Can an amateur cyclist break the hour record and win two gold medals at the World Pursuit Cycling Championships with a bicycle made from washing machine parts?
As surprising as it may seem, that's exactly what Graeme Obree, nicknamed 'the flying Scotsman', achieved in the 1990s. This is his story.
Graeme Obree: the beginnings of 'the flying Scotsman'
Douglas Graeme Obree was an amateur cyclist living in Scotland, where he ran a bike shop from which he dedicated himself to making fully customized frames. His obsession was to design the most aerodynamically efficient frame. Naturally, he did not have wind tunnels on his side, nor computer simulations, nor did he perform complex equations to calculate air resistance. He relied on his own experience and the trial and error tests he conducted with the bike in time trials and amateur races.
By the way, in the first carrera he participated in, he did so equipped with an anorak and the boots he used in his daily life. In addition, he made a mistake thinking that the start and finish lines were the same. When he was just 100 meters from finishing the event, he got off the bike thinking he had already finished. While he was already changing to go take a shower, the commissaires of the carrera ran to tell him that the finish line was a few meters ahead. Obree had to get back on the bike to finish the event.
Photo credits: cycling-passion.com
The big idea: breaking the hour record
In 1993, facing poor financial results from his shop, he decided that his next challenge would be to try to break the hour record. An amateur cyclist, with no known international track record, wanting to set a new world record. At that time, the hour record had been held for 9 years by the Italian Francesco Moser, who in 1984 had surpassed the previous record, whose holder was none other than Eddy Merckx. Moser also had a sensational track record:
- 3 podiums at the Road World Championships, including the rainbow jersey in 1977.
- 1 gold and 1 silver medal at the Track Cycling World Championships, in individual pursuit.
- 1 Giro d'Italia (1984).
- 3 Paris-Roubaix.
- 2 Giro di Lombardia.
- 1 Milan-San Remo (1984).
- 1 Flèche Wallonne.
- 4-time winner of the Regularity classification in the Giro d'Italia.
Graeme Obree, however, was unknown not only among professionals and UCI members, but also among fans. Even so, he was determined to break a new hour record.
Old Faithful: the bicycle with washing machine parts
To prepare for his attempt at the record, Obree began to design a new bike frame. Despite not having a team of engineers or a manufacturer to sponsor him, he began making changes to the frame based on his sensations during training. One day, watching the washing machine spin, it occurred to him that the appliance's bearings could improve his bike's performance. Thus was born the famous Old Faithful.
Photo credits: clarin.com
In addition, Obree introduced innovations such as a short handlebar and fixing the shoes to the pedals. He narrowed the bottom bracket to bring the cranks closer to the frame and reduce aerodynamic drag. His posture, known as "the Tuck", was inspired by skiers, who bend their elbows and hunch over to minimize air friction. Thanks to this position, Obree managed to reduce drag by 15%.
The aerodynamics that Obree optimized on his bike is a key factor both in road bikes and in triathlon bikes, where every second counts in time trial competitions and long distances.
Record on the second attempt
On July 16, 1993, Graeme Obree went for the hour record at the Vikingskipet velodrome in Hamar, Norway, but fell less than 1 kilometer short of achieving it. Despite failing, since he had rented the velodrome for 24 hours, he decided to try again the next day. At 8:00 am, having barely slept, Obree managed to break the record, setting a mark of 51.596 kilometers. He surpassed Moser's previous record of 51.151 kilometers.
The duel with Chris Boardman
Despite Obree's achievement, his joy was short-lived. On July 23, 1993, his compatriot Chris Boardman snatched the record from him by 674 meters at the Bordeaux velodrome. Boardman, Olympic pursuit champion, had a high-tech bicycle backed by sponsors. However, Obree did not give up. That same year, at the Track Cycling World Championships, he defeated Boardman in the individual pursuit, proclaiming himself world champion.
New hour record and controversy with the UCI
In April 1994, Graeme Obree tried again to break the hour record, this time in Bordeaux. He succeeded, setting a new mark of 52.713 kilometers, which would be broken months later by Miguel Induráin. Obree's innovative position began to attract the attention of other cyclists. Francesco Moser tried to break the hour record in 1994 using the same position, but without success. In light of these innovations, the UCI decided to ban the Old Faithful and extreme aerodynamic positions like "the Tuck."
Photo credits: geograph.org.uk
The second World Championship with the 'Superman' position
Far from giving up, Obree continued to innovate. At the 1995 World Championships, he adopted the position known as "Superman", with his arms fully extended. This new position allowed him to win his second world championship in individual pursuit. However, the UCI again banned the position, citing safety reasons. After that, Obree never competed in another World Championship, although he won some national titles, including the British time trial championship in 1997.
The UCI's pardon
The story of Graeme Obree is one of the most fascinating in the history of cycling. An amateur cyclist who, with a bicycle he built himself, broke the hour record and became world champion twice. His bicycle Old Faithful is displayed at the National Museum of Scotland, and in 2014, the UCI restored his international titles. Obree's life was brought to the big screen in the movie "The Flying Scotsman" in 2006.
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