Re: Softride - their web site states that USCF and USACycling have allowed the bike but UCI still bans it. To me that's a bit strange since the sport is all about innovation (and a butt load of training). Remember the 1989 Tour de France where Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon on the final 15 mile time trial. He put 58 seconds into Fignon (who ended up collapsing in a sobbing heap -- French) to end up winning by 8 seconds. A lot of people, myself included, attribute the win to his aero bar setup:
Overall I thought Greg was the stronger rider that year but 50 seconds on a flat 15 mile course is nearly impossible to makeup at that level of competition.
Always wanted to try out the Softride bike. There's a high end bike shop in Encinitas called
Nytro that might have some. Man nothing like a bunch of cycling talk to stoke the fire!