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Slightly off-topic maybe but an article that TfL have suppressed about women cyclists being more likely to be killed in traffic that might suggest red-light jumping is, in some cases, the safest option:* "It suggests that some cyclists who break the law by jumping red lights may be safer and that cycle feeder lanes may make the problem worse. "*

http://www.rudi.net/node/16395

http://youtu.be/6qycF0raqpg

I find this incident amazing. The cyclist is so calm unlike the woman who runs him over and keeps on screeching "where were you?!" ...

That's absolutely unbelievable! Amazing that he stayed so calm although he seemed to be in quite serious shock. Maybe if the driver of the Focus that ran over him stopped screeching "where were you" and made sure he was ok it would be better use of her time!!

Sad to see some negative comments about 'red light jumping cyclists' too. Seems to be the standard response even in situations like this where the cyclist did everything right.

Not again, this place is horrendous!

Hope he's ok!

There's probably a bad pedestrians thread, but tonight I was walking my bicycle from the bike racks to the curb, not near anybody, and a passing guy tells me (seriously): "You should be on the road!".

Totally made me smile though, that made my evening.

I did this, expecting to scare myself into riding more cautiously, but when I watched the video back it was pretty boring (bar some idiot buzzing a pedestrian through a red light and then getting into an argument with an Audi) so I have upped my RLJing and gap-squeezing accordingly.

Hah, mine was boring too, great idea!

I looked at them for my first fixie and they seem pretty nice, although I can't comment on how well-engineered they are. Decided to build my own fixie instead and reckon I'll be able to do it for less than £270 anyway (maybe not counting the wheels though as I wanted to get a good set, which I can keep even if I sell the bike). Personally, I love the idea of building my own bike, getting it painted and fitting the parts I want and it's great to learn about bike maintenance. Maybe these are pretty good if you wanted to try fixed-wheel riding but don't have massive bucks...

At the risk of continuing the thread when the definitive list has been posted - if you're planning on building something, why not just start reading around and build something over the winter?

It's what I did - half-way through my first build.

On the commute in this morning, a lady cyclist asked me how the video camera (actually a flashlight) on my helmet was working out. Said she'd been knocked off her bike "so many times" and was thinking of getting a camera. I told her my gizmo was just a light. Having earlier seen her meander down tiny gaps left of large vehicles and undertake on the footpath at an intersection when there was no gap to re-merge into I could only add that I've never been knocked off, because I ride cautiously. She laughed and said she'd noticed that. Then pedalled off as the lights changed. Best of luck fearless nodder!

Using a video camera was pretty good for me as it allowed me to improve my own riding more than anything. There were a few instances where cars did stupid things but re-watching it I could have been in a different position and avoided it. Ok so they made a mistake but it was good for me to learn more about how to avoid things like that.

I'm going to write to my MP too and also write to Boris, FWIW. Just feel that it's time for Boris to stop the rhetoric and take this seriously, or step aside and let somebody take over else who can do it.

Brian's wife has replied to a BBC article:

"I am the wife of Brian Dorling who was killed on 24th October at this awful junction. I and our 3 children are devastated by his needless death on what is an appalling layout. We went to watch the reconstruction of the collision and whilst I was watching the traffic in 20 minutes 3 more cyclists were nearly hit. I said to the police and traffic engineer at the time that someone else will die."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15708227?postId=110858573#comment_110858573

Just feel so sorry for her and her children, and the family and friends of the lady killed there on Friday.

Struggling to see what he's done wrong here

He did absolutely nothing wrong at all. My only point was that he seemed so stressed and angry while cycling in a pretty quiet part of London. Shouting at pedestrians and muttering at lorries for no reason (the lorry wasn't doing anything wrong too) seems, in my humble opinion, to be a good way of spoiling what can be a really pleasant way of travelling.

