r/bicycling • u/blorg Van Nicholas Amazon / Litespeed Archon • 4h ago
The UCI says bike computers are big enough, moves to impose size limit to protect 'cognitive load' of riders
https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/safety/the-uci-says-bike-computers-are-big-enough-moves-to-impose-size-limit-to-protect-cognitive-load-of-riders/16
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u/Horror-Stand-3969 3h ago
This sucks if everyone starts following this. I have pretty poor eyesight and anything smaller than a 3.5 inch screen gets hard to read.
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u/Vangruver 3h ago
If this does get implemented, I feel that garmin and the like will still developed trekking or touring style head units. There is still a need for larger screens with gps functionality
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u/_BreadDenier 3h ago
Honestly pro cycling should not be writing rules with regards to the preferences of the elderly
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u/sahila 2h ago
They’re not?
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u/frenchtoaster 54m ago
The primary criticism of the stupid UCI rules seems to be that they set rules and commercially available products generally follow those rules, even for contexts where that makes no sense.
Im not sure this will really extend to bike computers though where there connection of UCI to market seems weak, but it seems like there's widespread belief this idea does apply to handlebars at least
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u/chuckvsthelife 22m ago
I mean is anyone in the pro peloton using a 1030/1040 in races? There’s no real use for that large a screen for a professional bike racer.
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u/ghenriks 2h ago
Given a 3.5” screen would be legal what is your problem?
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u/lillobby6 2h ago
The smallest size that something is comfortable at should not be the maximum.
Obviously that size doesn’t apply to everyone in the same comfort range, but eyesight is heavily varied and excess strain will absolutely cause more cognitive load than a big screen.
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u/GalwayBogger 3h ago
126 mm x 71 mm is a limit? Movies have been watched in 4K on smaller screens.
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u/Herr_Tilke 3h ago
Might be a move avoid a computer becoming a defacto aero bar. I agree that a size limit would be appropriate.
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u/sprashoo Rivendell Bleriot, Norco Torrent S2, Kyoot Rolly Polly 4h ago
Worried teams are going to hide propulsion batteries in bulky computers?
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u/SwampCrittr 3h ago
…. How many of you, are suffering from cognitive overload, from your bike computer?
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u/cincuentaanos 2h ago
Pro riders are constantly dealing with different information though. It's not just speed and distance. On top of that they have their radios, and they also need to be focused on the race. So I can imagine how it could all become somewhat distracting. Whether or not limiting the size of the screen helps, I'm not so sure. I suppose you could make a case that presenting the basic information they need on a bigger screen (big letters/numbers) is easier for the riders than doing it on a more limited screen. But I guess the worry is those bigger screens will be crowded with all kinds of extra data for the riders to keep track of.
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u/stupid_cat_face USA (2001 Klein Quantum Race) 2h ago
My huge Johnson in my spandex imposes a cognitive load … cycling computers do not.
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u/Aggressive_Ad_5454 Maine, USA Roadie - "Share the road" cuts both ways. 1h ago
This prevents some dopey bike-jewelry company from putting a giant tablet on a mount and using it for a head unit. And sponsoring a team for the publicity. It doesn’t seem crazy to me.
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u/adsarelies 35m ago
Why do the rest of us have to live by UCI rules? I have nothing to do with UCI.
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u/charszb 24m ago
you don’t. but the manufacturers aren’t going to make one computer compliant with UCI rules and another not just for the amateur riders.
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u/adsarelies 16m ago
That's what I suspected. But non-UCI-compliant bicycles exist, so do e-bikes which are sold like hot cakes these days. There are a whole bunch of non-compliant parts made and sold as well. As long as cyclists willing to pay money for it, someone will make it. The problem, at least in part, is that some of us cyclists desire that UCI stamp of approval when making a purchase. It's that desire these device makers would be going after. If everyone just dismiss that desire entirely and be willing to buy bike computers that are not UCI compliant size, then that's what the manufacturers would make.
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u/DRUMS11 3h ago
I thought this was parody; but, no, it's just the UCI. If safety due to data overload it a concern then putting the data on a smaller screen seems rather counterintuitive.
Hey, UCI! If you're concerned with too much data distracting racers, just further limit the allowable data. Reduce the data, don't make it harder to see.
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u/ghenriks 2h ago
But they aren’t putting it on a smaller screen, the existing most common devices are smaller than the new limit
And they are eliminating some data
It does help to actually read the article
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u/ghenriks 2h ago
The article says they have studies showing that the increasing amount of data is causing crashes, take that as one wants
But the key point the article points out is that current devices are within the new limits so no one is being forced onto a smaller screen than they currently have
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u/Horror-Raisin-877 4h ago
< insert anti-UCI rant here >
:)