximise and enhance the unique ride qualities of Titanium with an endurance focussed geometry to deliver uncompromising performance, speed and versatility.The Allroad Ti frame blends performance and comfort with compliance and resilience.Made from corrosion-resistant 3AL-2.5V Titanium, the headtube and seattube clusters are formed via additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create unique profiles, optimised for aerodynamic efficiencies.An over-sized threaded T47 bottom bracket increases stiffness and enhances power transfer.The D-shaped carbon seatpost allows for flex giving additional comfort and features an integrated seat clamp.The additive manufacturing process also allows for full internal cable routing as the key sections of the frame are formed from scratch, creating clean lines to show off the brushed, hand finished titanium frame in its full glory.Individually crafted, each frame is unique and retains subtle traces of the makers mark.Desirable design features include a modern sleek form, smooth hand polished welds with seamless integration alongside laser etched logos and a debossed head badge (generated as part of the additive manufacturing process). Combined with a wider profile carbon fork, finished in metallic black gloss and brushed metal logos to further enhance the design.The Allroad Ti project has been an opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible with titanium beyond basic round tube profiles. The additive manufacturing process has allowed us to take aerodynamic features from our Ultra range and apply them to this bike to create a high-performance titanium road bike with distinctive ride properties. From the initial prototype showcased at a leading industry show last year and launch today the bike has been through thousands of miles testing and multiple iterations to hone the design, ride and performance. Jamie Burrow, Head of Product, RibbleThe Allroad Ti has been specifically designed for those who want the ride characteristics of titanium strength, durability and resilience combined with a more relaxed endurance style geometry for all-day riding on all road surfaces. The inclusion of the carbon UB-2 bars with their direct lever mounts and wake generators blends aerodynamics and ergonomics enhancing the overall performance of the bike. The increased tyre clearance (up to 35mm) offers versatility across riding surfaces with concealed mudguard mounts offering year-round riding capabilities.The Allroad Ti forms part of the new Allroad platform designed by Ribble to redefine what is possible on a road bike and sits alongside the carbon Allroad SL R, SL and SL R e models.All Ribble bikes are made to order and the specification can be customised using their configurator tool. The Allroad Ti featured is based on the Hero pre-build specification, with additional upgrades via Ribbles configurator and comes in at 9,799.Additional recommended specs in the range include Allroad Ti Hero @ 7,999, Allroad Ti Pro @ 5,499, Allroad Ti Enthusiast @ 4,099 and Allroad Ti Sport @ 3,499More information about the Ribble Allroad Ti can be found here

A lot of cyclists use top tube bags for carrying some ride essentials. These could be a phone, snacks, gloves, tools, or a power bank for long rides. Zefal has introduced their latest version of a top tube bag with the Z Adventure T1 and T1 Bolt, a bag that uses 100% welded construction and a waterproof zip.(Photos / Zefal)The Z Adventure T1 is a universal top tube bag that can be mounted to any bike of your choice road, gravel, fat, cargo, townie, or MTB. To help keep things in order inside the bag, the Z Adventure T1 is equipped with a key hook, an internal mesh pocket, and an integrated, unique cable channel. The channel is located in the center of the bag, giving the user the ability to run a USB charging cable to power or charge a light, cycling computer, or phone. Z Adventure T1 BoltWhat initially caught our attention was the bottom of the T1 Bolt which has enough holes to pass as Swiss cheese. The T1 Bolt, uses the bikes top tube mounting points for bolting it directly to the top tube but those mounting bolts dont always line up with where you want to mount the bag. Weve seen other bags with a few different mounting options, but Zefal cut to the chase lining almost the entire bottom of the bag with mounting holes. Z Adventure T1 & T1 Bolt Specs and RetailRetail: $44 (T1 and T1 Bolt)Z Adventure T1 SpecsType: Top-tube frame bagsMaterial: Polyester 420D TPUDimensions: 220 mm x 50 mm x 100 mmWeight: 150 gMounting: Self-gripping strapsCapacity: 1LClosing: Waterproof zipMaximum load: 1kgZ Adventure T1 Bolt SpecsType: Top-tube frame bagsMaterial: Polyester 420D TPUDimensions: 220 mm x 50 mm x 100 mmWeight: 150 gMounting: M5 x 16mm screws (included)Capacity: 1LClosing: Waterproof zipMaximum load: 1kgZefal.comThe post Zefals New Z Adventure T1 Bolt Top Tube Bag Has the Most Mounting Holes Weve seen appeared first on Bikerumor.

