A regulatory change is coming to professional cycling. From 1 January 2026 a series of UCI rules will come into force regarding handlebars, gears, wheels and tyres, all designed to increase the safety and fairness of competitions.
The new rules are the result of work conducted by SafeR, the organization for safety in professional cycling, in collaboration with teams and riders. However, The reception by the athletes was not at all unanimous nor so convinced. We have analyzed the three main changes coming and collected the point of view of Christian Salvato, president ofAccpi, the Italian representation of riders. And not only that...
Let's first look at the road rules in detail (because some changes also affect track and cross-country) and then add the considerations of those interested.
The dumbbells
Road bikes will have to have a minimum handlebar width of 400mm measured between the outer edges, with at least 320mm between the brake levers (inner edges) and 380mm center-to-center.
In addition to the minimum, the UCI has set a maximum distance of 50 millimeters between the inside and outside ends of the handlebars on the same side, to limit extreme geometry. In practice, these are excessively aerofoil-shaped profiles.
This rule aims to prevent the use of excessively narrow handlebars which, while improving aerodynamics, compromise stability and safety in the group.
According to the UCI, this is a standard shared by most manufacturers. However, the issue has sparked debate, especially among smaller athletes who often prefer more compact sizes. The approach, according to the UCI, has been shared by all stakeholders, but some in the group have perceived a one-way communication.
Speaking with the teams, it emerges that the questionnaire to be filled out was not particularly detailed. Dario David Cioni, for example, he told us that he didn't receive anything and that, if anything arrived, it reached the team. Roberto Reverberi he told us that it actually arrived, but just a few days before the official announcement: as if to say “we're asking you, but we've already decided.”
Gear Ratio
Another big innovation concerns the limitation of the maximum gear ratio: in the second half of 2025, in some stage races yet to be defined, it will be tested the limit of 54×11 (10,46 meters of pedaling development).
«The measure – explains the UCI – is aimed at to contain speed and, therefore, the risk of falls and accidents. This is an experiment, but it could be the prelude to a definitive rule starting in 2026.».
The measure, however, has not met with the approval of athletes, who consider it useless, if not harmful. According to Cristian Salvato and other riders interviewed, high speeds are achieved on downhills, where high gears help avoid losing ground and are not in themselves dangerous. Furthermore, The variability of the tyre sections also makes the actual measurement of the metric development itself complicated. For many, the effectiveness of this rule remains to be seen.
We also asked a mechanic, Francesco Gardener of Red Bull-Bora: «These rules will force us to do a lot of work: we will have to review many measures. As for cassettes, we at SRAM also have the one that ends with 11, but then we will have to fit different chainringsWe'll see what they give us."
The new metric limit is 10,46 meters, the same as the 54x11. Even a 52x10 would be over, since it is equivalent to approximately 11,18 meters.
He echoes it Stefano Zanatta, sports director of Polti-VisitMalta : «This relationship thing seems like nonsense to me. How can you open up free relationships among juniors and then block them among professionals? And then we pay for the material: buying 40-50 cassettes that cost 300 euros each is a huge expense. But those who decide these things don't think about it." Zanatta also confirmed that, while the questionnaire did arrive, it remained locked away in some team email without being distributed.
Wheels and tires
The third and final area of intervention concerns wheels and tires. Starting January 1, 2026, it will be prohibited to use rims higher than 65 millimeters in road races. Here too, the stated goal is to improve the stability and handling of bicycles.
This measure seems less controversial, as 60mm profiles are already very common in the peloton and taller wheels are rarely used.
The issue of tires is more controversial, with the UCI wanting to standardize at 28mm. This size will be tested in a race to be determined by the end of 2025.
Connected to the tire sections are also The internal measurements of the forks and rear stays: 115 mm at the front and 145 mm at the rear.
«A wider wheel – observes Salvato – will also go faster, but it also ensures better grip».
Word to Salvato
The dust has risen. Women's cycling got angrier than men about dumbbells: Among them, being smaller, the most common is a 36-centimeter center-to-center pleat. Ultimately, let's be honest: a 40-centimeter outside-to-outside measurement often corresponds to a 38-centimeter pleat, which is acceptable for most men. The positioning of the levers is more delicate, requiring them to be at least 32 millimeters apart, but this is an extension of the 5° internal rotation rule introduced some time ago.
«On the handlebars – Salvato underlines – It is best to avoid extremes such as excessively bent levers or 35cm bendsBut the physical conformation of the athletes, especially women, must be taken into account. Strict rules can create problems."
What security?
"These rules were created with noble intentions," Salvato observes, "but they risk becoming pure bureaucracy. I understand the spirit of SafeR and the UCI in wanting to slow down racing to improve safety. But limiting the gear ratios or tire size risks being just a forced choice with no real benefits. The real priorities are elsewhere."
His position on the limitation of gear ratios is clearer: "It's a senseless measure. Downhill speed certainly doesn't depend on the 54x11. Furthermore, we risk going back to the methods used by very young people, with lines on the ground to measure development. Let's be serious... True safety lies in protective barriers, for example, and in intelligently designed circuits. If we want to protect the riders, let's start there."
Salvato makes a strong but effective comparison: In motorcycling, everything has changed in 40 years: suits, airbags, safe circuits, escape routes. In cycling, compared to Gimondi's time, we only have more aerodynamic helmets. Otherwise, the arrivals are still the same, aggravated by the fact that modern cities, full of traffic islands, roundabouts, speed bumps, and poles, are designed for cars, not bikes. This is also why I insist on circuits: they can be designed and made much better safe than a 200-kilometer road race."
