January 6/16 16:32 pm - UCI Institutes Rule Change for Saddle Angle

Posted by Editor on 01/6/16
 

For 2016 the UCI has revised the regulations concerning saddle angle for Road, Track and Cyclo-cross.  Until now, the regulation has required saddles to be horizontal.  This dates back to the days of innovations by riders such as Laurent Fignon that saw saddles with 'back plates' that riders could push against to (theoretically) gain a power advantage (also chest harnesses and tethers to the top tube).  The UCI decided to stop any attempts in this area by requiring saddles to be horizontal, and this has caused many complaints over the years from riders who said it caused physical issues.

After submissions from the industry and federations showing that the regulation was actually injurious to some riders, the Technical Commission has responded with a revised Article 1.3.014, which allows an angle of up to nine degrees:

The plane passing through the highest points at the front and rear of the saddle can have a maximum angle of nine degrees from horizontal.

The length of the saddle shall be 24 cm minimum and 30 cm maximum.  A tolerance of 5mm is allowed.

According to UCI Technical Manager Mark Barfield, "The modification to the Regulation aims to minimize injury to riders, of which there has been strong evidence."

"To this end, Article 1.3.014 has been updated with effect from 1 December 2015."

The regulation is specifically for Road, Track and Cyclo-cross, because Mountain Bike has never had a similar restriction (as evidenced by London Olympic champion Jaroslav Kulhavy's angled saddle), and the Para disciplines generally follow Road and Track (with exceptions made to accommodate impairments).