出 : brujulabike
Everyone should have noticed that most road bikes have a UCI logo sticker on their frame, however, few people know what it is for and what it would be like without its certification.
Let's start with the conclusion: a car without a sticker cannot participate in any race under the UCI rules.
In 2011, UCI introduced an approval system for on-road, on-track and cyclocross models. We want to simplify the process of validating bikes before the race and reduce the workload of on-site judges by approving certifications.
It establishes a set of rules that manufacturers must follow if they want their bikes to be used for racing. Of course, UCI has also opened up a source of revenue, and the whole process of certifying new models imposes new costs on the brand, the whole process is 5,000 Swiss francs plus VAT (about 37,000 yuan), and the simplified procedure is 3,500 Swiss francs plus VAT (about 28,000 yuan).
So, since the UCI introduced this approval system, if we want to participate in any race under the UCI rules, we must have the said label on our bike, unless our bike was manufactured before 2011. There is a model number and identification code on the label, which can be checked on the official website, and it is also beneficial for merchants to launch new models.
If our frame is not UCI certified, the referee will not allow us to start the car during the UCI race. However, the vast majority of models on the market are now certified, with the exception of a few exotic models or test models. In fact, the certification is also a service for brands to ensure that their new bike can be used for racing, rather than discovering that a model has been developed and riders find that it can't be used. For example, Cannondale's bikes were banned for not meeting the minimum weight standards set by the UCI.
There are two procedures for approving a new bike model: a general procedure and a full procedure.
The first is a simplified approach, suitable for more traditional models, which only requires the brand to send the bike design to UCI to verify that it complies with current technical regulations before giving approval.
The certification of the full program is mainly for models with fairing design or aerodynamic design, which must comply with the design limits of the UCI, and in addition to the design, the manufacturer is required to submit a prototype bicycle to the UCI for measurement and verification by the UCI itself.
Essentially, UCI seeks to keep the bike in its traditional nature of the double-triangle design, rather than deriving something similar to what you've seen in triathlons. It defines every part of the frame: top tube, diagonal tube, etc...... A rectangle is used to limit the maximum amount that each tube can occupy, as well as the joint section, so that the manufacturer can use it to optimize the aerodynamics of the new model.
Of course, other parameters are also limited, such as the inclination of the chainstays, the design of the forks, especially in the time trial models, and the width of the tube type also needs to adhere to certain dimensions.