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Ritchey Design announced today that its time trial handlebars, the WCS Carbon Hammerhead and WCS Carbon Interval, comply with the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) “3:1” bicycle design regulation that the governing body will begin enforcing on all competitive bicycle equipment starting July 1, 2009.
“Ritchey time trial handlebars were designed with the UCI three-to-one ratio in mind, as are all of our products. We have used this design guideline to make great time trial products that are verified by elite teams on both the USA and European circuits,” said Steve Parke, Ritchey Design general manager. “Still, Ritchey is concerned about the impact UCI’s design regulations will have on the future of bicycle design innovation, and we’re committed to working with UCI and manufactures to ensure that competitive cycling develops in a way that is positive for the sport and the industries that support it.”
The 3:1 rule, a series of UCI cycling regulations, stipulates that all bicycle parts and components must be built with measurements that do not exceed a three-to-one ratio. Created in 2000 but not actively enforced until the beginning of the 2009 season, bicycle teams, riders and manufacturers had widely interpreted the rule to apply only to bicycle frame tubes.
UCI will also enforce its corresponding cycling regulation that bans bicycle equipment that decreases air resistance to artificially accelerate propulsion, a regulation that has uncertain implications for the future of bicycle design. To read the UCI Regulations on “General Organization of Cycling as a Sport” in full, please go to the Ritchey Blog.
Ritchey WCS Carbon Hammerhead and WCS Carbon Interval Time Trial bars
The WCS Carbon Hammerhead, available in 38cm and 40cm widths, is a flat style base bar with a wide range of extensions and arm rests. The WCS Carbon Interval is a 40cm, 60mm drop base bar. Both the Hammerhead and the Carbon Interval include carbon lay-up to provide torsional strength and are designed to comply with the UCI’s “3:1” rule.
The WCS Carbon Hammerhead has seen recent success with rider Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto who won the opening time trial at the 63rd Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré on June 7, 2009. A Tour de France favorite, Evans comfortably maintained his lead in the second stage of the race the following day.
Rory Sutherland of OUCH Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis rode the WCS Carbon Hammerhead to a second-place finish in the June 10 opening time trial of the 2009 Nature Valley Grand Prix.
Ritchey Design also provides time trial equipment to ColaVita Men’s and Women’s teams, Team TIBCO, Team Jelly Belly and Lampre.
Ritchey Design has a vested interest in the future of bicycle design innovation. Though the “3:1” rule doesn’t directly threaten Ritchey Design’s components, Ritchey Design has joined an international association of bicycle equipment manufacturers whose charter is to create a formal line of communication with UCI concerning its bicycle design regulations. To read Ritchey Design’s official statement on joining the association, please visit the Ritchey Design website.
About Ritchey Design, Inc.
Northern California-based Ritchey Design (ritcheylogic.com) was founded by road racer, mountain bike pioneer and product innovator Tom Ritchey in 1974. The company is well-known for its technical merits through attention to detail during the product design phase, resulting in high-quality, reasonably priced road and mountain bike components. Under its Fit Logic philosophy, Ritchey Design offers a wide range of “cockpit” components (handlebars, stems and seatposts) that help riders custom fit their bikes for a more efficient and comfortable. Ritchey Design also offers a complete line of innovative products ranging from headsets to tires for professional racers and the serious weekend rider, as well as its line of “Break-Away” travel bicycles for traveling cyclists.
Media Contacts:
Chip Smith, SOAR Communications for Ritchey Design, 801.523.3730 (wk)/801.597.7515 (cell), csmith[.]soarcomm.com, or Maura Lansford, SOAR Communications, 801.523.3730 (wk), 817.929.8123 (cell), mlansford[.]soarcomm.com
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csmith[.]soarcomm.com 
