[HAMR] New challenger - Bruce Berkeley AKA Cycle_dr 1

[Exit Stage Left]

Obree came up with the 'Superman' position after his initial tuck was banned by the UCI.
http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/superpos.htm

Boardman used that position in 1996 to set a new hour record.
http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/boardman2.htm

The UCI then banned that position, and eventually negated the previous Boardman record when they introduced the "Athlete's Hour' specification. That was dropped in 2014, previous records were acknowledged and a new specification was introduced.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/hour-record-rule-change-athletes-hour-scrapped-123397

The purest exponent of the 'Superman' position was Antonella Bellutti.

[TheRedEyeJedi]

My back is hurting just looking at that...must be historical sympathy pain!

[Exit Stage Left]

Andy Wilkinson used a slightly less radical position for his 1997 24 hour record.

[Citizenfish]

I'm old enough to realise that I can't just 'bivvy' my way around the world

I'm sure you could. My 80 year old mate Dennis rode LeJog a few years back hoping to be the oldest. I'm not sure if such a record exists. He asked me to find out so that if it does exist he can set off again when he is a year older than the holder.

[Phil W]

I'm old enough to realise that I can't just 'bivvy' my way around the world

I'm sure you could. My 80 year old mate Dennis rode LeJog a few years back hoping to be the oldest. I'm not sure if such a record exists. He asked me to find out so that if it does exist he can set off again when he is a year older than the holder.

Here you go, he needs to wait a year or two

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-person-to-cycle-from-lands-end-to-john-o-groats

[Wowbagger]

And he only took a fortnight! Mrs. Wow and I took 3 weeks, and we were almost 30 years younger.

Did you see the BTL comment from the guy's sister, who said he did a JOGLE last year?

[hillbilly]

So no formal announcement from Bruce about whether his attempt is ongoing or not?

[Citizenfish]

I'm old enough to realise that I can't just 'bivvy' my way around the world

I'm sure you could. My 80 year old mate Dennis rode LeJog a few years back hoping to be the oldest. I'm not sure if such a record exists. He asked me to find out so that if it does exist he can set off again when he is a year older than the holder.

Here you go, he needs to wait a year or two

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-person-to-cycle-from-lands-end-to-john-o-groats

No he doesn't. This was 2 years back.

[Phil W]

I'm old enough to realise that I can't just 'bivvy' my way around the world

I'm sure you could. My 80 year old mate Dennis rode LeJog a few years back hoping to be the oldest. I'm not sure if such a record exists. He asked me to find out so that if it does exist he can set off again when he is a year older than the holder.

Here you go, he needs to wait a year or two

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-person-to-cycle-from-lands-end-to-john-o-groats

No he doesn't. This was 2 years back.

Excellent, now is his year then.

[mrcharly-YHT]

No news from Bruce


Just to counterbalance the thicko commentators on strava, one person has taken to quoting Waiting for Godot.

[wajcgac]

He's still riding but not doing anywhere near the miles required - I guess he's just riding for the enjoyment now.

https://connect.garmin.com/profile/cycle_dr1

Funny that he's not posting to Strava though as he's posted regularly to it for several years.

[Phil W]

He's still riding but not doing anywhere near the miles required - I guess he's just riding for the enjoyment now.

https://connect.garmin.com/profile/cycle_dr1

Funny that he's not posting to Strava though as he's posted regularly to it for several years.

I guess he's feeling embarrassed at having stopped so soon, and wants to avoid the negativity of the comments on Strava.

[marcusjb]

Could it be he has just set the recent rides to private on Strava?  He's just riding for himself now and needs to avoid the heat a little (maybe make an announcement about his intentions, that would help!) 

It is a shame whatever happens.  He has the legs (but maybe not the knees), but needs some assistance with the admin. 

I hope he can put something together in the future and have a proper go at this, but with some help to keep him on the straight and narrow.

[red marley]

Sure. It must be difficult dealing with such a public challenge as this. However Bruce more than any other challenger has been asserting that a log on Strava is all that is needed to be given the credit for being a record holder, specifically dismissing the need for other forms of scrutiny. To sort of slip away from Strava with no explicit acknowledgement seems self-defeating if you are going to follow that approach.

[mrcharly-YHT]

He's confirmed that he's abandoned (for now).

[Phil W]

Tap on his message and it'll expand to the full text he has written,

[Justin(e)]

Please post full message here.

Bad luck Bruce.  Everybody that attempts this record adds to the allure.  Even early failures like Bruce and miles demonstrate the epic nature of the undertaking.

Allez Bruce.

[red marley]

That was almost all of the message. I think it may also have been edited slightly since originally posted. It currently says:

"Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you all an update as to my year record attempt. I have had a few personal and Physical issues to deal with in the last 10 days. Due to the nature of the issues I have decided to postpone the record attempt! I will look at restarting later in the year."

[Aidan]

That was almost all of the message. I think it may also have been edited slightly since originally posted. It currently says:

"Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you all an update as to my year record attempt. I have had a few personal and Physical issues to deal with in the last 10 days. Due to the nature of the issues I have decided to postpone the record attempt! I will look at restarting later in the year."

And it continues under the drop down:

I want to thank everyone for the support, and I’m sorry that these issues not allowed me to continue. Pretty gutted at this stage, but will put it down to experience, move forward and get back on with some projects later in the year.

Once again thanks so much for the support.

[Phil W]

Here's the message

"Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you all an update as to my year record attempt. I have had a few personal and Physical issues to deal with in the last 10 days. Due to the nature of the issues I have decided to postpone the record attempt!

I will look at restarting later in the year.

I want to thank everyone for the support, and I’m sorry that these issues not allowed me to continue. Pretty gutted at this stage, but will put it down to experience, move forward and get back on with some projects later in the year.

Once again thanks so much for the support"

[hillbilly]

Hopefully he will show the record more respect next time, instead of indulging in a personal challenge and claiming some sort of wider significance for it.

[Si S]

Hopefully he will show the record more respect next time, instead of indulging in a personal challenge and claiming some sort of wider significance for it.

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I wonder how his sponsors feel about it all, though as an exercise in promotion^* I suppose you'd consider it a success. I do hope he does make a legitimised attempt as it makes fascinating watching.

particularly the self variety

[mrcharly-YHT]

I don't think we'll see bruce on this again.  Knee issues that appear in less than a month are not going to go away, particularly as Bruce isn't a youth.

[Citizenfish]

This may seem harsh, but I think Bruce's attempt has underlined what is needed to get this record. He is not the first to have physical issues during the attempt. Almost all of those before him suffered from something, including Kurt and Steve, those capable (and mad enough) have ridden through them. Think Jens Voigt.

He appears to have abandoned after a combination of mental AND physical issues, but the physical ones are those that are usually made public. In the nicest possible way I think this shows he is not up to it. And it shows that Kurt and Steve were. He has done us a great service though by evidencing that this is not just a year of gentle pedalling.

[mrcharly-YHT]

This may seem harsh, but I think Bruce's attempt has underlined what is needed to get this record. He is not the first to have physical issues during the attempt. Almost all of those before him suffered from something, including Kurt and Steve, those capable (and mad enough) have ridden through them. Think Jens Voigt.

He appears to have abandoned after a combination of mental AND physical issues, but the physical ones are those that are usually made public. In the nicest possible way I think this shows he is not up to it. And it shows that Kurt and Steve were. He has done us a great service though by evidencing that this is not just a year of gentle pedalling.

Not harsh, realistic