UCI tightens up on Equipment Regulations

Riders competing in international road, time trial, track and cyclo-cross events this year need to be aware that the UCI is instructing its commissaires to strictly enforce elements of the equipment regulations relating to the streamlining of a bike's structure in order to decrease air penetration/wind resistance.

The relevant regulation is 1.3.024 (pages 84-85 of current BC Handbook), which states that: "Any device, added or blended into the structure, that is destined to decrease, or which has the effect of decreasing, resistance to air penetration or artificially to accelerate propulsion, such as a protective screen, fuselage form fairing or the like, shall be prohibited."

The key wording here is "fuselage form", which refers to any extension or streamlining of a section which deviates from a traditional cylindrical tubular profile. Some variation from this norm is tolerated within the regulation, as long as the ratio between the length L and the diameter D does not exceed 3 (see diagram below).

The regulation has been in place for some time but has not been universally applied. However it's application at the Tour of California earlier this year prompted further debate and the UCI has now published deadlines from which the regulation shall universally applied.

Of particular concern to the UCI has been the use of non-compliant handlebar extensions as used in road time trials and track time trials and pursuits. From 1st July 2009 the tubular profile of any such extensions must meet the 3 to 1 ratio tolerance level, otherwise they will be prohibited. Most equipment used by UCI and national teams will already meet these requirements, however there are still many products on the market which do not. In particular, riders intending to compete at the European Track Championships in Manchester or the Road Time Trials World Championships in Austria need to ensure that their equipment is compliant.

For the compliance of all other bicycle components, in particular the seat post, the UCI has announced an extension of the time limit until 1st January 2010. From that point, riders in mass start road and cyclo-cross events will also need to be compliant.

There are similar regulations governing the streamlining of elements of the wheel structure, but these are already covered separately under regulation 1.3.018.

The UCI intends to publish a document on its web site next month to facilitate the implementation of these provisions. We'll post a link to this as sonn as we have it.

The full UCI equipment regulations can be found here: 2009 UCI Equipment Rulebook (PDF)

Poached from here