Saturday brought heavy rain and flash flooding to the city: View this post on Instagram And, like any sane cyclist (a sane cyclist is still barely less than an idiot on the normal person scale), as the storm approached I was out for a ride, heading further and further from home as the situation became increasingly dire:However, once the severity of the situation became evident, I did at least adjust my route so that Id be returning along the commuter rail corridor in the event it started raining in earnest and I needed to abortand I did need to abort:In retrospect it couldnt have gone better had I planned it this way from the outsetI got most of my intended ride in, I didnt get wet, and the last few miles of a long ride can sometimes seem a bit funereal anyway, so spending them on the train instead felt refreshingly decadent:With direct access to a train that runs along the Hudson Valley I should probably take advantage of it more often by integrating it into my rides:Alas, that requires far too much thought, and so I generally stay within a 20-mile radius of my home, like a dog with a shock collar.Even deciding which bicycle to ride requires too much thought for me these days, which is why Ive just been riding the Craigslist Special.Plus, theres even more to bikes than just riding them; theres also maintaining them, and Dealing With All The Stuff, and Im currently in the process of culling my own stuff, which is something Ive been putting off for years. Im trying to be as ruthless as possible when disposing of things, though I will often find myself dithering over something stupid like an old frayed shifter cable, because, you know, maybe if I cut the end off it I can salvage enough of it for a front downtube shifter (this of course being the shortest shifter cable run). Then there are items that are largely sentimental, such as this:That is the frame of a bicycle I referred to in the early days of this blog as the Ironic Orange Julius Bike, for reasons that are far too tedious to recount. This was the bicycle upon which I was commuting between Brooklyn and Manhattan every day, and it looked like this:And yes, it had a fixed gear, though the fenders, front and rear cantilever brakes, dirt drop handlebars, and rack set it far apart from the bikes youd typically come across during the Peak Fixie era:As I understand it, the On-One Pompino (the word Pompino is Italian slang for a sex act and would never find its way onto a bicycle today) was common in the UK, but here it was something of a cult itema racy singlespeed with 120mm rear spacing, canti bosses, generous (for the time) tire clearance, and rack and fender eyelets, it sort of split the difference between a Surly Steamroller and a Surly Cross Check. Not only was this the bike I was commuting on when I coined most of what constitutes the modern urban cycling lexicon:But I also used it in numerous prestigious cyclocross events, including the Singlespeed Cyclocross World Champtionships in Portland, OR:[Thats not the Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships in Portland, OR. Im pretty sure thats the singlespeed race at Staten CX on Staten Island.]And just generally rode the crap out of it in all kinds of conditions for many years:Which is why it now looks like this:Last time I tried I couldnt get that bottom bracket out, but maybe if I douse it with some sort of penetrant and double up on the elbow grease the frame will relinquish it.Do I need a rusty old singlespeed frame?No, I do not, nifty segmented construction notwithstanding:If nothing else, I have a more age-appropriate and far less corroded singlespeed now:Then on top of that theres the Homer:This is truly the Ironic Orange Julius Bikes spiritual successor in that its become the bike I use for pretty much everything:Which is why the drivetrain looks like this:Ive got a brand new chain and cassette waiting for it as I typeand yet the bike keeps shifting, and so I keep procrastinating. (This may be best and the worst thing about friction shifting: it just keeps working.)All of this is to say I should get rid of the IOJB, or at least give it a Viking funeral by putting a pair of wheels on it, dousing it with lighter fluid, setting it on fire, and ghost-riding it down a hill.But something wont let me part with itplus, given its provenance and place in cycling history, its monetary value is incalculable.Though Ill totally give it to anybody who promises to do something cool with it.

Fairly priced and high quality aero sock

A judge had reportedly approved the night time tests of Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar at the 2026 Tour de France. The general classification leaders were woken up during the night to undergo doping tests on Saturday night as their preparations for Sunday's stage 15 was disrupted. Vingegaard was...

