The man is a legend but I think he would benefit from a good coach!

Gimme a call man!

a true shame, but i'm still full of respect for the guy.

It is deja-vu. Just finished his book have the ultimate respect for the guy but in some ways his maverick streak almost becomes self destructive coupled with bouts of depression. Wish he had a go though, perhaps dare I say it on an off the peg cycle?!

As a fellow bi-polar sufferer I look forward to his new book 'Survivors Guide to Depression'...knowing first hand how hard it is to live with this condition his achievements are just incredible.

Another fellow bi-polar chap here..... fair play to "Sir" Obree for giving it a go. In my case cycling probably saved my life and I'm happy just being able to get out and peddle. If Greame wants to go for a ride at some point I'll happily take his call...... but I'll never keep up

I don't understand - Why isn't someone from the great 'British Cycling' ringing him up and offering support and traing funding?

BC seem to be awash with money......but not enough to support Graeme, one of our greatest cyclists. Is it because he's Scottish?

Surely Obree deserves the backing and with support imagine what he could do........

Tom

I met Graeme at Bike Radar Live this year and cycled with him for 2hrs during the sportive all the way to the finish. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to chat to him for so long. Having now read his book (thoroughly recommended) he will I'm sure continue to inspire up and comming enthuiastic riders like myself. Good luck with your future projects Graeme and keep inspiring those scottish youngsters.

RC

In a world short of true heros, he's #1

@ tom

How exactly could it be because he's scottish may i ask? Shal we list the scottish riders that have been on the UK track team or is that really neccessary?

First of i i believe it is slightly presumtious of you that BC havnt offered backing for Obree, and it clearly states in the article: "Who could have asked for backing from BC".

Second of all, i would question the benefits BC would get from supporting him anyway. When we look at the 'unique' way that British sport is funded i.e. number of medals won at the olympic games - why would BC then pump money into the hour record, to an individual who is past his prime age of competing? Obree has already achieved the hour record on a number of occasions and it is a very highly commmendable achievement. I just wouldn't expect people to financially support him because he wants to have another go.

Thirdly - i would suspect Mr Obree would not want the help - because if he did - why bother with the bikes, the self coaching, the invidual unorthodox approach that he favours? British cycling, i presume, wouldn't offer him that approach because that is not how they work.

I fully respect Obree - he's a true hero and an outstanding cyclist. Though making assumptions that the cycling federation has 1. offered no support to him, 2 done so "because he's Scottish" 3. not looking at Obree as an athlete himself and the approach he decides to take,

@Tom: I'm another who doesn't think Graeme would have taken it. He's well known for going his own way with his own designs. I doubt he'd feel able to work the way BC would proberly want him to. I still think he could have a go, just needs to build a bike which would work.

The big problem is, if he did try again or if he did try BC and it came to nothing....

p.s. I'd love to ride just a mile with such a great man.

Arms out full stretch on the bars surely means that you cannot go round corners ...

Graham's a hero all the same.

“I think the current BC setup would have helped me in one way for sure,” admits Obree. “I wouldn’t have had to worry about money in between seasons, trying to find sponsorship. That used to do me in.” However, he isn’t convinced that the more structured, results-based approach – or conveyor belt as he calls it – that BC uses so brilliantly now would suit someone as non-conformist as him.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/article/interview-legendary-scottish-cyclist-graeme-obree-21919

Some athletes are still in their prime at 44 years old. I expect Graeme Obree hasn't gone over the hill yet!

BC would have been right not to provide support, Chris Hoy had to find his own sponsorship to attempt the world kilo at altitude record because it was a personal thing not something that would have furthered the cause. Obree's attempt should be seen in the same light. We all agree Big G is an outstanding cyclist but the money comes from results and thats why as Dave Brailsford says (on a different subject admittedly) we need to be compassionately ruthless.

As for the the crack about him being Scottish losing him any support, what have you been drinking Tom?

Graeme Obree is a great athlete, a great cyclist and a great man for trying.

Graeme is my all time sporting hero. Good luck for the future mate.

I wonder why he does not try to get sponsorship to travel to England's fast courses and go for the road TT 10 and 25 records? I know it is not in the same league as the world hour record but it would still be a marvelous achievement.

As far as I'm concerned, whether Graeme sees it or not, he has achieved a huge amount. I have as much respect for the way he tells it like it is. Honesty about such a misunderstood & hard thing to deal with as depression is awesome. Hope he can see the good it does to others.

Lack of official recognition doesn't detract from the facts!

Some would be good though.

i can't helped being a bit disappointed - i am currently reading his autobiography and it would have been the must see sporting event of the century - but, from how graeme describes his atitude to competition, it probably took more strength for him to pull out of this than anything else he has done. to my mind, it is unnecessary for him to prove himself any more than he has done already. its a great shame that he never really got the recognition he deserved. i remember seeing boardman in the olympics on the tv when i was a kid and wondering whether it was the man or the machine that had won the medal. had i known at the time about graeme's acheivements being his own coach, bike designer, bike builder and athlete it would have changed my whole view of cycling as a sport. of course graeme had support from friends and family and sponsors, but he can (and obviously felt a need to) attribute his success to himself and himself alone.

his autobiography is a very well written and gripping read. i don't really understand why the film makers had to make up so much of the story when the truth is much more poignant. i look forward to his new book coming out. it seems to me that there is a gap there that needs to be filled: the kind of drive that most sportsmen need to make it to the top can lead to depression - or is their singlemindedness a by-product of bipolar syndrome? whichever is the cause and whichever is the effect, there is definitely a link between top level sport and depression judging by the number of suicides amongst top level cyclists these days.

best of luck graeme! thanks for being an inspiration.

Many consider him a true inspiration. Agreed he never received the recogniton he deserved but I think as time goes on, he grows in stature because of his singleminded approach, determination, independance and courage, in the face of his debilitating depression. I hope his story continues to provide inspiration to many others.