First look: Graeme Obree's amazing bicycle

14 comments
By Jeff Jones | Friday, May 29, 2009 9.40pm

Graeme Obree is as well known for his hour record breaking exploits as he is for the hand-built machines that he set them on.

The 43 year-old Scot recently announced that he's going to attempt the hour record again - and this time it will be on a UCI-approved 'standard' track bike. Drop handlebars, spoked wheels, steel frame, everything that will make the UCI officials in Aigle happy.

But this is Obree we're talking about. He is not a conventional man. And by the looks of the machine we spotted at BikeRadar Live this afternoon, he seems to have hand-crafted every component. From the Reynolds 653 steel frame to the narrow, semi-sculpted seatpost topped by a purple velvet saddle to the aluminium time trial handlebars that he whittled down over the course of three months while watching TV,  to the massive drilled out 67 tooth chainring to the 15 year-old Specialized mountain bike pedals to just about everything else.

Some parts will be swapped for the eventual hour record attempt, of course, but this will do perfectly well for a time trial.

In fact, when you look at it closely, you can see it's anamazing machine - it's more retro than retro, and so much time has gone into building it. It's beautiful to behold and hard to get your head around the fact that it is designed to go very fast. And you can be sure it will with Obree astride it as he attempts to set the fastest lap in the Procycling Hot Laps. The man himself looks very fit and you can see it in his eyes that he's ready for the challenge ahead.

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That's a big chainring

Shift+R improves the quality of this image. shift+a improves the quality of all images on this page.: Obree likes massive gear ratios

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These aero bars are completely custom - they took Obree three months to whittle down from a solid piece of aluminium

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These pedals were once Specialized double sided mountain bike pedals. Now they have been shaved down to save weight.

Shift+R improves the quality of this image. shift+a improves the quality of all images on this page.: A light but aero seatpost, again sculpted from aluminium

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Graeme Obree himself: you can meet him at BikeRadar Live

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User Comments

There are 14 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 14 of 14 comments

  • Looking good, Graeme!

  • Wow I love that bike, great innovations. Best of British mate!

  • Great bike! You guys need to cover more unique bikes like this instead of the boring production models.

  • It looks amazing. Hope it flies for you! I really admire your individuality and wish you luck in your quest.

  • Chris+W

    Damn right, more innovative bikes please. All these 2K carbon jobs all look the same.

  • This guy is simply amazing! The bike is gorgeous and I hope he destroys the 1-hour record.

    Good luck, Graeme!

  • It won't be the bike that does it.

  • if ever there was an example of its not the bike but the person on it this is it. Apart from the tri bar set up its like a trip back to the 80's bike design.

    But you really have to admire Graeme's common sense approach to designing a bike to let the body do its best.

    I am not sure how much this bike costs but its got to be so much cheaper than some of the carbon feather weight bikes I see people riding these days at road races and tt's.

    If Graeme beats the hour record again to me is immaterial the important thing is that he carries on being who he is and demonstrates that speed comes from hard training of your god given talent not some fancy new bit of carbon kit.

    OH TO HAVE GRAEME OBREE AS YOUR COACH ! just think how much quicker we would all go if we followed his lead.

    After he has beaten the record maybe bike radar can talk Graeme into sharing with us his training regime and psychology.

  • Nice drilled chain ring. Looks like he has TONNNES of seatpost showing! Must have really long legs (or an incredibly hunched position)!

  • Mightly more impressive than the mass produced carbon copies. Some real innovations, the big companies could learn something.

    Though i think that brake caliper could do with some holes in it.

  • anyone know when he is attempting this hour record and where, would love to see history being made

  • Cant wait to see you doing your thing, i've got goosepimples-woo!! good on you!

    I'm totally inspired as a Scot living in Holland (pedalling as hard as i can) with a similar drive that you have!!

    My wife also read your book and finds it scarey, she said it was like reading about me.

    Hopefully make it to the velodrome on Dec 9th, i'll be screaming for you to win!!

    I'm so happy for you that i've tears in my eyes.

    Kind regards Tom Mulholland.

  • KISS. Keep it Spinning Scottie! One of my hero's of the track. Long live innovative men in lycra.

  • Go Graeme Go!

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