63km, 1,800m of climbing and a mix of fast gravel tracks and technical singletrack - a look at my second-place finish at the Welsh Gravel Championshipss

Netcompany INEOS have found themselves the unwelcome subject of a Tour de France talking point - punctures. The British team have confirmed they have suffered around 11 punctures, but it's the timing and manner of the problems have caused alarm. French TV analyst Thomas Voeckler noted that the team...

UPDATED July 20, 2026 BY Miles MacDonald IN South American Epic no comments Vuelta A ColombiaTo a young person into adventure movies, Romancing the Stone was a big hit in the mid 1980s with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and the country of Colombia in starring roles. For a 10-year-old, with too much faith in Hollywood film productions, it was a first impression of Colombia, as a kind of lush jungle wilderness, with a mix of rich criminal underworld characters, with fancy 44 trucks, and rural peasants with mules and horses.As one gets older, they may discover that Hollywood is a cultural propaganda machine that has never let accuracy or truth get in the way of making money. Of the many inaccuracies in such a movie, one was not seeing any Colombians on bicycles. With the rugged and rural mountain terrain, and challenging roads and paths in remote areas, the bicycle has been a key component of rural transportation since the mid 20th century, with it only slowly being replaced by motorcycles and cars the last decades.This necessity of cycling for transportation and the large number of bicycle riders in the country helped lead to the Vuelta a Colombia bicycle race, whose origins date back to 1951. The race turned Colombias strongest cyclists into household names and inspired other Colombians to emulate their success. The race, a multi week stage race, was legendary for its endless climbing, the altitudes reached, and the overall adversity faced. Colombian fans would follow along each day with the race being broadcast across the country by radio. These early heroes of Colombian cycling were, like the early days of the Tour de France, people who persevered through challenging living circumstances, with few economic resources, to rise to an elite level, such as Efrain El Zippo Forero, the first winner of the Vuelta a Colombia.South American Epic riders cycling with the localsLater generations of Colombian cyclists succeeded on the world stage, including the Caf de Colombia cycling team, with its star Luis Lucho Herrera in the 1980s. They became the first Colombian team in the Tour de France and their team branding helped spread the word on the amazing coffee culture of Colombia. Boyaca, Colombia native Nairo Quintana, won the Giro dItalia in 2014, after getting his start as a child cycling 16km through the mountains to school and to sell vegetables for his familys income. Later Egan Bernal would become the first Colombian to win the Tour de France in 2019.All this goes to say that the TDA cyclists here on the South American Epic, in the first weeks of the tour as weve crossed from Cartagena to Bogota, have not been alone on the roads, with many local cyclists of all stripes cycling along our route, from professional cyclists to families.SAE riders and their friends from SiCLas CollectiveIn Medellin, our TDA cyclists met the SICLAS Collective, a group of Medellin cyclists who promote active transportation, at the edge of the city. As a convoy our cyclists and the SICLAS Collective cyclists rode together towards our rest day hotel, including using roads that had been closed by the Medellin government as part of the famous Ciclovia, a family friendly event on Sundays where many roads are shut to vehicles and thousands, or in Bogota which also has the Ciclovia, even millions of bicycle riders and pedestrians fill the roads. On the way out of the city the TDA cyclists were also guided by convoy from Medellin, and enjoyed the safety and support of the SICLAS Collective, who would cheer for other cyclists on the road, while singing songs, both about biking, as well as on their socialist values.As the first section of the South American Epic concludes in Bogota, the riders deserve to be incredibly proud of their efforts. There is no casual pedalling in Colombia, as they have cycled through intense Caribbean heat, up 50km plus climbs, gone above 4100m elevation, and cycled 3000m+ climbing days. All can know that they have now proudly earned their place in Colombian cycling culture.RELATEDTOURSouth American Epic This challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA... Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "Vuelta A Colombia" Cancel reply

