Author Topic: Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree targets new world record (Read 23123 times)

Oranj · « **on:** 18 December, 2011, 04:41:31 pm »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cycling/16231501.stm

Given how easy this might look, and yet how difficult newcomers to the sport seem to find it, I can only wish Graham well but have a feeling it'll all end in tears. Sam Whittingham's impressive record is not to be taken lightly. I await Mr Larrington's 2012 Battle Mountain blog with interest!

Karla · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 December, 2011, 05:06:41 pm »

I've just finished reading his book. He said that because he felt so worthless as a person, he had to race to feel worthwhile from winning, which meant he needed to retire from racing in order to get off that rollercoaster and work on valuing himself for who he was. Because of that, I'm not convinced that it's good news if he's challenging for another record. Still, all the best to him!

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 December, 2011, 07:20:14 pm »

Already being discussed here.

Cunobelin · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 December, 2011, 09:34:18 pm »

Quote from: Oranj on 18 December, 2011, 06:52:46 pm

Whilst sat on the turbo this evening I remembered Jason Queally making similar pronouncements when he had a go at this record after losing his place on the GB Olympic track team. Clicky

He returned from Battle Mountain with his tail firmly between his legs having recorded a top speed of 64mph whilst Sam Whittingham was busy setting new world records Results

THank you for that... I have been googling Blue all afternoon trying to find this

bobb · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 December, 2011, 09:53:10 pm »

Hmmm... I don't know much about this weird stuff, but if someone like Queally couldn't get close when he was only 31 (some 15 years younger then Obree!) then this looks a bit fanciful. And all this talk of a ton!

Hope he has a good crack though...

hubner · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 December, 2011, 10:18:38 pm »

Quote from: Oranj on 18 December, 2011, 06:52:46 pm

Whilst sat on the turbo this evening I remembered Jason Queally making similar pronouncements when he had a go at this record after losing his place on the GB Olympic track team. Clicky

He returned from Battle Mountain with his tail firmly between his legs having recorded a top speed of 64mph whilst Sam Whittingham was busy setting new world records Results

Maybe Queally could've gone faster but he had some other problems like getting used to the riding position, heat, handling etc.

According to:
http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2004/Varna.htm Whittingham "only" puts out about 450W for 20 seconds when at top speed,"Sam's BM 2003 Powertap graphs showing speed VS power" http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2004/images/Whittingham_BM2000-Friday.gif.

Compare that with a pro rider like Greipel who produces 1,047 watts for 20 seconds in the final sprint at the end of a 3 hour 136km road race:
http://www.srm.de/index.php/gb/srm-blog/road/607-tour-down-under-2011-srm-daten-von-andre-greipel-team-omega-pharma-lotto
http://www.srm.de/images/stories/eventblog/TdU_2011/Greipel/tdu-2011-stage-1-greipel-300m.jpg

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 December, 2011, 10:27:08 pm »

Riders put out less wattage in the recumbent position, even when well trained in the recumbent position. About 20% less from vague memory.

Try looking at pursuit riders, that is a closer match to the power profile needed for the HPV speed record.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 December, 2011, 12:43:29 pm »

Quote from: bobb on 18 December, 2011, 09:53:10 pm

Hmmm... I don't know much about this weird stuff, but if someone like Queally couldn't get close when he was only 31 (some 15 years younger then Obree!) then this looks a bit fanciful. And all this talk of a ton!

To be fair to Queally, the bike he used in 2001 was a Rubbish. The team behind it stated that they were going to do it their way and weren't going to listen to the self-appointed internet experts and other silly hippies. Richard Ballantine went to the bike's launch and returned saying he thought it would have been quite fast in 1981.

bobb · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 March, 2012, 05:57:23 pm »

Video of Graeme talking about this for anyone who hasn't already seen it....

<a href="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=38432471&server=vimeo.com&fullscreen=1&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=01AAEA" target="_blank">http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=38432471&server=vimeo.com&fullscreen=1&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=01AAEA</a>

Cunobelin · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 March, 2012, 07:10:09 pm »

Graeme Obree is an obsessive and needs something to empower him, this is evident in teh video.

However I am concerned that his fragile mental health could be an issue if this does not come to fruition or he fails by too great a margin

All credit to him for the continuing inspiration and as an innovator, but I do think this could end in tears

Von Broad · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 March, 2012, 10:26:36 pm »

I really like the guy, and wish him well, but I just get the feeling that he's living in a bit of a bubble about all this. Some very clever minds have been chipping away at this particular block year after year out in Battle Mountain, refining this, refining that, trying this, trying that, and it's obviously not easy to push past those speeds of 82mph!

Still, yacf will have it's very own on-the-scene-reporter to keep everybody updated about what's going on out there [in between blasting up and down the road in his sports car

]
Wish I was going myself actually.

harrumph · « **Reply #11 on:** 03 April, 2012, 11:05:09 am »

Quote from: hubner on 18 December, 2011, 10:18:38 pm

According to:
http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2004/Varna.htm Whittingham "only" puts out about 450W for 20 seconds when at top speed,"Sam's BM 2003 Powertap graphs showing speed VS power" http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2004/images/Whittingham_BM2000-Friday.gif.

