by: Joe
Ringer
After
just a couple of months following the distribution of State Bicycle Co.’s 2023
model Little 500 bicycles, the company’s engineers seem to be hard at work
already.
A new
updated framework for the Little 500 pedal-driven machines has been leaked from
the State Bicycle Co. headquarters – and the change is radical.
Mehdi
Farsi, co-founder of the company, commented on the new supposed frame design.
“Yeah,
it got leaked. It’s still in the early stages of development, so what has been
shown might change,” he said.
Farsi
did reveal the improvements of the State Bicycle Co. engineers’ work presently.
“The new
frame is about half the weight of the 2023 model. It offers less rotational
weight in the wheel design, increased acceleration and stiffness, a significant
decrease in aerodynamic drag, and has a much more efficient drivetrain,”
explained Farsi.
Farsi
thinks the changes are substantial, and that riders can expect a major change
in race rules, strategy, and preparation.
As seen
in the leaked diagram below, State Bicycle Co. engineers have decided to remove
all parts on the Little 500 bikes except for the fork, a wheel, the seatpost,
saddle, and crankset.
Upon
seeing the new design, Kappa Alpha Theta cycling rookie, Claire Tips, says
“It’s ridiculous – Little 500 on unicycles? How do they expect us to train and
race on these things?”
However,
some riders are more open to the change, like Kobe Thompson of the Novus
cycling team.
“With
all things in life, it’s about balance,” he said. “I balance class; I balance
working on the farm; I’ll be able to balance on a unicycle. It’s all the same.”
Fall and
Spring series’ races will see a change. Races like quals, ITTs, and team
pursuit will now include the requirement for all riders to juggle whilst riding
their hardest around the track.
The
“miss and out” race is also seeing some controversy, as the rules state that
“the rider whose rear wheel crosses last is eliminated,” yet unicycles have no
front or rear wheel – they just have a wheel.
Ultimately,
nobody involved in the Little 500 will know until next year if the unicycle
venture will balance out or be a wheelie bad idea.
Happy
April 1st.
- Joe
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