Brandon Ives noted the UCI has "...never been known for logic on its rulings..." regarding what what designs can be raced. I trust Brandon on this.
But I would like to clarify something about rulings by bodies like UCI that make rules about racing in any form. There rulings are usually QUITE logical in their own often incredibly narrow agenda.
Here's how this game often plays elsewhere. Maybe it was involved with the UCI and Moulton...
Some persons will race anything.
Some persons will watch some persons race anything.
Some persons will in turn buy brands some persons race.
Race promoters recognize the above.
Bicycle manufacturers recognize the above.
Race promoters and bicycle manufacturers recognize their bottom lines can be improved by working together to promote a certain kind of racing (specialization).
All competition has to have rules and tools (even runners have to wear shoes these days).
He who makes the rules about tools biases the outcome of competition in his own favor.
Race promoters and bicycle manufacturers create (or shape after the fact) ruling bodies to create the rules for tools to bias outcomes of competition in their own favor.
Thus, while the actions of UCI and other ruling bodies may be extremely illogical with regards to advancing innovation and improvement in general bicycle design, these actions are usually quite logical at advancing the agendas of the race promoters and most influential bike manufacturers.
Of course, being logical does not always guarranty an outcome that enhances self interest. Some times one gets the assumptions wrong, or falls victim to unforseen consequences, and produces a logical outcome that quite bad. But other things being equal, rational, logical choices tend to yield more hits and fewer misses than other decision model and they have the CYA benefit after the fact of at least being able to lay out that one's intentions were sound, even if the outcomes stunk.
My guess is that major manufacturers looked at a Moulton racing in UCI and thought, well, the thing is patented to the hilt and its cheaper to marginalize Moultons than sink the cost of trying to figure out how to build an equivalent Moulton. The world is after all littered with patented devices that didn't make enough firms better off and so were marginalized by status quo players. The thinking in this case probably went like this: why let them race and give them any marketing oxygen at all (whether they win or lose)? They can only steal sales from us. They can't help us.
Oh, I'm sure there were other more dignified reasons given, but this dynamic is often at play, especially where equilibrium strategy has acquired the respectable facade of tradition.
Just some forensic market opining.
Don Wilson
Los Olivos, CA USA
> The UCI has never been known for logic on its
> rulings, or even
> thinking for that matter. I was just yesterday
> reading an article on
> recumbent racing in the 30s in the pro ranks. The
> UCI and most other
> governing bodies for bicycle racing just seem to
> fear designs outside
> of a very narrow norm.
> best,
> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
> Likes the small wheeled bikes,
> but works only on UCI approved
> bikes every day in Vancouver, B.C.
>
>
>
> On Nov 25, 2006, at 8:03 AM, Jerome & Elizabeth Moos
> wrote:
>
> > On what basis were they banned? I don't see these
> as ideal track
> > or road racing machines, but I don't see where
> they give an unfair
> > advantage or present a danger to other
> competitors.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jerry Moos
> > Big Spring, Tx
> >
> > Gilbert Anderson <cyclestore@aol.com> wrote:
> > Hello gang,
> >
> > I don't know what races Tom Simpson rode in but
> there was a stone
> > caving made up of a picture Tom Simpson riding a
> track configured
> > racing Moulton placed in the wall of the original
> factory from the
> > 1960's. When the spaceframe Moultons were
> developed and business
> > slacked off the factory was leased out and smaller
> production was
> > moved
> > to the renovated stable house on the estate. Very
> cute small wheel
> > exterior bike parking was left behind but the
> carving was removed and
> > is installed in the archway to the factory
> entrance where it remains
> > today.
> > I suspect few racing exploits are documented on
> the Moulton where
> > except for time trials and distance records the
> bikes were banned on
> > road and track repeatedly over the decades. The
> UCI maintains this ban
> > today.
> >
> >
> >
> > <From: Brian Booth
> > Subject: [CR]RE: 1960's Racing Moultons
> >
> > Joe wrote "Tom Simpson rode several pursuits
> > on the track on a Moulton."
> >
> > Really? I have never heard of this before, was
> this
> > done as a joke or a publicity stunt, surely this
> was
> > not a serious race? I remember Lloyd Binch riding
> a
> > penny farthing at Herne Hill but he never even
> reached
> > the 220 yards to go line!!!!
> >
> > Brian (never rode a Moulton)Booth
> > Toronto, Canada>>
> >
> > Yours in Cycling,
> >
> > Gilbert Anderson
> >
> > North Road Bicycle Company
> > PO Box 840
> > 166 Court Square
> > Yanceyville, NC 27379
> > USA
> >
> > Our newest direct local Yanceyville Area phone is
> 336-421-4054
> > Toll Free Research Triangle Area, NC area
> 919-828-8999
> > Toll free Nationwide 800-321-5511
> >
> > email: cyclestore@aol.com
> >
> > http://www.northroadbicycle.com ----> New Website
> Improved Daily
> >
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> >
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> >
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