Are the officials really going to drop a plumb line at those races? I have seen plenty of illegal bikes at stage races and TT's. I usually see bikes like the Zipp 3000 or whatever that is called. Unless you are cat 2 or higher I probably wouldn't sweat the technical rules of bike geometry.

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The problem is saddle position, if the tip of your saddle is closer than 5cm to a vertical line passing through the bottom bracket it is illegal, so if you are riding steep-yes. One of the stupidest rules known to mankind as my wifes road bike (she is 5'1") would be illegal at 74 degrees because of her relatively shorter legs. It is also why you see riders cutting down their saddles and riding on the nose.

This rule does not yet apply to USCF racing until at least 2007, and I doubt it would be a problem at a local TT even after the rules are adopted.

Pretty much any bike with a double-triangle design is legal. Position is another issue. The tip of your saddle must be => 5 cm behind the bottom bracket.

However, are you going to be doing races that are governed by the UCI? Probably not.

"Are the officials really going to drop a plumb line at those races? I have seen plenty of illegal bikes at stage races and TT's. I usually see bikes like the Zipp 3000 or whatever that is called. Unless you are cat 2 or higher I probably wouldn't sweat the technical rules of bike geometry. "
Unless these were UCI or international qualifying races, there would have been no reason to enforce UCI equipment restrictions in the U.S. Until at least 2007, UCI restrictions don't apply except for those two cases (and to set national records)

"Unless you are cat 2 or higher I probably wouldn't sweat the technical rules of bike geometry"

Even then, it really doesn't matter...Sea Otter and the T O Georgia are the only races I can think of where it'll matter.

They WERE actually checking some bikes @ Sea Otter, however...not with a plumb line, but with some funny t-sqare type set-up.

Still, for one TT, it's hardly worth buying or not buying a certain bike.

That is what I was assuming. I am going to be racing as a Cat 3, so I can't imagine it will be a problem at all. However, local racers like to protest things every now and then!!

actually your wife could easily apply for and receive a "morphological exemption" based on her small stature that would allow her to circumvent all three UCI criteria for TT bikes; rather than only the 5cm rule discussed here. the quick solution would be to request a "knee drop" from the commissaire at which time she would casually drop her heel and sail right through. it happens at track world cups all the time! for people of average height or greater most Tri bikes will be tough to qualify at the few UCI events in NA.

 "That is what I was assuming. I am going to be racing as a Cat 3, so I can't imagine it will be a problem at all. However, local racers like to protest things every now and then!!"
All the more reason to take a few minutes and read the rulebook. Then you won't have to imagine what is or isn't a problem but will actually know.