Time trials are a battle for speed where every marginal gain matters—but those gains often come at a high price, making it harder for riders without access to costly equipment to compete. 🚴♂️💨
In an effort to level the playing field, Cycling Canada has introduced a ban on time trial bikes at the junior level to emphasise raw talent over technology. But is this the right move for the future of cycling?
In this edition of the GCN Tech Show, Alex and Ollie are joined by Silca CEO – Josh Poertner to discuss and debate the decision made by Cycling Canada.
Plus, we take a look at some stunning new pro bikes revealed for the upcoming season, along with versatile all-rounders that are turning heads! 👀✨
00:00 Welcome to the GCN Tech Show – Headlines
00:25 Canada bans TT bikes at the junior level
02:45 Trying to level the playing field
05:59 Cycling time trials in the UK
06:17 Restrictions at the pro level?
07:38 No computers and no radios at the pro level
09:52 What are your thoughts?
10:25 Hot and spicy tech
10:28 New Ridley Noah Fast release
12:33 Basso releases the new Sempre Veloce
14:13 Custom painted Wilier Triestina
16:28 Pashley Road Finder
18:33 Park Tool x Soudal Quick-Step Pro team partnership
18:41 Pinarello teams up with MotoGP rider
20:17 Pinarello retro build bike
21:24 GCN x Zwift Club Rides
21:34 Comments of the week
25:55 Bike vault
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What do you think about the decision? Do you agree with Josh’s opinion? 👀
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30 Comments
What do you think about Cycling Canada's decision? And do you agree with Josh's opinion? 👀
Ollie's TT bike in the Bike Vault. Excellent Ollie very pretty bike. I'm jealous.
fully agree. apart from the advantage of an expensive bike, for kids looking in they see time trials as something done on a "funny" bike that is nothing like the one they have and useless for any other riding. TT bikes and disc wheels should be banned completely.
Polished comments give the ride higher visibility as a ride who has been hit twice suffered broken hip ankles damaged and knee I think black clothes and bike should be banned
Josh's idea of no race radios is a great one. It make road events less predictable. An unexpected winning breakaway is so much more interesting.
The Tokyo Olympics women's road race is what got me into watching racing in the first place! The drama of Anna Kiesenhofer's breakaway had us on the edge of our seats the entire time, and it would never have happened if the teams had been using radios.
Let's face it – the time trialling arms race has just about killed things in the UK and, as we've seen, the "road bike" arms race is very noticeable, especially when a custom skin suit can make such an enormous difference.
Best idea is to have an "unlimited" category, where riders can spent as much as they want, to buy as much speed as they want, but to also have a restricted category, based on maybe a retail price of £1500, for bike, helmet, shoes and clothing.
It's probably a little too late now, to resurrect the UK TT scene, but it might be worth a shot. But let's not kid ourselves that the "road bike" category is a level playing field, when riders turn up on "road bikes" costing many thousands of pounds, and incorporating every conceivable aerodynamic aid.
So what about the loss of experience handling a tt bike?
You did it. I clicked. And now I'm leaving.
just do a limited budget for the bike and parts in general and every one will be in the same position
watching YOU GUY while you describe a bike is so annoying. Don't want to watch you get closer to the screen to see it – just show the bike, dag nabbit!
I have a tech question about the “moto GP versus bicycle” cornering angle. How come motorcycles can get such a steep angle in the corners? If I went at that angle on my bicycle, I would be sliding sideways. Is the center of gravity just that much different? Motor cycle COG is probably more defined by the motor and mech. Cyclist COG likely defined by the human, who is along way from the tire contact point. One of the best tips I learned about cornering, from a Davis Phinney book, was making sure you transfer most of your weight to the outside pedal…coincidentally which is lower than the BB… or are is it the different tire profile? Motorcycle tire cross section profiles seem to flare out, so the contact angle is different…now I am just rambling. Maybe a future episode?
I am a Canadian and approve of this message from Cycling Canada. Also, Simon is slowing down by choice and you guys are promoting speed. Maybe we need a GCN show for over the over 40s.
Wait a second. Juniors are under UCI. Canada should not be able to change the rules.
Racing as a Juvenile/Junior back in the day with no rich parents motivated me to win prize money to buy new bike parts. My first decent prize money went on a 105 9 speed groupset when a hub set used to be included.
Somebody missed their BeReal @25:19
So Lance Stroll out of F1… and he is from Canada 😂😂😂😂😂
Agree with maybe looking at young people not having TT bikes because of expense but the rich kids parents will just buy super aero road bikes instead as there is massive difference in high end road bikes and cheaper road bikes.
31:36 absolutely beautiful!
Purely as a cycling fan or spectator, I find time trials to be incredibly boring to watch, even the ones where final placings are at stake. The drama has to be manufactured by the race commentators. I think it would be much more interesting to see them being ridden on their regular road bikes, period. I'm thinking like the IROC auto racing series where all the cars were identically prepared, so that it was the skill of the drivers that determined the outcome or races. Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Race_of_Champions
If you want to make it more accessible, why not limit the financial investment?
Get rid of radios and computers, absolutely!!
Ollie‘s TT bike is a nice. He has managed to use a shadow stand but use it in a way that it is super visible – on a bike with double discs that could be held up invisibly behind the wheels.
bring back Alloy components!
tan sidewalls are out of control. they look so bad on Olie's TT bike. one spot of red sets you all off (red always looks good with black) but no mention on tan sidewall looking jank af? wow.
Go a step further and have a junior race class where everyone rides the exact same bike like Keirin racing in Japan. Senior maybe too. I’d like to see a race where the biggest performance factor is the rider.
OMG Ollie put the frame to the tooltrolley i heard the “tik” from the paint to the steel of the toolbox. Olie should be banned from the bike faalt for 1 month.
Instead of banning TT bikes, just do like sailing and make everyone race on identical bikes.
Totally agree to ban TT bike for juniors, remove data available to racers during the races so they ride on perceived efforts, don't care about the radio or not, but it does make it interesting. The risk is that there may be less attacks because racers may want to save energy for the last kilometers, who knows.
Luddites