Topgear - Cycle is quickest!

RufusA

I know it may not be the cyclist's programme of choice but semi-interesting challenge on Top Gear last night.

Starting at Kew Bridge?, the presenters had to race to City Airport across London in the morning rush hour. The selected modes of transport were:

Cycle, Public (bus, tube and DLR), Car and Boat!

The winner was the hamster on a carbon Sirrus. And that was with no RLJ.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/episo ... ode5.shtml

Sadly the show made much of the risks of cycling with frequent references to Hammond not being able to answer the phone as he was likely to be under the wheels of a bus, or bouncing his head along tarmac etc. Not to mention his likely sweatiness.

But good to see the bicycle reigning supreme in London, and over a reasonable distance as well.

Rufus.

TheFoolio888

I saw that too...I had to laugh. I thought too much was made of the dangers of cyling and Hamster giving drivers abuse though.

But all-in-all...

1-0 to the cyclist

Belv

Hammonds 'cycle rage' was first class!

Did they really make too much of the danger though? It is dangerous.

chrisjsmith

Everything in the city is dangerous.

Fortunately everything goes at such a slow speed that life-threatening injuries are actually quite rare.

graeme_s-2

I also thought they made a bit much of the dangers of cycling, but then if you compare it to the earlier feature where Clarkson was testing that new F1-inspired road car, they didn't make it look all that dangerous!

mrchrispy

i winced when he took that post office van on the inside as the lights changed on a corner.
it called the killzone for a reason. :roll:

spasypaddy

i thought Hammond cycled quite well, but took gaps that didnt look like they were actually there and i personally wouldnt of taken. Some of it was dangerous cycling but i thought they highlighted the dangers quite well. I wish i rode into central London sometimes (just to play with the traffic) but the furthest i ever get into London for work is tottenham (based in edmonton).

The fact that it was a race probably put some pressure on him and meant he took more dangerous lines than he normally would of. Do you reckon it was his own bike or a BBC one?

Ashley_R

Wish I could get a picture of Clarksons smug face as my screen saver when he was told he'd been beaten by a bike!

Was convinced that all their challenges were fixed to make him come out first, have to believe otherwise, never imagine him agreeing to it if it was fixed!

Also, did anyone see Ewan McGregors Long Way Down program after it, they met a cyclist in Sudan, pedalling around the world, including the oceaney bits in a pedal powered boat, now thats impressive!

jedster

i winced when he took that post office van on the inside as the lights changed on a corner.

yeah, it got a "nooooo" from me

Steve_F

I love Top Gear and that was a top notch challenge. Did give a cheer when Hamster had already checked in - nice result!

Found it strange that I did look at the traffic and think next time I'm there I want my bike with me, that really shouldn't look like fun.

The long way down was funny too when they had been falling out and trying to show how hard work and tiring it was before meeting the boy on his bike who had taken 9 years to get to that point :shock: , kind of put them to shame.

Totalnewbie

I was cheering like mad for the Hamster! What did that girl on a bike say to him as she passed though?

Steve_F

Think she told him to speed up!! He must either of held her up or she knew who he was and had a bit of a dig.

Telling the crossing pedestrians to enjoy their walk - Class

el_presidente

Ashley_R wrote:

Also, did anyone see Ewan McGregors Long Way Down program after it, they met a cyclist in Sudan, pedalling around the world, including the oceaney bits in a pedal powered boat, now thats impressive!

That was Jason Lewis, he was in the news recently for finishing his trip

http://www.expedition360.com/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7022644.stm

Crapaud

spasypaddy wrote:

Do you reckon it was his own bike or a BBC one?

Would he need a licence for a BBC bike?

Would the BBC bike detector van be able to keep up in London?

Atz

Totalnewbie wrote:

I was cheering like mad for the Hamster! What did that girl on a bike say to him as she passed though?

She also made a comment about his bandy legs. She was right too.

karl j

As you say Rufus, hardly a programme of choice but i did watch this one

On reflection i guess there was a bit of stoking up to the 'angry cyclist' ....in fairness the ''feckin lights / camersa on me / shouting at buses'' could have been removed with no change to the end result . As could the 'cyclists of the river' comment - what a muppet that bloke is - but then i dont suppose it'd do ole JC's image a lot of good to just quietly accept something like being shown up by a bicycle

Really wanted to hear the coastguard / Thames barrier / or whoever it was tell him to "slow down, tw4t" when he radioed for permission to come through at high speed in his boat

Werent very impressed with the way Richard Hammond cut up that girl (nearer the end, on top of some bridge IIRC), she was on a sort of cycle lane and he just bumped up the kerb right in front of her - ok yes he said sorry but i couldn't help thinking it wouldnt have hurt him to either wait the few seconds and let her pass first, or pedal up a bit and get a decent distance in front of her. Shame really as he comes across as a decent enough bloke, and the prog gave the impression he's no stranger to cycling

But there you go, all-in-all no great surprises, and good to see cycling being portrayed in a broadly positive manner on mass-audience tv .... (well, about as broadly positive as its likely to be given Clarkson was on the scene too)

Atz

To be fair, I spend a reasonable amount of my commute cursing under my breath at drivers so vocalising it is the only real difference :twisted:

mtb.boy

It was funny when he stopped at the lighs and about 6 people just went straight past him.

