I can't for the life of me think why any team would have road bikes that weren't all exactly 6.8 kg.
Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*
- Thread starter Noodley
- Start date
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I can't for the life of me think why any team would have road bikes that weren't all exactly 6.8 kg.
thom
____
- Location
- The Borough
And if you wanted more weight for a descent, much easier to take a couple of full bidons rather than swap a bike. Fill the bidons with lead if you really want the weight ;-)
I am not convinced there is any advantage to having extra weight on the descent. What you gain on acceleration you lose on cornering.
araapatlio
Active Member
- Location
- Scouser living in Thurrock, Essex.
UCI stipulated. Ours not to reason why...
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Well, we don't have any evidence that weight was anything to do with his reason for changing bikes - apart from the unfounded rumours linking the bike change with the weigh-in at the finish.
I suppose it makes a change from rumours about Sky's secret magic beans.
I suppose it makes a change from rumours about Sky's secret magic beans.
araapatlio
Active Member
- Location
- Scouser living in Thurrock, Essex.
Ah, thanks. So it is not necessarily the gel that is providing the energy, but the body releasing energy it already holds, knowing it is going to be 'paid back' very shortly?
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Ostensibly, safety. Not sure if there's any scientific reason to believe lighter bikes are genuinely less safe though or if it's just one of those UCI quirks.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Didn't they already ban lead-weighted bidons some years ago?
I think it's an anachronism. UCI just hasn't updated the limit for a good few years now, and you could probably go to 5.8kg or less now with no safety compromises.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
2554588 said:
Also very dangerous if it falls off.
araapatlio
Active Member
- Location
- Scouser living in Thurrock, Essex.
It does makes some intuitive sense that if a team skimp on material here and there, they'll get a marginal advantage (and we know they all add up) and this may threaten safety if some push the limit too far - and I doubt any team (or rider) would seriously imperil their safety for a slender advantage. Given that we are developing new materials all the time, they may well lower the limit? Especially given that some bikes already exist for sale below the limit. http://www.roadcycling.co.nz/RaceTalk/uci-weight-limit-68kg.html
I hope they do, as this weight limit may well hinder the development of newer materials and innovations. Graphene bikes would be far stronger and much lighter (though they are more than a few years off yet).
