The UCI is to technological innovation what angry Canadian fishermen with clubs are to baby seals.
Despite their senseless rules devoid of rational thought and reason, technological innovation has continued. The 3:1 ratio box that the UCI imposed on bike manufactures proved to be quite spacious for Trek, as they've developed a very interestinig technology on their new Speed Concept TT/Tri frame.
German aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm not only has one of the coolest names I've ever heard, but also developed the theory of the Kamm effect, wherein the air flow over an 8:1 airfoil with the tail cut off at a specific point behaves similarly to an 8:1 airfoil with the tail intact. This now allows a tube shape to perform similarly to the 8:1 ratio level but still maintain the 3:1 aspect ratio enforced by the idiots officials from our favorite three-letter-acronym'd cycling governing body.
So now, whenever you see a Prius, instead of saying to yourself, "What the hell is that thing?" you can now exclaim, "Ooh, sexy."
Check out the links:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/trek-speed-concept-preview
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/first-look-trek-speed-concept-time-trial-bike-22271
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback
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