Info on police mountain bikes at CS7 launch yesterday?

bronsoir

Sorry couldn't find can't find any pictures online, so I guess the bikes must be quite new. They were hard to miss at the launch in Clapham Common yesterday morning - a small fleet of perky looking mountain bikes with disc brakes, white rims and cables and flouro police stickers all over (obviously!). Anyone know the make / model / source? They didn't look OTT like some mountain bikes and I figure if the police are using them they must be pretty solid...

Cheers for any help on that.

While I'm here, a quick verdict on CSH7 between Clapham Common and town:

- nice colour stands out well from the rest of the road
- Vehicles (mostly) seemed to respect the cycle lane
- overall pretty smooth if you are good at dodging grates and manhole covers with only a few blue painted potholes.
- quickish ride, but then again, the A3 is a straight line...

Overall it must be an improvement and makes navigation a cinch (provided you want to go where the route goes), but I can't imagine new cyclists feeling much safer than without the blue road. Personally, I hated the heavy traffic fumes and won't be holding my (smoggy, sooty, acrid) breath until the CSH comes to south east London. The extra 5ish min on my 10 mile journey is worth it to enjoy lungfuls of fresh air and uncongested streets.

PS this is my first post and I'm sure it's a stupid question but can someone tell me what a 'sticky' thread is??

g00se

I think they're Smith and Wesson branded bikes (seriously). Certainly the ones I've seen around Liverpool Street are but they may be City police rather than Met: http://www.cycle-force.co.uk/

g00se

Oh - sticky means it's stuck to the top of the page (aka pinned).

kelsen

bronsoir wrote:

PS this is my first post and I'm sure it's a stupid question but can someone tell me what a 'sticky' thread is??

It's normally one where DDD or GregT has made a contribution...

Welcome!

bails87

A 'sticky' thread is one that's been 'stuck' to the top of the list of threads by the mods/admins. Usually because it's especially useful or contains rules and FAQs etc.

cee

In edinburgh, the police use Specialized HardRocks for their bicycle beat....

rjsterry

A 'sticky' is a thread that stays at the top of the page, rather than dropping down as it becomes less popular/people stop posting on it.

Lancslad

I saw two in bolton yesterday one was on a dawes the other on a kona, looked like they were their own or something, its the paramedic that rides round with full panniers i feel sorry for.

jibberish

Verdict on CS7.......no difference whatsoever. I've cycled that route every day for the last 4 years and the "blue lane" hasn't changed a thing.

...Still - as you say - the A3 is okay. I don't know why that route wasn't listed as a good cycle route on the old skool cycle maps

bronsoir

Oooh thanks for all the responses. Now am well and truly sorted with the defn of 'sticky'!

g00se, ta for the input re the make of the police bikes. I took a look at the link and hunted down some other photos of the Smith and Wessons (odd crossover from weapons?!) and I'm pretty certain that it wasn't them as the two cross bars are too straight. And the ones I saw were blazing flouro yellow, possibly they were traffic cops? Though I guess it could just have been different livery... Quite amusing that one of the police bikes yesterday was numbered '007' (boys and their toys!)

OK, now have found a piccy of this year's Specialized Hardrock Disc Pro (thanks for the lead, cee) and I'm pretty sure that's the machine under all those stickers. Maybe it's just me but I prefer the simplicity of the police livery to the standard paint job... Not much chance of that though!

g'night all

ketsbaia

I saw one of those police bikes in hot pursuit of an RLJer yesterday evening on the stretch of CS7 just south of Southwark Bridge. I have to say he didn't look to be making any impression, although he was giving it some serious welly.

Can't help thinking they've chosen the wrong kind of bikes. Front sus mountain bike with a load of 'safety' equipment on it has a much higher FCN than many of the bikes they'll be trying to catch.

Silly Constable Racing, anyone?

dhope

ketsbaia wrote:

Silly Constable Racing, anyone?

Bonus points for passing them with a cheery "ello ello ello"

ketsbaia

Even more points for knocking their cap off as you go by.

BigJimmyB

I've seen the Police bikes around the city - the Evening Standard did a piece on them last week/week before:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle ... b-crime.do

dhope

ketsbaia wrote:

Even more points for knocking their cap off as you go by.

A different kind of chapeau?

zanes

Whilst on their site the other day, I noticed Cannondale do a range of police targeted bikes;

http://www.cannondale.com/usa/usaeng/Pr ... forcement/