Why didn't these catch on???

He says it's a metre diameter if you read further. Used by Moser in his Hour Record, the larger diameter supposedly rolling better and with weights (I think) around the circumference to keep the momentum going once up to speed. Now of course all banned by the UCI with their 'Athletes Record' stance of no new innovations or non-traditional designs.
 
So a specific wheel for the event - that must of had some serious testing to establish that that was the best way to break a record. As you say, shame that these innovations are now banned.

Havent decided whether I like that bike or not?
 
Way back when they spent a fortune on the "hour" record ........ Peter Post seemed to have an unlimited budget to get the record for raleigh. All the kit was made individually and often in magnesium.

Riders did work at altitude and also at home with a "Douglas Bag".........basically a huge bag of air the same composition as the air at altitude. This was the days befor EPO.

Seems to have lost it's cachet :(


Shaun
 
The glitz and glam of the tours or the track events seem to be very in vogue just now, records such as the hour, 25, 50 mile events don't appear to get the same attention.

I was reading the following http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/time-trials.html - Alf Engers on the drillium Shorter bike - that's one gorgeous looking bike and it may be my eyes but isn't the seat post also drilled or is it just the photo?

It'd be nice to think as you stated Shaun that the big companies may one day return to putting greater efforts into attaining these records, although the current rules regarding frames / specs / weights etc makes it a little prohibitive to develop a bike specifically for the job after all isnt that what current TT bikes are for?

Didn't Boardman convert a room in his house to a high altitude training environment - airtight and reduced oxygen - for one of his record attempts?
 
Great photo Ippikin - very evocative of the era. looks kind of bizarre that the TT bike looks like it's being pushed hard to keep up with the conventional bike. I'll have a look into the defunct 2-up TT style race, looks an interesting concept.

as for 36ers, those bikes look they'd been on what Armstrong was taking all those years! look very unwieldy and how one can be described as a "shop runner" - that's surely the last thing you'd want to use on for? still there must be a market for them.
 
Ippikin":1clu93ty said:
Pic here of Moser's big wheel bike. He is riding with Hinault in the now defunct Baracchi Trophy 2-up TT. I believe this was an 'invite' event. Moser's bike is unconventional to say the least, imagine he did not like cross-winds!

http://a405.idata.over-blog.com/4/02/82 ... rrachi.jpg

That's a standard 700c rear wheel with a 650c front. Never used the big wheel on the road, it was for fixed wheel use only.

2-up TT's aren't defunct, several of them on the CTT calendar.
 
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