just wondering if anyone has heard any more since he said he was going to have a go at teh hour again, pretty sure he talked about doing it around now and i'd hate to miss it
Not a thing - been wondering this myself
Someone posted about this a couple of days ago on our bike club but not said the date. Would love to go and give him a cheer.
At Bike Radar event in late May he was talking about it, iirc he has to give the men in blazers 6 months notice which he had not done so that would be early December at the very earliest. And there was some bike event / period he wanted to avoid - can't remeber that bit though.
boo, i was hoping someone was going to say its next week and i could go see it before i leave the country, i wonder if it will be shown online; hardly the same thing but could still be emotional.
Thought a few years ago he was contemplating it. But with his depression (?) decided that it just fed that so stopped. So surprised he's thinking about it again. Did like the film of his life though even if it did deviate from the truth a little.
I understand that he's built a new bike for the attempt and has ridden some 10s and 25s in gradual preparation. Not heard anything about an actual attempt though, might ask Hutchinson if he's heard anything.
As much as I admire and respect Obree i'm afraid he would stand very little chance of putting in a realistic bid for the record (god i hope he doesn't read STW and get all down again). Isn't current record held by Ond?ej Sosenka? I don't know if anyones beat it yet, but when he did this it was estimated that his average power output for the hour was about 430 watts (I'm pretty sure this was chemically 'enhanced' too, judging by his latest antics with crystal meth of all things). Now this is hour record is the 'athletes' record so you have to use a pretty standard bike with standard bars and position.
When Obree got the hour record he did it using his crazy fangled bars and position superman then the 'mantis' position), which isn't allowed for the 'athletes' hour. And because of the position/bike he used only needed to generate 400 watts. This of course is still a huge output, but was 15 years ago and he was motivated by competition with that guy that knocks up those bikes for Halfords.
It is [i]unlikely[/i] that Graeme could improve his power output sufficiently to seriously challenge Sosenka's record. I'd love to see him give it a go thou. Just keep him away from the roap and oxy acetalene bottles.
Still don't fully understand the reasoning behind banning the super postion and never will.
If I remember he talked about it at the Bike Radar show, then the men in Blazers came up with a rule saying that all records, races etc. should be completed on bikes that are generally for sale (even Team Cervelo had to race on last years models for the first couple of races, until their new ones where 'publicly available') I think that this is maybe why we haven't heard any more.
Don't know what they have against him, nor the development of the sport
[i]Still don't fully understand the reasoning behind banning the super postion and never will. [/i]
The UCI didn't like it. That's all the reason there is. ****ing muppets.
I seem to recall reading that the production bikes rule was mostly aimed at the British olympic team and their custom bikes. The theory being that if everyone has to use 'off the peg' machines then there is more of a level playing field and teams with big R&D budgets like GB don't get an unfair advantage. Sadly it also rules out people like Obree.
It does seem to be fairly unclear how the rules will be interpreted with regard to teams using development models or indeed how available to the general public the bike needs to be.
If you read Michael Hutchinsons 'The Hour' - a humerous look at his own attempt, you will see just how utterly petty, pendantic and unhelpful the UCI is.
Its an interesting book, worth a read.
Obrees own book is worth a shot too. A very brave man living a difficult life.
If you read Michael Hutchinsons 'The Hour' - a humerous look at his own attempt, you will see just how utterly petty, pendantic and unhelpful the UCI is.
Especially the bit about him not being allowed a digital watch!
both really good books
"As much as I admire and respect Obree i'm afraid he would stand very little chance of putting in a realistic bid for the record (god i hope he doesn't read STW and get all down again). "
Comments like that would problably just fire him up:-)
2nd/3rd the hour,
With both attempts i think it's fair to say theat the UCI were "making it up as they went along!"
[i]Still don't fully understand the reasoning behind banning the super postion and never will.
The UCI didn't like it. That's all the reason there is. ****ing muppets.[/i]
I've always been of the opinion that UCI and FIA are always trying to out-UCI/FIA each other. 2 sports where innovation is required to achieve the best efficiency for the job, but the UCI insists on bikes based on a 100year+ old shape.
The only rules that should exist are that the bike must have 2 wheels, be human powered and be stiff/strong enough to safely complete the race.
And at the Bike Radar event he said he wanted to do it clean, unlike the current record holder who has since been banned.