Innovation in Cycling Interests Me

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I was over at Doug Report and saw an article that Cycling Weekly did about innovation in cycling.  It varied from Campy quick releases to neoprene shoe covers.  One thing listed was aero position by Graeme Obree.

Graeme Obree is an interesting guy.  Not accepted by the elite cycling crowd, he went about his own business and designed, built and rode bicycles that didn’t fit the current standards.  The UCI treated him like shit.  Making arbitrary, truly bullshit rules, to disallow him from kicking ass at the World Championships, after he was already World Champion.

I remember racing in England and watching a documentary showing Obree’s path to the World Championships.   It is a comparison between what Chris Boardman was doing and then that of Graeme Obree.  It couldn’t be any more different.  Obree taking apart a washing machine for bearings and Chris Boardman ordering multiple frames.

Anyway, I found the piece on YouTube.  It is below.  If you have a little extra time sometime, it is interesting.

 

14 thoughts on “Innovation in Cycling Interests Me

  1. donkybhoy

    Obree truly a great sportsman who was different from others. Brilliant. Not enough credit is given to him

    Boardman is omerta.

     
  2. Jeff D

    Wow I just noticed, looking at Obree’s position maybe instead of calling it the Sagan tuck we should have called it the Obree tuck

     
  3. Bolas Azules

    Oddly enough Boardman had to quit racing because of low levels of testosterone and osteoporosis. Finally a guy who could have actually used all of those patches.

     
  4. sillypuddy

    On the track Obree was a great all arounder. There really wasn’t anything he couldn’t do(except tie a not). What i would like to know if that unique riding position be allowed in either of the one hour attempt categories; superman or traditional?

    Sillypuddy OUT!

     
  5. mike crum

    poor guy vs the rich guy….. the flying scottsman movie was great.. in yesterdays post some guy named lance told me that I’m not a cyclist cause I do tt on my own… lol.. so these two above arnt cyclists??? they are racing alone.. didn’t understand lance’s post at all..i always heard the tt was the race of truth.. and one alone vs the clock is the same thing imo…

     
  6. Ben Frost

    The BBC recently aired a documentary (Battle Mountain),on Obree and his attempt on the land speed record.
    Well worth watching. He is still as innovative as ever.

     
  7. Craig

    Speculation is that those were the result of questionable choices during his career … but the first rule of Tilford’s blog is we don’t talk about doping 😉

     
  8. barb

    Obree was the Rocky of track racing….not to mention overcoming his bipolar handicap to set world records. Only respect for the man.

     

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