CECIL WALKER 1939 - "S T A Y E R"

[corbettclassics]

That's a real beauty! - plz flip fork.

Plz flip fork..!!!!

Could you imagine this kid rolling up on you while you're riding your Elgin Bluebird or Bowden Spacelander and him saying - "Pls put some apes on that thing..!!!" ( but what does he know! )

 

[dnc1]

The reversed fork allows the rider to draft closer to the pacing machine, in effect, reducing the drag coefficient/increasing aerodynamic efficiency by placing the rider in less turbulent air.
On @corbettclassics fabulous example above you will also note the seat nose support which allows the rider to get as far forward as possible and as much of his body within that 'cleaner' air, without breaking the saddle.
You'd think that a more 'lo-pro' (ie. a sloping top tube) approach would be sensible; this is true, but inappropriate in paced racing as you are already wind cheating behind the pacer.
The more upright stance stems from the necessity to ensure the riders breathing efficiency over long distance events. Therefore reversing the forks and using a smaller (typically 24 inch) front wheel and a fairly tall headtube allows the rider to adopt a relatively comfortable stance and enjoy the benefits of slipstreaming.
Just search for images of stayers online, they almost all follow this format for these reasons.

 

[bulldog1935]

Francesco Moser's hour-record bike - it's still fairly high-trail, though lower trail than reversed forks would give it.

ps - my local bike shop has one of these on the wall above the service desk.

 

[corbettclassics]

Francesco Moser's hour-record bike - it's still fairly high-trail, though lower trail than reversed forks would give it.
View attachment 712308

That’s a completely different bike than a Stayer bike. It’s a very cool machine though! Didn’t that bike wind up being banned or something?

 

[bulldog1935]

yes, it was a one-hour-distance record bike (51.151 km), which UCI let stand for 14 years before their grief over Merckx record loss caused them to write new rules (the Lugano Charter) and disqualify Moser's record.

Though this is what they're riding now - you tell me...

and this bike took the record just 2 years after Moser was disqualified

 

[corbettclassics]

I think I have a large poster of it rolled up somewhere. I know I have some old French and U.K. magazines with articles on it. What a cool piece of machinery! He had a couple of these bikes that were similar.

 

[corbettclassics]

One of my favorite bikes was Obree’s washing machine bike. Boardman’s was cool too but not like Obree’s bike.

 

[dnc1]

This one?

Interesting article on Boardman's Lotus and the Lotus bikes in general in Cycling Weekly just a few weeks ago.
I have to agree with you @corbettclassics on Mr. Obree's machine.

 

[corbettclassics]

Not the one where his arms are stretched out. The one where his arms are tucked in to his chest. I have pics and his book etc but not home to attach photos right now.

 

[bulldog1935]

must be this one - kinda looks like a grownup on a bmx