Posts Tagged ‘UCI’
Written by KineticShift on 17 January 2012
This week Cervelo offered a closer look at the new P5 Tri/Time Trial aero bike. What we know so far is that one will be UCI legal, and ready for World Tour competition, while the other will be built to for triathlons. In either confirmation the P5 will include the Bbright asymmetrical bottom bracket, fully hidden internal routing of the cables, including for electronic shifting and a new braking system.
The video below will provide a few more details. The bike will reportedly arrive next month, and while it won’t come cheap, it will certainly be one that will turn heads!
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Tags: Cervelo, Cycling, P5, Time Trial, Triathlon, UCI, World Tour
Posted in Cycling | No Comments »
Written by Mike Prendergast on 11 November 2011
The Boise, Idaho based cycling component brand, K-Edge Cycling Solutions, was created from a singular and focused ambition. The goal was to help an Olympic cycling athlete secure a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. To see how this happened and the resulting product we take a quick look to France, Austria, China, and return to the USA for how it all played out.
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Tags: AceCo Precision Manufacturing, Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, chain catcher, Cycling, Cycling World Championships, GoPro, K-EDGE, KineticShift, Kristin Armstrong, Made in America, Olympics, Summer Olympics, Tour de France, UCI, World Time Trial Championships
Posted in Cycling, Made in America | No Comments »
Written by KineticShift on 12 October 2011
Just in time for this past weekend’s Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, Bontrager unveiled a collection of new aftermarket upgrades to its wheel, handlebar, and brake lever triathlon lines. The new products are the result of lengthy testing with the highly successful Trek/K•Swiss triathlon team and allow triathletes of any ability level to improve their bike split with unparalleled componentry, regardless of what bike they’re riding.
(Video after the jump)
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Tags: Bontrager, Bontrager XXX Aero brake lever, Cycling, Ironman World Championships, Kona, RXL Kammtail Virtual Foil aerobar, Speed Concept, Trek, Trek/K•Swiss, Triathlon, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Triathlon | No Comments »
Written by Brian O'Connor on 11 August 2011
Recently I was sent James Thomas’s article from Bicycledesign titled, “Is TJ Tollakson the Graeme Obree of triathlon?,” regarding the use of a carbon fiber 1996 Zipp beam frame triathlon bike by T.J. Tollakson in numerous triathlon wins including Ironmans. Tollakson has been experimenting with different riding positions and use of materials, some non-cycling, to come up with his winning combination. The beam design that he chose has not been utilized for some time now due to its design not falling with the International Cycling Union (UCI) regulations, but this style of frame is still legal by the regulations of USA Triathlon.
As Thomas notes the UCI wasn’t nearly so kind to Graeme Obree, also known as “The Flying Scotsman,” when he created his bike “Old Faithful” using parts from a washing machine. As Tollakson used soccer shin pads to aid the unique design, we’re left wondering if the UCI would approve. But this is just part of the issue.
I remember when the double triangle rule was implemented by the UCI and thinking that it was the end for real innovation with road bike frame designs. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 1996 Zipp, Cycling, Fabian Cancellara, Flying Scotsman, Graeme Obree, Shiv, Specialized, T.J. Tollakson, UCI, Union Cycliste Internationale
Posted in concept, Cycling, Pro Sports | No Comments »
Written by Brian O'Connor on 19 July 2011
Good title for a book that is now essentially fiction and built on lies
As we enter the final week of the 2011 Tour de France, it is a pleasant surprise to see that doping has not taken center stage at the event this year. There is still the dark cloud over Alberto Contador’s head regarding the positive test last year for a ban steroid which will not be resolved until August; and the voluntary withdrawal by the Russian, Alexandr Kolobnev of the Katusha team. Other than that, it has been the crashes and surprise victories that have dominated the coverage. The question still remains, how does the sport of cycling handle and punish the convicted dopers?
There are two sides to the argument over the issue of doping and cycling. Some people believe that we should stop worrying about catching the cheaters and let them all use whatever drugs the riders choose to ingest. They believe that the general public wants to see more action in the sport, and like the use of steroids by the sluggers in Major League Baseball, they think that allowing the riders to dope-up will create more action and excitement. For that group of people, there is no discussion of punishment since they would have the sport of cycling turn into a free-for-all. I use the word ‘they’ because I believe in the complete opposite. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Alberto Contador, Alexandr Kolobnev, Anti-Doping, Chicago White Sox, Cycling, dopers, Doping, International Cycling Union, UCI
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Written by Peter Suciu on 22 March 2011
Two-way radio technology has become a major part of sports, but some governing bodies are looking to ban their use. This is most notable in professional cycling where a number of teams have threatened to boycott this falls Tour of Beijing cycling race unless the International Cycling Union (UCI) withdraws its ban on the radios.
Race organizers have tried to institute bans in major classics, such as last year’s Tour de France, but Beijing could be the real showdown as it is the only event in professional cycling that the UCI actually governs and promotes directly. As expected the teams are not taking this lightly. The professional cycling association, known as AIGCP (Association International des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels) could pull out of the Chinese event. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: AIGCP, Association International des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels, Cycling, professional cycling, race radios, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Gadget, Pro Sports | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 14 March 2011
What defines a bicycle? Let’s see, two wheels, seat, chain, pedals, frame, fork? Actually that might describe the parts on a bicycle, but it doesn’t mean those parts will be legal when it comes to international racing. This week our friends at BikeRadar UK noted that the UCI (International Cycling Union) have published its latest list of new items that a “legal” for racing this season. The two lists show which frames, forks and wheels have been authorized for road, track and cyclo-cross competition under the latest approval protocol.
