Road Cycling - Obree's bikes

Does anyone know of any website or book that details Graeme Obree's famous bikes? I've done a bit of searching, and I can see he had at least three different frames (not including other people that copied his ideas, including Francesco Moser), but cannot find any hard information on when they were used, what innovations they had, or any geometry specifications. I bought his book yesterday and there's an interesting graphic in the back (taken from L'Equipe) with various measurements, but it's not very useful (no BB height for instance).

While we're on the subject, what are people's thoughts on his bikes, riding styles, and general asskickingness (until the UCI stepped in of course :( ).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841582832/ref%3Dpd%5Fsim%5Fb%5Fdp%5F1/026-1025310-3474825

I bought his book yesterday

Thanks anyway though.

... I've done a bit of searching

No doubt you've found

http://www.lunt.demon.co.uk/obree/obree.htm

Yup :)

Well i've nearly finished the book now, and somewhere near the end he mentions the fact he actually started producing clip-on aero bars specially designed for the Superman position (limited quantity I'd imagine, as he was the only employee). Does anyone have any pictures or info on these?

Also, just an amusing little tale for you; during the opening ceremony at Atlanta 96, it was so hot all the atheletes were given lots of water to drink. Apparently, because the ceremony was so long and with no way out of the stadium, many atheletes, Graeme included, resorted to urinating in the water bottles they had been given. Now go out and buy the book.

While we're on the subject, what are people's thoughts on his bikes, riding styles, and general asskickingness (until the UCI stepped in of course :( ).

While I agree that the UCI can be way too nostalgic and traditional in their rulings, I tend to agree with the point of said rulings. Graeme won races and set hour records not because of any kind of supreme riding ability, but by tweaking his machine. While it was very innovative and cool of him to invent new equipment/riding styles to help his times, it makes it impossible to compare abilities of verious riders. I can't imagine him besting Merckx if they rode the same frame, and that's what the UCI is trying to preserve: ability versus ability, not ability versus equipment.

On that basis, I think every race from now on should be referenced back to the first bike races. We should all ride replica 19th century bikes. That way we can truly know who is the best over all these years.

Sure it might be a competitive advantage over others to have better equipment, but that happens in every sport. As much as you may want it to be a level playing field it isn't and it never will be. Saying that is akin to saying all car racing teams should drive the same cars. It would make the sport very boring for starters. Just doesn't make sense to me.

On that basis, I think every race from now on should be referenced back to the first bike races. We should all ride replica 19th century bikes. That way we can truly know who is the best over all these years.

Sure it might be a competitive advantage over others to have better equipment, but that happens in every sport. As much as you may want it to be a level playing field it isn't and it never will be. Saying that is akin to saying all car racing teams should drive the same cars. It would make the sport very boring for starters. Just doesn't make sense to me.

We do have pre- and post-war results differentiated as such. That certainly separates people with incredibly different equipment.

And you can see similar rulings in other sports. How about the asterisk rule in Baseball? Marris was widely regarded as not having actually beaten Ruth's HR record since they weren't competing on an equal field.

if ya ask me indurain should then be disqualified for having a "extraordinary equipment". his freakishly large heart and lungs. in order to completely level the playin field you would have to take into account people have better genetics then others also and disqualify those with extraordinary characteristics to make things "fair." technological advancement is goin to happen and just because one rider is smarter then the others shouldnt disqualify him. besides athletics arent ALL about physical fitness and athleticism. its also about smarts and if obree had them, more power to him. its not like no other rider could do it either. they had the same opportunity he had so if u ask me the playing field was already level before the UCi banned obree's riding position. like i said earlier i think genetics provide the biggest unfair advantage in sports not the equipment people use.

Graeme won races and set hour records not because of any kind of supreme riding ability, but by tweaking his machine.

I beg to differ. Granted he may not have been as physically able as Merckx or Moser, but bear in mind that they broke the Hour record at altitude, Obree did it only a bit above sea level. I bet at his peak, he could have beat any man on the track, from any era, on any bike.

If you've read his book, you'll know how seriously he took riding (when he was on good form anyway). His do-or-die attitude (he said on more than one page how he would gladly have died rather than failed) meant that, IMHO, no matter what bike he was riding he would have still broken the Hour Record and won World championships.