Luke Oborne joined the club this year and is the first of our new members to be profiled in the Merchants of Speed series….. and what an addition he is the Time Trailing ranks! A bean pole of a man he is definitely built for speed. Having seen some of his training numbers we cannot wait to see him performing in the famous BCC colours.
Time Trailing Since: Luke has been cycling for 11 years and in the last couple has really concentrated efforts on Time Trailing. Before that I was a triathlete.
TT Rig & Setup: In his own words Luke is riding an old Dolan Scala – with cables everywhere, but wait until you see his personal best time for a 10m TT later in this article! Proof indeed that it doesn’t matter what you are riding if you have the legs.
Helmet of Choice: Recently splashed out on an HTC Adwatt. Luke doesn’t rule out the new space age helmets and even considered a POC Tempur, but decided to draw the line at that. The Uno-X ‘air fryer’ is a definite no-no.
Favourite Course: Luke is another rider that has The Frosses Road circuit at the top of his list. The surface is so good he runs a 19mm tub on the rear wheel pumped up to 140psi. (For the uninitiated that’s a lot of pressure. The average car tyre is about 35psi.)
Favourite TT Distance: So far Luke has only had the opportunity to race 10m TT’s. Hopefully 2023 will see that change.
Personal Best For A 10: 19mins 46 secs (We told you!!)
TT Bling in the Trophy Cabinet: Luke has won a few club events (as a former member of neighbouring club West Down Wheelers) and has a few triathlon trophies as well. Something tells us that it won’t be too long before he adds to the collection.
Goals for 2023 Season: A top 10 in the Irish National Championships would be nice as would a sub 19mins 30secs time for a 10m TT.
Do you have any speed tips you’d like to share with your fellow testers? A lower riding position on the bike isn’t always faster. Luke says raising his bars was the best thing he ever did and has helped lower his times.
The all-important final question. Shaved legs, Yes or No? Yes
It’s fabulous that Luke has decided to join the club – new blood in the TT ranks is always welcome. If nothing else it keeps everyone on their toes.
Welcome aboard Luke. We hope you have a fabulous season.
PS. Don’t worry folks – next time you see pictures of Luke he’ll be decked out in BCC colours!
