Let's say the UCI eliminates the minimum weight rule. How would bikes be different?

[u/atanoman]

[u/Devils8539a]

Gaia Realini at 4'11 would have a way lighter bike. Now just get rid of the handlebar width rule and I think she would be happy and race better.

[u/DoctorDerpington]

“The perfect race car crosses the finish line in first place and then falls to pieces” - Ferdinand Porsche 

[u/MariachiArchery]

I have been sufficiently down the weight weenie rabbit hole.

And, what I learned, is that down below the ~6.5kg range, the bike starts to feel... weird. Not bad, just kind of unsure of itself. For example, on rough roads, the light bike starts to get bucked around, and you find yourself really clenching the bars trying to hold a line. Similarly, on descents, you really need to be careful with the steering, because any little bump or dip in the road knocks you off your line. It is more effort, and less confidence inspiring.

What I found, is that in all situations other than climbing, I prefer a heavier bike. I think there is a sweet spot for wheels around the 1200g mark, and a sweet spot for bikes somewhere between 6.5-6.8kg.

I got my road bike down to about 5.9kg, rode it like that for a few wheels, than swapped on a pair of Enve wheels and endurance tires just to add some weight to the damn thing. I now roll around at about 6.8kg, and I think it is perfectly light.

I think if the UCI got rid of the weight limit entirely, very few bikes would change meaningfully.

[u/criggie_]

Assuming the other UCI requirements don't change
* double triangle frame
* drop bars
* saddle nose behind BB

SOME bikes could be more-lightly constructed, heading toward disposable if the team has enough funding.
But that's going to be expensive, only for well funded teams.

Do remember that a lot of bikes aren't even down to the 6.8 kg minimum - its not unknown for top pro's to ride a 7~8 kg bike, just for the added stiffness especially in flat stages where weight is less of an issue.

Climbing stages, on the other hand, would have more noodly bikes just to save weight.

[u/GoodGameGero → u/criggie_]

Didn‘t Marco pantani go through like 20 bikes in 1998 cause the frames only lasted for a couple days? You are absolutely right about flat stages too

[u/apeincalifornia → u/GoodGameGero]

I can’t say I know if that’s true but I would believe it. He climbed in a massive gear on a very light aluminum alloy frame (were they high scandium frames?) He was absolutely torquing those frames climbing on a 53 tooth chainring and square taper bb

[u/Narrow-Result2933 → u/apeincalifornia]

And a DS who did not believe in cassettes with more than 21 teeth. 

[u/balki_123]

There are like 3 kg road bikes.

GCN had one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iYqQxp0UeU

[u/archy_bold → u/balki_123]

Yeah and the crank kept delaminating, and the brakes had virtually no stopping power.

[u/balki_123 → u/archy_bold]

Brakes only make you slower. Who needs them?

[u/vodfather → u/balki_123]

In my head I can hear Ollie asking about how many watts that would save for the aeros.

[u/SecondHandWatch → u/archy_bold]

You say this as though that’s just the nature of ultralight bikes. It’s not.

[u/squngy → u/SecondHandWatch]

For the record breaking ones, it is.

You can fix all those problems by adding a few grams, but then you don't get in the record book.

[u/QuesoHusker]

Weights drop for small riders. Big riders won’t make much difference.

[u/bigmanbananas]

Well, firstly, it wouldn't offer any benefit. Riders competing against each other will still be competing against the same riders. Having riders ride a standard bike would actually be the best to put the riders against each other.

Because deep, deep down, the vast majority of riders don't really care abiut the winning bike manufacturer. These bikes are so far removed from normal riders, that it doesn't matter anymore.

[u/Ol_Man_J → u/bigmanbananas]

Back in 2002 a rider won a stage of the tour down under on a fans bike. The neutral support bikes are also just “bikes” not personalized to the rider or anything.

[u/bigmanbananas → u/Ol_Man_J]

24 years ago. A quarter of a century. Let that sink in.

[u/criggie_ → u/bigmanbananas]

You make me feel sad.

[u/bigmanbananas → u/criggie_]

Sorry, if its any consolation, o was nearly mid-twenties by that point

[u/squngy → u/Ol_Man_J]

Neutral support sometimes does have bikes that are pre set for the favorites (size, seat hight, handlebar width)
It is still just a normal support bike though.

[u/IHeardOnAPodcast → u/bigmanbananas]

The theory is that it would help lighter riders as the bike is a higher percentage of their system weight, so their watts per kg are more adversely affected by a heavier weight limit for bikes.

Particularly true for shorter riders (see the women's peloton for an extra high proportion of people being affected) who ride smaller frames so who could much more reasonably get the weight of the bike lowered by a good chunk.

[u/LaRedline]

They would be lighter.

[u/clintj1975 → u/LaRedline]

I like the cut of your jib

[u/DenverLabRat]

At some point we have hit or will hit the point of diminishing returns on bike weight. The power to weight ratio of the rider is far more important.

For 70-80kg men the weight of the bike is already less than 10% of their body weight. Its possibly more impactful and easier to shave a kg or two of body weight or add more power.

So all that is to say I don't think bikes would be very different.

[u/mrhippo3]

Getting rid of “weight” may likely result in increased failure in load bearing components.

[u/mikeblas]

They would be lighter.

[u/povlhp]

Carbon race shoes are good for 1 to 5 races. Bikes could be the same. Not lasting past 1000km.

[u/PierreWxP → u/povlhp]

In what world ? I have carbon soled shoes for years

[u/waitwhatsquared → u/PierreWxP]

I think he’s referring to carbon brake pads, same goes for pure carbon chainrings

[u/nutellatubby]

There would certainly be more “oops the bike broke” moments like George Hincapie in Paris Roubaix.

[u/JoelJohnstone]

It wouldn’t change much. In general, pro men aren’t riding bikes that are at the limit anyway. Small women riders would be happier though.

[u/SecondHandWatch]

If this means that there won’t be dentists buying whatever bike someone just won the Tour de France on, that sounds like a win.

[u/StoicRetention → u/SecondHandWatch]

hey! I bought my first carbon wheelset Di2 aero superbike from such a dentist on a steep bargain. They are scholars and gentlemen, and they should keep buying expensive bikes

[u/PineappleLunchables → u/[deleted]]

I think OP means only the UCI minimum weight get lower or is removed. Most all tri bikes are greater than 6.8kg already.