|   UCI High | Bigwheel
Jun 9, 2003 3:49 PM | | Although racing is not a big part of my radar picture I have been trying through some old friends to keep the bug in the ear about the eligibility of 29"ers for competition. Basically when I discovered several years back that they were legal for NORBA I kind of backed off as the UCI World Cup rules do not affect many here in the U.S. that even want to race 29"ers.
However it always seems to come down to the UCI and especially for our bigwheel brothers across the pond, it is an issue. A couple of years back I got a memo to the UCI through a contact at NORBA who also was a UCI Referee. Never really heard anything back from that and he is no longer involved with the sport of bicycling having moved on to motorsports.
Today I sent an email to Eric Moore at USA Cycling wondering what was in the wind and this was his response:
Bob,
Good to hear from you. Hope you are well. You are right; this is not going to go away.
It has been pointed out that if you measure the 26" stuff with tires their rule does not work. It is my understanding that the UCI has a committee together that is examining the issue. Many of us are waiting for the answer.
I will keep you posted.
Eric Moore
USA Cycling
National Field Operations Director
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
So I am not going to be holding my breath on this issue. I know that Gary is on this also and he swings a bigger arc in those circles than any of us for sure. But my advice to the UCI would be to not alienate anyone from racing at this time! After all it isn't the bike that pays the entry and licensing fees. |
| re: UCI High | Timso
Jun 9, 2003 4:32 PM | | If 29" is legal on races (except) UCI is it alright to race on cyclocross bike ?
On our local race a person got deny to race (at start) since he was on CX bike, i don't think he would have any advantage over a person on 29 mtb since the wheel sizes are same but only difference is geomtry and drop bars. |
| lame course if skinny tires are an advantage | gt3rs
Jun 9, 2003 5:31 PM | | Lame courses should be illegal, not cross bikes. |
| ? | Bigwheel
Jun 9, 2003 5:36 PM | | If you are in the U.S. and under USA Cycling sanction you should be able to start any Mtn. Bike event on a CX bike. If you are in Europe you would probably not be able to start a CX bike at a Mtn. Bike event because the UCI is the sanctioning body there. Not sure about Canada. |
| ? | Timso
Jun 9, 2003 8:17 PM | | I live in colorado springs and theres alot of usacyling people. Well the course was pretty lame... Flat with very short climb but also hike a bike section (50m up the stairs). I was racing juniors. He was told to put the CX bike away at the start luckily he quickly found a loaner a DH bike... |
| Oh | Bigwheel
Jun 10, 2003 4:54 AM | | That doesn't make any sense as there is no rule on the books that should have prevented that rider from riding a CX bike. Too bad for the rider, and trading a CX bike for a DH bike was not a good trade for that course it sounds like!
Years ago at the 1st Mt. Snow race which was then called the New England Mtn. Bike Championships and was held as a stage race, a racer used his CX bike for the hillclimb, which was the first stage, and then wanted to change to his mtn. bike for the DH (next stage). Well he was out of luck because the organizer had proclaimed that the same bike must be used for all stages. It was in the printed info and that rider did not read that info. He sure looked ragged after riding that CX bike down the mountain! He rode the XC on it also and although he came in 2nd on the hillclimb, he ended up way back in the pack overall. So in conclusion, a race can be any type of event that the organizer wants it to be, part of race prep is to know the rules and regs associated with that event and not to wait til the start line to find out. |
| That was me! | dcm311
Jun 10, 2003 1:35 PM | | Damn, that course sucked, I would've been even better on a road bike and that pig Lenz Sport certainly didn't help any. Do you race on the track in the Springs? A friend and I are thinking of going down there for the weekend and shoot me an e-mail if you want to ride. Dcm311(at)yahoo*dot*com |
| re: UCI High | Cloxxki
Jun 9, 2003 9:53 PM | | Due to my deep faith in the UCI and it's rules, I still like to think their wheelsize rule means that you can't use RIMS over 26" in diameter. They can't mean the tire, as then all 26" bikes would be illegal. A CX bike should in this interpretation be legal for MTB races, even at UCI events.
The other was around, CX has very clear rules. To my best knowledge, they're all but idential to road bike rules, with a 35mm tire width limit. This also limits the coursebuilders, and the skinny tires make CX what it is, plain fun, lame course, yet very spectacular and extremely tough. And because 700c is the standard (try getting <35mm 26" knobby tires), I don't see myself having real disadvantages over smaller folks, other than my shear weigh and height. A guy my size (6'4" and 83kg) will not likely reach the top in CX, as 35mm is a real limit, and impossible to ease for big riders. I don't think that's a problem, I race CX and just accept the reality.
The MTB's fat tires suit me much better, but due to the courses being so much more daring, the 26" wheelsize (that's just the result of of the course of it's evolution and booboo's from our pioneers), does pose unfair disadvantages to grown men.
CX courses are lame yes, to make sure you can use low tire pressure for good grip, yet not snakebite flat all the time. If an MTB is faster on a CX course, the course builders messed up. And vice versa.
I say, keep CX at max. 35mm tires (preferably something like 40mm though, just for my sake and make CX more spectacular), and MTB at a MINIMUM width, say 45mm. CX with it's rich history will be safe from the agressive new MTB, and MTB will be open to all competitors. 29" makes it easier for 6'7"-ish riders to enter competition and not fail miserably. |
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