BikeBiz

Campagnolo launches new time trial and triathlon components

CULT is actually Ceramic Ultimate Level Technology rather than any aspect of Campagnolo's proprietory Carbon technology. CULT bearings use selected ceramic balls running on a specially-developed (by Campagnolo in tandem with Schaeffler in Germany) chromium-stainless steel bearing surface called Cronitect ... it runs grease-free for very low preload and therefore rolling resistance values.

Bike brands won't lose Olympic visibility

Hmmmm, time someone cut the IOC down to size ... they are nearly as bad as the UCI

Prepare for red-top hate: IAM says half of all cyclists run red lights

The problem here is that we can all do the "Yah, Boo!" thing ... two wrongs most definitely do not make a right, and just because some motorists speed, drive without tax or insurance, run red lights, use mobiles whilst driving, are abusive to other road users and so on, is not a justification for cyclists to be similarly half-witted. I see cyclists doing some pretty scary things, even to me, as a life-long cyclist and former racing cyclist - just as I see motorists doing things that make my blood run cold (or hot, depending ...) so there is an argument that says that if we as cyclists want to gain some sort of moral high ground, we do have to clean up our act - as otherwise we will always be the whipping boys & girls of the motoring lobby, who have a lot more marketing bucks, better representation in the halls of power and therefore direct influence over those in power and also indirectly, they wield a lot of influence over the populist media, which in large part sets the agenda for government. Running red lights, cycling on the pavement, riding without lights are all stupid in this context *because* they are illegal and destroy the credibility of our arguments ...

Campagnolo EPS lands with i-ride

A small correction to Tom's statement "To buy a groupset at least one member of staff must be fully Campagnolo EPS trained," whilst this is true, in fact the shop must also have committed to, or completed the full Campagnolo ProShop training programme with ourselves at Velotech Cycling Ltd. This is a two day programme which covers all technical aspects of Campagnolo's non-electronic groupsets. Details can be found here: http://www.velotech-cycling.ltd.uk/campagnolo_technical_training.shtml Please note, this course covers material above & beyond the content of the various "Level 2" accreditations out there, including our own Velotech Platinum - in fact, knowledge of that and certified training in wheelbuilding are a pre-requisite. It is also the only Campagnolo-supported and accredited course in the UK. Interested dealers should contact me either by email at velotechcycling@aim.com or on 07802 758 469. Cheers! Graeme

Brake makers want UCI to allow disc brakes on road bikes

Well Dave, again, there are advantages to Electronic transmission - it does allow you to do things that are just not possible with conventional gear shifters, but that isn't so true of disc brakes ... where we are nowhere near the limits of available materials technology.

You are nearer the mark with arguments about the need to keep the commercial wheels turning - sooner or later though, we have to look and say "is the marginal improvement here worth the candle?" - e.g. cheap cable-op disc brakes are heavier and less effective than a well set-up V-type brake in most conditions, as well as being dearer.

Like you, though, I do consider myself a bit of a Luddite in some respects - just don't start me on headsets and BB systems, that's all ...

The answer to under-invested transport infrastructure? Privatisation

The real danger here is that it opens the door to the allocation of specific parts of VED to a specific purpose - in this case, paying the private investors a bonus if they acheive the aims and targets set for them by whatever bizarre regulator the Govt. comes up with. Once we open the door to this, the call from the motoring lobby that "cyclists don't pay tax so they should be disbarred from road use" actually becomes an almost-valid argument (but for the fact that the Govt. is only suggesting that such schemes be applied to motorways at this stage - still, when has the motoring lobby let logic or even reasoned argument get in the way of a good slanging match?).

As an idea this is a poor one all round - the lessons of previous privatisations don't appear to have been learned, nor the lessons of PPI projects.

Brake makers want UCI to allow disc brakes on road bikes

This is an interesting debate. In my opinion, disc brakes have some small advantages in competition road bicycles, but these advantages are outweighed by the problems that they introduce. I think further work on heat dissipation in rims and brake blocks / callipers, and making a more efficient and elegant hydraulic caliper would be effort better spent - we already have a nice big rotor, and we have all the "grab" we need - what we have far outweighs the ability of the small contact patch of the tyre to properly utilise it - so what we are looking for is better modulation, less force applied at the lever and better materials to allow predictable, all-weather braking on (especially composite) rims. Another consideration here is that we'll also need to design and build a whole new range of frames - if we are heading down the avenue of the misguided UCI type-approval process, that's a whole new raft of designs to certify, as well as having the UCI approve the calipers themselves, plus the rotors, levers and hoses, or systems as a whole, depending - so given the income that will generate (and I don't believe the UCI assertion that the process is revenue-neutral for one minute), I can't see the UCI saying "no". Oh, and then we may need 135mm-spaced rear road wheels - more type-approval, if UCI get their mitts onto 130mm spaced rear wheels first ... The technical development side of the industry needs to be very careful that they don't fall into the trap of doing something because they "can" rather than doing something because it has a good mechanical justification. To say that this is about "safety" is just bunkum (sorry Giancarlo), and to assert blithely that problems around wheel ejection and heat dissipation have been solved is similarly marketing speak - they have no basis in actuality as far as competition road bicycles are concerned. The fact is, there is no real field experience in the peloton to back those assertions up. OK, rant over, I'm going back to my machine-breaking like the Luddite I am ... :-)

UCI pleased with uptake of stickering programme

I couldn't agree more, Steve. Once they really get their teeth into this and the cash register starts ringing, then we'll see how "non-profit making" this is ... Bear in mind, this is effectively going to be an annual charge for many builders as it'll be levied each time the mould for a model changes (in the case of composites), each time a tube profile changes (in the case of fabricated composites & traditional metal frames). Shoes, clothing, handlebars, saddles are all in the firing line. This has absolutely NOTHING to do with rider safety & in fact if one troubles oneself to look back to early comment and press releases by the UCI, the ORIGINAL rationale that was given for it was to make it easier for riders to arrive atInternational competition with frames that satisfied the UCI's dimensional requirement & an early statement specifically EXCLUDED rider safety as a factor. As soon as the furore hit (the industry as a whole sleep-walked into this one), then and only then, did Pat and the boys start banging on about rider safety, and area in which Mr McQ showed a woeful lack of knowledge in relation to frame building and technology with his ill-advised comments about "carbon frames for $40 out of China" ... I'm still looking, Pat ... Equity between riders - oh, come on guys, there are far, far bigger fish to fry in that area ...

Cycle organisations meet with Minister for Cars

I think shooting red lights is at best dangerous and at worst does no favours to the cycling lobby - but it has to be said that it is ill-informed, intransigent servants of the motoring caucasus like this that should be strung up by the thumbnails, not the half-witted cyclists that indulge in such activity. This guy was ELECTED? What were the honest burghers of Hemel Hemstead thinking of? Their slightly mad & made-for-motorists Magic Roundabout I assume. Tell you what though, I'd love to see one of those "longer lorries" or even a 13m artic actually USE that RAB in a legal fashion ...

Magura branches into hydraulic rim brakes for road with RT8 TT

Forgot about 66s & 77s, too ... in fact if I remember accurately (getting harder by the day , the 77s *were* the levers in fact - looked a bit like a Dia-Compe Aero, with hose exit out the back.