Cyclist friend of mine killed last Friday…..

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katiewlx

Senior Member
saw it reported on the local news, and my heart always sinks when I see those reports especially the more local ones, as you are always aware alot of the time its there but for the grace of God go us all, you ride the same roads, encounter the same traffic, have to cope with the same risks. Condolences to his friends & family.
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
Sad news indeed! Rest in peace fellow cyclist!
 

Shaunylad

Regular
I'm absolutely devastated to hear about Steve. Never met the guy asI live in Northumberland but followed each other on Strava. Even to the point whereby we exchanged numbers and spoke every so often about family and that. He was so freindly - polite- and a gent. Such sad, sad news. I am so gutted. God bless him and his family.
 

Shaunylad

Regular
Please raise your glass to Steven Shadwell when you’re able 😕

Died as a result of a collision with a lorry (Now is not the time to get into the whys or hows) on his way to work.

An absolute gent of a guy - who no single person in the 700 odd strong workforce at his place of Employment / where I’m also subcontracted - would have a bad word to say about him.

Infact my last recollection of him is just a few weeks ago when walking past the machine he operated to be greeted by an “Oi - want one of these” - to see his smiling face as he offered me a piece of homemade chocolate ‘thingy’….

Raise your glasses and reflect please 🍺

https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/suffolk/news/news/2026/february/ilketshall-st-john--fatal-collision/#:~:text=A man has died following,a lorry and a bicycle.


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Hi mate. Sorry to trouble you. I know its been a few months since Steve sadly passed. I was down in Bungay a few weeks ago to pay my respects to Steve. Had a pint in the Racehorse at Westall as I knew he liked it there. Can I ask if his family are doing ok ( daft question but..) Are you ok? I only knew him through Strava n Whats App but felt we really made a connection. I thought he was a smashing bloke. He is always on my mind. Just gutted as I know you and all his friends will be. Is the lorry driver being prosecuted? Did he have a funeral? Such a bloody shame. Sorry for all the questions. Kind regards. Shaun
 

Shaunylad

Regular
Always gutting to hear such news. One of our community died of heart failure at only 22. 300 mile weeks and lots of racing including 12 hour TT’s with a full time job wouldn’t have helped. Even young guys need rest & recovery. :sad:
Always gutting to hear such news. One of our community died of heart failure at only 22. 300 mile weeks and lots of racing including 12 hour TT’s with a full time job wouldn’t have helped. Even young guys need rest & recovery. :sad:

Ah mate. So sorry for your loss. Thats so sad ☹️ to hear. Cycling is such a beautiful sport/pastime . Maybe take some comfort in knowing they passed doing something they loved. Not easy to take in but it may help. Thoughts to all who knew him . Take care my freind.
 
OP
OP
sevenfourate

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
Hi mate. Sorry to trouble you. I know its been a few months since Steve sadly passed. I was down in Bungay a few weeks ago to pay my respects to Steve. Had a pint in the Racehorse at Westall as I knew he liked it there. Can I ask if his family are doing ok ( daft question but..) Are you ok? I only knew him through Strava n Whats App but felt we really made a connection. I thought he was a smashing bloke. He is always on my mind. Just gutted as I know you and all his friends will be. Is the lorry driver being prosecuted? Did he have a funeral? Such a bloody shame. Sorry for all the questions. Kind regards. Shaun

No-no - don’t apologise. If it helps you: ask away.

A really good friend of mine: and someone Steve used to do loads of riding with (Various charity rides, pleasure stuff, 100 Mile Sportives etc etc) for years - went around to see his Widow twice in the near immediate aftermath. Mainly because he had loads of pictures of Steve on his phone that she may have never seen. He printed them out and took them around.
It was very early days at that point - and he said she was still very much coming to terms with it in her own way.

Certainly at first the Funeral was initially being delayed - as I believe they were still struggling to effectively determine the exact cause of death. And I think they wouldn’t release his body at that point ? I’m not sure if you’re aware; but he was cycling into work for his 6am shift start one awful, dark, rainy Morning. Had full hi-vis clothing on, lights on etc - but chose the main road route and somehow got tangled with a lorry. Or possibly two. I believe some of the debate was which lorry hit him. As one them carried on for “a mile” or so only stopping when the other lorry driver behind from the same company radio’d him. Again - I know so many people he worked with who’d probably know the exact truth. But for me that wasn’t important - and I’ve actively avoided and infact a couple of times stopped people telling me some of the ‘details’……..

I also knew the guy very well who was ‘following’ or first on scene in the car behind. And also Travelling into work on the same shift pattern at the same Factory. I heard this and spoke to him a few weeks later - mainly to make sure he was ok. I distinctly told him I didn’t need or want to hear all the gory details. I do believe however - that he tried to perform CPR etc even though he immediately knew it was futile 🙁

Yes - Steve was the salt of the Earth. Always went out of his way to say hello, see me, say something, crack a joke or offer some home-made treats. And there’s various ‘tributes’, boards of condolence, memory boards at his place of work. I’m told his Death, not being around - and infact even his bike not being in the cycle sheds any more - has really effected a few people he spent a lot of time with at work.
So I’m not at all surprised you two connected - even though you’d not actually met. He was that kinda guy 😉

I don’t know about the Lorry driver(s) ? being prosecuted. I shall ask my friend - who knew Steve and his Family way better than I did. He’d know.

And if it helps you understand / clear your head etc - please ask whatever you need to. If I can help: I will.

