Section head text.
Speed Argument?
We’ve been living with the UCI definition of “bicycle†for a long time now. The limitations have almost become a stifling influence on bike design, limiting the scope of innovation to the level of finding the best aero tube shape, instead of any major advancements.
Is it time to take off the restrictor plates? How about an “unlimited†category for the machines used in prologues? Just two wheels with human power, and anything goes after that. It’s time to bring back the funny bike!
Let’s call the Vuelta – they’ll try anything!
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! It’s the Vuelta like you’ve never seen it before! All out speed! Be There!
sometimes….surely no content is better than any old tat ?
actaully, I thought it was an interesting interlude
TTT on those things. I want to see Toto squeeze into one.
Come on Schmalz, why do you want to bring on the wacky in bicycle design, isn’t this just a rehash of the time trial argument back a bit? The restrictions have a purpose other than preventing the rediculous from ever seeing the light of day in competition, they also level the playing field for competitiors that don’t have unlimited funds to buy the lightest and slippiest machines. This way cheap bastards like myself can continue to compete against folks blowing bundles of cash on bicycles.
Also wouldn’t you rather ride a bicycle, than giant Silly Putty packages with wheels?
I’m talking about one stage (a prologue, which is just a way to get the initial standings set anyway) in a grand tour – not USCF TTs or anything. Let the other restrictions stay the same on individual and team TTs. Pro Tour teams have to commit to a certain financial level, so it won’t be as affecting. And why not let the aero nutters out there get a shot in for once?
Plus, "normal" people might be intrigued by the design and the prospect of vehicles going potentially over 80 mph, maybe intrigued enough to buy a human powered vehicle to go around town in….
Plus aren’t people still building vehicles to beat the human-powered vehicle landspeed record?
It’s interesting, but separate from the sport of cycling. The UCI is right to keep cycling a competition between athletes and not between CAD designers.
Do you know who holds the current land speed record? What does the bike/whatever look like? I would be very surprised if you knew (Googling proves nothing). I’m talking mostly about exposure for other designs. Um, the TT designs are already a competition between CAD designers (Cervelo P3) it’s just that they are looking to maximize within very restrictive parameters.
I’m saying, try out something new. Or would you have the Tour go back to using the same bike for everyone. Which they have done in the past.
I think a US TV network could be interested in an HPV competition. Find your ideas about HPV’s intriguing, just not part of cycling. Plus the French will never go for such an American intrusion into "their" sport.
Solve the parking problem and you’ll be a rich man.
Some of these just have a camera sticking out with a flatscreen inside, like a submarine…cool:
http://wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2006/pictures.htm
i think the peleton should be forced to do 1 mountain stage on recumbent bikes…how cool would that look?
Schmalz, you really think that the human powered land speed record being set during a Vuelta prologue will inspire people to go out and get themselves a nice HPV to tool around town on. Wouldn’t that require somebody to say, give a s*** about the Vuelta first? If somebody already watches the Vuelta then they’ve probably already got 3 bikes sitting around anyway, this wouldn’t be too far of a stretch.
What’s going to get folks in HPVs for grocery shopping or commuting to work is $5 a gallon for unleaded.
For the record I am trying to convince my girlfriend to let me get a rickshaw to take her to the grocery store and tool around the park in. She’s so far unimpressed by the idea. So I am all for alternative forms of human powered transportation, and I think those things are cool, they’re not appropriate for bicycle racing.
Well, firstly, what does the Vuelta have to lose? Not like they’re burning up the airwaves anyway? Sure, an unlimited TT is gimmicky, but so was a polka dot jersey at first (done for a chocolate maker).
I’m not saying that people will go out and buy these vehicles, but the engineering aspect would add a layer of interest in the sport not there previously. I don’t feel this would be a bad thing. Why not try something new?
I think that perceived coolness is a bigger factor in people’s purchases than any sort of practicality, that’s why you have people in parkas rated for Arctic temperatures getting their lattes in H3s.
Now you’re arguing Vuelta and coolness factor in American consumption patterns in the same post. I am sorry, you gotta stop. You are killing me!
Skillz…
Maybe the French have a point in being wary of "American" solutions.
Never recommended it to the TDF…
Bend Over, Schmalz!
Look at my poll!
only 8 hours ’till LOST comes on. Then i can pretend Charlie is Tom Boonen and Jin is a korean Vino. I’ll pretend the season isn’t over yet and i don’t need to wear booties yet…
The increase in scraggily beards and pot bellies will become unbearable.
Schmalz, I can’t wait to see you rolling around CP on a recumbent, with a raccoon tail pennant blowing in the wind behind you. That is what the Vuelta needs!
don’t HPVs cause genital warts or something?
maybe not so good for cyclocross…
christ. is all winter going to be like this.
Why is everyone assuming that a recumbent would be the fastest way to go? Assuming it’s a regular prologue course with narrow streets, 90 degree turns and changes in elevation (however slight), I would guess that a recumbent wouldn’t be the fastest way to go. I would imagine a Moto GP looking design.
And my recumbent has a trailer to hold my mighty sound system, "band on the run…"
plus, if upright, the crashing would be spectacular. you might even get the nascar idiots interested if you put enough emphasis on the blood, gore and potential for bystander death.
See? It’s a win-win!
also tons of ad space on an upright.
We’re not assuming a recumbent is the fastest, we’re just assuming that you would look rediculous on a recumbent…
Maybe I’ll be slanderous and say that "Schmalz rides recumbent in winter"
No, that’s just not true, I ride my recumbant in the nude…
wow…that was a conversation killer. Thanks for the nightmares.
Shmalz faster though?
only if he’s shaving his whole body…damn why did I type that? I now can’t get the image out of my head, a full body shaved recumbent rider. EWWWW
But shaved schmalz – that’s a naughty thought!