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stem in sports: technology
Lightweight road
bikes have helped
cyclists increase
speed and reduce
time for long races.
to meet a minimum weight for their bikes.
The International Cycling Union puts that
lower limit at 15 pounds (6.8 kg). The super-
strong but super-light composite carbon fiber
materials reduce the weight of the frame and
gearing so much that the best bikes have got-
ten lighter and lighter. To create a level field
for all teams, the UCI (the group’s initials in
French) put the minimum in place.
The bikes’ composite materials use some
of the high-impact product found in bullet-
proof vests or high-performance race cars.
Woven strands of carbon and other materials
condense to steel-like hardness but without
the weight of the metal. To make their bikes
reach the minimum, bike teams can add pow-
er meters that measure the rider’s energy out-
put as well as measure stresses on the bike,
adding tech to an already tech-heavy machine.