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The rules are in place not to hold back speed, but to protect the image of cycling. A recumbent may be faster but it does not look like a bicycle to the average
by SilverRed 5y ago
The rules are in place not to hold back speed, but to protect the image of cycling. A recumbent may be faster but it does not look like a bicycle to the average person and changes the image of the sport.
Things like better shifters, lighter frames (within reason) more aero parts (within reason) are still allowed.
- brainwad 5y ago> lighter frames (within reason) The UCI's 6.8kg weight limit is much higher than what is achievable with modern materials. So much so that there are frame builders who can build you an "illegal" bike made out of _steel_: https://www.rodbikes.com/catalog/outlaw/outlaw-main.html https://www.rodbikes.com/catalog/outlaw/outlaw-main.html
- SilverRed 5y agoThey do drop the limits over time. The reasoning is they want everyone to have very structurally sound bikes for safety. You _could_ build an ultra light steel bike but it might fail and cause serious injury. With a minimum limit, no one feels the need to make their bikes less than perfectly strong. And when every OEM is making frames at perfect strength under the limit, they drop it.
- brainwad 5y agoThey haven't ever dropped the limit - a weight limit was introduced in 2000 and hasn't changed since: https://cyclingtips.com/2013/08/the-6-8kg-limit/ https://cyclingtips.com/2013/08/the-6-8kg-limit/