GCN Show: Is there ever a reason for cyclists to break the rules?

In this week's GCN Show, there is a real sense of loss as Si Richardson and Dan Lloyd bemoan the demise of AG2R Citroën's brown shorts, which have graced the professional peloton for over a decade. The French WorldTeam will become Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale in 2024 and with the new title sponsors onboard, their new blue and white kit has been announced - sans brown shorts.

Read more:

• Decathlon unveiled as new title sponsor and bike supplier of AG2R La Mondiale team
• A closer look at the Van Rysel bikes Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale will ride in 2024

Once considered the height of fashion faux pas, AG2R's brown shorts slowly became trendy and are now beloved by many, and so their absence will certainly be felt next season - at least in the GCN office. From fashion crimes to real-life misdemeanours, the main debate of this week's GCN Show is whether or not it is ever acceptable for cyclists to break the rules.

This topic has reared its head over the past few weeks, with an article appearing in Scottish newspaper The Herald in which the author admits to running red lights and using the pavement in order to avoid holding up "irritated motorists waiting behind".

The author in question may be in the minority of cyclists breaking the law - Forbes reports that only 14% of Danish cyclists break the law, as opposed to 66% of motorists - but this hasn't stopped Queensland, Australia's local government from proposing a new law to combat what they call "careless riding".

Whilst their definition of what "careless riding" consists of is not at all apparent, Si is more forthcoming in his admission of skipping the occasional red light when commuting to the GCN office from his home city of Bristol.

Those living in the city will know the frustration of waiting at the Failand traffic lights, whose sensors don't tend to pick up the presence of cyclists. But Dan notes that cyclists should remain wary of the optics of cyclists falling foul of the law, even if it is for understandable reasons.

Despite the statistics long displaying the opposite, the mainstream media continues to get plenty of mileage out of portraying those on two wheels as being reckless, dangerous and a nuisance - an image that often puts cyclists in harm's way.

Read more: Jeremy Vine interview: I just couldn’t accept that I had to risk my life to get to work

The latest controversy between cyclists and the law in the United Kingdom has come in the bastion of the country's cycling scene, local time trials. British Cycling, the governing body, has moved to prevent courses including roads with a 20mph speed limit, given most participants will stray north of this whilst clocking in their ride.

However, this has come to the displeasure of some, who point out that legally, speed limits do not apply to cyclists in the UK. This is due to bikes being responsible for only a fraction of pedestrian deaths and injuries when compared to cars. But does this mean it is ethical to ride over the speed limit?

Dan and Si discuss this at length before moving on to this week's cycling shorts, otherwise known as a collection of the week's other eye-catching stories. At the top of that list this week was Noel Edmonds' surprising interjection into cycling in New Zealand, with the British TV star opposing the creation of a new cycle route for fear of it being unsafe for those using it.

Read more: TV's Noel Edmonds opposes a New Zealand cycle trail, saying it isn't safe

From New Zealand to Australia, AG2R Citroën's Ben O'Connor will have a new climbing partner for 2024 in the form of Victor Lafay. The Tour de France stage winner is among a handful of new signings announced that also includes Dries De Bondt and Sam Bennett, but the French WorldTeam are not the only ones with exciting news this week.

Indeed, Dan and Si are on hand to run their fingers over Bianchi's latest speed gravel bike called the Impulso RC, which is said to accommodate tyres of up to 42mm but also adopt aerodynamic features seen on their Oltre road model.

Elsewhere, Dan has been upstaged in the clan of those with the surname Lloyd, with GCN's own Manon Lloyd named amongst Cycling UK's 100 Women in Cycling list for 2023. The list is designed to celebrate "inspirational women who are encouraging others to experience the joy of cycling," and we were delighted to see Manon amongst its number.

Read more: Manon Lloyd among Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling list for 2023

Hack/bodge

Make sure to tune into this week's GCN Show to discover what Dan and Si made of the latest hack/bodge submissions, ranging from an innovative homemade clock to a rather intrusive-looking saddle addition... We'll be bringing you a new way to upload your entries very soon, here on our website.

On the channels this week:

• Wednesday: GCN presents an insight into which winter training mistakes to avoid
• Thursday: Outdoor gym exercises to benefit weedy cyclists
• Friday: The showdown everybody has been waiting for: Cillian Kelly vs Andrew Feather on Zwift
• Saturday: Recumbent vs Moped: which will come out on top?
• Sunday: Is the world's best climber still a super rider when on a flat road?

Coming up this week on GCN+

This week, we have a new ultra-endurance film on GCN+, as well as a weekend full of cyclo-cross action.

• OUT NOW: 'Paris-Brest-Paris,' in which we follow the travails of four riders who seek to finish the 1,200km route within the 90-hour cut-off time. Will we have a winner in our midst, and will everyone make it?
• The cyclo-cross continues in full swing with the Superprestige in Boom on Saturday, followed by the CX World Cup from Flamanville on Sunday afternoon.

Note: Territory restrictions apply on all our race coverage.