Cycling: Will the UCI's magic 6,8kg rule fall in the foreseeable future? For 15 years now, rule 1.3.019 of the UCI regulations has stipulated that the bike of every professional must weigh at least 6,8kg. The origin of the rule lay in safety concerns, which are now far removed from reality thanks to improved production processes and optimized materials. In an interview with the Australian cycling portal Cycling Tips, UCI technology boss Mark Barfield now questions this limit.
Actually, the interview with the new man for technology at the UCI was supposed to be about the number one topic - namely the introduction of disc brakes in Peloton from January 1st. But almost casually, a topic comes up again that has repeatedly led to discussions in recent years, namely the '6,8 kg rule' of the UCI. When they were introduced around the turn of the millennium, the aim was to prevent manufacturers from sacrificing safety for lower weight. While this line of thought certainly had its justification at the time, it seems a bit antiquated today - especially since the number itself - 6,8kg - has also remained unchanged for the past 15 years.
“There is a will to change the rule. It's a relic of bygone days and doesn't make any sense at all these days." Barfield explains his view of things surprisingly openly. Most teams and riders now have to bring their bikes to the necessary minimum weight with the help of small weights - that was never the point, and the UCI knows that too: "[The rule] no longer does what it was originally intended to do."
A change is being sought here - however, the rule should not be deleted without replacement, but replaced by another one that again guarantees the original meaning, namely safety for all drivers. “We look at current security standards and see if any of them are suitable for our purposes. If so, that would certainly be an elegant and at the same time simple solution.” But with all the courage to change, it will still be a while before the 6,8 kg limit is dropped: "This is not something that happens overnight and it can only work if we involve the industry."
However, a start has been made – so after the disc brakes, will we perhaps get the next material revolution in the pro peloton for the 2017 season? We'll see - because as we all know, the wheels of the UCI grind slowly.