UCI regulations regarding TT bikes

[RyanC]

If you're racing this weekend in the Provincial TT / TTT, be sure to save yourself some time a wasted energy by checking your bike measurements now. As this is a provincial event, UCI regulations will be adhered to regarding bike set up. As many of you already know, these specs are pretty stringent (a real pain in the @ss, in other words) but they're non-negotiable unless you have extreme body composition (either a giant or a dwarf). See the pic below and use a plumb line to check your seat nose distance relative to the bottom bracket as this is the most common setup issue. If you are not sure, check everything tonight and save your energy for the race.

The regulations are covered in full here and there's a lot to digest. http://www.canadiancyclist.com/races10/ ... e_regs.PDF

If you know someone up-to-date with these regs who can give you the precis or even look at your set up, it would be worth buying them a coffee to do so.

R

[Lister Farrar]

Note there are "morphological exemptions" for tall or short people.

Not sure the whole story, but short people's saddles can be up to 5cm further forward (IE up to the bb vertical), and tall people can get up to 5cm longer extensions on the aero bars. You can't have both.

You get a morphological exemption by asking the commissaire measuring bikes.

For eg, Farisha, (5'1"), is asking for one.

Thanks to Ryan and Peter for digging up how this works.

[EricS]

I'm still worried about this:

"Bike Measurement - bikes will be measured for all Championship categories, including roll-out for Junior categories. You will be required modify your bike to pass if it fails. If you cannot modify your bike you cannot ride."

Will this include the U15 mixed team of kids that my daughter is on? They have citizen licenses only, so will not be in competition I believe.

I ask because Holly has a 53 front chain-ring, which will make it difficult to block out her gearing. If she promises to keep her peak power under 2000 W, will that be ok?

Eric

[emilederosnay]

Let's just hope that for tall people, the commissaire is short, and that for short people, he or she is tall.

[RyanC]

...
I ask because Holly has a 53 front chain-ring, which will make it difficult to block out her gearing. If she promises to keep her peak power under 2000 W, will that be ok?
Eric

Thanks for mentioning this, Eric. Our young hero, Adam de Vos, comically suffered the impact of an oversight in that matter prior to last year's Prov TT. In an inexcusable 'non compos mentis' by the rest of us 'seasoned' riders, we neglected to warn him about the junior gearing restrictions. The result was he ended up starting late and was relegated to last place. It didn't get better from there. Needless to say, make sure you have either changed out your cogset or have blocked out gears so that your rear wheel roll-out in your highest gear equals no more than 26 feet (7.93 meters).

I took the following text from this source: http://www.saskcycling.ca/Games/April%2 ... letter.pdf

*Roll-out:
1) The junior gear restriction for road events is 26 feet (7.93 meters). The gear restriction is determined by the distance the bicycle travels in one complete pedal revolution when the bicycle is in its largest gear.

**Junior riders have a few options to comply with the junior gearing requirement.

1) To maximize gearing: 52 tooth (largest front chain ring) X 14 (smallest rear cassette cog). This is a special setup and will require changing both the front chain ring (and maybe crank) and rear cassette.

2) To comply with regulation: 50 tooth compact (largest front chain ring) X 13 (smallest rear cassette cog). This will comply with the regulation and, in most cases, allow riders to stay competitive.

3) Blocking gears prior to competing in the event. Blocking means adjusting the rear derailleur's high stop limit screw to prevent the chain from going to a small rear cassette cog. Depending on the rear derailleur's stop limits and rear cassette cog combination there is no guarantee that a bicycle with blocked gearing can be made legal for it all comes down to the roll-out.

This is the best link I could find to explain this better. It's US but the regs are the same.

http://www.startbikeracing.com/index.ph ... or-gearing

R

[Plawless]

no measurement for TTT. Only for ITT and only in the Championship categories (so not in Citizen)

Peter

[gav_eaton]

These measurement regulations are @#$%#*! I just moved my bars back to the 'EXCEPTION' length, and I feel like I'm riding a midget's bike now and bang my knees on the bar when I stand up.

UCI, can I please get a measurement on this?

[Josh.E]

Couple of other points...

your saddle must be "level"

In addition to your elbows not exceeding a 120 degree angle, your forearms must also be horizontal or sloping dowwards to the front, but not tilted up. (level from your elbows to your hands)
ie, no obree superman positions, and no praying landis positions

[DavidB]

I thought Floyd Landis ditched religion pretty early on =-)