Changes are afoot at the UCI - the amended rulebook allows for the inclusion of enduro, pump track racing and alpine snow bike competitions, an exemption for eMTB 'mechanic doping', permitted mismatched wheel sizes, reverting back to the old finals start order system.
Highlights include:
- After leaving the track, riders now have to re-enter the course between the two course markers where they exited rather than at the exact same spot.
- eMTB races are exempt from the no electronic bike rule.
- In DH and enduro events, riders are allowed to run two different wheel sizes on the same bike.
- In the DH qualifying round, riders will start in reverse order using their most recent World Cup standings.
- In DH finals, start order is the reverse order of qualifying results (fastest last).
- Inclusion of eMTB events.
- Inclusion of pump track events.
- Inclusion of Alpine snow bike events.
Check out the changes in the new
2019 rulebook here:
The 2018 rulebook is here:
We've reached out to Chris Kilmurray, a coach for multiple top-level DH and enduro athletes, for his opinion and analysis on what these rule changes will mean for the sport going forward. Keep tuned for more.
or is it 96er...
If it's electric, the UCI will have a class for it next year.
So I can be disqualified for having my saddle too far forward on my road bike but I can have a motor on my mountain bike? UCI priorities? Got it.
I wouldn't buy them for the price and also not for their weight what is too light/fragile for my stupid riding quality.
For that price I get a Zerode ...
I'm half happy because it seems like common sense, motocross has been running smaller larger rear wheels and big and thinner front wheels forever, and every single test says it's 100% better, but on the other hand I see manufacturers laughing from the top of their ivory towers "héhéhé a new way of creating the need for frame replacement"
I don't like them either ;-)
I have the most sexy bike ever so I don't care about anything else really, haha.
I have a friend who just bought an older intense SS frame, 26" wheels. Frame was mint, for $400. We are building him a mixed set of wheels. The bike calls for up to 160mm front, so we will set up 150 or maybe 140 with 27.5 front, and 26 rear. Fum rear at 150mm. Because why not - should be fun!
Wondering what is going to be next “innovation” in dh... they would already moved into gear box if sram had one in production (do they?)... probably they are just waiting for them to catch up and release to public their usual “beta”.
Buy people, buy stuff! It’s neu, it’s better!
Going by the generally accepted rule of not changing stock travel (i.e. fork length) by more than 20mm in either direction, that means you'd want to go for at least 20mm less travel when switching from a 27.5 front wheel to a 29er front wheel.
"The start order for the final is determined on the basis of the reverse results of the qualifying round (the fastest rider starting last), except for the protected riders (defined in art. 4.5.031) who will start as the last riders by race number reversed and the fastest 5 men elite [...] non-protected riders, who will start as the last group of riders by order of qualifying result, reversed".
Sounds pretty complicated still!
"The start order for the final is determined on the basis of the reverse results of the qualifying round (the fastest rider starting last), except for the [20] protected riders (defined in art. 4.5.031) and the fastest 5 men elite [...] non-protected riders, who will start as the last group of riders by order of qualifying result, reversed"
Letter on facebook from BMX NZ last night.
"As of 1st of January 2019 all riders who are UCI 12 (born in 2007) and under will be required to ride with flat pedals at ALL events, this includes any organised activity held at a BMXNZ affiliated club whether it be training, a club day, a NQM, a National Series Round, an Island Titles, Nationals or any higher ranking event"
"Please be aware this is a world-wide regulation change & all of the sport will run to this regulation. At the recent BMX conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan, the subject was discussed by all federations & was unanimously supported for change of some kind. The recent UCI issued rule change, matches the European Confederation, which already has this regulation n place."
I have no idea why this has not been allowed sooner but I'm really curious as to how many riders will do this and how it works for them.
That said, of course it is still poorly timed. Just dump the silly rule a few years ago and there must have been a good couple of brands who wouldn't have had to bother with making their frames 29" compatible.
Of course there have been enough brands like Liteville who didn't give a damn about UCI and just built frames for the wheelsizes they see fit. But there are enough brands who stuck to keeping their bikes UCI compliant so that the small portion of their customers who would like to compete could do so on the bike they bought. So yeah, it is good to see that out of the way now. That said, I'm pretty sure I could put a 27.5" wheel in the front and keep 26" in the rear and most people wouldn't even notice.
"Can we put a 27.5 in the rear and keep the 29er front?"
Here’s an excerpt I got from a nano mic recorder mounted on my trained fly that I had fly into a top level UCI board meeting:
“It’s time for a new rule. These DH riders are deliberately crashing and going outside the tape to gain a timing advantage. I mean honestly who crashes that much? I ride 500 kilometers a week on glass smooth paved roads and I never crash.”
