So, will the Duo Normand apply UCI bike regs?

There's been ongoing uncertainty within the ranks of Team Grumpy on whether or not the organisers of the Duo Normand intend to enforce the luddite UCI regulations on bicycle dimensions. This follows postings in the timetrialling forum asserting that they will enforce them. In response to Grumpy Bob's brief email enquiring:

Will UCI bicycle regulations be applied, and in which categories?

he got a reply from the organisers of the Duo Normand:

The UCI rules are applied in our race but the only Elite category is under UCI control.

Grumpy Bob isn't terribly sure how to interpret that! Perhaps his original email was a little brief... It would be a bit of a shame to travel all that way and be refused a ride...

Looking to the Duo Normand

Grumpy Bob emailed the organisers of the Duo Normand to enquire whether UCI regs would be enforced, and in which categories. He thinks that Grumpy Art has entered Team Grumpy in the Corporate category again this year. Hopefully a response will arrive in due course, and he will post it here when it does appear in his inbox.

A few months ago, Grumpy Bob examined his bikes for fit to UCI regulations (aka the "Luddite" regs), and was disappointed that both failed (see a recent post in this blog). One, however, failed only on the handlebar arrangements, so that should be relatively easy to sort out, by transplanting kit from his fixed wheel TT bike. But of course that's not ideal, and Grumpy Bob isn't inclined to cough up for a nice set of bars just for one event. Grumpy Art claims his bike is UCI-legal, but when prompted to think about the front forks confesses he hadn't thought of that.

One wonders why the UCI didn't stay true to their ideals when ruling that ASO had to permit the use of race radios on Friday's stage of the Tour de France. Grumpy Bob had almost expected their ruling to be:

1. Race radios are permitted.
   
2. Race radios must not contain transistors or microprocessors
3. Race radios must respect the primacy of archaic technology over the new, and should conform to the technology available to Maurice Garin.
4. Therefore all race radios should use valves (tubes to any colonials who may visit this page)

Is your Time Trial bike UCI legal?

The UCI are notoriously luddite when it comes to bicycle technology. This has the potential to cause a problem if you're competing in an event where your bike's required to conform to UCI regulations. This has the potential to affect riders at the Duo Normand, where it is rumoured that the regulations may be strictly enforced in 2009. (But I don't think Team Grumpy really expect that)

Grumpy Bob's reviewed these regs, particularly as they apply to time trial bikes, and has outlined the significant sections (How to make your Time Trial bike conform to UCI regulations). Read, and feel free to leave comments...

Another loony regulation from the UCI luddites

Cyclingnews.com has been reporting on the revised (as of 1st January 2009) rule known as the 3:1 rule. An article on 17th February (A possible disaster on the horizon) outlines this preposterous rule. In essence it is saying that all bicycle components must not exceed a 3:1 length to depth ratio. According to cyclingnews.com, this outlaws just about every aerobar in use, together with many other components such as aero seatpins. In fact the article's author suggests that the future of several companies may now be in doubt. The new rule implementation has caught many teams at the Tour of California on the hop. The article points out that

Previously the rules stated only that cross-sections of any particular frame or component had to fit within an 8 x 2.5cm rectangle. By that definition, all of the equipment currently planned for use on Friday is legal. However, if the 3-to-1 rule is applied, nearly every team currently listed on the Tour of California roster is headed for disaster unless some sort of contingency plan is put into effect.

This is just the latest in a string of retro rulings from the UCI luddites, including stupid regulations on the dimensions of bikes that don't properly take into account differences in rider height.
So, why is this so interesting to Team Grumpy? Well, I strongly suspect that my time trial bikes will fail, either because of seat pin or aerobar dimensions. "Grumpy" Art Vanderlay might be able to comment on his bike's fit to the regulations.
Of course here in England and Wales, time trialling is run by the somewhat more enlightened CTT, so for domestic races there'll be no problem. But my favourite race is the Duo Normand, at which rumour has it bikes in all categories will get measured up and checked. And of course time trials in Scotland are (supposedly) run under UCI regulations.