TT equipment: How radical should be permissible?

[proffate]

Maybe I’m off base here with my understanding of facts. But wasn’t the boardman bike banned for this very reason? Maintenance of the sport’s profile in a visual historic sense?

Yes, but the modern Lotus track bike looks just as freaky as the Lotus 108 that was banned in the 90s. The UCI just doesn't want progress to happen too quickly.

 

[jmdirt]

F1 Baby!

 

[proffate]

What you posted up there, a big casing covering the entire rider + bike, would likely not be faster, because it would be too heavy

you do realize that thing in the image was invented with the express purpose of maximizing straight-line, flat-land speed, right?

you do know that recumbents exist and they are WAAAAAY faster than upright bikes, I take it

 

[proffate]

Has there ever been a serious crash with head trauma in the ITT pre-helmet era?
If not, why not ban helmets for ITT? Problem solved

they also didn't use TT bikes in that era. Ban TT bikes...

 

[RedheadDane]

you do realize that thing in the image was invented with the express purpose of maximizing straight-line, flat-land speed, right?

you do know that recumbents exist and they are WAAAAAY faster than upright bikes, I take it

Are riders carrying recumbent bikes?
But, as stated earlier, I'm totally fine with a helmet being defined as "protective gear that covers only the head".

 

[proffate]

Are riders carrying recumbent bikes?

I don't know if this is a translation error or some attempt to be funny, but in TTs there is absolutely no excuse for banning recumbent bikes except tradition/aesthetics.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't know if this is a translation error or some attempt to be funny, but in TTs there is absolutely no excuse for banning recumbent bikes except tradition/aesthetics.

A recumbent bike is a special type of bike...
I'm talking about having a rider sit on a regular (TT) bike, with some kind of huge casing covering both rider and bike.

And I'm not even sure how we got to this point, because we were starting with something that - very clearly - looks like a helmet.

 

[proffate]

A recumbent bike is a special type of bike...
I'm talking about having a rider sit on a regular (TT) bike, with some kind of huge casing covering both rider and bike.

And I'm not even sure how we got to this point, because we were starting with something that - very clearly - looks like a helmet.

The only reason it's rare to see full body fairings on upright bikes is that there's no point in making them because if you're ignoring all the UCI rules and going for maximum speed you might as well go 'bent.

But here you go. If you cannot see the resemblance between this and the visma helmet then you probably also don't believe in evolution of species.

Even though the giro helmet is the most dramatically shaped, all of these crazy things share one unifying design goal, which is to fill in the void between the shoulders and skull. Released in 2016, "The MET Drone’s unique Wide Body, aerodynamic design greatly decreases turbulence and drag around the shoulders."

 

[RedheadDane]

One thing that clearly defines that as "not a helmet" is the fact that it's not sitting on the head...

 

[proffate]

One thing that clearly defines that as "not a helmet" is the fact that it's not sitting on the head...

thank you for the contribution to the discussion. I take it that your proposed rule is "anything goes so long as the attachment point is the rider's cranium". Perhaps the UCI could be convinced to conduct a 6 month review of that regulation.

 

[RedheadDane]

thank you for the contribution to the discussion. I take it that your proposed rule is "anything goes so long as the attachment point is the rider's cranium". Perhaps the UCI could be convinced to conduct a 6 month review of that regulation.

As long as it clearly looks like a helmet...
Which, so far, so good.

 

[Cookster15]

The only reason it's rare to see full body fairings on upright bikes is that there's no point in making them because if you're ignoring all the UCI rules and going for maximum speed you might as well go 'bent.

But here you go. If you cannot see the resemblance between this and the visma helmet then you probably also don't believe in evolution of species.

Even though the giro helmet is the most dramatically shaped, all of these crazy things share one unifying design goal, which is to fill in the void between the shoulders and skull. Released in 2016, "The MET Drone’s unique Wide Body, aerodynamic design greatly decreases turbulence and drag around the shoulders."

Love to see them use that on a 38C day in the Tour de France. Ridiculous.

And what does all this nonsense cost? It left unchecked the sport will become too expensive for anyone who isn't very wealthy. I did triathlon years ago (including ironman), Back as late as 1996 we got by with aerobars affixed to our steel framed road bikes and maybe a disc wheel and front aero wheel. But I might not be able to afford to compete in that sport today?

I don't think the UCI needs to go so far to rule that a standard road bike is only allowed for TTs. But surely it isn't difficult to set commonsense rules which prevent the extreme and ridiculous - as I recall in the 90s? Likewise common sense would rule out the equally ridiculous head sock monstrosity.

 

[proffate]

Love to see them use that on a 38C day in the Tour de France. Ridiculous.