Its never easy racing at the Tour de France and this last week was no exception with high temperatures and horror hotels.With two weeks of racing on the roads of France now behind the peloton we take a look back at how the world of cycling, including celebrity fans and a barista with panache, chronicled the last week on social media.1. "The special one" aka Jos Mourinho has got his priorities all wrong here, choosing to stop watching the Tour de France to go for a run. You wouldnt catch us doing that. A post shared by Jose Mourinho (@josemourinho)A photo posted by on 2. The French monarchy was abolished in 1792 but if they did decide to have a king again itd probably Thibaut Pinot who saw the race come through his hometown this last week.Oh! Look who is here Oh! Regardez qui est l #TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/3LuYx1iJUeJuly 17, 20263. EF Education-EasyPost chefs Owen Blandy and Chris Woodward are taking you on a culinary Tour de France as they breakdown/show off all the deliciousness theyre cooking up for the riders each day over on their Instagram.A post shared by Chris Woodward (@chris.woodward_)A photo posted by on 4. The iceman - AKA Silvan Dillier - cometh! Be afraid, be very afraid.A post shared by Alpecin-Premier Tech (@alpecin.premiertech)A photo posted by on 5. Apparently there has been some other big international sporting event going on over the last week, I dunno what its called, but the Tour organisers decided to pit riders of France and Spain against each other last Tuesday in tribute. Weirdly, the French organisers seem to lose interest after that.A post shared by Tour de France (@letourdefrance)A photo posted by on 6. Its not a bike race unless someone is dressed in a rabbit costume/devil outfit/mankini. To all those that do so, we salute you.A post shared by Tour de France (@letourdefrance)A photo posted by on 7. The Tour is a glamorous event, until you reach your hotel and discover youd be better off sleeping on the balcony. A post shared by Tobias Johannessen (@tobias_johannessen)A photo posted by on 8. How bad can it be though really? you ask. Pretty bad, as Tobiass brother Anders shows. This combined with UAE Emirates-XRG sleeping in hotel with no air conditioning led to something of a social media story that meant Tour race director Christian Prudhomme had to step in and respond. "If we want the race to visit beautiful parts of France and have beautiful stages, it means that sometimes there aren't five-star hotels everywhere," he told ICI.Could be worse, this is ours pic.twitter.com/ijPNxKc69YJuly 13, 20269. If you ask us Uno-Xs real problem was that after what was clearly not a great nights sleep they didnt have Julian Alaphilippe to make them coffee in the morning.A post shared by TNT Sports Cycling (@tntsportscycling)A photo posted by on 10. Lets end on a high note with the always reliable social media trope of riders kids at the Tour de France. This time its Tiesj Benoot and his daughter.A post shared by TNT Sports Cycling (@tntsportscycling)A photo posted by on

