Hour record

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For the hour record in athletics, see Hour run.

The hour record for bicycles is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle. There are several records. The most famous is for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). It is one of the most prestigious in cycling. Hour-record attempts are made in a velodrome, frequently at altitudes for the aerodynamic benefit of thinner air.

The first recorded record was in 1876 when Frank Dodds rode 26.508km (16.471mi) on a penny-farthing. In 1972, Eddy Merckx set a record of 49.431km (30.715 mi) that stood for 12 years. The current UCI record is by Ondřej Sosenka, (49.700km (30.882 mi)).

Contents

[edit] History

Because of aerodynamics, the hour record has seen innovative equipment, but this has led to debate in cycling over the extent to which records should reflect only the skill, strength and stamina of the cyclist, or whether changes in bicycle design should be accepted.

On July 7, 1933, Francis Faure set 45.055km (27.996mi) riding an aerodynamic recumbent, but in 1934 the UCI rejected recumbents. This led to two classes of record. In one, any design is allowed, provided the power comes from the rider; this is administered by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association. In the other, only upright bicycles are permitted; this is administered by the UCI.

[edit] UCI hour record

The hour record is usually attempted by road cyclists towards the end of their career. This is true of Miguel Indurain (Spain), Francesco Moser (Italy) and Chris Boardman (Great Britain). Eddy Merckx said his hour record attempt was "the hardest ride I have ever done". It was set in Mexico City at an altitude of 2,300m (7,550 ft).

Eddy Merckx's 1972 hour record bike

In January 1984, Moser set two records, the second being 51.151km (31.784mi). This was the first noted use of disc wheels, which provided aerodynamic benefit. Moser's record is disputed for another reason. At the time he was coached by Dr Francesco Conconi, a proponent of doping such as blood transfusions and EPO. Conconi agreed that Moser had used blood transfusions, not banned at the time.

In 1993 and 1994, Graeme Obree, a Scot who built his own bikes, posted two records with his hands tucked under his chest. In 1996, Boardman set a record using another position pioneered by Obree, his arms out in front in a Superman position. Both were controversial, and while the records were allowed to stand, the positions were banned. Obree and Boardman made several attempts to top the previous record.

With the increasing gap between modern bicycles and what was available at the time of Merckx's record, the UCI established two records:

  • the UCI Hour Record (which restricts competitors to roughly the same equipment as Merckx, disallowing time trial helmets, disc or tri-spoke wheels, aerodynamic bars and monocoque frames) and
  • the Best Human Effort - sometimes termed the UCI "Absolute" Record.

All records since 1972, including Boardman's 56.375km (35.03mi) in 1996 were downgraded to Best Human Effort. In 2000, Boardman attempted the UCI record on a traditional bike, and rode 49.441km (30.721mi), topping Merckx by 10m (30 ft) - an improvement of 0.02%. In 2005 Ondřej Sosenka improved Boardman's performance at 49.700km (30.882 mi) using a 54x13 gear. At 2m (6.6 ft) tall, Sosenka used an unusual saddle position and a small vertical frame height to stay within UCI regulations.[1]

Example UCI Hour record-holders, with equipment description[2][3]
Date Rider Age Velodrome Distance (km) Equipment
25 October 1972 Eddy Merckx 27 Mexico City 49.431 drop handlebar/round steel tubing frame/wire spokes
23 January 1984 Francesco Moser 32 Mexico City 51.151 bull-horn handlebar/oval steel tubing frame/disk wheels
17 July 1993 Graeme Obree 27 Hamar, Norway 51.596 Graeme Obree-style "praying mantis" handlebar/round steel tubing frame/carbon tri-spoke wheels
23 July 1993 Chris Boardman 24 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.270 triathlon handlebar/carbon airfoil tubing frame/carbon 4-spoke wheels
15 January 1994 Francesco Moser 42 Mexico City 51.84 Graeme Obree-style "praying mantis" handlebar/ chest-pad on top frame / wheels unknown - UCI VETERAN's RECORD
27 April 1994 Graeme Obree 28 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.713 Graeme Obree-style "praying mantis" handlebar/round steel tubing frame/carbon tri-spoke wheels
2 September 1994 Miguel Indurain 30 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 53.040 wide triathlon handlebar/carbon monocoque aero frame/disk wheels
22 October 1994 Tony Rominger 33 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 53.832 triathlon handlebar/oval steel tubing frame/disk wheels
5 November 1994 Tony Rominger 33 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 55.291 triathlon handlebar/oval steel tubing frame/disk wheels
6 September 1996 Chris Boardman 28 Manchester, UK 56.375 Graeme Obree "superman-style" handlebar/carbon monocoque aero frame/5-spoke front & rear disk wheels

The veteran's record set by Moser in 1994 was faster than his more celebrated record in 1984, when he used a bullhorn handlebar, steel airfoil tubing, disk wheels and skinsuit. It was also faster than Obree's first record in 1993. Had Moser ridden Obree's bike before Obree did, Moser might have held the official record at age 42. Moser was riding before UCI rule changes were to be put in effect by May 7 of that year. These were to out-law the Obree praying mantis style. Obree created the Superman bike that Boardman eventually rode to the UCI Absolute record of 56.375 km in 1996.