And what does all this nonsense cost? It left unchecked the sport will become too expensive for anyone who isn't very wealthy. I did triathlon years ago (including ironman), Back as late as 1996 we got by with aerobars affixed to our steel framed road bikes and maybe a disc wheel and front aero wheel. But I might not be able to afford to compete in that sport today?

I don't think the UCI needs to go so far to rule that a standard road bike is only allowed for TTs. But surely it isn't difficult to set commonsense rules which prevent the extreme and ridiculous - as I recall in the 90s? Likewise common sense would rule out the equally ridiculous head sock monstrosity.

sorry but ironman participants don't get a say in what constitutes common sense

 

[Armchair cyclist]

I don't think the UCI needs to go so far to rule that a standard road bike is only allowed for TTs. But surely it isn't difficult to set commonsense rules which prevent the extreme and ridiculous - as I recall in the 90s? Likewise common sense would rule out the equally ridiculous head sock monstrosity.

But rules can only specify objective criteria, not subjective ones such as ridiculousness.

And there are objective rules: 450x300x210mm for a helmet, no items which serve no function other than overcoming air-resistance.

The head sock seems now to have fallen foul of the latter rule, although it was previously considered, I assume, to have been an intrinsic feature of (I'm not sure, I have never seen them other than when being worn, so not sure what they were attached to) the helmet.

I remember reading of Michael Hutchinson's Hour Record attempt, and someone persuading him to record that he had an essential need of shoe covers to (IIRC) keep his feet warm during the early laps, as otherwise they would have been deemed an illegal aid.

It is that rule under which most of the grey areas seem to arise: Movistar a few years ago seemed to be claiming "those dimples on the skinsuits are simply an intrinsic factor of the material we are using, that thhey reduce drag is merely a fortunate co-incidence."

 

[awavey]

Love to see them use that on a 38C day in the Tour de France. Ridiculous.

And what does all this nonsense cost? It left unchecked the sport will become too expensive for anyone who isn't very wealthy. I did triathlon years ago (including ironman), Back as late as 1996 we got by with aerobars affixed to our steel framed road bikes and maybe a disc wheel and front aero wheel. But I might not be able to afford to compete in that sport today?

I don't think the UCI needs to go so far to rule that a standard road bike is only allowed for TTs. But surely it isn't difficult to set commonsense rules which prevent the extreme and ridiculous - as I recall in the 90s? Likewise common sense would rule out the equally ridiculous head sock monstrosity.

But we've left them with common sense and this the mess we now face with riders current and ex complaining the UCI are anti innovation even though all those riders who are not paid for stating their opinions on it, think the situation is ludicrous.

So the UCI has no option now but to make rules that are of the equivalent of don't design things that look stupid.

I saw Hutchinson claiming there were no rules banning the Vismas lid in the rule book so it was fine,

you shouldn't need a rule book to tell you that thing is daft and taking you down a path cycling doesnt want to go down.

and I do think dangerous as well as i doubt Giro have done any analysis on what a faceplant at 30mph with that thing does to the riders neck. You'd like to think they understood levers and force and not just miniscule aero wattage benefits.

 

[Ripper]

Dorkus maximus items need to be banned. I am happy to be named chief of testing to ensure these crimes do not occur

 

[Cookster15]

But rules can only specify objective criteria, not subjective ones such as ridiculousness.

Rules can be whatever we want - as long as potentially `enforceable in a court of law. Obviously objective criteria makes that easier but other wording can be used in the rule book including if equipment is deemed by the UCI to not be in the best interests of the sport. But cost is also an objective measure?

What does the headsock Vingegaard wore cost? Even Formula One has been forced to adopt rules to reduce costs. In cycling we are not protecting billion dollar teams, we are protecting riders from all backgrounds who within reason can be competitive without being rich. That used to be the case in the 90s. I am not sure now. If the sport becomes too expensive it will die.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I don't think the UCI needs to go so far to rule that a standard road bike is only allowed for TTs.

Less cost to the teams, fewer crashes in time trials, same guy probably wins. What's not to like if UCI did do that. The bike industry would probably go broke if robbed of that one more n+1 to sell. But they have e-bikes now so they'll most likely survive.

 

[saunaking]

Non-essential component.

are you referring to a TT bike?

 

[Unchained]

F1 Baby!

My personal opinion, clothing and helmets should be whatever you want and bicycle weight limit should be lowered by 4-5 pounds, no reason not to let guys ride lighter bikes. Giant new TCR is 690 grams and that does not even get a smile out of a weight weenie.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Perhaps there are also questions to be asked about how much TT equipment should be permissible in a road stage:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767955565479624765

View: https://twitter.com/VelonCC/status/1767955565479624765