Anger as UCI ban "narrow" handlebars

 

THE Union Cyclists International (UC I) has caused a furore with their new rules to “improve safety” effective from next January.

Handlebars, in their view, are becoming too narrow.  So the width of handlebars is to be restricted to no less than 44 centre metres.

Also, because of the much higher speeds being attained which the UCI considers are unsafe (presumably in sprint finishes); gearing is to be restricted to a maximum of top gear of 54-tooth chainring and 11-tooth sprocket (giving 10.46 metres per crank revolution.) This in the hope riders won’t be able to go quite so fast!

 The UCI is also to limit fork widths and ban the use of helmets used in time trials from being used in road racing.

Leaving the matter of forks and helmets for the moment, it is the handlebar issue which is stirring up the angst.

The counter argument from those challenging the ruling makes the point that one size cannot fit all; riders of smaller stature have handlebars tailored to suit, which may be narrower than the 44 cm being proposed. 

This is especially relevant for women whose machines are generally of smaller proportions to those ridden by men.

As for higher gearing leading to unsafe speeds, what is the evidence for this?  Have I missed it?

What about junior racing on restricted gears? I can recall some hair-raising moments in 3/j events restricted to 86-inch gears (old calculation). I recall my own personal experiences and one event in particular with the tightly packed bunch gutter to gutter, elbows out, lunging for the finish line.

 I was placed third, driven by the fear that if I sat up I’d be run down!

OK, so it’s a much lower level of racing, but it’s all relevant.

The local newspaper s tory for that junior race was headlined it as “The Charge of the Light Brigade!

Dangerous! Well………………

Sprinting in road racing has always been dangerous and is best left to those with no fear and with big shoulders – I was once shouldered off my line  at an Eastway finish.

Whatever next? 

Should the UCI also look at high speed descents in the mountains?  Should that be cause for worry?

Well, we can put a stop to that. Take the Pyrenees and Alps out for a start.

Or, once the riders have reached the top, bus them to the bottom. Joking!

In Britain we could lose the Welsh mountains, the Yorkshire Moors, Lancashire Fells, the  Scottish Highlands and more.

In fact, let’s stop bike racing and take up dominoes – that’s a lot safer than the risk of all falling off

like dominoes!

Where have these UCI safety experts come from?  The International Federation of Knitting?  

Shit happens!