Training in the TT position

willbevan

Hi all,

Read an article a bit back about how you need to spend time trianing in your TT position on a bike to get your muscles used to producing power like this....

Is there any validity in this?

Any benefit from riding your TT bike, or atleast a winter version (i.e. cheap wheels etc) over the winter months outside or on a turbo?

Thanks

Will

Alex_Simmons/RST

willbevan wrote:

Hi all,

Read an article a bit back about how you need to spend time trianing in your TT position on a bike to get your muscles used to producing power like this....

Is there any validity in this?

Any benefit from riding your TT bike, or atleast a winter version (i.e. cheap wheels etc) over the winter months outside or on a turbo?

Thanks

Will

There is definitely validity in this.

Typically the position a rider uses on a TT rig is somewhat different than on a road bike. This is due to the desire to optimise aerodynamics. It is not uncommon for joint angles to be different or the rib cage to be a little more constricted.

This can result in a loss of power when riding if you are not used to it. However, with sufficient opportunity to train in the TT position, a rider can readapt and produce similar power levels as in their regular position.

Obtaining the fastest position on a TT bike is a tradeoff between aerodynamics and power production. It can be faster to lose a few watts of power production ability but have a substantially reduced aero drag number.

willbevan

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the input, since TT events that i am riding (10mi, and maybe 25mi) are rather short compared to long rides, is there any benefit do youthink from doing long rides in a TT position? Just do shorter interval training , like hour rides?

Not against doing 3-4 hour rides on the TT bike mind you, just need to getamore comfortable sadle with a bit of padding in the nose

Thanks

Will

Alex_Simmons/RST

willbevan wrote:

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the input, since TT events that i am riding (10mi, and maybe 25mi) are rather short compared to long rides, is there any benefit do youthink from doing long rides in a TT position?

Not really. But definitely do your TT power efforts in position, maybe an hour's hard tempo here and there as well. Riding in position and riding in position while going hard are two different things. It's not until you put yourself under pressure that you really learn about your skills/form/control/comfort etc. The more you do it, the better you'll adapt.

Jeff Jones

I've been doing long rides on the TT bike too, and have found it has helped. Certainly gets the distance covered quicker ;-) I have noticed that I'm losing a bit of speed on my normal road bike - noticeable up hills more than anything else - but as I'm not doing any road racing the tradeoff is worth it.

Cougar

I seem to remember a certain famous coach who posted on this forum that he found no reduction of power output when in the TT position. Or am I mistaken?

willbevan

Jeff Jones wrote:

I've been doing long rides on the TT bike too, and have found it has helped. Certainly gets the distance covered quicker ;-) I have noticed that I'm losing a bit of speed on my normal road bike - noticeable up hills more than anything else - but as I'm not doing any road racing the tradeoff is worth it.

That i would be readily happy with I only ride my road bike to work, and social rides, its the TTs im interested

willbevan

Cougar wrote:

I seem to remember a certain famous coach who posted on this forum that he found no reduction of power output when in the TT position. Or am I mistaken?

Cant find the article i read recently about some guys being in a wind tunnel, but basically amounted to it being a compromise, how aero you go and how much power you can produce. no good being the most aero possible if you loose 100w power(exadurated there)

Anyone got some links?

willbevan

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

[Not really. But definitely do your TT power efforts in position, maybe an hour's hard tempo here and there as well. Riding in position and riding in position while going hard are two different things. It's not until you put yourself under pressure that you really learn about your skills/form/control/comfort etc. The more you do it, the better you'll adapt.

Will start with that