That's interesting - I don't suppose that the same information is available for Barbara Buatois?

She's not very big, so I imagine that she doesn't produce all that many Watts - yet her women's record is over 75mph. I think Grame Obree will be doing very well indeed if he betters that in his first year at Battle Mountain.

clarion · « **Reply #12 on:** 03 April, 2012, 11:15:45 am »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 19 December, 2011, 12:43:29 pm

Quote from: bobb on 18 December, 2011, 09:53:10 pm
Hmmm... I don't know much about this weird stuff, but if someone like Queally couldn't get close when he was only 31 (some 15 years younger then Obree!) then this looks a bit fanciful. And all this talk of a ton!

To be fair to Queally, the bike he used in 2001 was a Rubbish. The team behind it stated that they were going to do it their way and weren't going to listen to the self-appointed internet experts and other silly hippies. Richard Ballantine went to the bike's launch and returned saying he thought it would have been quite fast in 1981.

Hmm. Very upright seating position. And seems to be wider and heavier than other serious contenders. Queally was fast, no doubt about it. But at that level you need the technology to be right.

Arellcat · « **Reply #13 on:** 03 April, 2012, 08:45:41 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 03 April, 2012, 11:15:45 am

Hmm. Very upright seating position. And seems to be wider and heavier than other serious contenders. Queally was fast, no doubt about it. But at that level you need the technology to be right.

The position didn't look hugely different from my power-happy Lightning, albeit slung onto a LWB chassis, which as a design ethos didn't do too badly in Fast Freddy's hands. The Blueyonder bike's all up weight was about 25lbs, which is bloody light, and even then the thing was a bit rubbish.

Queally was I believe able to generate about 1800W in full sprint mode. But someone like Sam has in his muscles the experience of recumbent ergonomics.

Von Broad · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 May, 2012, 03:29:06 pm »

picked up from BROL

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9248769/The-100mph-bike-designed-in-the-bath-and-made-from-an-old-saucepan.html

Tigerrr · « **Reply #15 on:** 09 May, 2012, 04:03:24 pm »

Its not a very advanced design is it.
Hes high off the ground and got no weight saved with that frame. I think he will struggle to make an impression, unless hes got a huge engine.

simonp · « **Reply #16 on:** 09 May, 2012, 04:13:02 pm »

Crivens. I used to commute along the A78. Much busier now, but if he finds a quiet time, it should be OK.

Tigerrr · « **Reply #17 on:** 09 May, 2012, 04:34:55 pm »

On closer examination there seems to be a total absence of drivetrain. Is he intending to power it by flexing his manhood? Could get messy. Presumably there is a whole load of pedal action to be built at the back.

simonp · « **Reply #18 on:** 09 May, 2012, 04:48:34 pm »

I assume he'll be putting discs on those wheels as well.

Biggsy · « **Reply #19 on:** 09 May, 2012, 05:42:00 pm »

I wouldn't feel happy with my hands so close to the wheel at 10 mph, let alone 100. Wonder if I could put a bet on how many fingers Obree ends up with? Hopefully they'll be some kind of guard or fender protecting him, really.

Biggsy · « **Reply #20 on:** 09 May, 2012, 05:44:21 pm »

The more I think about this, the more I doubt the supposed 100 mph target is for anything more than grabbing some headlines. Maybe Obree will be quite delighted enough with 90 mph - and so he should be. Personally, I'd be delighted enough if someone else rode it for me!

Quote from: simonp on 09 May, 2012, 04:48:34 pm

I assume he'll be putting discs on those wheels as well.

Or will the whole bike be enclosed in an aerodynamic shell?

Karla · « **Reply #21 on:** 09 May, 2012, 05:57:08 pm »

Yes he's said he'll put an aero shell on it. However, discs (assuming he uses them) will have two advantages:
1) There will surely be a bit of wheel sticking out of the bottom of the shell, so dics will still help with the aerodynamics.
2) Reduced potential for finger amputations.

TimC · « **Reply #22 on:** 09 May, 2012, 06:14:24 pm »

I think it's great he's going for the record, and more power to him for doing it. I loved his justification for it in the article linked to somewhere above. I don't care whether he succeeds or not; he's going to have a go and he hopes to inspire others to follow the same philosophy. Excellent!

I did wonder what tyres he'd use, and whether they are rated for 100mph+?

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #23 on:** 10 May, 2012, 12:47:36 pm »

Back in 2002 we discovered that if a Presta valve on a 406 wheel is left unscrewed it will let the air out at 107 mph (on a trainer). I'm looking forward to meeting Obree in BM - assuming he makes it - but I have an horrible suspicion he'd going to end up looking much like Jason Queally did in 2001.

100 mph is out of the question. The record has only increased by 2 mph in all the years I've been going and even the application of much clever SCIENCE and a huge engine by the Delft team last year only netted them 80 and a bit.

Biggsy · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 May, 2012, 01:04:44 pm »

Sometimes it takes an outsider with a brave fresh approach to break a record. It's worked for Obree before, after all.