The UCI has a weight limit for bikes set at around 16lbs. Does the USCF have such a weight limit?
In my opinon, these super light carbon and Ti bikes are a silly waste of money. We should all just lobby the USCF to set the weight limit at 22lbs and then laugh at the guys with carbon bikes and seven pound weights hanging from the top tube. If the bikes all weighed the same then the best athete would win the races rather then having the race win go to the guy who paided $10k for his BICYCLE. We all can vote in the USCF so think about it if we could get the rule changed imagine what other things we could spend the money on.
While we are at it, we should roll back the rules and get rid of disk wheels, tri spoke, and those silly ultra light carbon rimmed wheels where the brake pads don't work. These silly wheels have turned the race of truth into the race of $$$. At my last TT, I road 32 spokes and lost by around 20 seconds in 10 miles to a guy with a front tri spoke and a rear disk wheel.
While we are at it, we should roll back the rules and get rid of disk wheels, tri spoke, and those silly ultra light carbon rimmed wheels where the brake pads don't work. These silly wheels have turned the race of truth into the race of $$$. At my last TT, I road 32 spokes and lost by around 20 seconds in 10 miles to a guy with a front tri spoke and a rear disk wheel.
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There was a NRC stage race last year, can't remember which one, that didn't allow TT bikes in the TT. They had to use their road bikes w/o aerobars. Sounded interesting, and it sure would make it easier to travel to, not having to bring two bikes.
BTW, why do so many people mis-spell or mix up "rode" and "road"? Get it straight people, it bugs me! "Rode" is the the past tense of ride, not "road"
weights hanging from the top tube. If the bikes all weighed the same then the best athete would win the races rather then having the race
No. More important than the absolute weight of the bike is the ratio of the rider's body weight to the weight of the bike. If that ratio is the same for all riders, then it's a little closer to a fair contest. Adding 10lbs to a 150lbs rider's bike is going to slow him down more than a 200lb rider who gets 10lbs added to his bike.
I think athletic competition is unfair by its very nature. Is it fair that someone has a genetic advantage over someone else? Maybe we should impose weight penalies for superior genetics.
I agree with the concept of uniform equipment weight. But I'd allow riders to carry weapons and standardize the combined weight of the bike, weapon, and body armor (consider this to be a variant of the eternal helmet thread).
IOW a lighter bike would allow either a bigger gun and/or heavier body armor. But the competitive aspect, equipment weight, wouldn't change since the total weight would be standard. At least until the guns came out.
"Bob Schwartz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I agree with the concept of uniform equipment weight. But I'd allow riders to carry weapons and standardize the combined weight of the bike, weapon, and body armor (consider this to be a variant of the eternal helmet thread).
IOW a lighter bike would allow either a bigger gun and/or heavier body armor. But the competitive aspect, equipment weight, wouldn't change since the total weight would be standard. At least until the guns came out.
.. . . neither cost nor weight nor even sanity were allowed to interfere with the development of a state-of-the art technomadic adventure platform. A 105-speed bicycle with deployable landing gear, heads-up display, ultrasonic head mouse, and satellite earth station . . . http://microship.com/resources/technomadic-tools.html
John Bickmore
"Jeff Jones" <jeff@cyclingnews-punt-com> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Bob Schwartz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I agree with the concept of uniform equipment weight. But I'd allow riders to carry weapons and standardize the combined weight of the bike, weapon, and body armor (consider this to be a variant of the eternal helmet thread).
IOW a lighter bike would allow either a bigger gun and/or heavier body armor. But the competitive aspect, equipment weight, wouldn't change since the total weight would be standard. At least until the guns came out.
I agree with the concept of uniform equipment weight. But I'd allow riders to carry weapons and standardize the combined weight of the bike, weapon, and body armor (consider this to be a variant of the eternal helmet thread).
Then you will have to outlaw armwarmers and long sleeve jerseys. Riders must have the right to bare arms.
Then only outlaws will have armwarmers. And the terrorists will have won.
No. More important than the absolute weight of the bike is the ratio of the rider's body weight to the weight of the bike. If that ratio is the same for all riders, then it's a little closer to a fair contest.
I agree but a 20lb standard would still be better then what we have today. I just don't like the idea of racing my 21 lb custom bike. Back in the early 90's it was state of the art and it is still a great bike. Getting a new custom bike every few years seems silly.
32spokes <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
The UCI has a weight limit for bikes set at around 16lbs. Does the USCF have such a weight limit?