Moser was inspired by Obree's bike and wanted a copy. The bike Moser rode on his veteran's record had a praying mantis handlebar and Obree-style frame. Moser modified it with a chest pad. The altitude of Mexico City helped Moser beat Obree's mark set at lower altitude in Norway. But if Obree hadn't broken style and tradition in the first place, this form of time-trial bike would not have been known. However, at that same time, Boardman held the overall record. Later that year, Obree beat both for his second hour record at low-altitude, this time in Bordeaux in France.

[edit] IHPVA Hour record

The IHPVA record led to fully-faired bicycles: recumbent bicycles, low, enclosed in carbon fibre and Kevlar shells to reduce air resistance. The current record was set in 2008 by Slovenian Damjan Zabovnik at 87.123km (54.136 mi) ridden on the 5.8km oval track at the Eurospeedway Lausitz, near Klettwitz, Brandenburg, Germany. Zabovnik's designed and built his machine, the Eivie II. He pedals on his back with his head up and forward within the nose of the vehicle. Most other successful vehicles used a feet-forward, head-near-mid-section or rear of the bike and looking-forward design. The volume of area swept out by the revolving feet is large with this design compared to Zabovnik's stationary head and torso. A mirror is above his head to see forward, and steering is reversed so Zabovnik can control the vehicle according to the tendency to turn right to go right, turn left to go left.

122 one-hour runs using aerodynamic fairings have exceeded Boardman's (35.03mph or 56.38kmh) UCI record.[4]

The previous records were 2006-07-02 by 49-year-old Fred Markham, a 1976-80 US Olympic team member, at 85.991km (53.432 mi) on the track at the Nissan Technical Center North America, near Casa Grande in Arizona.[5][6] Markham won $18,000 as a share of the $25,000 Dempsey-MacCready One Hour Prize to the first HPV to surpass 90km. The prize has expired and its shares awarded to those that traveled furthest through July 2, 2006. Markham displaced the previous record by Whittingham, who cycled 84.215km (52.329 mi) July 31, 2004 on the 4.8km oval GM/Opel test track in Dudenhofen, Germany. Both rode vehicles called Varna designed and built by the Bulgarian sculptor George Georgiev, who lives in British Columbia, Canada.[7]. Sam Whittingham won back the record one year later at the Nissan Technical Center North America with 86.752 km.

During 2007, the 1933 record of Francis Faure was broken by another cyclist riding a recumbent without aerodynamic fairings. Sean Costin rode a recumbent made by the Polish manufacturer Velokraft (model name NoCom), covering 28.459 miles (45.800 kilometers) on the 382m (0.237 mi) outdoor concrete velodrome in Northbrook, Illinois on June 6, 2007. Costin then rode 29.76 miles (47.89km) on the 250-meter (0.155 mi) indoor wooden velodrome at the ADT Event Center in California. In the later event, he converted his Velokraft NoCom to a fixed-gear. Both events were conducted by the WRRA World Recumbent Racing Association.[8]

On October 24, 2008, Gert-Jan Wijers, also 41, bettered Costin with 50.389km (31.31 miles) on the 250m Alkmaar velodrome located near sea-level. Wijers rode a production version of the M5 carbon high-racer recumbent modified with dual disk carbon wheels and a fixed-gear freewheel. Wijers became the first unfaired (non-streamlined enclosed) recumbent rider to exceed 50km. Details: [9]

[edit] Hour records and holders (Male)