“I’ve got it! If a DH rider crashes and exits the tape they need to make note of the exact spot where the tape broke and re-enter the course right there. It should be no problem considering they just ploughed into a pile of rocks going 60kph, their heart rate is going around 190, and their entire body is flooded with adrenaline, dopamine, and various other performance enhancing neurotransmitters which gives them an unfair advantage anyway. Honestly we have to inject things to gain that kind of an edge. Their cognitive and observational skills should be at peak performance. They couldn’t possibly be dazed in anyway. Have you seen the helmets these riders wear? So it should be no problem for them to get up and locate where they exited the tape. That’ll put an end to this cheating by trying to crash your way to victory!”
Too many meetings go on for the sake of having a meeting honestly.
Where are all the everlasting light-bulbs then?
Let 100 psychology graduates, better still, 100 marketing CEOs, tell you their responses to the following question and then see if you still wish to stand fully behind your statement.
"Companies cannot manufacture desire in consumers. Discuss"
I know of not one, not a single one, of my Japanese riding buddies who has bought an e-bike, or who intends to. Not until the marketing departments get to work on their psyche that is.
I also live in a biking community - see them all the time .. funny that aint it, maybe, just maybe the world dont revolve around you are where you live .. just a thought
Interested to see what set up they would use...
Fat bikes? Ski bikes? Tracks on the back ski up front?
Great now everyone will complain about the new ski, and rear track size standard.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=awm8wytQctU
"Maaan that was just my frame mounted bong"
How?
We can put a motor on the mountain bike.
Well call them E bikes.
Then UCI gives acceptance to these motor bikes.
Sad very sad.
UCI you endorse e mopeds. You suck.
As for the neg reps. Only UCI members would beg rep such comments.
Keep E bikes on pavement.
How about road E bikes ?
Why not?
Road bikes with motors.
How about UCI?
eMTB races. SO F-ing exciting!!!!!!
(rolls eyes)
What a joke.
1- We thought geometries were about done - industry pushes for different wheel sizes on the same bike! Every bike after today is now potentially outdated! And we Thought they couldn't reinvent the wheel again.
2- Racing unlimited e-bikes??? hahahahaha! WFT is that? Do even e-bikes belong in the mountains? FFS! Industry wins again - pushing and pushing and pushing e-bikes down our throats. It is like including a jetski category into surfing or driving a marathon instead of racing it!
I mean I love MTB! I love watching races, but this just smells foul .. like how can we fool these bafoons into buying more crap by 1 - feeling they have unsuitable bikes and 2- by introducing motorized bikes for lazy asses that can't be bothered to put the effort! And the added on pollution of batteries (but that is another subject).
That is what happens when you leave managers to do the riders jobs. Genuine love and authenticity is replaced by all the marketing crap and a throw away culture.
Does this mean that now the riders can "extend" (or widen) the track to their liking at places where the poles are sparse?
Does this mean Enduro ranking counts towards DH?
This bike is literally 3 years ahead of its time. ????
11 years ahead of its time.
4.1.044
For Mountain Bike downhill and enduro events, as opposed to the general rule defined in article 1.3.006, the two wheels can be of a different diameter but should comply with the specifications of article 1.3.018.
1.3.006
The bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels of equal diameter. The front wheel shall be steerable; the rear wheel shall be driven through a system comprising pedals and a chain.
1.3.010
The bicycle shall be propelled solely, through a chainset, by the legs (inferior muscular chain) moving in a circular movement [...]
The MSA worlds in 2019 has a e-bike category for the first time....
cyclingmagazine.ca/mtb/uci-announces-mont-sainte-anne-will-host-first-e-mtb-world-championships
So, Red Bull, are you going to take the bait?
At least most of us will have wheel sets ready this time when the new range of reverse mullet bikes start coming though... I saw FOES was pretty happy!
hen are we getting a ten race series? Is there any reason why that's not happened yet?
But the looks is great - very MX: m.pinkbike.com/news/canyon-goes-electric-with-the-spectral-on-first-ride.html
electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/09/rmk-electric-motorcycle-e2-3.jpg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1000
Enduro is OVER. [/portlandia]
Edit:just realized there is no other way on Snowbikes:-D
How good would this be ? Make it red and it will go more fastererest
If it’s done right there could be some interesting courses and high speed technical climbs..
Talks about making money. Check. Talks about school like it's a bad thing. Check. Talks about innovation like if it was a synonym of "silly trend". check. Gives lesson about life to total stranger. Check.