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Battle Mountain: Graeme Obree's Story

Documentary following Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree's 2013 attempt to challenge the world land speed record at Nevada's Battle Mountain.

Battle Mountain follows Scottish cycling legend, double world hour record holder and world 4k pursuit champion Graeme Obree on his quest to challenge the world land speed record at Battle Mountain in Nevada in 2013.

Cycling the bike that he built in his kitchen, his tools of choice were his mind, hands and eyes in preparation for his race against teams employing the latest computer simulation technology and world leading aerodynamics experts.

However, Battle Mountain is a film which is about so much more than cycling. Director David Street has captured something quite remarkable as Obree prepares himself for his quest to ready and race at Battle Mountain. From building his latest hand built machine, named by Sir Chris Hoy MBE "The Beastie", in his small one bedroom flat in Saltcoats, Scotland using mostly recycled materials, to his rudimentary analysis of physics, biomechanics and aerodynamics using nothing more than his mind and imagination, Obree is a purist in the strongest sense placing absolute trust in his intellectual prowess to provide the optimum solution to overcoming the challenges posed by Mother Nature when riding a bike.

No wind tunnels, no computer simulations to determine the optimum performance parameters, The Beastie is designed with one purpose in mind - to go fast, terrifyingly fast, with the rider lying prone, head first - face forward! Where the other riders competing at Battle Mountain are wired into world leading computer technology, Obree faces the challenge down single minded with total belief in the powers of his mind and body.

1 hour

Last on

Tue 7 Feb 2017 21:00

Credits

Role Contributor
Director David Street
Producer David Street

Broadcast