Yesterday a hamster-wheeling foldable rider went absolutely piling past me down a separated cycle lane; all dressed for 'urban cycling warfare'. Pedestrian nearly stepped into the lane in front of this guy but leapt back in time. Totally honest mistake and no harm done. But cycling-warrior decides to launch abuse at the pedestrian as he went past. I actually felt so bad I apologised to the pedestrian as I passed him. "Warrior" then decides to overtake all of the bikes on the cycle lane by cutting straight into lanes of traffic only to get stuck in a rather dodgy position behind a huge, turning lorry blocking the entire lane. The cyclists on the lane just pedalled past him calmly and left him muttering at the lorry.

Really wanted to suggest to him that just calming himself down would really help, but guess it'd not be too welcome.

BBC are reporting that a woman, thought to be in her 20s, has been killed at Bow Roundabout. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 16:45 today. According to the report it involves an HGV; the driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15703169

Sorry, that's an advert - my bad!

Once the green light flashes It's like a licence to behave like a cock.
Not really sure what to suggest.

Even Boris does it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekjIUR3n1C0

I think I'm going to replace my brake hoods tonight (SRAM Rival, the new hoods are Hüdz) but I've never done this before and can't seem to find any instructions online. The levers are already installed on the bars so is it just a case of peeling the old hoods forwards over the levers? I've fiddled with this when positioning the levers and it seems like a mighty tight fit so I'm wondering if I just need to be more brutal or if I'm missing something. The existing levers came (2nd hand) with a big rip in the hoods, presumably from the previous owner being a bit overzealous.

I very well may be wrong (you might want to check first) but if they are plastic or rubber then leaving them in pretty warm water for a while first might help their flexibility and help get them onto the levers? As for getting the old ones off, can these be cut off?

You do see some ludicrous stuff from people riding the blue bikes, but guess lots of these people aren't used to cycling, never mind in London. Also it's fair to say that lots of them probably just don't give a shit because it's a hire bike and all. Guess we just need to give them some space to let them do their crazy business.

You can 'report' the bike number to TfL who will then write to the user, but that's probably pointless anyway. The cops do it now and again, AFAIK.

Just got my frame back from being powder-coated.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/257/photoilu.jpg

Photo looks more pink than the purple it actually is.

I had to do that on Thursday night when I realized I'd forgotten to charge up my front light and decided it was better they see me coming than going.

Just seems a bit of a dangerous thing really, generally I feel safer if cars can see me while overtaking me.

There are a few people that ride without any lights and - I'm probably wrong - but think that's preferable to riding with a red on the front.

Don't think it has a time-limit but if you're sent a summons in the post you can deny it was you driving anyway.

Not sure what a 'roundabout jumper' is though, unless they went through red lights on a roundabout.

It's a bit of a pity the East London Advertiser calls it a 'smash'. Maybe just me but it seems a little crass...

I'm honestly not saying anything to bad drivers on the road anymore. Only shook my head at a white van completely blocking the green box and lurching forwards for him to follow me and rant about how he can tell me how the road works. Thought he was going to punch me off my bike! Lesson learned today, just put up with shit driving...

Also saw a car nearly wipe out a courier today though and giggled when he threw whatever was in his water bottle over the windscreen of the car.

Is that Wapping? London Ambulance Service just tweeted they've take a woman cyclist to hospital who was in collision with a lorry. Hope she's OK.

It's the same area, yes.

Have heard a report: "Reports woman cyclist hit by HGV The Highway, north end of Tower Bridge 9am badly injured."

Really hoping she's ok!!

After riding a 'town bike' for a while I've been craving a lighter bike. Initially I was thinking about a single-speed, but after riding my friend's fixie I absolutely loved it. So started to ask people about frames and look around. I found a Reynolds 531 on eBay for £60 so bought it and stripped it down - apart from the bottom bracket that the nice folks at Tokyo Fixed did for me with the appropriate tool. I got some advice from a guy at work about removing the braze-ons and then sanded the frame smooth. I also took the rear derailleur hanger off too.

So now it's in the paint shop and should be finished tomorrow. Will post pics of its new colour!

https://unorder-diaspora-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/3d16becac87c9253996b.jpg