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 classes of records. The most famous is for upright bicycles meeting the technical requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). It is one of the most prestigious records in cycling. Hour-record attempts are made in a velodrome, frequently at high altitudes for the aerodynamic benefit of thinner air.

The first recorded hour record was in 1876 when F. L. Dodds rode 26.508 km (16.471 mi) on a penny-farthing bicycle. In 1972, Belgium's Eddy Merckx set a record of 49.431 km (30.715 mi) that stood for twelve years, and remains a benchmark for the sport. The UCI record is currently held by Ondřej Sosenka (49.700 km (30.882 mi)).

Contents

[edit] History

Because of the importance of aerodynamics, the hour record has seen some of the most innovative equipment, but this has led to debate in the cycling community 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 a record of 45.055 km (27.996 mi) riding an aerodynamic recumbent, but the UCI rejected the trial in 1934 and barred recumbents from racing. This led to a division of the sport and hence two classes of the record. In one branch, any design is allowed, provided the power only comes from the rider; this is currently administered by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association. In the other, only upright bicycles are permitted; this branch is administered by the UCI.

[edit] UCI administered 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", and was set in Mexico City at an altitude of 2,300m (7,550 ft).

Eddy Merckx's 1972 hour record bike
Eddy Merckx's 1972 hour record bike

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

In 1993 and 1994, Graeme Obree, a British cyclist noteworthy for building his own bikes, posted two records on bikes that put him in an unusual body position with his hands tucked under his chest. In 1996, Chris Boardman set a record using another position pioneered by Obree, his arms straight out in front in a "superman" position. Both positions were controversial, and while the records were allowed to stand, the positions were banned from future use. Obree and Boardman both made several attempts to top the previous record.

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

  • the official 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 unofficial Best Human Effort.

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

Example UCI Hour record-holders, with equipment description[2][3]
Date Rider Age Velodrome Distance 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 Obree 'preying mantis'/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 Obree 'preying mantis'/ ?? frame / ?? wheels" - Veteran's record
27 April 1994 Graeme Obree 28 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.713 Obree 'preying mantis'/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 Obree 'superman' handlebar/carbon monocoque aero frame/5-spoke front & rear disk wheels

The veteran's record set in 1994 by Francesco Moser at the age of 42 was faster than his more celebrated record set in 1984, when he first used a bull horn handlebar, steel airfoil tubing, disk wheels and skinsuit to beat Merckx's 1972 record. It was also faster than Graeme Obree's first hour record in 1993. The bike Francesco Moser rode at age 42 in Mexico City was an Obree 'preying mantis'-style bike modified with a chest pad. He was so inspired by Obree's bike after meeting him at a race, and seeing his record, that he wanted a copy of it. The details are in Obree's bookThe Flying Scotsman. No doubt the high altitude of Mexico City helped Moser beat Obree's mark set at lower altitude in Norway. However, at that time Chris Boardman still held the overall record. Later that year, Obree would beat both of their marks for his second hour record at low-altitude Bordeaux in France.

[edit] IHPVA Hour record

The IHPVA record led to the development of fully faired bicycles: recumbent bicycles, low to the ground, enclosed in a carbon fibre and Kevlar shells to keep air resistance to a minimum. The current record was set Easter Sunday 2007-04-08 by 35-year-old Sam Whittingham, a former member of the Canadian national cycling team, at 86.711 km (53.880 mi) ridden on the approximately 5.662-mile (9.112 km) oval track at the Nissan Technical Center North America, near Casa Grande, Arizona.

To date, 119 one-hour runs by cyclists using aerodynamic fairings on their human-powered vehicles have exceeded the (35.03 mph or 56.38 km/h) UCI record by Chris Boardman.[4]

The previous record was set 2006-07-02 by 49-year-old Fred Markham, a 1976-80 US Olympic team member, at 85.991 km (53.432 mi) also on the track at the Nissan Technical Center North America.[5][6] Markham won $18,000 as a share of the $25,000 Dempsey-MacCready One Hour Prize offered to the first HPV to surpass 90 km. The prize has since expired and its shares awarded to those that had traveled the furthest through July 2, 2006. Markham displaced the previous record by Whittingham, who cycled 84.215 km (52.329 mi) July 31, 2004 on the 4.8 km 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]

During 2007, the 1933 record of Francis Faure was finally broken by another cyclist riding a recumbent bicycle without the addition of any aerodynamic fairings. This cyclist, 41-year old Sean Costin, rode a recumbent bicycle made by the Polish manufacturer Velokraft (model name NoCom), covering 28.459 miles (45.800 kilometers) on the 382-meter (0.237 mi) outdoor concrete velodrome in Northbrook, Illinois on June 6, 2007. Costin then rode 29.76 miles (47.89 km) 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 machine. Both events were conducted and sanctioned by the WRRA World Recumbent Racing Association.[8]

[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 F. L. 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


[edit] Hour records (female)

The corresponding female records are:[9]

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. ^ http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/fastest_list.asp
  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. ^ http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wrra/
  9. ^ UCI records both genders

[edit] External links