We spoke with SCOTT’s Chief Engineer Benoit Grelier and asked him this thoughts on materials progression and if we’re at the point where sub-6.8kg bikes are safe enough and manoeuvrable enough to be ridden in professional races. We can build a bike of 7.2kg which will be dangerous to ride, and a bike of 6.0kg which is strong enough for all races. He explained,“Yes, absolutely. No matter what the limit is set to, engineers, manufacturers, and aficionados will push the limits of their bikes to make them as light as possible.
The weight has a role in manoeuvrability of a bicycle because it mainly brings stability to the bicycle. Commissaires don’t often check bike weights at the amateur level, but recent examples from the Tour de France (If bikes need to have dead weight added to them for the sake of this rule, we naturally question what today’s rational is behind this rule and if it’s being revisited.We asked UCI Technical Collaborator Johan Kucaba if the UCI still believes that a bike lighter than 6.8kg poses a significant safety risk to riders.
It says nothing about the weight of a complete bike.
A SRAM RED group weighs less than a Shimano Di-2 – but the shifting performance of Shimano is the benchmark. However, it does seem fairly arbitrary that the original goal of a weight based on safety happens to be the same as manoeuvrability. They would put a couple hundred grams of fishing weights in the seatposts, handlebars, or chainstays to boost the weight up to 6.8kg. We therefore believe that bicycles of 5 Kg (for example) pose significant risks of manoeuvrability.”What does “manoeuvrability” refer to? He explained:“The rule 1.3.019 has been introduced and has been created as many other rules of the UCI Technical Regulation by an ergonomist expert in cycling. You can find the UCI’s original announcement back in 1999 which declares this new rule here. However, as I already had the opportunity to mention to the UCI, if they would like to go in this “testing” direction in place of the current weight limit, the UCI should use the existing norms and tests to define their rules, and discuss with the bike industry. Giving a weight limit for the complete bike does not ensure the safety of the bike.
From our experience, a frame and fork combo of less than 1kg does not compromise on safety or handling, because we surpass the highest level of testing at EFBe, and reach our stiffness targets.
Engineers will build their frame and forks as light as possible which also meets their strength and stiffness targets and don’t attempt add extra weight to reach a certain limit. It will be the bigger challenge, to lower the aerodynamic drag at frame and wheels, without adding weight compared with todays 6,8!”The UCI is hesitant to relax this rule however.
But we have no assurance that bicycles of 6Kg (for example) are safe. In most brand’s flagship bikes the 6.8kg limit is easily surpassed without necessarily trying to push that limit. This regulation was established in 2000 as a means to ensure manufacturers don’t push the structural integrity of bikes and so that teams are competing on a relatively similar machines. As you can see, there’s nothing that’s exotic about this bike that tries to be featherweight.Perhaps the most overused buzzwords in the manufacture’s marketing dictionary for each new product release is “lighter”. Take a lightweight frame, assemble it with heavy, strong wheels, and use a lightweight exotic handlebar… Your bike weights more than 6.8kg, but don’t go for a sprint with it! At the Tour de France we noticed many team mechanics adding weight to rider’s bikes in order to meet the minimum weight limit. Have a look at the Of course there is nothing that says that manufactures cannot produce a sub 6.8kg bike and sell it like that. We have in our Equipment Commission an engineer specialist of cycling, who worked for many manufacturers and who have designed several bicycles that are still in the peloton. We also have feedbacks from many other manufacturers who don’t think the same thing, and who advise us to leave this 6,8Kg weight limit, because this limit is very accurate and that it prevents an unreasonable race to the minimum weight.”When we ask engineers if they think the weight restriction should be revisited, Benoit from Scott said:“If the current limit of 6.8kg is selected to ensure the safety of the bikes for the riders, then the rule should be revised. It’s what we do. The UCI certification stickers only certify that new frame/fork models are in accordance with the requirements of the UCI Regulation for racing.
Strength and Fatigue tests for each bike part does.
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