In my opinon, these super light carbon and Ti bikes are a silly waste of money. We should all just lobby the USCF to set the weight limit at 22lbs and then laugh at the guys with carbon bikes and seven pound weights hanging from the top tube. If the bikes all weighed the same then the best athete would win the races rather then having the race win go to the guy who paided $10k for his BICYCLE. We all can vote in the USCF so think about it if we could get the rule changed imagine what other things we could spend the money on.
I agree. While we're at it let's eliminate STI shifters, radios, anything more than 6-speeds, and high tech clothing.
-Ken
Quoted message said:
While we are at it, we should roll back the rules and get rid of disk wheels, tri spoke, and those silly ultra light carbon rimmed wheels where the brake pads don't work. These silly wheels have turned the race of truth into the race of $$$. At my last TT, I road 32 spokes and lost by around 20 seconds in 10 miles to a guy with a front tri spoke and a rear disk wheel.
"Travers Waker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
weights hanging from the top tube. If the bikes all weighed the same then the best athete would win the races rather then having the race
No. More important than the absolute weight of the bike is the ratio of
the
Quoted message said:
rider's body weight to the weight of the bike. If that ratio is the same for all riders, then it's a little closer to a fair contest.
Do you really need all those words to explain you don't have a clue? Muscles' power doesn't scale with body weight. Why do you suppose that the biggest guys turn in the fastest TT times?
"32spokes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
The UCI has a weight limit for bikes set at around 16lbs. Does the USCF have such a weight limit?
Not yet, but it will starting 1/1/2007.
Andy Coggan
It doesn't matter - just get the lightest bike you can possibly put together, then bring the weight up to reg by beefing up the bottom bracket with something like lead, gold, or uranium.
If the bike was custom made, why didn't you have it built with better wheels etc.? And besides, why not buy an extra (couple) pairs of wheels for racing? That way, you wouldn't "have to buy a new custom bike every few years."
I agree with the concept of uniform equipment weight. But I'd allow riders to carry weapons and standardize the combined weight of the bike, weapon, and body armor (consider this to be a variant of the eternal helmet thread).
Then you will have to outlaw armwarmers and long sleeve jerseys. Riders must have the right to bare arms.
Then only outlaws will have armwarmers. And the terrorists will have won.
I think.
The terrifying thing is how hard I laughed over this. There's something seriously wrong with me.
If the bike was custom made, why didn't you have it built with better wheels etc.? And besides, why not buy an extra (couple) pairs of wheels for racing? That way, you wouldn't "have to buy a new custom bike every few years."
In 1992, 32 spoke wheels were the standard. I have three good sets of wheels but they are all 32 spoke and since they in fine shape I am annoyed that in order to get back into bicycle racing I need to go out and buy all new stuff. I raced this year with my ten year old setup including downtube shifters and did okay but in all the races I finished just outside of the top spots. My best placing was second in one race. I am not sure what the half life will be on any new equipment I buy. The new stuff is fun but is very expensive. This is a pro and con of the sport.
I think USCF could improve the sport with a weight restriction for us category 4/5s so the sport would not be so hard to get into.
keydates wrote:> If the bike was custom made, why didn't you have it built withbetter> wheels etc.? And besides, why not buy an extra (couple) pairs of> wheels for racing? That way, you wouldn't "have to buy a new custom> bike every few years."> In 1992, 32 spoke wheels were the standard. I have three good sets ofwheels but they are all 32 spoke and since they in fine shape I amannoyed that in order to get back into bicycle racing I need to go outand buy all new stuff. I raced this year with my ten year old setupincluding downtube shifters and did okay but in all the races Ifinished just outside of the top spots. My best placing was second inone race. I am not sure what the half life will be on any newequipment I buy. The new stuff is fun but is very expensive. This isa pro and con of the sport.
Quoted message said:
I think USCF could improve the sport with a weight restriction for us category 4/5s so the sport would not be so hard to get into.-32spoke-- 32spokes
It's easy to get into bike racing and wheels are not what will keep you out of racing nor prevent you from enjoying it. If you only enjoy bike racing if you win a Cat4/5 race and you can't do that because of your wheels then you need to get out of bike racing, or maybe learn more about training and discipline.
-WG
p.s. I won a pretty big race this year and my front wheel had 24 spokes while the guy I raced to win only had 18 spokes in his front wheel. And my frame is made out of steel! Unbelievable!!!
