Northern California-based Ritchey Design has confirmed that its time trial handlebars, the WCS Carbon Hammerhead and WCS Carbon Interval, comply with the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) ‘3:1’ bicycle design regulation that the governing body will begin enforcing on all competitive bicycle equipment starting on 1 July 2009.
“Ritchey time trial handlebars were designed with the UCI three-to-one ratio in mind, as are all of our products. We have used this design guideline to make great time trial products that are verified by elite teams on both the USA and European circuits,” said Steve Parke, Ritchey Design General Manager. “Still, Ritchey is concerned about the impact UCI’s design regulations will have on the future of bicycle design innovation, and we’re committed to working with UCI and manufacturers to ensure that competitive cycling develops in a way that is positive for the sport and the industries that support it.”
The 3:1 rule, a series of UCI cycling regulations, stipulates that all bicycle parts and components must be built with measurements that do not exceed a three-to-one ratio. Created in 2000 but not actively enforced until the beginning of the 2009 pro cycling season, bicycle teams, riders and manufacturers had widely interpreted the rule to apply only to bicycle frame tubes.
UCI will also enforce its corresponding cycling regulation that bans bicycle equipment that decreases air resistance to artificially accelerate propulsion, a regulation that has uncertain implications for the future of bicycle design.
Ritchey’s WCS Carbon Hammerhead, available in 38cm and 40cm widths, is a flat style base bar with a wide range of extensions and arm rests. The WCS Carbon Interval is a 40cm, 60mm drop base bar. Both the Hammerhead and the Carbon Interval include carbon lay-up to provide torsional strength and are designed to comply with the UCI’s ‘3:1’ rule.
Ritchey Design has a vested interest in the future of bicycle design innovation. Though the ‘3:1’ rule does not directly threaten Ritchey Design’s components, the company has joined an international association of bicycle equipment manufacturers whose charter is to create a formal line of communication with UCI concerning its bicycle design regulations.
