31 Facts About Graeme Obree

Graeme Obree was known for his unusual riding positions and for the Old Faithful bicycle he built which included parts from a washing machine.

Graeme Obree joined a professional team in France but was fired before his first race.

Graeme Obree competed in the men's individual pursuit at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Graeme Obree has been very open about living with bipolar disorder and depression, and the fact that he has attempted suicide three times, using his experiences as a means of encouraging other sportspeople to talk about their own mental health.

Graeme Obree was born in Nuneaton, a large town in northern Warwickshire, England, but has lived almost all his life in Scotland and considers himself Scottish.

Graeme Obree attempted suicide in his teens by gassing himself.

Graeme Obree was saved by his father, who had returned early from work.

Graeme Obree thought the start and finish were at the same place and stopped where he had started, 100 metres short of the end.

Graeme Obree had started to change his clothes when officials told him to continue.

Graeme Obree had built frames for his bike shop and made another for his record attempt.

Graeme Obree placed them closer to the saddle than usual and rode with the bars under his chest, his elbows bent and tucked into his sides like those of a skier.

Graeme Obree later regretted admitting to the bearings experiment, because journalists referred to that before his achievements and other innovations.

Graeme Obree attacked Moser's record, on 16 July 1993, at the Vikingskipet velodrome in Norway.

Graeme Obree had booked the track for 24 hours and decided to come back the next day.

Graeme Obree's bike had a carbon monocoque frame, carbon wheels, and a triathlon handlebar.

Graeme Obree did it on 15 January 1994, riding in the thin air of Mexico City as he had for his outright record, whereas Obree and Boardman had ridden at close to sea level.

Graeme Obree retook the record on 27 April 1994, using the track that Boardman had used at Bordeaux.

Graeme Obree had bolted his shoes to his pedals, to avoid what had happened in the final of the national pursuit championship, when he pulled his foot off the pedal during his starting effort.

Graeme Obree developed another riding position, the "Superman" style, his arms fully extended in front, and he won the individual pursuit at the world championships with this and Old Faithful in 1995.

In March 2018, Graeme Obree tested another replica of Old Faithful in the Mercedes-Benz F1 team's wind tunnel to gauge the aerodynamic efficiency of his various riding positions on the bike, having never previously participated in wind-tunnel testing.

Graeme Obree however noted that the discomfort of the "crouch" position takes a lot of energy out of the rider through holding the hands and shoulders in place, whilst the "Superman" position was much more manageable.

Graeme Obree was individual pursuit world champion in 1993 and 1995.

Graeme Obree broke the British 10-mile individual time trial record in 1993, won the RTTC 50-mile championship the same year, and won the 25-mile championship in 1996.

Graeme Obree got to the next get-together but flew to Paris instead of Lille, where the meeting was held.

In May 2009, Graeme Obree announced that he would make an attempt at the "Athlete's Hour" record on a bike he had built himself during 2009.

Graeme Obree said in October 2009 that the attempt had been cancelled as the bike he'd built himself was not suitable for the conditions.

The previous day, Graeme Obree had set a speed of 52.9 miles per hour, which was a record speed in the prone position on a two-wheeled HPV.

Graeme Obree is divorced from his wife, with whom he has two children.

Graeme Obree continues to race occasionally in individual time trials for Ayrshire-based Fullarton Wheelers cycling club.

Graeme Obree was a member of the winning three-man club squad that took the team title in the Scottish 10-mile championship in May 2006.

Graeme Obree published his autobiography in 2003 titled The Flying Scotsman.