GCN Tech Show: The UCI proved us wrong, we do need rules

This week in the tech studio, Alex Paton is joined by Si Richardson to discuss everything that has gone on in the world of tech this week, with all the usual features you know and love thrown in there for good measure. The main topic of discussion this week is all about rules and whether in fact the sport's governing body, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale), has been right all along.

Here at GCN we have never been shy of voicing our comments and criticisms over the rules and regulations that the UCI enforces in our sport. However, after this weekend where the UK national 10 mile time trial championships took place it might be time to eat some humble pie and admit we had it wrong.

The UK national 10 mile time trial championships are held by an independent cycling body called Cycling Time Trials (CTT) and they fall outside of UCI regulations, meaning that equipment and set-ups do not have to comply with the rules set out by the governing body. As a result we saw a lot of quirky and unusual tech on display that you won't be seeing at any WorldTour time trials anytime soon.

One of which was second place rider Richard Bussell who rode to a finishing time of 18:08 on the course in Blyth, Northumberland. Helping him on his way to a second place finish ahead of Alex Dowsett, Bussell used aero fairings underneath his skinsuit and socks to create a more aerodynamically optimised profile to cheat the wind. Fairings behind his biceps and on his chest can be seen to have been used, all of which are perfectly acceptable in UK CTT time trial events.

This has got us thinking that maybe the sometimes harsh rules of the UCI might well be there to nip developments like this in the bud. If these regulations did not exist in UCI regulated events then we could see teams with larger budgets, spend extortionate money on product development to create wind cheating solutions that detract from the actual human performance side of the sport.

Obviously here at GCN Tech we love to see new tech come through and introduced to our sport, but perhaps the UCI rules are there to prevent things being taken too far and to keep the integrity and underpinnings of our sport intact. Be sure to let your thoughts on this matter be known in the comment section this article.

Also in the tech show this week we take a look at the all new BMC Speedmachine that has been developed in conjunction with a team from Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT). The new TT bike is claimed to be the fastest in the world and the project was five years in the making. The frame features a lot of design nods to the RBAT team which carry over of their knowledge of Formula 1 cars.

Read more: Ineos Grenadiers aero hack for fitting transponders to their TT bikes at the Vuelta a España

In case you missed it towards the end of last week, Shimano has released a new 12-speed mechanical version of their 105 groupset. This will be music to many riders' ears, as when 105 made the jump to Di2 last year, it did appear to be the end for the affordable performance mechanical groupset. Fear not, it is back and we have all the details for you right here.

Elsewhere in tech news, Zwift have announced the dates for this year's Zwift Academy, with registration open from the September 30 with proceedings getting underway on November 6. Not only is it great for a aspiring cyclist dreaming of entering the pro ranks but it is also a great way of having fun and getting some structured training in.

Read more: Getting started with Zwift for indoor training

On top of all the latest news the boys find time for Comment of the Week, including an ongoing debate about Radar rear lights, as well as a trip to the Bike Vault where a 'super nice' is harder than ever to get from the duo.

If you think you have a bike that is deserving of the Super Nice accolade, submit it in the GCN App to see if we agree with you!