Originally Posted by
Mobile 155
Has anyone seen a hot slicing disk hotly slicing anyone? Or is that hyperbole? Has a majority of the riders protested the tests, or is that unsupported and assumed? Has a petition been signed?
AS HAS BEEN STATED .... I can use this phrase to start a rebuttal to about every post in this thread now. I wonder how many people actually read threads anymore?
As has been stated, riders cannot protest too vocally because their teams would not allow it. The riders need to stay good with the teams or they won't get hired, and the teams need to stay on UCI's good side so they are allowed to compete. A few riders have taken the risk of speaking out ... and there has been some writing in the media. Eddie Merxx, who used to ride, has said a bit.
Originally Posted by
Mobile 155
To date many cycling sources only list a few vocal riders with opposition. It doesn't sound like a ground swell.
See above. If no one was oppoesed to it ... why would UCI have fought so hard to stop the test? I t was only after the injuries' causes were called into question that the test was reinstated ... UCI was ready and waiting to end the test after the first suspected injury, and only relented when it was pklain its position had no certain substantiation.
Of course, no one has heard a bunch of chatter from UCI about not wanting discs ... but I fi see an apple lying on the ground under an apple tree, I do not consider it a stretch to say the apple fell from the tree.
Pretty much, the manufacturers are pushing discs and UCI, either for safety and in response to rider complaints, or to try to flex its political power--or both--is resisting. However, UCI needs the manufacturers on board to have a sport to rule, so ....
Originally Posted by
Mobile 155
And still disks will be back in June. They will be tested and evaluated, like it or not. If they don't work because they slow down wheel changes or for some other racing related reason they will be discontinued at the team level even if allowed by the UCI.
partly true. Discs will get another test---and sadly, only if a lot of riders get hurt in a pileup will there be proof that as currently employed, discs are dangerous in a pro peloton. Of course, such a crash might not happen during the test period .... so discs might be adopted for 2017, and then halfway through the season, a few riders might get lacerated severely by discs, and the whole controversy might re-erupt.
Or, discs might not cause increased injury. Sort of why there needs to be a test.
However, Teams will not choose to use discs or not. Teams ride what the manufacturers hand them. The manufacturers will assume that their slow wheel changes are as fast as the other teams;' slow wheel changes, and who cares, when megabucks in sales are involved? After all, manufacturers only sponsor racing to sell more and more expensive bikes more frequently.
Originally Posted by
Mobile 155
As far as MTB racers and CX racers have you tried it? Do you know what things they face or how close to disks their legs are every race? Sure it isn't the same but they are often flying past each other in the air or in a full slide side by side. Sometimes the CX racers jump off of their smoking hot disk brake bikes and toss the bike over their shoulder to jump over a log or run up a muddy hill. So if they were slicers and dicers we should see more slicing and dicing here as well.
No other type of racing features the kinds of massive pileups that road racing has. Not at all. A couple riders may collide in some other disciplines, but in road racing it is common for a dozen or two dozen riders to fall on top of each other. That sim,ple never happens in other disciplines.
As for CX--- I can shoulder my bike without getting mud form the tires or grease from the chainring on my jersey. It is silly to assume that a CX rider would hit his own discs ... if the guy has enough coordination to ride a bike, hhe can pick up the bike properly. Weak example.
Originally Posted by
Mobile 155
Yes road racing is a different beast and yes the pro peloton is often in close contact and often subjected to big crashes. But without testing you aren't going to prove if they are a safety concern or not. But to date more riders have been injured by support vehicles than disk brakes.
Well ... first off, the test is going to happen, so I don't know what you are on about.
Secondly ... more riders have been injured by support vehicles because the pros don't use discs. That's an even weaker argument. Also ... More riders have been injured by hitting dogs than by fans on the sidelines shooting flamethrowers at the peloton .... that's a reason to control dogs, not test having people in the crown spraying napalm on the riders.