Jack Thurston

One of the great cars in the history of motoring, the Vauxhall Astra Estate.

30 year spread 🤣

Who dropped the tuba on that top tube?

This guy isn't AI generated, and ticks a whole lot of cycling weirdo boxes. All in a good cause. innertuba.org.uk

Pro cyclist riding a unicycle while playing a trombone

Clearly taking Mike Burrows's advice on crank length.

Presumably after you’d mastered playing the tuba while riding a unicycle?

Yes - I used to cycle up Highgate Hill to school carrying a trombone on a Peugeot ten speed “racer”. Crashed once overcooking a corner on the descent. One handed braking isnt optimal. I learned today that Becky James is also a trombonist.

Must have: ability to carry a trombone.

Must not have: fixed gear.

Take that, hipsters!

👏 @cyclinguk.bsky.social

There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?

“You take a punch, but you have to be willing to throw a punch. For the children.”

The Bol d'Or sounds horrendous! Must be some great stories though. Anyone written the book?

"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"

Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...

YouTube video by Kingstoned - soundzz Jimmy Cliff - Hard Road To Travel - Federal Records RARE Soul version

RIP Jimmy Cliff, musical titan, reggae giant, who also wrote and sang this, the unofficial anthem to audax cycling. For me it has to be the rarer, R&B arrangement. @audaxuk.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2zs...

List of funny Scottish gritter names for winter

Just saw the list of gritter names for this year and they have outdone themselves
These always make me smile

A niche architectural style known as ‘Hebridean Brutalist’.

I’d have a car-scrappage linked cargo bike / e bike grant scheme. Suspect that would be more effective re modal shift. Most C2W scheme users are already cycling to work and a good % never cycle to work.

Generally agree, and it may encourage manufacturers to be more realistic about their pricing. A cap much lower than £4000 might be a problem for the cargo bike market. Ok if buyers can “top up” with non salary sacrifice funds. Abolishing the scheme altogether would be pretty bad though.

Does North Macedonia have a rugby team? Asking for 15 friends. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

😍

East Anglia perhaps, but then you'll be complaining about the headwinds.

that would be telling! email me in the new year and I'll see what I can do.

Cover illustration for the forthcoming Lost Lanes Scotland book.

Well this is exciting. And unnerving as the book's still not quite finished. But very much on track for publication in Spring 2026.

Always judge a book by its cover, especially when it's by the brilliant Andrew Pavitt! #lostlanes #lostlanesscotland

This debate needs more light and less heat. Some useful analysis in the HoC library briefing note on asylum policy, including a data vis of where those granted asylum in the past decades have come from. Am sure not new to you but I thought it illuminating. Be interesting to see one on returns.

Of course you are, beg your pardon!

You may be right that the savings to the taxpayer (i.e. for schools and hospitals) aren't worth the administrative hassles. But I do think there should be more value models like there used to be, and I know the pre-2019 C2W scheme (i.e. with price cap) created a market for those, in the UK.

data visualisation on where refugees settled in the UK since 1989 came from

Quite an impressive data visualisation on where refugees settled in the UK since 1989 came from. Part of the House of Commons Library briefing note on asylum policy. Link: researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...

I agree with all that. But the cycle-to-work price cap in the past (i.e. prior to 2019) created a large UK market for solid, good-value models like the Genesis Croix de Fer. That was a good thing, in my opinion. From what I understand, Shimano Cues is a good thing on the value end the scale.

Enjoy that pint at the end. Jail Ale perchance?

Lost Lanes West by @jackthurston.bsky.social today. No 23 starts in Bovey Tracey with a stiff 5 mile climb. Rest at 2.5 needed but lovely route so far.

They’re rumoured to be bringing in a mileage tax for EVs. And the tax breaks on EV purchases have been coming down. Genuine question: what % of bikes bought under the “cycle to work” scheme are ever actually cycled to work?