London Fixed-gear and Single-speed SJS Cycles

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/articl...rd-plans-23985

"Obree spent a year and a half training on the bike which worked brilliantly on the road. Despite his age he was clocking some promising times. ...
But when Obree took to Manchester’s velodrome for a trial run in August it went badly wrong. Watched by former national British cycling coach Doug Daley, Obree’s bike proved useless.
“That whole riding style that I was reliant on to support your arms didn’t work on the bankings. And most of it is banking, let’s face it!” said Obree."






Gorgeous baby blue fixie

"Specificity"

It's a real pity he couldn't afford the track time that would've exposed the problem.

Man, that's a bit sad.

What is, posting the word 'specificity'?

That he's given up.

It's a shame, I would've love to see him attempt to break the hour again, it also a bigger shame that he doesn't even have much sponsor, is there's a reason why he didn't have the levels of sponsor that the other had? did they not think he'd be good enough?

Sounds like he's just stubborn.

He had NO sponsors at all Ed, because he is considered old and companies would not get any real gain from it. They all want long term contracts with riders doing lots of disciplines..

I missed the part that horatio pointed out, whoop!

yes, but if Cancellara is going to have a crack at it, there's no way Obree can beat him in the Hour anyway, surely?

I'd put money on an organised Obree over Cancellara. Alas organisation is Obree's failing here. Cancellara doesn't have the same impetus as Obree, even if Obree's is mainly internal.

i'll take that bet, if either ever happens.

If Obree managed to break the hour record a couple decades ago on his own, with his own bicycle.

With the right coach, funding, motivator, etc. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the outcome.

it would be a good spectacle in any event

"A couple of decades ago" is an important factor here.

that bit wasn't mentioned in any of the rocket science books

mm. and if cancellara did a 50k time trial in well under an hour at the worlds..

Bunch riding, large hills, aero aids are all factors..

Think Obree has done a few sub 20 minute 10's which equates to a 30mph average, not sure if that was with/without aero equipment though in theory he should go quicker on the track.

Wonder exactly what those UCI dicks specify for the equipment you have to use

bunch riding? i'd have said the fact he had to make his way past so many other riders in that TT had to be a disadvantage - and the aero kit advantages would surely be equivalent to the advantages of riding on a flat, indoor track?

i only know that it has to be just like Eddy Merckz hour bike.

Sorry, I'm being a retard. I was thinking of the World road champs. I need to shut this down before my brain melts totally.

Obree is an absolute hero, and if anyone deserves sponsorship, then him. Re: 'old', he didn't even have much sponsorship when he was in his prime. Shorter Rochford sponsored him, but he never got much else, I think.

It's interesting that he was again trying to do something innovative with the position of the front of his body. Shame it didn't work out.

For his last hour attempt he got some sponsership from Specialized but only a pair of wheels and something from a local firm called Scotoil.

Considering the way he trained, not using heart rate monitors or power meters, no sports science at all in fact he was amazing.

it's not rocket science. it's sport science.
science nonetheless, but a little bit different.

Actually Gareme now said that his last bicycle, Old Faithful is all wrong, he now believe that Old Faithful go against the whole concept of The Hour, which is about human endurance, not the bike, this is also why he want to attempt the hour again with a bike that complied with the UCI rules.

didn't you know? Canca had a go inside, didn't like the boards, wasn't producing the times to try the IP so binned it.

Reckon Wiggo would be better at the hour than FC

is that right? must have been pretty recent. perhaps he JUST CAN'T HANDLE A FIXED

^ hah!

Probably the only funny thing you've posted, Numbnuts. ;)

charmed, I'm sure

Manchester is not the only track, there's nothing in the rules about it having to be a 250m track is there? Although money is an issue, there are plenty of tracks around the world with shallower, wider bankings, I even think Obree made an early attempt or at least a test at Herne Hill. Granted there are few indoor tracks larger than 250m but there are many "stadiumized" tracks completely protected from the wind with suitable bankings...Leipzig for instance which is 450m

You're forgetting Specialized.. who built him an hour bike but he elected not to use it. He did use their wheel(s) to beat the record though.

It has been a long time since I read his book though so it might have been more personal, the arrangement.

I think..

It's not about the bike.

I would've loved to see him have a go but I don't think he would be fast enough now.

I think I would have included Specialized in the 'not much else', but I didn't remember that bit. He really didn't have very much.

I think they built him his bike(s). That's kind of an important part. But generally he had bugger all.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/grae...mazing-bicycle

"this is aero"

Just read the bit in the Fixed book about his plans for retrying the Hour. It made me sad that it didn't work out all over again.

what obree did in the early '90s deserves respect and recognition. it makes me feel sad that he is trying to make it work out all over again.

...bit remote, but imagine if he would ; )

I was thinking the same thing, I naturally assumed he'd be at some massive, flat outdoor track on a still evening. I reckon it's because Manchester is the fastest, + no last minute call-off due to weather.

The bike looks to have a very long wheelbase, but that doesn't affect tandems that run indoors, maybe it's the trail of the fork, but it doesn't look too extreme. The bike does have a very low BB and silly long chainstays though.

The problem with the bike is not to do with the long wheel base and trail really, its because he's in an aero style position with his arms out in front of him like on a TT bike holding the drops on the curved part not the bottom of the drops. This is fine on normal straights but when you hit the banking theres nothing to support your arms with the G force. Shallower tracks would make this easier but theres still a fair bit of g force so I doubt this bike would work anywhere as you need support under your arms if they are out in front of you.

Obree did have a replica made of his bike by Specialized and the guy who did the lotus bike, it was more aero and stiffer but not as light, he did his first attempt on this and broke the british record but never got the overall hour record. Since he had booked the track and officials for 24hrs he re attempted it the next morning on his own bike and got the hour record.

Didn't Boardman make sure his drops were fairly long, and tilted up slightly, to address the issue of needing a bit of support in the forearm area?

Couldn't Obree have got some drops custom made, or is there another UCI rule making things difficult?

Anyway, I suspect his depression was the biggest limiting factor, and it was probably getting steadily worse due to the subconscious realisation - in training - that he wasn't going to be successful.

Boardman used a more standard position, the whole point of Obree's new one was he was on a standard bike that passed UCI regs but he had it stretched so that he could adopt a different position that was more aero.
See the pic in this his forearms are level with the ground
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/articl...rd-again-21712
Where boardmans here are not quite
http://www.bicyclesusa.com/boardm~1.jpg

I'm sure his depression is alot to do with it too but its one of the things that has made him amazing over the years. Obree has been in a team before but they don't work for him, I think he's the type of person who has to do things his own way and no scientists or coaches would help.

Think Boardman's bike is more in the spirit of the UCI's draconian rules. If they'd have allowed Obree's bike they may have well of allowed any aero gear to be used.

That position looks so painful, I couldn't imagine riding like that for five minutes, let alone on 138gi and for an hour. Then again, Obree is about twenty-five times fitter than me.

With hs elbows in like that and the tiny Q-factor hes running. His knees should strike his elbows, but they obviously dont. The position looks very well thought out. I would'nt last 10 mins though

I say come to herne hill and have a crack Mr Obree!

but not today. it's blowing a force 10 and 1/2 the track is covered with leaves.

@RPM Do you live at HH??

Yes, I live under the old stand