We know that we’re primarily an MTB site, but most off-road rides of any note include at least a bit of Tarmac and plenty of you ride the road too, either for the hell of it, for training (whatever that is) or to commute. So the news that a Scottish company has come up with a whole new way of mending potholes is likely to be well-received.

Traditionally, potholes are repaired by some chaps showing up in a big truck with a pot of boiling tar on the back, which they pour into the hole, smooth off a bit and leave to set. The problem is that it’s a bit time-consuming and also tends to shrink, settle and generally not wear too well.

Rosyth-based Nu-Phalt Scotland uses innovative infrared technology that offers a much faster, environmentally-friendly, safer, cheaper and longer lasting way to repair potholes than conventional methods. It says that the “average pothole” can be repaired in an almost seamless fashion in 20 minutes.

Gary Gibson, the Managing Director of Nu-Phalt Scotland, says, “The innovative process recycles the existing road surface material in-situ and produces a heat-sealed repair that re-establishes the original integrity of the treated surface to create a thermo-bond between the repair area and the existing road surface. It creates a near seamless joint and extends its performance life to give a longer lasting repair.”

The system has been designed to be fully self-contained within a single vehicle. The full recycling operation is completed by a two-man team, eliminating the requirement for, um, “multiple operative attendance” on small repair areas. As well as a better repair, the speed and compactness of the system means less disruption and, importantly for cyclists, fewer things that you have to dodge out around…