Triathlon - Softride and Y-foil

Anyone know why the Y-foil design bikes (Trek, Softride, etc) never caught on? I know that the UCI banned them from certain races because they didn't have a seat tube, but couldn't find out why. They are ugly, but it looks like they would be lighter and they did perform well. Just wondered, fairly new to triathlon (less than a year), and I have seen a couple in person in Transition areas, but they don't seem popular.

I can't speak for everyone but when it comes to beam bikes the Zipp to me is the better looking of them all. Aero wise it is cleaner than both the softride and y-foil, I think it is a very sexy looking bike. But then again I like to be different and I own 3 Zipp2001's.

I see a few of them in competition but I've never ridden them. They're kinda cool but look gimmick-ey.

I still dream of picking up a Softride or Titanflex frame to build up someday.

One reason they never got popular is because the UCI banned them [because they're not pretty] which in turn led to alot of "real cyclists" poopoo-ing them for all sorts of silly reasons despite getting pretty good reviews.

I do believe they are generally heavier than a traditional double-triangle frame, but the aero and comfort advantage more than make up for that except maybe when climbing.

Softride is still around but not currently producing frames though you'll see them on EBay fairly regularly. The only problem is sourcing parts unique to the Softride frame usually relating to the suspension beam which is making me lean towards getting a Titanflex instead.

Yea I've seen a few in transition areas and always thought they looked like stealth bikes. It does seem like an unnecessary change, I wonder if there prices were comparable to a traditional framed tri or road bike whether or not they would be more popular.

I think you answer the question, once banned they slowly went bye bye. I do like the idea. I would like to get a good used one as a goof one day.
TitanFlex is still around but not cheap, $1500-2000 for the frames I think....

The reason probably stems from the fact that most triathletes are bigger cycling fans, than triathlon fans.

I also encourage you to not lump all UCI illegal bikes together. There is a wide range of performance between the worst UCI illegal bikes and the best illegal bikes. Zipp 3001 and Lotus were damn fine bikes. The BP Stealth and Softride are probably on mark with some of todays Legal itterations. Things like the Yfoil though are fairly primitive.

I still dream of picking up a Softride or Titanflex frame to build up someday.

One reason they never got popular is because the UCI banned them [because they're not pretty] which in turn led to alot of "real cyclists" poopoo-ing them for all sorts of silly reasons despite getting pretty good reviews.

I do believe they are generally heavier than a traditional double-triangle frame, but the aero and comfort advantage more than make up for that except maybe when climbing.

Softride is still around but not currently producing frames though you'll see them on EBay fairly regularly. The only problem is sourcing parts unique to the Softride frame usually relating to the suspension beam which is making me lean towards getting a Titanflex instead.
Hi - I have a Softride Racing USA (700 , not 650)- and love it. I am 6'2" with a very bad back and this is the most comforatble and fast bike I've ever riden.I just got a Guru Crono and like it better for the hills where I now live (becasue it's lighter). I have $4500 into the Softride and
would be happy to sell it for best offer so as to buy a fixie. Thanks so much, Jim

hings like the Yfoil though are fairly primitive.

why do you say that?

why do you say that?

I mean from an aerodynamics standpoint. You still use a round seatpost with it, the seatstays aren't bladed, they didn't "fair" the rear wheel, external cable outing, the general tubing isn't "bladed" and the frontal area looks pretty big, and to top things off it has a standard road fork. I would like to remind you that the Y-Foil was designed before Trek became, TREK, the wind tunnel loving, #1 bike in the U.S., giant it is now. I have seen one set of data on the Y Foil, and it was surpassed by the Cervelo P2k.

I think the king of UCI illegal bikes is generally accepted to be a Lotus Sport 110, it does almost everything "right", that is "wrong" about the Y-Foil. It's got an integrated bladed seat mast, no seatstays, faired rear wheel, internal cable routing, really aero fork, and it was shaped in the wind tunnel.

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/attachments/f177/108172d1231942440-wtb-lotus-sport-110-time-trial-bike-dsc02523.jpg

a close second is the Zipp 3001:

http://www.duathlon.com/data/classifieds/images/3768.jpg

The reps from Cervelo and Felt both have mentioned online that the Zipp and Lotus are fast bikes, and they contend that only recently have modern designs exceeded those designs. I have nothing against the Y-Foil, but I bet even trek would admit that it is far inferior aerodynamically to it's current time trial design.