Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree targets new world record

[Kim]

That's dedication for you in those conditions!

Standard n+1 factor.

If you've just got a new bike, you have to take it for a spin don't you, even if the weather's completely unsuited to it.

[Efrogwr]

That's dedication for you in those conditions!

Standard n+1 factor.

If you've just got a new bike, you have to take it for a spin don't you, even if the weather's completely unsuited to it.

That was how I got frostnip.

[Von Broad]

Looks like Graeme will be present at this years Battle Mountain event.

Sounds like his feet are where they should be too [in one respect!], which is good to see.

Despite this, Obree is not entirely confident he will beat the Canadian Sam Whittingham’s record of 83mph. He says, “To go at that speed, and Wittingham is no slouch as a cyclist either, you’re thinking, I have to respect this record, it’s not going to be easy to break. But there is also the British record of 63mph held by Jason Queally. So I’m looking to break that but of course, the big cherry would be to break the world record. I hope I can but I haven’t gone at any great speeds yet, so really you know as much as I know.”

You going Mr L ?

[TimO]

I see in this article they're talking about him doing 50mph, and aspiring to get to 63mph for the British Record, or 83mph for the World Record.  Admittedly he hasn't got the complete fairing on the bike, but there's a hell of a lot of a difference between 50mph and 63mph, and it's a lot further to 83mph.  Blithely saying it's "not far short" is a substantial understatement, it's a big difference to achieve.

[Cudzoziemiec]

It looks as if he's "upside down" - his head is lower than his bum, which is sticking in the air. It looks uncomfortable and inefficient to me, but I guess he feels it's good.

[Biggsy]

It looks as if he's "upside down" - his head is lower than his bum, which is sticking in the air. It looks uncomfortable and inefficient to me, but I guess he feels it's good.

The lid wasn't on in that picture.  It pushes his bum down - probably making him even more uncomfortable.

[simonp]

Given the drag at the speeds targeted, the lid off would have a massive effect.

[TimO]

Given the drag at the speeds targeted, the lid off would have a massive effect.

Not necessarily as bad as you might think.  Many years ago, Miles Kinsbury, with his Kingcycles, found that having a nose and a tail fairing on the bicycles made a quite dramatic change, and you didn't need sides, the air tended to flow along the side of the bike anyway, and the tailpiece brought the flow cleanly back together again.

Now I'll admit that you will get an advantage from having the complete fairing, since at the high speeds even quite minor adjustments to fairings can have measurable effects.  I have my doubts that this alone will give him another 20mph however.