UCI Weight Limit: What Exactly?

[Christie]

I'm in favour of a bike weight second as a % of rider mass. A big rider like Hushovd riding a 6.8kg bike gets more benefit from a "light" bike than a tiny rider like Rujano. I guess Rujano can ride an aluminium frame with aluminium rims and the bike would still be illegal.

[Lucky Luke.]

I wonder if the DA DI2 battery fall into that category?

 

Is the battery removable? If you ditched the battery, surely you'd be riding a singlespeed? Aren't the brakes wireless as well? ouch.

[Tiny K]

I'm in favour of a bike weight second as a % of rider mass. A big rider like Hushovd riding a 6.8kg bike gets more benefit from a "light" bike than a tiny rider like Rujano. I guess Rujano can ride an aluminium frame with aluminium rims and the bike would still be illegal.

 

but that then means that a heavy rider has to lug around an even heavier bike than his buddy just because of his weight. that isn't fair. already there is a limitation on the selection of light weight wheels I can get due to my weight and now you want to make my bike heavier than that of a guy 30Kg's lighter than me. It's the 30Kg's lighter guy that needs a heavier bike because it's him that the wind is gonna scoop off the road.

[TNT1]

This arbitrary weight is stupid. It is holding back development, and driving costs higher. The problem of safety (which is what started this thing in the late nineties with jalaberts' giant with the super thin downtube that was getting dented from small stones being flung up by the front wheel...) should be addressed with a safety rating for frames wheels and equipment. If the component is strong enough to pass the safety tests, then it should be good enough for use.

 

PS, another reason the safety reason behind the uci bike weight limit is pure BS, cause you me and the rest of us can all walk into a bike shop and ride out on a bike that is below the limit - the UCI doesn't give a hoot about our safety . Maurice's new TCR with SRAM Red and Zipp 303's comes in at 6.1kgs, and there's not a trick bit in sight. All bog standard stuff.

 

(incidentally, on his previous TCR, he all fancy bits, came in below weight at SA's, all he did was put heavier wheels on it - during the race however, the superduper aftermarket lightweight brakes began flexing so much,by the last lap he had nearly no braking ability left - but his bike met the weight restriction this is safe?)

Edited January 17, 2011 by TNT1

[SL7]

6.8kg is the standard - if it wasn't there something else would be.

[TNT1]

6.8kg is the standard - if it wasn't there something else would be.

 

I think the question is why is it there, and what does it do?