So how important is this list? Well, so far five new frames (as well as their respective forks) have been approved, but one has reportedly met the criteria but not been added to the list. This is important to note as race bikes tend to go into production just after the first of the year, and must be submitted for testing. Consider that as we head to the second half of March that means bikes could already have been in production for nearly three months – and if not passed, they aren’t legal for any UCI sanctioned race! While this shouldn’t be an issue for the Scott Plasma 3 – the bike that is pending at press time – we can imagine it is a concern over at the bike manufacturer’s offices.
List of Approved UCI Frames and Forks
List of Non-Standard Wheels in Conformity
Tags: Cycling, cyclo-cross, International Cycling Union, Road, road bike, track, Track Bike, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Pro Sports | No Comments »
Written by KineticShift on 30 November 2010
The Continental SAUR SOJASUN Team will be riding with ROTOR Bike Components for 2011 it has been announced. These include the company’s unique and innovative components including the Q-Ring oval chainrings, 3D+ cranks and BB30 bottom brackets, as well as chain-catchers and race-plate holders.
The revolutionary shaped Q-Rings have the promise of increasing power by maximizing the use of efficient zones of the pedaling stroke and reducing the intensity of the “dead spot” zones, while helping reduce joint and tendon loadings. The 3D+ cranks are 100 percent compatible with any BB30 or Class BAS threaded frame on the market.
ROTOR will be sharing the sponsorship with French bike manufacturer TIME. “France is one of our leading markets, in which we have quite a number of fans and high customer fidelity, so we want to thank them for this support by sponsoring one of the country’s leading teams,” said Ignacio Estellés, ROTOR CEO, during the contract signature in Rennes. “A strong professional team, well placed in the 2010 UCI rankings – above some ProTour teams – is a new proving ground for our technologies, increasing the brand´s fame and customer’s confidence in our products.”
ROTOR Official Website
Tags: 3D Cranks, BB30, Class BAS, Cycling, France, Ignacio Estellés, Q-Rings, Rotor, SAUR SOJASUN Team, TIME, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Pro Sports | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 11 November 2010
Our friends at BikeRadar.com asked an interesting question recently, whether disc brakes would be the future of cyclocross. As we recently reviewed the new Redline Team Conquest cyclocross bike this is something that we’ve been thinking about as well. While the braking is good with the cyclocross bike it doesn’t quite have the same feel as a true mountain bike, especially in more technical off-road conditions. This has remained a common complaint amongst many riders, with the question being asked how much better disc brakes would make the bike. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Cycling, cyclo-cross, Cyclocross, disc brakes, UCI, Union Cycliste Internationale
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Outdoors, Pro Sports | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 22 June 2010
After winning the Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara came under the spotlight. Not for doping, but rather for using a motor hidden within the bicycle frame. Cancellara has since laughed off the allegations, but apparently not everyone is laughing.
Cycling has taken some bad hits as many high profile riders have been accused of using – and unfortunately even caught using – performance enhancing drugs. But this latest twist is probably one no one saw coming. This week the International Cycling Union, the sports governing body, announced that “a scanner will be used from the time of the Tour de France.” Such a scanner would further bolster “measures that have already been put in place, in particular the visual inspection of bicycles.”
The UCI it has been reported has been in contact with former racers, including Davide Cassani and Chris Boardman. The formers claims that a bike equipped with a concealed motor could help a ride cheat, and that if he were using such a device at 49-years old he’d be able to finish a classic or a Giro stage. We are a bit dubious to say the least. The latter even wrote an editorial for The Telegraph, explaining how the technology could work.
While there have been endless technological upgrades to bicycles in the 100+ years since the founding of the UCI, the idea of a hidden motor to aid a racer seems to be more trouble than it would be worth. Such a motor would need a large power source – one that would add weight to the bike, although Boardman says it is a moot point since bikes come in under weight anyway – and it would need to be reliable. Boardman again offers the opinion that the energy source would be enough to power a motor that in turn could help provide riders with a way to “take a break.” But is this really enough? Riders are pretty much on camera from beginning to end, and sitting on a bike and “faking” the pedaling is a lot of work.
The proper gearing, drafting from other riders and various riding techniques are what already give riders that little bit of edge. Would a mini-motor – something else that could break down – really be worth it? That’s not to say that we encourage anyone to try, so let’s hope that the sport stays clean. And that is with both the riders and the bikes.
Tags: Chris Boardman, Classic, Cycling, Davide Cassani, Fabian Cancellara, Giro, International Cycling Union, Paris-Roubaix, stage racing, Tour de France, Tour of Flanders, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Pro Sports | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 30 March 2010
Track bike racing could turn into an off-the-shelf sport soon, as the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced plans to force teams to use equipment that is commercially available. UCI chief Pat McQuaid noted that Britain, Germany and Australia – three track bike powerhouses – have been warned this past weekend that the use of illegal technological advances will not be tolerated, and that he had concerns about the way some teams continued to flout rules while using expensive equipment that is (in his words) “not commercially available.”
This is reminiscent of when Graeme Obree – a.k.a. “The Flying Scotsman – built a homemade bike and broke the one hour distance record on the track. In Obree’s case the bike wasn’t so high-tech as it was just ingenious, utilizing parts of a washing machine for the bottom bracket, but the fallout was a crackdown on equipment that wasn’t standard. McQuaid has not defined what is actually meant by “freely available” nor “reasonable price” when discussing the new rules, so there will no doubt be questions raised.
But as some teams were riding on bicycle prototypes that cost between 50,000 and 100,000 Euros each, we have to agree that while technology should help athletes, the playing field needs to be level. In this case, even if the track the competition takes place on is banked!
Tags: Bicycle, Flying Scotsman, Graeme Obree, International Cycling Union, Pat McQuaid, Racing, Track Bike, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Equipment | No Comments »