The International Testing Agency (ITA) has undertaken night-time anti-doping tests on multiple more riders at the ongoing Tour de France, Cycling Weekly has learned.Visma-Lease a Bikes Jonas Vingegaard and race leader Tadej Pogaar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG were woken up at 2am and 5am respectively on Sunday morning by doping control officers and made to provide an anti-doping sample.Tests between the hours of 11pm and 6am are prohibited, except in exceptional circumstances, when the ITA has to request permission from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).The UCI's anti-doping rules states: "Unless the rider has identified a sixty minute testing window between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., or has otherwise consented to testing during that period, the UCI will not test a rider during that period unless it has a serious and specific suspicion that the rider may be engaged in doping."In a statement late on Sunday, the ITA said that effective testing must, in limited and justified circumstances, be capable of occurring outside standard daytime hours.Pogaar said he did not get back to sleep after being woken, while stage 15 winner Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe said that it was inhumane and its something that actually we should not accept as riders."Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Cycling Weekly that at least two other teams have been tested at 5am during the Tour, one in the first week and one in the second week.Cycling Weekly understands that a number of other teams perhaps as many as eight have also been subjected to night-time testing.A spokesperson for the ITA confirmed that more teams were tested outside usual hours.The riders union, the Professional Cycling Associations (CPA), released a statement on Monday lending its support to the anti-doping movement, but questioned the relevance of night-time testing.The Tour de France is a competition that demands exceptional physical effort, the CPA statement said. The quality of sleep and recovery is essential not only for performance but also for the health and safety of the riders.It is clear that this practice hinders athletes recovery during the most important and difficult race on the global calendar and runs counter to the intended objectives.Cycling contributes approximately 10m to funding the fight against doping within the ITA for the collection and analysis of samples, while at the same WADA spends, on average, only $5 million per year across all sports on basic research to develop new methods for detecting and identifying new doping substances.Would it therefore be more appropriate to invest more in scientific research and detection technologies, rather than increasing the number of particularly intrusive unannounced tests?Night-time testing is only used when anti-doping authorities have concerns that an athlete may be engaged in doping practices. It is particularly useful at detecting substances which may have been taken in small doses referred to as micro-dosing that isnt detectable several hours later. Benjamin Cohen, the director general of the ITA, told The Athletic in April that he was in favour of restrictions around night-time testing loosening but cautioned against blanket testing in the early hours.If you go and speak to the (ITA) testing department, they would say: yes, we need to be able to test whenever we can. Certainly, based on information [the ITA has], it would suggest that there is an issue, Cohen said.I dont think you would want to do mass testing at the Tour de France, for example, and wake up all the athletes at 3am that doesnt make sense. I think you would need to have very concrete suspicions (about an athlete) and use that in a very cautious manner. I wouldnt advocate for mass night testing, but certainly for some flexibility if you believe that there is an issue.French sports daily Lquipe reported on Monday that the ITA made their requests ahead of the Tour.As is customary in the lead-up to the Tour de France, the public health divisions of the Paris and Marseille judicial courts, which have jurisdiction over doping matters, are in contact with the UCI (International Cycling Union) and the ITA, the Paris prosecutors office told Lquipe.The judges of these two jurisdictions have concurrent jurisdiction to rule on requests for nighttime doping controls. A judge of liberties and detention in Paris was therefore indeed contacted by the ITA, pursuant to Article L.232-14-4 of the French Sports Code, to authorise the doping controls that took place on the night of July 18-19."

The Public Prosecutors Office in Paris has confirmed to L'quipe confirmed that the judge was contacted by the International Testing Agency to authorise the 2am and 5am drug tests

