Francesco Moser’s hour record refers to the extraordinary achievement of the Italian cyclist Francesco Moser when he broke the world hour record in 1984. The world hour record is a record in cycling that denotes the longest distance that a cyclist has been able to travel within one hour.
Moser’s record-breaking performance took place in Mexico City, where he was able to take advantage of the high altitude conditions. He broke the record that had been previously held by Eddy Merckx for 12 years.
Moser used advanced technology for the time, including a specially designed bike with a large rear disc and smaller front disc wheel, which was an early example of aerodynamic optimization in bicycle design.
On January 19, 1984, he set a new record by covering a distance of 50.808 kilometers. Four days later, he broke his own record, covering 51.151 kilometers. This record stood for nearly a decade until it was broken by Chris Boardman in 1993.
It's noteworthy to mention that Moser’s record was set under controversial conditions, including the usage of skinsuits and disc wheels, which led the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to eventually distinguish between traditional hour records set with minimal aerodynamic aids and best human effort records with fewer equipment restrictions. Moser’s record falls into the latter category.
Columbus SLX Racing Frame
3ttt stem + 3ttt pursuit bar
Benotto handlebar tape
Selle Royal Contour (Leather) saddle
Campagnolo super record group set
Campagnolo PEDALS TRACK
Regina CX Pista chain
Ambrosio Pista wheels
Photos by father TU