Graeme Obree talking about engineering a bike for a world land speed record attempt

Mr Obree is a big hero of mine. I think he’s nuts, and this project is nuts, but…. many people have said that before about him and he’s usually proved them wrong.

I think it is cool and what Mr Obree does is just excellent. Good on him. I love the bloke.

Fantastic!

That’s Brilliant!!
– thanks for posting

Ace , great post

I hope he cracks it too. Smashing bloke IMO

There is a good podcast on the bike show that he did.

The Obree Way

Freaking ace!

Next film – The worlds fastest Scotsman?
Imagine what he could come up with if he had access to a proper workshop and all manner of modern materials!

Proper ace that.

Madder than a box of frogs but still AWSUM.
If only more people would open their minds half as much as he does.

The man is a genius , Imagine being able to create the bikes he does from scratch and with limited support.
Hope he suceeds.

if anyone can do it,mr obree is that man.good luck to him 😀

Yebbut over nine minutes to say what he could have said in two?

Bicyclings answer to burt munro 🙂

WOW – that is awesome – good luck to Graham, I’m sure he can do it!

To anyone who has never read “Flying Scotsman” – go out and get a copy – fantastic guy

I think the record on a recumbent is 85 mph and I can understand the thinking ref shoulders first.
Assuming he can get the power down, he will probably smash the 100 mph..

if he’s a genius, why doesn’t he build a workshop?

I think the record on a recumbent is 85 mph

82.819mph 2009 Sam Whittingham

http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2012/speedchallenge.htm

Hope man Obree beats it!

Bet he hits 100 and I also predict it’ll be on a fixed gear the size of the moon 🙂

Previous discussion here:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/is-100mph-on-a-flat-road-on-a-bike-really-doable
Obree is far from “nuts”. If you look past the eccentricities, he is an extremely focussed and motivated athlete, and I hope he manages to crack the record.
I think the “100mph” thing is just a handy publicity hook, and the basic physics make it very difficult to add 18mph to the existing record speed. The Dutch students from Delft University, who have one of the fastest existing bikes have calculated they can get to 90mph with their current pilot. Check out the website to compare and contrast their hi-tech approach with Obree’s kitchen: http://hptdelft.nl/en/
Obree is a highly original thinker, but a lot of experience and creative thinking has already been applied to this record by various people, including “pro-cumbent” designs like Obree’s.
Interesting discussion by some recumbent riders and other competitors here:
http://www.recumbents.com/forums/pop_printer_friendly.asp?TOPIC_ID=4322

The man is nuts, but that’s why I love him. Wish I had his brain, proper genius!

Good luck to him, I’m sure he can do it.

Bonkers in a good way! 😀
I hope he does it.

New video out:

http://www.obree.com/ihpva.php

fastest existing bikes have calculated they can get to 90mph with their current pilot

Sheer “Obreeness” will provide the additional 10!!!

Sheer “Obreeness” will provide the additional 10!!!

Plus the fact his pedigree is rather more distinguished than the Dutch ‘pilots’ – 10, 25 and 50 mile TT champion, world pursuit champion, twice world hour record holder. Not just some random cyclist.

How happy does he look in that latest video, proper kitchen fettling that too 😉

I hope there is a TV crew documenting all this, with a plan to televise it?

I couldn’t quite make it out, but did he say the top gear was 320″?

I couldn’t quite make it out, but did he say the top gear was 320″?

yep!

He is a legend indeed!!

Is 320 gear inches not a bit low for 100mph (146.66 fps), or is my arithmetic pish?

My maths makes it 90mph at 95rpm cadence.
But gear inches have always confused me – “metres of development” has always made more sense to me.

edit: (my reasoning) I think 320″ doesn’t equal 320 inches of forward movement per rev. You have to times it by Pi to get that.

Forgot to factor that in 😳

So – picture a penny farthing with a 320″ (26 feet) diameter front wheel.

Proper LOL when he talked about the Laws Of Physics he should have been Scottie from Star Trek not Simon Pegg.

I really want to put a fairing on my MTB now

Madness! It seems like another homegrown kitchen project, but the bike itself looks impressive even at the moment. I hope he manages it.