This is classic performative politics of the likes seen by now former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which just ends up annoying everybody. Comment & Analysis: The Department of the Taoiseach this afternoon issued what I can only describe as one of the most nonsensical Government statements. In reality, Taoiseach Michel Martin, Tnaiste Simon Harris, and other Government Ministers are dancing on the head of a pin around the fact that all promatic scooter use is already illegal and the level of enforcement is not up to scratch. Its also a big distraction from the Governments unwillingness to sufficiently regulate not just the sale of e-scooters but also bicycle-shaped mopeds and light motorcycles, and scramblers. Because it would be a departure from long-standing thinking that devices like scramblers cannot be regulated at the point of sale (see below).We were told that Taoiseach, Tnaiste and Minister [of State for road safety] Canney agreed on a series of proposals with Minister [for Justice] OCallaghan and the Garda Commissioner. The proposals will be brought to Government by Ministers [for Transport] OBrien and Canney next week.Lets look at what they said in their statement and how most of it does not make any sense the quotes below are from the statement followed by commentary and analysis about what is being said: The Garda Commissioner advised that there has been a significant increase in Garda operations connected to e-scooters, including that 1,412 e-scooters have been seized so far this year. There have been 793 prosecutions for possession of e-scooters this year.There definitely seems to be an uptick in enforcement, but its after years of a lack of enforcement, and even now it seems to pale in comparison to the number of illegal e-scooters on our roads. The meeting also discussed the initial data from Childrens Health Ireland and the HSE indicating a concerning pattern of serious and life-changing injuries caused by e-scooters.More than one-third of all paediatric traumatic brain injury admissions to CHI at Temple Street in 2026 were related to e-scooters. Admissions for traumatic brain injuries from e-scooter accidents increased by 50% in the last 12 months.While CHI estimates one to two children a day are presenting across EDs this summer with e-scooter injuries. A full report will be available at the end of July.Paediatric hospital care is for under-16s, and when medics were interviewed, they confirmed that the above relates mainly or exclusively to children under 16. Tnaiste Simon Harris also makes an impassioned to-camera piece on Instagram where he heavily relies on the injuries to under-16s and then talks about measures which do not relate to and will not address under-16s use of scooters.Why are so many of the measures being mentioned in the statement related to people 16 and over? Is this just performative?It was agreed that high-visibility jackets and helmets will be mandatory for all e-scooter useAnd if the health data relates to under-16s and e-scooter use is to be extended to over 18s, whats the rationale for making helmets and high-vis mandatory? They could not even be bothered to outline something along the lines of the poor position of the rear light on e-scooters, which would justify high-vis.and the ban will be extended to under-18s. This will take effect in August.At the age of 16, teenagers are able to hold a licence that enables them to drive tractors, AM Mopeds and Light quadricycles, and A1 Motorcycles the AM mopeds have a legal maximum design speed of 45 km/h, while the RSA describes a category A1 vehicle as one that is capable of a speed of at least 90 km/h. Just to be clear: Thats not the limit; its the minimum speed. Legal e-scooters have a hard max speed of 20km/h.This isnt a speed limit; its a device-based speed limiter, and if thats tampered with, the device is no longer legal. How does it make sense to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to drive powerful tractors with trailers and also allow them to ride mopeds and light motorcycles, but not legal e-scooters? Again: They are clearly dancing on a pin and engaging in a weird form of shadow boxing. They could not possibly have legal, 20km/h scooters in mind. This is more likely to protect older teenagers from what are already banned devices banning a set of people from already banned devices does not make any sense. The only logical conclusion here is that this is performative. Just as scramblers are still not being tackled enough, these new measures for scooters will likely also fail and end up annoying everybody. Later this year, legislation will be introduced to treat e-scooters as all other mechanically propelled vehicles, and there will be a requirement for licensing and registration.The above approach would be understandable for more powerful e-scooters but these are already banned. So, the idea of licensing and registration for legal e-scooters that cannot go abover 20km/h and must not weigh over 25kg is nothing short of laughable. And thats before we ask what type of licence will be needed: AM and A1 licences are open to 16-year-olds, so will the government be starting a whole new licence type for e-scooters? This will also prohibit the sale of scooters to minorsProhibiting the sale without also prohibiting the supply of e-scooters to minors seems fairly pointless when its often their parents or other adults buying the devices for them. and the sale of scooters that do not meet the legal requirements for use on public roads. [bolding added]This issue is key to reducing the illegal use of overpowered e-scooters, electric bicycle-shaped objects which are classed as mopeds, and unregistered scramblers no matter how they are fueled. But mention of for use on public roads is a huge get-out clause. We need an import and sale ban on these devices, commonly used illegally on our roads, streets and parks. People who have a legitimate off-road use should have to prove it at the point of import or sale.Such a permit system, which could include providing proof you have an off-road area where you have permission to use the devices, would be as easy or easier to set up as a new licensing system for the legal light 20km/h e-scooters. More importantly, an import and sale permit system for all three types of devices would be more impactful.Lets be honest, theres really almost no legitimate off-road use of e-scooters. There would be very little administrative burden from such a system.An outright ban will remain on the table.Of course, that has to be said; they wouldnt want to seem like they were backing down or anything.It was also agreed further protections will be provided to members of An Garda Sochna to mirror the system in the UK. This would grant greater legal protections to garda when pursuing e-scooters and e-bikes.Besides the weak restriction on sales, this is likely one of the most important parts of the statement, but its left as the last bit. Does that speak volumes that they want to distract from the fact that enforcement is the main issue? Most of the above as outlined in the statement are poorly thought out and not evidence-based road safety. Its safety theatre with a sprinkling of measures that might be somewhat helpful, but that only go halfway.