Originally Posted by
TMonk
I will say that riding a real, aggressive TT position (not a tri position) can be quite dangerous on the open road. Like that is a legit downside. If I didn't have Fiesta Island a 20-30 min spin away, I wouldn't likely get much real-world extended time in position. I basically only ride in position (for more than a min or two) on Fiesta Island or on the trainer. Visibility is too low. And the brakes on mine suck pretty bad.
I have felt for quite a while that road racing should be done entirely on UCI legal road bikes, including the TTs in stage races. So all who aspire to road race spend all their time on the road while training on road worthy road bikes. I've seen and heard of too many crashes on TT bikes in non-competition settings. (Chris Froome while reconning the course and reaching for his WB.) The current TT bikes that are legal under UCI now are not remotely safe bike on the road. Yes, you can argue that it is up to the individual whether he chooses to ride it or not but anyone seriously interested in TTing has to have one or be an also ran. But if all TT had to be run on UCI legal road bikes, yes the TTers would go by 2 mph slower but little else would change except fewer crashes. (On the TT course, in training and with the wannabes.)
And yes, there is precedent. Anyone recall the now defunct "puppy paws"? The crazy TT bikes of the 90s? Those all got banned and to my knowledge, all lived through the deprivation.