Product Description

The story of a cyclist who took on the world and rewrote the record books. Graeme's story starts with his tough upbringing in Ayrshire, where he found his escape by taking to the roads. He tells the story of how he became a world record breaker, and of his battle with depression.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #203223 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 246 pages

Customer Reviews

A moving story
Graeme Obree's motivation to achieve the cycling one-hour world record must make him unique. His childhood left him feeling worthless, an emotion that has dogged him throughout his life as his personal barometer swings from high to low and back with alarming consequences. On high, he undertakes training schedules few could match, and combines his athleticism with an insight into bicycle design which is sensational, given that the machine has remain vitually unchanged for 100 years.

On low, he attempts sucicide, conflicts with those closest to him who are trying to help, and drinks to forget.

Reading this candid autobiography is compulsive, you just can't put it down. As you finish the last page you hope that the tide has turned, and the Obree family will live happily ever after. If you buy this book you will be helping to ensure that they do.

John Richards

Breaking the mould (again)
Graeme Obree delivers exactly what you'd expect from a man who broke the cycling mould; an autobiography that breaks the well set mould of sporting biographies which too often seem to be ghost written half truths containing snipes at past colleagues and competitors. None of that in this book. Quite simply, Graeme Obree just tells his life as it has been. The bad times aren't accompanied by finger pointing, apportioning of blame or bitterness and the good times are reported with the modesty of a true sportsman. In my view, the greatest strength of this book lies in the absence of the author trying to influence the reader's emotions and opinions. He just gives you the facts of his astonishing life and you react. This book richly deserves the widespread acclaim and success of Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike".

A study of athletic achievement and a man's resilence.
As a keen cyclist I was already well aware of Graeme Obree's huge achievements as an unknown British amateur cyclist taking on the Holy Grail of solo cycling - the world Hour Record. Not only did he beat the then unbroken figure of 51.151km set by charismatic Italian campione Francesco Moser, but he did it using his will and a self-engineered cycle that challenged all the rules of technology,positioning and aerodynamics. With this achievement set against some truly unbearable emotional hardships suffered by Graeme and his immediate family, it makes this mans' bravery all the more inspiring to us all whether we ride bikes or not. What is it about the sport of cycling that brings forth the passion and desire to overcome physical hardships such as those suffered by Lance Armstrong, or the more insidious long term depressive states suffered by Graeme and millions of ordinary people? I hope that the planned major motion picture of Graeme's battles and glory shows him to be what he is, an honest,decent man and a beacon of hope for all those who have suffered depression in black silence.