Surfing the web, I found this picture of the bike that Eddy Merckx rode to set the hour record. Gorgeous, isn't it?

Does anybody know what gear he rode?

where is this bike, I need to go on a pilgramage?

im pretty sure it has been posted here before. i wanna say it was around 110 inches. but not quite sure.. let me see if i can find it.

It's on display at the Eddy Merckx Metro Station in Brussels, according to wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:E...RecordBike.jpg).

THAT bike is in a subway stop in belgium iirc, but there's some questionas to whether it's actually the bike he rode...

dont tell me this, you are ruining my life...

he rode 52x14

Nice ride. I still think Armstrong would murder the hour record in true epo form.

I thought that that bike is the actual frame that he rode, but there is debate as to whether the components are the ones he used.
There was extensive amounts of drillium used on the bars, seatpost, chainring etc..

https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Ben..._B-guide_1.htm

yup. so i was a little high, its more like 100 inches

Is that the *actual* frame? I read long ago that it resides at Ernesto's factory.

Eddy's Hour

Drillium.

I gotta get me some of that. I'll swing by the LBS and see if they have any in stock.

drillium... Is that anything like unobtanium?

All you need is a drill press. Start with the handlebars and work your way back.

Good gravy. Just lookin at it makes me feel all funny inside.
Where have all the heroes gone...?

he drilled the bars and seatpost (below insertion) and the chain, had a milled out crank, removed the dustcaps on the hubs, used hollow axles and smaller sized axle nuts. Overall, his bike (58x58cm) weighed a hair over 12 lbs. (nearly half of what my bike weighs by the way)
Who knows what happened to the origional components. they probably disentrigated immeadietly after he crossed the line. the frame has been repainted though. The origonal was badged as a Windsor on the day of the attempt.

tim

Yeh. And Windsors (the old ones) are really cool. I know a fella who had an orange Windsor "hour" from wayback. I think he ebayed it last year. What's the story behind the rebadged bike?

into corporate sponsorship!

according to Colnago it was actually a 60x57.5 cm (but the 60 is a Colnago 60 - so to the top of the collar)
the chainstays were drilled. the BB shell was "relieved"
spokes were 15/16 butted.
he used a drilled out 3/32" road chain
and his stem was titanium. as were the BB and pedal spindles
and his seatpost was drilled *above* the clamp too, all the way up the back.

I'm surprised it didn't crumple when he sat on it, much less hammered it for an hour.

Are there videos of anyone's Hour attempt(s)? That might be a thread question.

Thanks for the clue. I will go there next week, photograph it and count the teeth.

53x14

I got the lucky of seen Gregor "the bear" Braun (germany) attemp a hour record in Chile by 1986 or so, this was maybe his last chance because he was old by that time. An italian was trying to accomplish the same not profesionals one day before than braun. The italian made it, eventhoug Broun wasnt succesfull it did like 4 kms more than the italian.

Gregor Braun
Other significant victories: Olympic Pursuit Champion, 1976; World Professional Pursuit Champion, 1977 - 1978
1978 Frankfurt Grand Prix
1980 Tour of Germany
1981 Tre Valli Varesine
1982 Kuurne - Brussels - Kuurne
1983 1 stage, Giro d'Italia


cya...

I just ordered a DVD containing two movies - "Stars and Watercarriers", which documents the 1973 Giro d'Italia and "The Impossible Hour", a documentary of the showdown between Ole Ritter and Eddy Merckx for the Hour. I don't know if the movies are any good, but I'll throw up some screenshots when I get it.

Check it out if you like.

https://www.worldcycling.com/merchant...Category_Code=