Beryl's 12 hour.

[simongt]

The legendary Beryl Burton set a good many remarkable cycling records in her day, but one thing has puzzled me; why no-one has beaten her 12 hour record, 277.25 miles on the open road, as it still stands after forty nine years.
With the vast so called improvement of cycling technology in frames, mechanics and nutrition, I would have though that the challenge wouldn't have been that unobtainable.

Any thoughts - ?

 

[biggs682]

The legendary Beryl Burton set a good many remarkable cycling records in her day, but one thing has puzzled me; why no-one has beaten her 12 hour record, 277.25 miles on the open road, as it still stands after forty nine years.
With the vast so called improvement of cycling technology in frames, mechanics and nutrition, I would have though that the challenge wouldn't have been that unobtainable.

Any thoughts - ?

just goes to show how good a cyclist she was

 

[simongt]

just goes to show how good a cyclist she was

Oh, indeed. When you see photos of her belting along on a bike with an 11 - 15 freewheel and a sixty two tooth chainwheel, you think b****y hell - ! It's just such a great shame that her dedicated determination eventually killed her.

 

[biggs682]

Oh, indeed. When you see photos of her belting along on a bike with an 11 - 15 freewheel and a sixty two tooth chainwheel, you think b****y hell - ! It's just such a great shame that her dedicated determination eventually killed her.

Never mind the fact that it was a steel bike no sign of lightweight carbon or alloy anywhere

my parents were racing in the same era and i still cant near there times now days with all the modern improvements

 

[classic33]

When she was at the peak of her powers, Burton regularly beat the men. In 1967, she overtook Mike McNamara in an Otley CC 12-hour time trial on her way to setting a women’s record of 277.25 miles. McNamara’s distance of 276.52 miles in the same event was itself a new men’s record. Cycling folklore has it that as she passed McNamara she offered him a stick of liquorice as “the poor dear seemed to be struggling a bit”.

http://www.bikemag.com/pavedmag/5-r...ldnt-have-held-her-wheel/#B5ZQXRBJfWP6TtjS.97

 

[matiz]

She achieved all her records while holding down a full time job grafting on a farm and looking after a home and family, no lottery sponsorship in them days ,amazing lady.

 

[Wetdog]

Wow, amazing woman

 

[ayceejay]

I think it is the 'amazing woman' aspect that throws us

 

[Roadrider48]

Her chainring would make a man wince!

 

[Sharky]

Oh, indeed. When you see photos of her belting along on a bike with an 11 - 15 freewheel and a sixty two tooth chainwheel, you think b****y hell - ! It's just such a great shame that her dedicated determination eventually killed her.

Did theyhave 11-15 in those days? I only remember 13-17 five speed blocks?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Are the long distance TTs (12 and 24hr) as keenly contested now as they were then? (Genuine question btw, I'm completely ignorant of this area). The Lizzie Armitsteads or Nicole Cookes of this world go to road racing (where the money is) - and they have the luxury of being pros too.

If BB was young now I wonder what her career path would have been like. (Impossible to say as a lot would depend on whether she would decide to become pro).

 

[Rooster1]

Well, this is a new name to me but thanks to Cycle Chat I have learn a little of her.

https://totalwomenscycling.com/lifestyle/interviews/21-facts-beryl-burton-30397/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_Burton

What a lady

 

[fimm]

"no-one has beaten her 12 hour record, 277.25 miles on the open road" isn't quite right - no woman has ever gone further - according to Wikipedia it was surpassed by a man in 1969. I think the reason is as @Dogtrousers says - the top women cyclists do other things now.

 

[Nibor]

Wow, amazing woman

Amazing Cyclist

 

[DRM]

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/409051

there is a mural of Beryl Burton on a Wall in her home town of Morley, West Yorkshire along with a memorial stone, the link goes to it, in fact looking closely you can see a domed tower in the background, it looks remarkably like Morley Town Hall clock tower.
I wonder how she would have fared now, I think she would have given modern day women pro cyclists a good run,more than likely winning most races and would have been a gold medal olympian.