…could have been written by a frenchman Charles Mochet in the 30s. This theory originally written by famous scientist in 1859 could have easily been a way for bicycle development if there had not been a “conspiracy” ruling the game.

Written by: Olli Lehtonen

Manuel Morand on his Velocar recumbent racing with the uprights in the 1930s. Side by side, smiling and even hand placed on each others shoulder.

In the beginning of the 20th century bicycle was developing rapidly. New designs were brought up and tested on the competitions and the winner would then become the ideal solution. This way the full-rubber tires, heavy frames and also pennyfarthings had been moved aside by more advanced technology.

These were the golden days in cycling desing pretty much until Francis Fauré set a new world hour record on his velocar recumbent designed by the recumbent maker Mochet. It was this and the humiliation of second class rider like Fauré beating cycling superstars, such as Maurice Richard and Henri Lemoine that lead to UCI banning recumbents after a vote (58-to-46) held in the 58th UCI Congress, 3rd of Febrary 1934. Since then the racing bicycle has only been a travesty of what it could have been. The ban showed the world the power of conservative, narrow-minded individuals can have on the future of a sport like cycling. The title of the world champion is now held by a upright cyclist because his bicycle is less advanced technology.

forbidden development or forbidden winning…

It was all the way to the 90s when the traditional upright bike took the leap forward as The Flying Scotsman Graeme Obree started to experiment with the upright bike in order to brake the hour record. Although Obree´s vision of the record bike was very distinctive it encouraged others to start designing in a new way.  This eventually lead to a birth of the modern TT bike although the most advanced designs of which are often also banned by UCI. Nowadays UCI is keeping a category called “UCI best human effort” for the records done by these extreme bikes(note that recumbents are not allowed). UCI also has a category for the records done by the classic upright bike called the best “UCI recognized upright bike”. In this category only equipment roughly equivalent to Eddy Merckx’s 1972 bike can be used meaning traditional round tubing, traditional geometry and no aerodynamic aids.

Is there a sence keeping a category for the best “UCI recognized” upright bike, the best “human effort” bike that must still be an upright bike and no category at all for the all time best record achieved by man with the bicycle?

Obrees vision of an aerodynamical upright bike (left) – banned by UCI. Chris Boardman riding the fastest upright bike ever built – also banned by UCI.

The International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA) is the only organisation keeping record for the real achievements made by man with a bicycle, be it an upright or a recumbent bike. Its record shows that the real distance travelled by man with a bicycle in one hour is 90.60 km. This record was made by Sam Whittingham in 2009. He rode a faired streamliner recumbent bicycle. Actually there are over a hundred recorded runs better than the UCI’s ”best human effort” 56.375 km ridden by Chris Boardman in the “superman” position.

The real hour record holder (90.60 km/h) Sam Whittingham riding his bike, the Varna Tempest. If a professional cyclist like Boardman rode a bike like this the record would be even higher!

I think Mochet, Fauré and Obree all hit UCI in a vulnerable spot at their time. They challenged the whole industry and questioned the traditions of the sport. Still as bicycle being one of the most important transportation modes in the world it should be allowed to develope as much as possible. Faster meaning more efficient meaning easier to move with!

Average cyclist still thinks the best bicycle design is the traditional upright one. They just do not understand its dark history. People should think more by themselves and not just let their opinion build up from what the media is showing us. I bet only a few have ever even thought about the whole subject. A thing as ordinary as bicycle is taken as a self-evidence and even the most orientated cyclists do not always seem to know where to question. The materials have gone through a huge development but the geometry is still from the 30s. The geometry that puts a human in an uncomfortable and unaerodynamical position. The position that was chosen because it was slower.

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Tags: hour record, recumbent history, velocar