Sports and Street Rule Clarification

A pretty valid concern has been bought up about the eligability of certain machines to race in street and sports classes, in my case whether a Raptobike is suitable.

I have no real disagreement about the fact that a Rapto and similar bikes can be seen as a touch too low for entry into such a class. The problem is that there is no minimum seat height ruling, indeed the regulations state that entry is at the rider's discretion.

Unfortunately this creates a situation where it becomes a subjective opinion rather than objective fact. My proposal is to reintroduce a minimum seat height for the street / sports classes as of the beginning of next season to in order to prevent similar concerns.

I feel however that eligability should be frozen for this year, if a competitor has raced in a class with a machine that remains identical throughout the season, then they should continue to be allowed in the same classes. I'm not a particular fan of mid-season rule changes.

When it just too late to liven-up the AGM agenda with the customary annual discussion on the subject, too...  

The history of the Sports class is a tad murky, if not particularly long, being clouded by seemingly endless discussions, multiple proposals for rules and adoption at different times of different definitions - but, to make it even more fun, not all documented in one place.  There's probably a book in it, if any professional historians are reading.  But not, I imagine, a best-seller.

• Should there be a definitive rule on eligibility, and what should it be?  My preference is to leave it as it is, but I'll happily go with the views of the people in the class, if they can agree on something else (as a rule for next season - I agree about mid-season changes).  AGM agreement isn't required for a rule change, but I have previously made undertakings along the lines that I will announce proposed rule changes at the AGM.
• Under the current rules (see here), is a Raptobike acceptable, to Sports class competitors, as an entrant in Sports class?

Edited by Adrian Setter - 02 August 2011 at 1:30pm

I agree with a minimum seat height for next season. But personally I think it should be low enough to include the Rapto as this is a very popular and great value for money current production bike and I'm sure there must be many more like Paul that use it as a daily bike. The old height rule was based on Kingcycle seat which was a popular production model at that time.

Most of the low racing bikes are a little lower than the Rapto so if you made the Rapto the minimum and measured to the mm I think it would encourage new entry into the sport and reflect the gradual lowering of seat heights. Appart from the high racers of course!