Cheers 🙏
 

Shaunylad

Regular
Hi mate. Thanks so much for replying, I really appreciate it. Wow. That is so bloody awful and extremely sad to hear. God bless him. I did see he was on his way to work through Strava. He would have ridden that road a thousand times and more and no one would have ever thought he wouldn't come home that day 😪. I laid some flowers on the junction where I thought he may have been killed when I was down there.Just wish I was visiting in happier circumstances, like actually meeting him. One regret I do have is not doing that. My heart breaks for his family and all of you who knew him. Seems like he touched a lot of people's lives and will be a huge miss. Once again thank you. Stay safe and take care. Shaun
 
Always gutting to hear such news. One of our community died of heart failure at only 22. 300 mile weeks and lots of racing including 12 hour TT’s with a full time job wouldn’t have helped. Even young guys need rest & recovery. :sad:

If its in your Genes 😭
Im lucky the two cases I know are still here.

My self at 65kg then, cycling 8,000-16,000 miles a year and being an active TT'er, got hit by under age bowel cancer. Fortunately my doc took it more serious than me and I am still here. Two years later my mother got it but as it was identified in the genes they got her fast.

My mate who wins a lot of TTs (ultra fit) got a blood clot in his leg and they were worried it would go to his heart, so had to give up. The investigation determined it was genetic too. Fortunately after a break, the docs gave him the all clear and he's came back, and is the reigning British Masters Champ.
 

Shaunylad

Regular
No-no - don’t apologise. If it helps you: ask away.

A really good friend of mine: and someone Steve used to do loads of riding with (Various charity rides, pleasure stuff, 100 Mile Sportives etc etc) for years - went around to see his Widow twice in the near immediate aftermath. Mainly because he had loads of pictures of Steve on his phone that she may have never seen. He printed them out and took them around.
It was very early days at that point - and he said she was still very much coming to terms with it in her own way.

Certainly at first the Funeral was initially being delayed - as I believe they were still struggling to effectively determine the exact cause of death. And I think they wouldn’t release his body at that point ? I’m not sure if you’re aware; but he was cycling into work for his 6am shift start one awful, dark, rainy Morning. Had full hi-vis clothing on, lights on etc - but chose the main road route and somehow got tangled with a lorry. Or possibly two. I believe some of the debate was which lorry hit him. As one them carried on for “a mile” or so only stopping when the other lorry driver behind from the same company radio’d him. Again - I know so many people he worked with who’d probably know the exact truth. But for me that wasn’t important - and I’ve actively avoided and infact a couple of times stopped people telling me some of the ‘details’……..

I also knew the guy very well who was ‘following’ or first on scene in the car behind. And also Travelling into work on the same shift pattern at the same Factory. I heard this and spoke to him a few weeks later - mainly to make sure he was ok. I distinctly told him I didn’t need or want to hear all the gory details. I do believe however - that he tried to perform CPR etc even though he immediately knew it was futile 🙁

Yes - Steve was the salt of the Earth. Always went out of his way to say hello, see me, say something, crack a joke or offer some home-made treats. And there’s various ‘tributes’, boards of condolence, memory boards at his place of work. I’m told his Death, not being around - and infact even his bike not being in the cycle sheds any more - has really effected a few people he spent a lot of time with at work.
So I’m not at all surprised you two connected - even though you’d not actually met. He was that kinda guy 😉

I don’t know about the Lorry driver(s) ? being prosecuted. I shall ask my friend - who knew Steve and his Family way better than I did. He’d know.

And if it helps you understand / clear your head etc - please ask whatever you need to. If I can help: I will.p

Cheers 🙏
Hi mate. Thanks so much for replying, I really appreciate it. Wow. That is so bloody awful and extremely sad to hear. God bless him. I did see he was on his way to work through Strava. He would have ridden that road a thousand times and more and no one would have ever thought he wouldn't come home that day 😪. I laid some flowers on the junction where I thought he may have been killed when I was down there.Just wish I was visiting in happier circumstances, like actually meeting him. One regret I do have is not doing that. My heart breaks for his family and all of you who knew him. Seems like he touched a lot of people's lives and will be a huge miss. Once again thank you. Stay safe and take care. Shaun
 

Shaunylad

Regular
Hi mate. Thanks so much for replying, I really appreciate it. Wow. That is so bloody awful and extremely sad to hear. God bless him. I did see he was on his way to work through Strava. He would have ridden that road a thousand times and more and no one would have ever thought he wouldn't come home that day 😪. I laid some flowers on the junction where I thought he may have been killed when I was down there.Just wish I was visiting in happier circumstances, like actually meeting him. One regret I do have is not doing that. My heart breaks for his family and all of you who knew him. Seems like he touched a lot of people's lives and will be a huge miss. Once again thank you. Stay safe and take care. Shaun
Hi mate. Thanks so much for replying, I really appreciate it. Wow. That is so bloody awful and extremely sad to hear. God bless him. I did see he was on his way to work through Strava. He would have ridden that road a thousand times and more and no one would have ever thought he wouldn't come home that day 😪. I laid some flowers on the junction where I thought he may have been killed when I was down there.Just wish I was visiting in happier circumstances, like actually meeting him. One regret I do have is not doing that. My heart breaks for his family and all of you who knew him. Seems like he touched a lot of people's lives and will be a huge miss. Once again thank you. Stay safe and take care. Shaun
 
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