Hour record-holders and dates: (a) UCI hour record (b) UCI best human effort (c) IHPVA hour record (km)
Date By Location (a) (b) (c)
1876 Frank Dodds 26.508
11 May 1893 Henri Desgrange Buffalo, Paris 35.325
31 October 1894 Jules Dubois Buffalo, Paris 38.220
30 July 1897 Oscar Van Den Eynde Vincennes, Paris 39.240
3 July 1898 Willie Hamilton Colorado Springs, USA 40.781
24 August 1905 Lucien Petit-Breton Buffalo, Paris 41.110
20 June 1907 Marcel Berthet Paris 41.520
22 August 1912 Oscar Egg Paris 42.122
7 August 1913 Marcel Berthet Paris 42.741
21 August 1913 Oscar Egg Paris 43.525
20 September 1913 Marcel Berthet Paris 43.775
18 August 1914 Oscar Egg Paris 44.247
7 July 1933 Francis Faure Vélodrome du Parc des Princes, Paris 45.055
25 August 1933 Jan Van Hout Roermond 44.588
18 November 1933 Marcel Berthet France 49.99
28 September 1933 Maurice Richard Sint-Truiden, Belgium 44.777
31 October 1935 Giuseppe Olmo Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan 45.090
14 October 1936 Maurice Richard Vigorelli, Milan 45.325
29 September 1937 Frans Slaats Vigorelli, Milan 45.485
3 November 1937 Maurice Archambaud Vigorelli, Milan 45.767
1938 Francois Faure France 50.53
7 November 1942 Fausto Coppi Vigorelli, Milan 45.798
29 June 1956 Jacques Anquetil Vigorelli, Milan 46.159
19 September 1956 Ercole Baldini Vigorelli, Milan 46.394
18 September 1957 Roger Rivière Vigorelli, Milan 46.923
23 September 1959 Roger Rivière Vigorelli, Milan 47.347
30 October 1967 Ferdi Bracke Olympic Velodrome, Rome 48.093
10 October 1968 Ole Ritter Mexico City 48.653
25 October 1972 Eddy Merckx Mexico City 49.431
5 May 1979 Ron Skarin Ontario, Cal. USA 51.31
4 May 1980 Eric Edwards Ontario, Cal. USA 59.45
19 January 1984 Francesco Moser Mexico City 50.808
23 January 1984 Francesco Moser Mexico City 51.151
29 September 1984 Fred Markham Indianapolis, USA 60.35
10 September 1985 Richard Crane Warwickshire, England 66.30
28 August 1986 Fred Markham Vancouver, Canada 67.01
15 September 1989 Fred Markham Adrian, USA 73.00
8 September 1990 Pat Kinch Bedfordshire, England 75.57
17 July 1993 Graeme Obree Hamar, Norway 51.596
23 July 1993 Chris Boardman Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.270
27 April 1994 Graeme Obree Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.713
2 September 1994 Miguel Indurain Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 53.040
22 October 1994 Tony Rominger Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 53.832
5 November 1994 Tony Rominger Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 55.291
27 July 1996 Lars Teutenberg Munich, Germany 78.04
7 September 1996 Chris Boardman Manchester, UK 56.375
29 July 1998 Sam Whittingham Blainville, Canada 79.136
7 August 1999 Lars Teutenberg Dudenhofen, Germany 81.158
27 October 2000 Chris Boardman Manchester, UK 49.441
27 July 2002 Lars Teutenberg Dudenhofen, Germany 82.60
19 November 2003 Sam Whittingham Uvalde, Texas 83.71
31 July 2004 Sam Whittingham Dudenhofen, Germany 84.215
19 July 2005 Ondřej Sosenka Moscow, Russia 49.700
2 July 2006 Fred Markham Casa Grande, Arizona 85.991
8 April 2007 Sam Whittingham Casa Grande, Arizona 86.752
12 July 2008 Damjan Zabovnik Lausitzring, Germany 87.123


[edit] Hour records (female)

The corresponding female records are:[10]

Hour record
  • 46.065 km/h Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel (NED) October 2003
  • 45.094 km/h Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) December 2000
  • 44.767 km/h Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) November 2000
  • 43.501 km/h Anna Wilson-Millward (AUS) October 2000
Best hour performance
  • 48.159 km/h Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) October 1996
  • 47.411 km/h Yvonne McGregor (GBR) June 1995
  • 47.112 km/h Cathérine Marsal (FRA)April 1995
  • 46.352 km/h Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) October 1989
  • 44.933 km/h Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) September 1987
  • 44.770 km/h Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) September 1986
  • 43.082 km/h Keetie van Oosten-Hage (NED)September 1978
  • 41.471 km/h Maria Cressari (ITA) November 1972
  • 41.347 km/h Elsy Jacobs (LUX) November 1958
  • ...others
IHPVA
  • 57.47 km/h Rosmarie Bühler (SUI), June 2001
  • 62.26 km/h Corinne van Noordenne (NED), August 2001
  • 68.33 km/h Ellen van Vugt (NED), August 2002
  • 68.97 km/h Ellen van Vugt (NED), August 2004
  • 73.41 km/h Rosmarie Bühler (SUI), August 2004

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ondřej Sosenka has posted photographs of his record-winning bicycle and other information in Czech at http://www.sosenka.cz
  2. ^ References with pictures: http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/hourrec.htm
  3. ^ Reference with lots of data: http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook...cordsHour.html
  4. ^ recumbents.com Fastest Human Powered Vehicle databases
  5. ^ Dempsey-MacCready One Hour Record Attempts, WISIL HPVers, 26 June 2006
  6. ^ Circles in the desert; an hpv hour record attempt, Rob English, 2 July 2006
  7. ^ Another Hour on the Hamster Wheel, Sam Whittingham, November 19, 2003 (alternate link)
  8. ^ World Recumbent Racing Association
  9. ^ http://www.m5-ligfietsen.nl/site/NL/Nieuws/Laatste_nieuws/
  10. ^ UCI records both genders

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hour_record"
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