6 ms·

Big Triangle (UCI) will never let that happen. They have a stake in keeping that technology supressed. Just like big oil and the electric car. :P

_ph_ 4y ago
Well, this is not about UCI regulations, it is about what is physically most efficient. But indeed, it is a pity that the UCI blocks any new bicycle designs.
- chrisshroba 4y ago
  Where can I learn more about this?
  - pmontra 4y ago
    The UCI regulations for equipment are at https://www.uci.org/equipment/bh2JJzw1eB0n876rX2iB1 https://www.uci.org/equipment/bh2JJzw1eB0n876rX2iB1
- pmontra 4y ago
  Their goal is to keep race bicycles close to bicycles used by normal people. They don't want to end up with Formula 1 or Indycar cars vs the car we use to go to the mall. Both have 4 wheels but that's it. However there are competitions for non UCI bicycles. The speed world records are among them.
  - kllrnohj 4y ago
    Although F1 & IndyCar both ban performance-enhancing technologies that every single road-going car is required to have, specifically ABS & traction control. They are a weird mix of extremely cutting edge & expensive and also intentionally outdated & bad technology. And before someone jumps in about how those technologies are actually somehow bad for the track or race car drivers don't benefit from them, F1 actually had to give up their 1994 ban because every team was doing it anyway and the FIA couldn't adequately police it until the ECU itself was made standard in 2008: https://racingnews365.com/traction-control-in-f1-a-short-history https://racingnews365.com/traction-control-in-f1-a-short-his...
    - pmontra 4y ago
      I understand and I agree on the somewhat archaic technologies. My point is that a Formula 1 car doesn't look like a car whilst a pro's bicycle looks like a very polished sport bicycle you can buy for 500 Euro or less. Every single component makes a world of difference though.
  - _ph_ 4y ago
    That is kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Bikes used by normal people look a lot because of what the UCI is mandating. If e.g. recumbent bikes were an option in at least some competitions, they would be much more common place, the same applies for velomobiles. Nevertheless, there are a lot of normal people driving recumbent bikes and velomobiles already. The road I live in is part of a bike route and I can see both driving here regularly (I also happen to own a recumbent bike :) )
    - pmontra 4y ago
      I never saw many of them even on bike routes but we're probably from different parts of the world. Velomobiles, maybe I never daw one of them, only on YouTube. As the owner of a recumbent, how does it handle on dirt and gravel? Are they bitumen only?
- nradov 4y ago
  UCI rules only govern certain types of bicycle races. Triathlon bike rules are much looser and allow unconventional frame geometries. However, they still ban velomobiles, partly for safety and partly to keep equipment costs from spiraling out of reach.
exabrial 4y ago
Indeed. Advanced Tall Sock Technology™ must not be developed or we could evolve as a species.
Lio 4y ago
I can see why they guard the form of the bikes used. Competitive team road cycling is, amongst other things, about the tactics of multiple riders using shared aerodynamic advantage. If you make everyone more aero by say using recumbent bikes you diminish the advantage of teamwork. You’d lose all the inter-team horse trading that goes on between rivals in breakaways or mountain stages. No more tight sprint train finishes. There’d be no surprise attacks because there’d be no way to conserve energy hiding behind a rival waiting for the right moment. Everything would be full gas all the time and could mostly be settled by looking at pure power numbers. You’d still get a race but every stage would be a simple time trial. Effectively road racing would become a very different discipline. Like giving all the riders ebikes. It’s still a form of racing but you lose a big part of what makes a team stage racing compelling. I’ve always wondered though why they couldn’t allow open vehicle stages for some time trials where the riders are on their own anyway. I think that would preserve team cycling and still be fun.

_ph_ 4y ago

Well, this is not about UCI regulations, it is about what is physically most efficient. But indeed, it is a pity that the UCI blocks any new bicycle designs.

chrisshroba 4y ago
Where can I learn more about this?
- pmontra 4y ago
  The UCI regulations for equipment are at https://www.uci.org/equipment/bh2JJzw1eB0n876rX2iB1 https://www.uci.org/equipment/bh2JJzw1eB0n876rX2iB1
pmontra 4y ago
Their goal is to keep race bicycles close to bicycles used by normal people. They don't want to end up with Formula 1 or Indycar cars vs the car we use to go to the mall. Both have 4 wheels but that's it. However there are competitions for non UCI bicycles. The speed world records are among them.
- kllrnohj 4y ago
  Although F1 & IndyCar both ban performance-enhancing technologies that every single road-going car is required to have, specifically ABS & traction control. They are a weird mix of extremely cutting edge & expensive and also intentionally outdated & bad technology. And before someone jumps in about how those technologies are actually somehow bad for the track or race car drivers don't benefit from them, F1 actually had to give up their 1994 ban because every team was doing it anyway and the FIA couldn't adequately police it until the ECU itself was made standard in 2008: https://racingnews365.com/traction-control-in-f1-a-short-history https://racingnews365.com/traction-control-in-f1-a-short-his...
  - pmontra 4y ago
    I understand and I agree on the somewhat archaic technologies. My point is that a Formula 1 car doesn't look like a car whilst a pro's bicycle looks like a very polished sport bicycle you can buy for 500 Euro or less. Every single component makes a world of difference though.
- _ph_ 4y ago
  That is kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Bikes used by normal people look a lot because of what the UCI is mandating. If e.g. recumbent bikes were an option in at least some competitions, they would be much more common place, the same applies for velomobiles. Nevertheless, there are a lot of normal people driving recumbent bikes and velomobiles already. The road I live in is part of a bike route and I can see both driving here regularly (I also happen to own a recumbent bike :) )
  - pmontra 4y ago
    I never saw many of them even on bike routes but we're probably from different parts of the world. Velomobiles, maybe I never daw one of them, only on YouTube. As the owner of a recumbent, how does it handle on dirt and gravel? Are they bitumen only?
nradov 4y ago
UCI rules only govern certain types of bicycle races. Triathlon bike rules are much looser and allow unconventional frame geometries. However, they still ban velomobiles, partly for safety and partly to keep equipment costs from spiraling out of reach.

exabrial 4y ago

Indeed. Advanced Tall Sock Technology™ must not be developed or we could evolve as a species.

Lio 4y ago

I can see why they guard the form of the bikes used. Competitive team road cycling is, amongst other things, about the tactics of multiple riders using shared aerodynamic advantage. If you make everyone more aero by say using recumbent bikes you diminish the advantage of teamwork. You’d lose all the inter-team horse trading that goes on between rivals in breakaways or mountain stages. No more tight sprint train finishes. There’d be no surprise attacks because there’d be no way to conserve energy hiding behind a rival waiting for the right moment. Everything would be full gas all the time and could mostly be settled by looking at pure power numbers. You’d still get a race but every stage would be a simple time trial. Effectively road racing would become a very different discipline. Like giving all the riders ebikes. It’s still a form of racing but you lose a big part of what makes a team stage racing compelling. I’ve always wondered though why they couldn’t allow open vehicle stages for some time trials where the riders are on their own anyway. I think that would preserve team cycling and still be fun.