UCI Regulations - does your bike comply?

[Mick F]

The UCI rules currently specify that a racing bicycle have the following characteristics :

• be a vehicle with a front wheel steered by a handlebar and a rear wheel driven by a system comprising pedals and a chain by the legs moving in a circular movement

• that the only points of support are the following: the feet on the pedals, the hands on the handlebars and the seat on the saddle

• wheels must be of equal diameter, between 70 cm and 55 cm, and must have minimum 12 spokes; spokes can be round, flattened or oval, as far as no dimension of their sections exceeds 10 mm

• maximum length 185 cm

• maximum width 50 cm

• the peak of the saddle must be at least 5 cm behind a vertical plane passing through the bottom bracket spindle

• the saddle must be between 24 cm and 30 cm in length

• the distance between the bottom bracket spindle and the ground must be between 24 cm and 30 cm

• the distance between the vertical passing through the lower bracket spindle and the front wheel spindle must be between 54 cm and 65 cm

• the distance between the vertical passing through the bottom bracket spindle and the rear wheel spindle must be between 35 cm and 50 cm

• the maximum internal distance between the front fork ends is 10.5 cm, and of the rear stays 13.5 cm

• minimum mass 6.8 kg (14.99 lb)

• frame must be built around a main triangle, constructed of tubular elements (that may have non-circular cross-sections) such that the form of each encloses a straight line

• The maximum height of the frame elements shall be 8 cm and the minimum thickness 2.5 cm. The minimum thickness shall be reduced to 1 cm for the chain stays and the seat stays. The minimum thickness of the elements of the front fork shall be 1 cm; these may be straight or curved. The top tube may slope, provided that this element fits within a horizontal template defined by a maximum height of 16 cm and a minimum thickness of 2.5 cm

I must say my Mercian only just complies!

The saddle length, the saddle peak to BB distance, and the overall width are really on the limits. The saddle is a Brooks Team Pro, but I reckon there are many saddles out there that are too long to get past the scrutineers.

Also, the peak of the saddle to BB only just passes. I'm at KOPS with it, so if my thighs were shorter, I may transgress the rules.

I use handlebars the same width as my shoulders but it it fashionable these days to use wider ones.


How's your bike with these rules?

[Valbrona]

Most National Federations around the world also follow these exact same rules, but enforcement is lacking in many amateur races.

[Audax67]

The UCI rules currently specify that a racing bicycle have the following characteristics :

• the distance between the vertical passing through the lower bracket spindle and the front wheel spindle must be between 54 cm and 65 cm

• the distance between the vertical passing through the bottom bracket spindle and the rear wheel spindle must be between 35 cm and 50 cm

Double-took at that. You can't put a vertical through the BB spindle and the rear wheel spindle. They mean two verticals. But then they don't speak English.

Mine's a racing frame but I don't give a rat's aspidistra if it conforms or not.

[easyroller]

Certain sections on my TT bike frame fail the UCI's 3:1 ratio tubing rule...

(although it was good enough for Cadel Evans in the TdF before that particular regulation)

[rfryer]

[i]The UCI rules currently specify that a racing bicycle have the following characteristics :
• be a vehicle with a front wheel steered by a handlebar and a rear wheel driven by a system comprising pedals and a chain by the legs moving in a circular movement

Elliptical chainrings, so I've failed already with my lack of circular leg motion.

• that the only points of support are the following: the feet on the pedals, the hands on the handlebars and the seat on the saddle

Ooh, dear, my anatomy doesn't include a "seat". I'll have to put something unmentionable on the saddle instead.

• frame must be built around a main triangle, constructed of tubular elements (that may have non-circular cross-sections) such that the form of each encloses a straight line

Strike 3, I'm out, my frame's got a head tube, so it's a quadrilateral. Bother, I was planning on winning the TdF next year as well...

[[XAP]Bob]

Elliptical chainrings are OK, it's a KDrive that isn't.

Mine might fail on tubing thickness - I'd not be surprised if the fork tip and stay tips were sub 1cm diameter...

No idea wrt distances.

(And yes I'm looking at the upwrong)

[MGate]

Nope - I ride a Flying Gate, design only dates from the 1930's...

[freeflow]

I certainly hope not.

[Tigerbiten]

• minimum mass 6.8 kg (14.99 lb)

I pass that one.
But ...............

I fail every other one ..........
Recumbent trike

[Neilo]

It looks like a bike, that will do for me

And also I'll do what I think Bob was itching to do.

Heretical Recumbent trike ---FAIL----

it only complies with-
the distance between the bottom bracket spindle and the ground must be between 24 cm and 30 cm
and
the maximum internal distance between the front fork ends is 10.5 cm, and of the rear stays 13.5 cm
and
minimum mass 6.8 kg (14.99 lb)

[[XAP]Bob]

rear fork width is ok, but front fork width is infinite...

[mig]

is that a minimum of 12 spokes over a pair of wheels?

[Brucey]

most of my favourite frames would 'fail' because the seat stays are too skinny.

In point of fact if the definitions are bad enough, then the dropout may be considered to be part of the stays rather than an entity in its own right. If so then anything using forged campag dropouts is also a 'fail' because they are usually skinnier than 1cm too.

cheers

[Cunobelin]

Certain sections on my TT bike frame fail the UCI's 3:1 ratio tubing rule...

(although it was good enough for Cadel Evans in the TdF before that particular regulation)

It used to be quite farcical...

Graeme Obree when he was contesting the hour record had the rules changed on him between morning and afternoon sessions!

There is a wonderful story about him obtaining a child's saddle and hacksawing the front inch off so that the saddle / bottom bracket distance that had been changed could be met

[[XAP]Bob]

Certain sections on my TT bike frame fail the UCI's 3:1 ratio tubing rule...

(although it was good enough for Cadel Evans in the TdF before that particular regulation)

It used to be quite farcical...

Graeme Obree when he was contesting the hour record had the rules changed on him between morning and afternoon sessions!

There is a wonderful story about him obtaining a child's saddle and hacksawing the front inch off so that the saddle / bottom bracket distance that had been changed could be met

Yep - the UCI would stop rugby players handling the ball after half time. Ridiculous bunch of idiots.