Well, that was fun while it lasted.

[MattTuck]

Figured I'd revisit a debate we had a while ago about the hour record.

My opinion when the UCI made the rules change was that they were throwing away a meaningful historic yardstick that you could use to compare riders across time. By adopting new rules they traded historical context for a short term bump in interest as a land grab ensued.

The jury is still out. Cancellara, who ignited the whole thing by announcing plans to attempt the record on a Merckx rules bicycle has since lost motivation with the new rules change and the UCI's meddling. Dowsett has said he'd like to attempt it again.

Who else will have the guts to try it?

I know we're still close to it, but one wonders if this is the end of the UCI's little publicity stunt. In a few years, after no more attempts, they'll change the rules back to the Merckx standard. Then in another few years, they'll switch back to an aero standard. It's genius, it generates its own PR!

We're currently 558 days after the UCI Rules Change. Do you think we'll see a new attempt before we hit 1,000?

[MattTuck]

You cannot make this stuff up. No sooner did I create those graphs and post this thread... I go on velonews and find http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/...kx-hour_389714

Bradley Wiggins, who set a new world hour record this summer, has hinted he will take on the elusive 溺erckx Hour.

In a new book released this week, 溺y Hour, Wiggins outlined a behind-the-scenes attack on the hour record of 54.526km on June 7 at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London. In excerpts of the book posted on Sky痴 website, Wiggins hinted he may take on the Merckx Hour as well.

溺erckx痴 Hour was the definitive record. He痴 the benchmark, Wiggins wrote in the book. 的致e spoken about going for the record again, and I知 toying with going for his distance in an Athlete痴 Hour of my own.

的知 planning on doing some tests with similar kit a hairnet crash-hat and so on to see what the numbers are. I might be way off his pace. I might not be able to hold his position and be as aerodynamic, but then Merckx wasn稚 aero in the slightest.ç´

[FlashUNC]

Absolutely. Who would want to try in the offseason?

The general plan seems to be to have a crack at it early in the year when the legs are still fresher and a program can be built to suit without missing too many big races.

2016 may be a bit of an aberration with a lot of guys prepping for the Olympics, but I have to think Dowsett and Dennis, at minimum, will want another shot at it.

[CunegoFan]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

You cannot make this stuff up. No sooner did I create those graphs and post this thread... I go on velonews and find http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/...kx-hour_389714

The interesting thing is if Wiggins tries the Merckx-style record, no matter whether he succeeds or fails, it will render the marks set under the current rules worthless. If he succeeds then anyone who gets the non-Merckx record will be under pressure to prove himself under Merckx rules, effectively making the Merckx rules the "real" record. If he fails then it proves he and the others who set the non-Merckx records are not worthy of being considered the hour record holders.

[MattTuck]

Originally Posted by CunegoFan

The interesting thing is if Wiggins tries the Merckx-style record, no matter whether he succeeds or fails, it will render the marks set under the current rules worthless. If he succeeds then anyone who gets the non-Merckx record will be under pressure to prove himself under Merckx rules, effectively making the Merckx rules the "real" record. If he fails then it proves he and the others who set the non-Merckx records are not worthy of being considered the hour record holders.

Yes, I mean it is even worse than that. Just the fact that he is thinking about it is an indication that the Merckx rules are inextricably linked to the hour record now. No matter what the UCI says.

[rounder]

I do not have a problem with Bradley setting the record under the modern day rules. I watched it streaming live and thought it was one of the coolest things I ever saw.

If he wants to take on the old record set on the e merckx bike, then that would also be great. I do not believe that would diminish what he did on the Pinarello to set a new standard. To me, it would just be a different attempt at a different record. No baseball fans are demanding that players use the same gloves and bats that Babe Ruth used in setting his records.

[deechee]

Yeah, but aren't aluminum bats not allowed in MLB?

I respect all the records, but yeah, the inner kid in me wants Wiggo to try the "Merckx hour".

[numbskull]

I like that Wiggins is considering an old school attempt.

That said, I find his scientific approach to deciding whether or not he can be successful before trying it, although understandable, somewhat disappointing.

I see this as a problem with modern bike racing in general. Too much utilization of information technology during races. I'd rather see them race without power meters, HR monitors, and particularly electronic communication devices.

I feel that requiring the racers work out tactical situations for themselves and forcing them to push their own limits without artificial feedback devices would create a more interesting and entertaining spectacle.

Science has its place in racing, but so does romance.....at least from the spectator's viewpoint. Merckx's record is more about romance than science at this point. Attempts to surpass it should respect that.