SRAM Challenges UCI Gear Rules: The Fight Over the 10-Tooth Cog

"The tech-regulation battle between SRAM and the UCI has escalated into one of the surprising storylines of the season. At the heart of the fight is gearing... too much gearing. The UCI's plan is to restrict maximum gear rollout, effectively grounding SRAM's hallmark 10-tooth cogs. What boils down to a few teeth on a cassette has quickly spiraled into legal challenges, claims of competitive harm, and a broader debate over where innovation ends and regulation begins."

"SRAM filed a complaint with the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA), arguing that the UCI's rollout rule is anticompetitive and disproportionately punishes teams running its drivetrains. They say the regulation has already caused "tangible harm", from forcing mechanics to disable the 10t cog on race days. For SRAM SRAM-sponsored teams, taking away the 10th cog leads to a loss of performance and pushes them back to 11-speed. Teams like Lidl-Trek, Movistar, and Visma-Lease a Bike (all on SRAM setups) would be directly impacted."

"The UCI's response? They're "puzzled" by SRAM's timing. The governing body says the rule is still in its test phase, with rollout restrictions only scheduled for trial at the Tour of Guangxi later this season. The goal, they argue, isn't to punish a single manufacturer, but to improve safety. The UCI hopes to reduce top-end speeds, encouraging better handling, and preventing crashes as race courses get faster and more extreme."

SRAM and the UCI are locked in a tech-regulation dispute centered on gear rollout limits that would ban SRAM's 10-tooth cogs. SRAM filed a complaint with the Belgian Competition Authority claiming the rollout rule is anticompetitive and has caused tangible harm by forcing mechanics to disable the 10t cog, reducing performance for SRAM-sponsored teams and pushing them to 11-speed. The UCI says the rule is still in testing and is scheduled for trial at the Tour of Guangxi, framing rollout caps as safety measures to reduce top-end speeds, improve handling, and prevent crashes. The conflict raises questions about innovation, competitive fairness, and regulatory reach.

Read at Bikerumor