UPDATED September 20, 2024BY Henry GoldINMagical Madagascar no comments Why I Would Love To Cycle The Magical Madagascar Cycling Tour AgainWisdom is like a Baobab Tree, no one individual can embrace it. African ProverbBeing the most senior member of our company, I have cycled most of our tours. One of the questions that I am often asked is, which was my favourite ride? This is a difficult question to answer, simply because each tour for me has its own attractions and rewards. Most of the time I simply respond that I love being outdoors on a bike. I enjoy exploring new areas, whether where I live or when I am in a new place, so each tour is special, rewarding and surprising.Thinking of going back to Madagascar brings a smile to my face.Thinking about it in a slightly different way, I ask myself, Okay, which of the tours that I have been on would I love to go back and ride again? This is not an easy question to give a good response to either, because frankly I would love to do them all again. In my blog from the Viva Italia Cycling Tour I Wont Have Time, Wont Have Time the reality of the human life span says it all. Still, if you twist my arm hard enough, I will come up with handful and at the top of the list is the Magical Madagascar Cycling Adventure.TsingyIf you ask me why, I will respond that it is simply magical. And dont take my word for it. The UK based Daily Mail had a story over a decade ago called The Magic of Madagascar: Staggering landscapes and breathtaking natural beauty in the worlds most unique ecosystem. So why do I want to go back? I missed the Tsingy (in Malagasy it means where one cannot walk barefoot) which National Geographic describes as a labyrinth stone of jagged spires and lutes like the towers of some Gothic cathedral. It is extremely difficult to penetrate and thus much unexplored.New species of animals and plants are still being identified including one lemur recently named in 2005, the John Cleese lemur. Yes you read that right. There are many other lemurs that I saw but I never did manage to see the dancing and singing lemurs, videos of which you can find on YouTube. Suffice to say, catching that would be a hell of wildlife watching experience.Russet Mouse LemurAnother wonderful wildlife experience I would love to experience again was our night safari on a road near the lodge where we were staying. With a flashlight, our guide pointed to numerous nocturnal creatures including a nocturnal mouse lemur that grows to be between 20 to 30 cm, the smallest mammal on the planet. One can spend a very long time observing and being amused by fauna that you will find only in Madagascar colourful reptiles, frogs and birds and still see only a fraction of the different species that exist on the island.Travellers PalmsThere is the endemic flora. My favourite, of which I took dozens of pictures, is the Travellers Palm. It is actually the logo of Air Madagascar so I guess I am not the only one who is enamoured by the false palm. Here is what the Brittanica website says about the tree Named because the water it accumulates in its leaf bases has been used in emergencies for drinking. The fan of leaves also tends to grow roughly on an east-west line, providing a crude compass for travellers.Then there are the Baobabs, known also as the upside down tree because its branches resemble roots marooned in the sky. Also known as the elephant tree, of the nine species that grow on the planet, six grow exclusively in Madagascar. My collection of Baobabs pictures is even bigger than that of the Travellers Palm.The Baobab tree grows to immense girth and height with the inside hollowing out and has been used by humans in variety of ways. In his book Elderflora: A Modern History of Ancient Trees the author Jared Farmer writes that In addition to shade, shelter, and storage, African baobab gives foods, medicines, and textiles. Its velvety seedpods contain roastible seeds surrounded by vitamin-rich pulp that can be eaten raw or processed into meal. (In French, the species goes by monkey bread tree; in Afrikaans, cream-of-tartar tree.) Leaves can be cooked; roots can be nibbled. People peel the bark and convert it into rope for weaving.The Baobab even impressed the great Arab traveller, Ibn Batuta, about whom I wrote in my last blog from the Morocco: Kingdom of The West Cycling Tour just last spring. In his book Jared Farmer writes, He [Batuta] saw trees of great age and girth on the road to Mali. I was surprised to find inside one tree, by which I passed, a man, a weaver, who had set up his loom in it and was actually weaving. Is it then any wonder that the majority of blogs from the Magical Madagascar Tour have pictures of Baobab Trees?I could go on about how the Baobab tree symbolizes strength, resilience, perseverance, wisdom, longevity, and the accumulation of knowledge passed down through the generations but for me, I just like to be in their presence. If one day you end up traveling to Madagascar, make sure you dont miss famous Baobab Amoureux (left) two baobab trees twisted together. There are wonderful folklore stories inspired by these two trees alone.I could go on. I could tell you about the fascinating culture of Madagascar and their traditions, I could tell you about the wonderful time I spent at the end of the tour in Nosy Be, or my search for enlightenment at the end of the tour but I think you get the gist.Thinking of going back to Madagascar brings a smile to my face.RELATEDTOURMagical MadagascarMadagascar, the world's 4th largest island, is certainly a world unto itself and is often referred to as the 8th Continent. Geographically... Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "Why I Would Love To Cycle The Magical Madagascar Cycling Tour Again" Cancel reply

