# Waiting to go out and play.



## Zipp2001 (14 Oct 2021)

Look what made it to work today !


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## Alex321 (14 Oct 2021)

You are obviously excited, and sound like you love it.

But why? I imagine it goes exceedingly fast, but it isn't going to be UCI legal with no triangle in the frame, so you can't really ride it in any serious TT. And I suspect it won't be the most comfortable bike to ride just for pleasure or exercise.

Not trying to be critical, just genuinely wondering why it is you wanted that bike. What is your expected main use of it?

It does look absolutely gorgeous though, regardless of actual use


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## Zipp2001 (14 Oct 2021)

Alex321 said:


> You are obviously excited, and sound like you love it.
> 
> But why? I imagine it goes exceedingly fast, but it isn't going to be UCI legal with no triangle in the frame, so you can't really ride it in any serious TT. And I suspect it won't be the most comfortable bike to ride just for pleasure or exercise.
> 
> ...



This bike has over 112,000 miles and has seen well over 200 non UCI time trails. It has been used for countless brevets, and 12 / 24 hour endurance events. I turned her into a carbon belt single speed this year, just for fun in her older years. Never had an issue with comfort and , I lockout the the suspension anyway. I even used it as an almost everyday ride for 10 years. I added a photo of the set up before I turned it into a single speed.


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## grldtnr (14 Oct 2021)

Zipp2001 said:


> Look what made it to work today !
> View attachment 613537
> View attachment 613538


What is it , a home build? A functional piece of sculpturel art? 
Basically, form filled function, but where do you put the shopping, hang it from the bars in a carrier bag.
It's the sort of thing I would hang on the wall, like the mangaled remains of my bike, when I survived a bad knockdown, reminds me of a great escape I had.


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## Zipp2001 (14 Oct 2021)

grldtnr said:


> What is it , a home build? A functional piece of sculpturel art?
> Basically, form filled function, but where do you put the shopping, hang it from the bars in a carrier bag.
> It's the sort of thing I would hang on the wall, like the mangaled remains of my bike, when I survived a bad knockdown, reminds me of a great escape I had.



No wall art here, it's a 1993 Zipp2001 and still a blast to ride.


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## Dolorous Edd (14 Oct 2021)

You might want slightly wider tyres in that snow


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## a.twiddler (14 Oct 2021)

The UCI is very restrictive. I'm not particularly interested in competition but imagine if bikes like this were as common as diamond frame ones in competitive events. Ordinary riders would be hooning around on them due to the trickle down effect if it was what their heroes rode. The fact that it's quite an old idea and seems to have been a reliable and well used bike supports this. There might not be so much of a wow factor if they were everywhere, but the same would apply to such things as recumbents if they were UCI approved for competition.

Meanwhile, let the adjectives flow. Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to some it might look brutal and even threatening compared with what they expect a bike to look like, it is also stylish, elegant, minimalist, futuristic even today, and its function dictates its form keeping all the bits that interface with the rider in the same place that a frame made of tubes does. Just as oranges are not the only fruit, tubes are not the only way to put together a bicycle. Visually it makes a statement, but the proof for its rider is that it works.

I am the sort of cyclist who tends to strap things to bikes and likes mudguards but I might make an exception with something like this. It would definitely spoil the appearance!

Of course YMMV and other opinions are available.


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## Zipp2001 (14 Oct 2021)

a.twiddler said:


> The UCI is very restrictive. I'm not particularly interested in competition but imagine if bikes like this were as common as diamond frame ones in competitive events. Ordinary riders would be hooning around on them due to the trickle down effect if it was what their heroes rode. The fact that it's quite an old idea and seems to have been a reliable and well used bike supports this. There might not be so much of a wow factor if they were everywhere, but the same would apply to such things as recumbents if they were UCI approved for competition.
> 
> Meanwhile, let the adjectives flow. Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to some it might look brutal and even threatening compared with what they expect a bike to look like, it is also stylish, elegant, minimalist, futuristic even today, and its function dictates its form keeping all the bits that interface with the rider in the same place that a frame made of tubes does. Just as oranges are not the only fruit, tubes are not the only way to put together a bicycle. Visually it makes a statement, but the proof for its rider is that it works.
> 
> ...



When it was first introduced it was as a road bike with standard road bike handlebars and I knew a guy who did some crit racing with his. I used mine as a TT bike in stage races, but then it got banded in 1997. You see more and more beam style bikes making a return because of the Triathlon market. I marshaled a Tri series for many year and the bikes are becoming very common place in that sport.


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## Ming the Merciless (14 Oct 2021)

That style has been used in many races including Race around Ireland. Here is Chris Hopkinson with his at RAI. I’m so glad we aren’t all obsessed about geing UCI compliant.


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## grldtnr (14 Oct 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> That style has been used in many races including Race around Ireland. Here is Chris Hopkinson with his at RAI. I’m so glad we aren’t all obsessed about geing UCI compliant.
> 
> View attachment 613585


Like the mimalist matching hairstyle, is it go faster?


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## Arrowfoot (15 Oct 2021)

Ming the Merciless said:


> That style has been used in many races including Race around Ireland. Here is Chris Hopkinson with his at RAI. I’m so glad we aren’t all obsessed about geing UCI compliant.
> 
> View attachment 613585


I don't think many of us are actually bothered with UCI at all. But use the UCI excuse to ask why not the usual design and what the actual benefit is. I suspect majority's requirements are driven more by value and function. You get these with cars, motorbikes and even home furniture. Visited someone's home and the family was into design that was somewhat futuristic for want of a better term.


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## Alex321 (15 Oct 2021)

Arrowfoot said:


> I don't think many of us are actually bothered with UCI at all. But use the UCI excuse to ask why not the usual design and what the actual benefit is. I suspect majority's requirements are driven more by value and function. You get these with cars, motorbikes and even home furniture. Visited someone's home and the family was into design that was somewhat futuristic for want of a better term.


Agreed. I only mentioned UCI here because I thought it looked like it was intended for Time Trialling. UCI are only relevant if you do want to do some form of competitive cycling.


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