Comments on: Is it time to lower the UCI minimum bike weight limit? http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/ Fun, exotic, high performance, lightweight, aerodynamic, geeky bike stuff Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:07:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: frank drennan http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2814 frank drennan Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:09:11 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2814 There is no sensible reason to lower the UCI limit. It's should be obvious that the rider's weight and fitness will have the most effect on performance. I've built plenty of quality road bikes and currently ride a 7.5 kg rig built up a year ago. I love it, it was fun to build, and it rides great but in all honestly it's no better than my 8.5 kg DeRosa Planet, and not much better than my vanilla 10 kg training bike. Getting my 7.5 kg bike any lighter would have needed a lot more money and/or compromised the bike in some other way (durability, reliability, comfort). If you want to be faster, lose some of your fat and get out and train hard. There is no sensible reason to lower the UCI limit. It’s should be obvious that the rider’s weight and fitness will have the most effect on performance. I’ve built plenty of quality road bikes and currently ride a 7.5 kg rig built up a year ago. I love it, it was fun to build, and it rides great but in all honestly it’s no better than my 8.5 kg DeRosa Planet, and not much better than my vanilla 10 kg training bike. Getting my 7.5 kg bike any lighter would have needed a lot more money and/or compromised the bike in some other way (durability, reliability, comfort). If you want to be faster, lose some of your fat and get out and train hard.

]]> By: gildas http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2762 gildas Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:33:01 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2762 Hello, I have the chance to be on both sides of the fence, working for a Pro Tour Team (and have two full on ex tour bikes) and personally racing in triathlon where we don't give a hoot about the UCI rules. Except for some uphill TT specials, I have yet to see a bike, in race trim, that is close to the 6.8 limit. I would say most Protour bikes on "normal" riders are in the 7.5 to 8kg range. Bikes have to survive Protour racing and being flung into trucks... In a peleton, you hit potholes at 50kmH plus a lot, you jump kerbs, rocks thrown up by other bikes, cars and TV motorbikes. And riders crash way more than what you see on TV... So seat post, bars, stems etc are alloy. And I won't comment on rumours that manufacturers add a few layers in the moulds. What I find funny is people making "race bikes" that end up being lighter and way more expensive than what the pros are really riding. But a man has got to have a hobby, but don't expect a bike like that to survive more than one Classic race. In triathlon (non drafting), where the UCI does not matter, and we can do what we want; bikes are again above the limit. Mostly because you tend to favour aero over weight. But I have yet to see a pro race on a sub 6.8kg bike even in races where there is a lot of climbing. But I find the UCI rules don't promote safety. This rule was to stop an escalation in bike weigh loss in a era when this cost a lot. This rule should be amended to add minimal weight on major components: frame, wheels and fork/steering (ex frame 900gr). But they probably won't do it until somebody dies after their frame explodes at over 100kmH during a descent on a Grand Tour on TV. But these rules should ONLY concern races that are UCI, if you want to do a or a cyclosportive, local races, etc, that are done at far lower speeds, more open peletons etc, and your pleasure is enhanced by doing it on a 5kg bike, then you should not have anybody telling you you can't. Hello,

I have the chance to be on both sides of the fence, working for a Pro Tour Team (and have two full on ex tour bikes) and personally racing in triathlon where we don’t give a hoot about the UCI rules.

Except for some uphill TT specials, I have yet to see a bike, in race trim, that is close to the 6.8 limit. I would say most Protour bikes on “normal” riders are in the 7.5 to 8kg range. Bikes have to survive Protour racing and being flung into trucks… In a peleton, you hit potholes at 50kmH plus a lot, you jump kerbs, rocks thrown up by other bikes, cars and TV motorbikes. And riders crash way more than what you see on TV… So seat post, bars, stems etc are alloy. And I won’t comment on rumours that manufacturers add a few layers in the moulds.

What I find funny is people making “race bikes” that end up being lighter and way more expensive than what the pros are really riding. But a man has got to have a hobby, but don’t expect a bike like that to survive more than one Classic race.

In triathlon (non drafting), where the UCI does not matter, and we can do what we want; bikes are again above the limit. Mostly because you tend to favour aero over weight. But I have yet to see a pro race on a sub 6.8kg bike even in races where there is a lot of climbing.

But I find the UCI rules don’t promote safety. This rule was to stop an escalation in bike weigh loss in a era when this cost a lot. This rule should be amended to add minimal weight on major components: frame, wheels and fork/steering (ex frame 900gr). But they probably won’t do it until somebody dies after their frame explodes at over 100kmH during a descent on a Grand Tour on TV.

