Sphinx position

hey guys

ive just bought a pair of 3T sphinx bars and i had my first test spin on them last night and there all set up and in the right measurments so there all UCI legal

but was just wondering weather there was anything in the rule book to say you cant ride the sphinx position in a group? i know in a big group of 20 riders you shouldnt really do it and i wouldnt, but in a group of like 4 or 5 riders off the front?

I think it depends on the commissars, give it a go and see if you get a bollocking.

Not sure - I wouldn't recommend it though. If there isn't a rule I'd expect there will be over the next year or two as this becomes more of an issue.

I'm not a fan of those bars - I don't think that position should really be encouraged. Plus they look pretty naff. I mean, look at this guy - too ashamed to even show his face.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/197964_1769484269260_1003800781_31959831_4741988_n.jpg

haha JC thanks for showing my picture from my fb i was camera shy!

for a group of 4 or so i think its alright as you wouldnt tell people off in a team pursuit for riding in tri bars behind someone

Does anyone want to buy a set of these? £150! Brand new!!!

^spam

The problem isn't the sphinx position, its the people that the bars, and therefore the position are available too.

Pros, who spend many hours everyday training and racing, using them is quite different to some idiot rocking up to a local track league once a week with them.

Cameron Meyer could probably race pretty well without his hands on the bike at all.

^^^
Bloke in the pic has a sprinter's belly. Why would he want those bars anyway?

Damn, I thought this was going to be a variation on the wheelbarrow or perhaps a reverse cowboy.

The problem isn't the sphinx position, its the people that the bars, and therefore the position are available too.

Pros, who spend many hours everyday training and racing, using them is quite different to some idiot rocking up to a local track league once a week with them.

Cameron Meyer could probably race pretty well without his hands on the bike at all.

gizmond i agree thats why i found it abit weird when they put them on the felt tk2

the problem is that in my opinion the sphinx give a safe way of doing the position becuase of the extended reach instead of having someone just hanging the hands off the ends of the bars

and RPM i blame the jersey makes me look fat lol got a six pack really ;) haha

^ local idiots.

Also, am I right in saying that both mgittings, and S Bear's sphincter bars came of a TK2? It does seem strange to be putting such an expensive and opinion dividing pair of bars on a OTP bike, but its definitely getting them out there.

^^That wasn't a madison Yasu's just so fast in the sphinx position it takes the power of two people* to keep up with him! One of the many spots at Herne Hill where the judges can't see when you cheat a little.

*Here i make the huge assumption that my power counts as the power of 1 person, however it's probably more like 1/4 of a person

that photo is fail in so many ways!

Not sure - I wouldn't recommend it though. If there isn't a rule I'd expect there will be over the next year or two as this becomes more of an issue.

I'm not a fan of those bars - I don't think that position should really be encouraged. Plus they look pretty naff. I mean, look at this guy - too ashamed to even show his face.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/197964_1769484269260_1003800781_31959831_4741988_n.jpg

this one I mean

These bars are very flexy

Also, am I right in saying that both mgittings, and S Bear's sphincter bars came of a TK2? It does seem strange to be putting such an expensive and opinion dividing pair of bars on a OTP bike, but its definitely getting them out there.

JC i got mine through aw cycles they were quite pricey! but yeh i actually had these on order since last november but 3t put all of them on the felts so have only just got them

I hate these bars. It's bad enough that people use the position during races but then for a company to make bars which makes the position easier is just stupid.

IMO unless it's a madison hand positions should not be allowed to change. If you start the race on the drops - stay there etc.

The problem isn't the sphinx position, its the people that the bars, and therefore the position are available too.

Pros, who spend many hours everyday training and racing, using them is quite different to some idiot rocking up to a local track league once a week with them.

Cameron Meyer could probably race pretty well without his hands on the bike at all.

+1. UCI banning them in 3,2,1....

+1. UCI banning them in 3,2,1....

Yep, these bars are going the way of the Spinaci. I remember a fair few people using them at Herne Hill before they got banned too, and that was before the UCI were so trigger happy. Quite a few people are going to be out of pocket by the end of the year I think.

Since when is HH track league a UCI sanctioned event ;-)

Same rules apply.

I believe at the moment it's down to the judges to question if the hand position is "dangerous" which is why it's allowed in solo breakaways. The problem exists once the bunch catch the rider and it's no longer a breakaway and he stays sphinxed up. The dutch(?) rider at the weekend contesting sprints riding like that should have been dq'd IMO. Not to mention that it looks utterly bent.
Now I think the only sensible thing to do is ban it altogether.

The one time the UCI get the opportunity to actually ban something for good reason and they hesitate..

...Not to mention that it looks utterly bent...

I must admit that this is the only reason I would like to see them banned, they look proper rubbish. The safety element is secondary imho :D

Same rules apply.

The dutch(?) rider at the weekend contesting sprints riding like that should have been dq'd IMO.

Peter Schep I suppose.

The relay of the NZ guys, the CZ rider almost colliding with the Russian, or the fact that Schep/Bos hardly trained and races together and (almost) missed some relays was more dangerous that the bars choice of Mr. Schep IMHO.

But you're right. Those bars have to be sanctioned. Same as black socks, compression clothing, facial hair and the stem on the BMC of Aeschbach from Switzerland.

Yep, these bars are going the way of the Spinaci. I remember a fair few people using them at Herne Hill before they got banned too, and that was before the UCI were so trigger happy. Quite a few people are going to be out of pocket by the end of the year I think.

If they get banned and 3t stop making them, give it a few years and people will be paying silly money for them on ebay. To be only used on the road while wearing a Caso Warp helmet, natch.