SilverSurfer

I thought it did a world of good to the cyclists image as they weren't slagged off like the famous JC 'crush them under my wheels' comment of a while back.

Hammond came across as a decent cyclist and it kind of showed that car fans can be cyclists too. Quite a healthy approach rather than the old polarised view.

I noticed how cars weren't insulted by Hammond only bus drivers and the occassional van driver - edited to appeal to the general motorist perhaps?

BTW I reckon that travelling by boat was by far the coolest out of the 4!

prj45

Thing is, why did he gun it so much?

If he'd've sat back and enjoyed a nice leisurly cycle I'm sure he still would've won.

No point in going much faster than 12 mph, the advantage he had over the car was that he was at the front of the lights every time, and got through on the first green, unlike the car which probably had to wait for several.

prj45

SilverSurfer wrote:

I thought it did a world of good to the cyclists image as they weren't slagged off like the famous JC 'crush them under my wheels' comment of a while back.

I didn't mind that one, but the comment about cycle helmets actually being useful when linked to a potentially increased casualty rate for those that do was below pale.

Atz

prj45 wrote:

I didn't mind that one, but the comment about cycle helmets actually being useful when linked to a potentially increased casualty rate for those that do was below pale.

Any chance we can steer clear of the helmet/no helmet arguments for a change :P

Cyclegent

It would have been funnier if Clarkson had ridden a bike. I imagine he'd have a rusty old MTB and would be wearing jeans.

Cyclegent

prj45 wrote:

SilverSurfer wrote:

I thought it did a world of good to the cyclists image as they weren't slagged off like the famous JC 'crush them under my wheels' comment of a while back.

I didn't mind that one, but the comment about cycle helmets actually being useful when linked to a potentially increased casualty rate for those that do was below pale.

Come on, it's the BBC - they love any kind of protective health and safety nanny-state twaddle. I recall there was a prog about cycling in Holland a while back and viewers were advised to bring their own helmets, as they were difficult to find in Holland. At least Clarkson pokes fun at H&S by doing things like wearing two helmets etc.

misterben

Personally, I'm a huge Top Gear fan - I think it's hilarious, and although I am a cyclist, I quite enjoy cars too. But it was very gratifying to see Hammond come through on the bike.

Parkey

I hate driving and cars but I really enjoy watching Top Gear.

It's important not to make the mistake of taking it too seriously.

Cyclegent

Parkey wrote:

I hate driving and cars but I really enjoy watching Top Gear.

It's important not to make the mistake of taking it too seriously.

Yes. I remember Clarkson describing a cyclist as being 'red faced with a bunch of bananas on his head' which I thought was quite funny...he also wrote quite an amusing article about going cycling in Amsterdam with A.A.Gill. He fell off on some cobbles I think.

s1m0n

Parkey wrote:

I hate driving and cars but I really enjoy watching Top Gear.

It's important not to make the mistake of taking it too seriously.

Well said!

I have been lurking on these forums on and off for the last few months while I work on my employer to introduce a 'cycle to work' scheme (its a slow process). I have to say that while I have got some useful information from here about what kind of bike I will need (16 mile commute each way), there is a lot of 'back chat' that is really off putting.

The overly aggressive anti-car stance by many is one, the anti/pro helmet stance by others is another. Many of us commuters live in areas where the only viable alternative to a car is a bike and we need encouragement to get on a bike, not judging us because we also need to use a car (try juggling two children, nursery, school, work and a 16 mile commute with just a bike).

All it does is put us off coming to forums like this with a real risk of making the wrong bicycle choice putting a would be cyclist off for life - how has that helped anyone. Bit like the guy i saw on a bike the other day with stickers proudly saying 'one less car' - very good, except he was cycling along the pavement where I don't tend to drive.....

Apologies for the rant.

cupofteacp

Did anyone else notice he was always in the middle ring at the front?

tomfoolery

For those who missed it first time, like me:

Top Gear

Wednesday 14 November
7:00pm - 8:00pm
BBC2

This week, the presenters compete in an epic race across London: Jeremy in a speed boat, James in a car, Richard on his push bike and the Stig on public transport.

Plax

For those who missed it first time, like me:

Top Gear

Wednesday 14 November
7:00pm - 8:00pm
BBC2

This week, the presenters compete in an epic race across London: Jeremy in a speed boat, James in a car, Richard on his push bike and the Stig on public transport.

Fantastic, thanks tomfoolery! I was hoping I hadn't missed the repeat.