But these rules should ONLY concern races that are UCI, if you want to do a or a cyclosportive, local races, etc, that are done at far lower speeds, more open peletons etc, and your pleasure is enhanced by doing it on a 5kg bike, then you should not have anybody telling you you can’t.

]]> By: vivash http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2512 vivash Mon, 30 May 2011 04:02:11 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2512 The weight of this bike is very very low. This bike can be ride easily. The weight of this bike is very very low. This bike can be ride easily.

]]> By: vivash http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2511 vivash Mon, 30 May 2011 03:57:12 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2511 The weight is too low. The expense of a competitive bike puts people out of the sport at the amateur level. I have raceable (non uci) bikes ranging from 4.5kg to 6.6kg and there is only tining differences between the lightest and heaviest even on steep climbs. Yes the 4.5kg bike is my bike of choice for long hard climbs but “having a good day” Vs having a “dog day” will influence the climb times 10X more than the mass of the bike. This is my honest opinion. The weight is too low. The expense of a competitive bike puts people out of the sport at the amateur level. I have raceable (non uci) bikes ranging from 4.5kg to 6.6kg and there is only tining differences between the lightest and heaviest even on steep climbs. Yes the 4.5kg bike is my bike of choice for long hard climbs but “having a good day” Vs having a “dog day” will influence the climb times 10X more than the mass of the bike. This is my honest opinion.

]]> By: theremery http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2499 theremery Fri, 13 May 2011 23:38:31 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2499 " Michael O" Not true....training and genetics and sheer determination are what wins bike races, NOT the bike. I build light bikes because I like the technology and the challenge but the day I ever think that they make a REAL difference on the race results is the day that I'm either making excuses for myself or I just didn't do enough training. I have raceable (non uci) bikes ranging from 4.5kg to 6.6kg and there is only tining differences between the lightest and heaviest even on steep climbs. Yes the 4.5kg bike is my bike of choice for long hard climbs but "having a good day" Vs having a "dog day" will influence the climb times 10X more than the mass of the bike. This is my honest opinion. Good training AND NUTRITION AND WATCHING YOUR OWN WEIGHT will make a much much bigger difference. I will always continue to build light bikes simply because I love how they ride and feel, not because of their "race advantage". ” Michael O”
Not true….training and genetics and sheer determination are what wins bike races, NOT the bike. I build light bikes because I like the technology and the challenge but the day I ever think that they make a REAL difference on the race results is the day that I’m either making excuses for myself or I just didn’t do enough training.
I have raceable (non uci) bikes ranging from 4.5kg to 6.6kg and there is only tining differences between the lightest and heaviest even on steep climbs. Yes the 4.5kg bike is my bike of choice for long hard climbs but “having a good day” Vs having a “dog day” will influence the climb times 10X more than the mass of the bike. This is my honest opinion. Good training AND NUTRITION AND WATCHING YOUR OWN WEIGHT will make a much much bigger difference. I will always continue to build light bikes simply because I love how they ride and feel, not because of their “race advantage”.

]]> By: Michael ODonnell http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2465 Michael ODonnell Wed, 09 Mar 2011 01:14:41 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2465 The weight is too low. The expense of a competitive bike puts people out of the sport at the amateur level. The weight is too low. The expense of a competitive bike puts people out of the sport at the amateur level.

]]> By: Donald gillmore http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2010/03/26/is-it-time-to-lower-the-uci-minimum-bike-weight-limit/comment-page-1/#comment-2313 Donald gillmore Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:36:04 +0000 http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/?p=296#comment-2313 My Cervelo P3 carbon road bike is about 20 lbs. My Cervelo P3 carbon track bike is over 8 kg, around 18 lbs. Dura-Ace is pretty expensive stuff. My P3s have cheap and/or strong, not light components because I know that weight hardly matters compared to aerodynamics, and I have zero tolerance for stuff that breaks. Do strong, hard core racers ride heavier machines? Some bike components, specifically most off-the-shelf handlebars, are underbuilt time bombs. Steel there adds 2 lbs to the bike's weight. My Cervelo P3 carbon road bike is about 20 lbs. My Cervelo P3 carbon track bike is over 8 kg, around 18 lbs.

Dura-Ace is pretty expensive stuff. My P3s have cheap and/or strong, not light components because I know that weight hardly matters compared to aerodynamics, and I have zero tolerance for stuff that breaks.

Do strong, hard core racers ride heavier machines? Some bike components, specifically most off-the-shelf handlebars, are underbuilt time bombs. Steel there adds 2 lbs to the bike’s weight.

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