This week's Reader's Rig comes from Kia of Melbourne, Australia, who presents a detailed look at the custom Salsa Cutthroat she recently rode on a solo bikepacking trip around British Columbia. Learn more about Kia and what bikes mean to her here...The post Readers Rig: Kias Salsa Cutthroat appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Rouvy says its latest updates will improve social interaction, make riding more realistic and offer greater customisation.The bumper autumn updates will enable you to connect with riders by adding them as friends, while new corner braking is intended to provide a more realistic ride on the indoor cycling app. Rouvys product director, Marek-Martin Matyska, says: Our goal with these updates is to bring the Rouvy community closer together and to provide tools that enhance the overall experience for every type of rider, whether they enjoy the social aspect or prefer a more solitary journey.New social featuresYou'll be able to make and interact with friends on Rouvy. - RouvyRouvy says its latest updates bring enhanced social interaction to the forefront.You can now add fellow riders as friends to make it easier to plan and ride together, according to Rouvy.Youll be able to interact with other users through comments and reactions, including 'kudos', 'take a pull' and 'follow me'.You can turn these features off if youre more of an indoor cycling introvert or like indoor riding to be boring.Easier event organisationCreating events will be easier, according to Rouvy. - RouvyOnce youve made friends on Rouvy, its improved event creation enables you to invite them on rides.Rouvy says it has enhanced its leaderboards as well, enabling you to filter by category and age group, offering a more competitive edge tailored to individual performance.Tailor workoutsThere will be a comprehensive guide to help you tailor workouts. - RouvyRouvys new workout creator means you can design indoor training sessions to match your training goals.To aid you with this process, Rouvy has created a comprehensive guide on its blog and YouTube.Corner brakingThe updates see the addition of a new braking feature and more routes. - RouvyTo improve the realism of Rouvy, the app is introducing 'corner braking' this autumn.The feature will automatically adjust your speed as you enter and exit corners. As you pedal out of a bend, your speed will increase, which is said to create a more authentic riding experience.As well as slowing you down, the feature may speed you up, with Rouvy removing the previous speed limit of 72kph.New routesIt may already have over 40,000km of real-road routes, but Rouvy is expanding its route library.You will be able to explore Mallorca, Madagascar, Colombia and Iceland and see how you fare climbing the Col du Galibier.Detailed statistics and refined gearRouvy says you'll be able to delve deeper into your ride statistics. - RouvyRouvy says youll be able to delve deeper into your performance with updated ride statistics in its app.The statistics include distance, elevation, finished races and completed routes across the last week, month or all time.There will also be new wheelset parameters introduced in October. These include aerodynamic properties and weight to further refine your riding experience, according to Rouvy.Greater integrationRouvy is also updating its integration with third-party cycling apps.It says it will offer bidirectional syncing with Coros and integration with the training platforms Humango, TriDot and Final Surge.

After presenting its new soft goods line at the MADE Show a few weeks ago, Portland Design Works (PDW) is releasing the new collection online. Introducing the Tandem Mice Collection. PDW is a company known for its simple and often beautifully designed bike gear, often with playful touches making this collection fit right in.(Photo / Portland Design Works)And because the details matter, its unsurprising that they used Portland tattoo artist Jake Tong to pen the Steamboat Willie-inspired Tandem Mice collection. The artwork is reminiscent of the Steamboat Willie cartoon that inspired it, but still carries Tongs unique style.The 1928, Walt Disney Studio-produced animated short fell into public domain earlier this year and PDW Co-Founder, Erik Olson wanted to use it in a bike-type mash-up. The collection is black and white, like the Steamboat Willie cartoon. It features two mice enjoying the day on a tandem bicycle, skirting the interference of a pesky rain cloud.The Tandem Mice riding despite the rain clouds persistence, pays homage to both the PDWs wet, Pacific North West home, and the optimistic, go-with-the-flow attitude of the everyday cyclist.You can get the Tandem Mouse Collection on Shirts, Ball caps, Knit Hats, and Water bottles. They are available now, so get yours at the link below!RidePDW.comThe post PDW Adds Early Disney Inspired Tandem Mice Collection to Soft Goods appeared first on Bikerumor.