Steve abraham attempt

[Mark1978]

It was clear from the start in January 2015 that the entire effort would basically depend on nothing going wrong, him not falling off his bike on ice or having some mishap like being hit by a motorist. Unfortunately that's exactly what happened and that's where it all went wrong. In hindsight the attempt should have stopped right there in order to try again this year. I wonder if Kurt also riding at the same time meant that he carried on regardless.

[Tonyf33]

Abraham AFIACT has only done this for himself, whether for recognition/glory/adulation or as a personal challenge it really doesn't matter to me, but it takes others to say look, you need to stop, you are not going to make this and this is the right and sensible/logical thing to do.

They may have been doing that since his accident. It's difficult, especially for family when someone is doing something so challenging to find the right balance between encouragement and honesty. If they didn't get it right, they probably regret it enough, without public criticism.

Who is publicly criticising, I'm passing comment on a public forum regarding the attempt which is titled above, my comment/personal opinion says he or his team should have stopped & regathered given the circumstances. Also that his team should have being (forcefully) advising him to stop the attempt when it was clear the injury was serious and would impinge hugely on his ability to cycle at all if not properly especially with the potential to making the injury worse/not giving it time to heal which is I think stated that the injury wasn't healing correctly due to getting back to pedalling too quickly.
That isn't criticism, that's honest opinion of what this person and I think plenty others think.
Whatever did or did not happen within the team it had the end result of carrying on when it was clearly obvious that he was going to fall short, going onward without a break from whatever point it was (August?) to make it a 365 day effort after having done all that many miles plus an injury that took ages to heal poperly and not being able to sustain the miles and get enough sleep which is all a knock on effect, those are all plain facts.

[[XAP]Bob]

I have managed to get an answer to one question I had regarding Tommy's mileage:

Did his "early 1940" mileage exceed his "early 1939" mileage, and if so - what was his best "year"

Yes I have the mileages. I am going through a detailed process of verification as Tommy’s records were all over the place. I’ll publish them soon.

The figure you are after is 77201 between April - April

BUT BUT BUT BUT you cannot declare a year record retrospectively. This was always the case before Tommy and he has to abide by the same rules. You have to state your start date. Otherwise riders can fail to beat the previous record but just keep going until they do. Rene Menzies would have taken Ossi Nicholsons record of 1937 by the same token.

Of course you could just keep 365 concurrent attempts

I also note that:

Kurt Searvogel is now the world record holder for HAM'R (overall) with 76,076 official miles.

And am, frankly, even more underwhelmed*.
Although:

Kurt planned his attempt to hit his final mileage of 76,076 miles exactly. Kurt writes: "The number is significant in that it took 76 years and 76076 miles to take the record from the British – The spirit of 76 lives on".

* That could read unimpressed, and I am not - 76k is a HUUUGE mileage, but I don't think it's the end...

[Mick F]

I don't think it's the end either.

If a velodrome could be booked for a 12m period, the record attempt could be done round and round and round and round and round.
No weather worries, no daylight worries, assistance and support permanently to hand, swap bikes as and when you want.

Would that be a valid record?

[Neil C]

Someone would validate it. But the cost would be massive. As would be the boredom.

And anyone who agreed to do it should be taken away by the men in white coats!

[[XAP]Bob]

I don't think it's the end either.

If a velodrome could be booked for a 12m period, the record attempt could be done round and round and round and round and round.
No weather worries, no daylight worries, assistance and support permanently to hand, swap bikes as and when you want.

Would that be a valid record?

Yes - but a psych ward would await...

[Mick F]

It'd be no different to riding rollers or a turbo. The rider could watch a movie or two ......................
If the bike was self-steering, the rider could read a book or two, or chat on Skype and/or be on FaceBook.

[Bonefishblues]

It'd be no different to riding rollers or a turbo. The rider could watch a movie or two ......................
If the bike was self-steering, the rider could read a book or two, or chat on Skype and/or be on FaceBook.

They could take a leaf out of the lady I saw yesterday morning riding no-handed down the Hammersmith Road, texting. She was still having the conversation as she went out of sight up to Olympia. Multi-tasking alive and well (t least for a while)

[[XAP]Bob]

It'd be no different to riding rollers or a turbo. The rider could watch a movie or two ......................
If the bike was self-steering, the rider could read a book or two, or chat on Skype and/or be on FaceBook.

'bent track bike, with all the recorded TMS commentary played over the velodrome PA?

[Bicycler]

It'd be no different to riding rollers or a turbo. The rider could watch a movie or two ......................
If the bike was self-steering, the rider could read a book or two, or chat on Skype and/or be on FaceBook.

Add speech recognition softwareand he could be contributing to the ctc forum

[jayd]

I'm in awe of what he has achieved on the challenging roads of the U.K. I don't think we've seen the last attempt though, by him or someone else. Hopefully it will take place within the U.K or somewhere equally dark,rain-sodden and cold with cramped roads and uncivil motorists.

[Bonefishblues]

I'm not sure that it could happen in the UK tbh, given the factors you cite.

[Psamathe]

Update 3 March 2017 ** NEWS ** (i.e. not just dragging up an old thread)
Just (had to) been watching local Look East magazine program and they has a short bit on Steve Abraham starting his year time trial record attempt again midnight tonight (0:00 4 March 2017)

I don't know if it's the same web site but this one is on http://oneyeartimetrial.org.uk

Ian

[rjb]

Chapeau to you sir.

[reohn2]

Chapeau to you sir.

+1
Incredible courage!