The Beacon Message Board

If we really want a cycling legacy after the Commonwealth Games, money should be invested in infrastructure that allows people to cycle (and walk) safely to and from the games venues.

Free turbo trainers to everyone I say......

The trouble with free turbos is that they would have to be cheapo's, the sort that start burning out shortly after being being purchased (or given). You know the sort Alan.

Yosser wrote: ↑

22 Feb 2018 14:20

The trouble with free turbos is that they would have to be cheapo's, the sort that start burning out shortly after being being purchased (or given). You know the sort Alan.

Yeah.....that's the trouble with "cheap" trainers, they don't last five minutes

According to the news Coventry City Football Club may not be able to use the Ricoh Arena much longer. So how about building a new arena for the Coventry football club and have a cycle track on the outside of the pitch. I realise that it may not be a standard length, but better than no pitch at all. Covered with a retractable roof like Wimbledon for the tennis. Even the possibility of a multi sports centre and with concerts in the summer could make it a viable option. What do you think?

Oscar, Coventry City FC is still totally toxic sadly, been a disaster for twenty years now so I wouldn't recommend anything with them. They could use Ricoh but are still suing everyone in arms length is what I've heard. Also I don't know of any velodrome working well combined with another big sporting pitch like football plus football fans want to be close to the pitch, it's one reason why west ham fans already regret the move to the Olympic stadium.

Andy I agree money to get the public cycling is a far far higher priority but that's a different topic. A games like this has no link to cycling for transport. Elite sport performance and these sorts of venues will have nothing to do with getting the 97% of Brummies that don't cycle to work or school doing so. The politicians that back them and the leaders of the bid lie or are ignorant when they say a legacy will be increased physical activity in the population. No evidence of that in any previous Olympics or Commonwealth Games The children who live within 5 miles of the London velodrome and pool are now less fit than pre London games. This is about sport performance and sport participation and the west midlands cycle sport clubs and riders having similar facilities to other regions; we have a larger population than Scotland and Manchester and south Wales so that's why I think it is potentially viable, as much as the pool or athletics stadium is anyway.

The chat on this goes on. This article summarises a few quotes well https://social.shorthand.com/joefletche ... w-or-never

I attended the regional BC board meeting yesterday evening with Dave Veiner (originator of the petition and Chairman of Halesowen ) to present a case for the Velodrome , including some of the financial and feasibility studies Dave has commissioned.

A very interesting debate and covering far too much ground to do justice to here.

Suffice to say that BC isn't particularly supportive presently although open to persuasion.

For my own part I believe there is a strong case for a small multi purpose facility outside of Birmingham(Dudley, Sandwell perhaps) as a legacy project from the games. Funded by Sport England and a consortium of West Midlands councils and managed by a trust rather than by those councils or the private sector. I think the campaign will have to move along these lines rather than concentrating on a venue for the commonwealth game's or Birmingham city council.

Anyone interested can contact me for more information.