What time should I be aiming for for a 10 mile tt

BoboGib

Being a complete novice I don't really want to enter one till I feel that I will be able to hold my own. So what time would be good to aim for before I think to enter myself in a 10 mile tt at a beginners level? if there is such a thing.

brownbosh

You can enter at any speed that is the joy of TT's. Theres a guy in our club who does them on an upright shopping bike and takes 50 mins for a ten! 30 mins is the first real milestone though. Give it a go, you will love it. If you are a slower rider just be prepeared to be passed and dont let it effect the enjoyment or effort you put into your ride.

softlad

there is not 'set' time for a 10 (or any other distance), because every course is different, and every rider is different, and weather conditions on the day will vary anyway.

Unless or until you complete your first 10, you will never have a time to aim for...

bobtbuilder

As fast as you can

punctureboy

i've picked out a ten mile loop on the map so i can test myself outside actual race conditions, as a tough raining sesh. i'm hoping to break 25 mins but as already said i wont know till i try.

BoboGib

I did just that tonight. 10 mile loop, mainly flatish with some short climbs. Timed myself at 37:20. Not too bad I think, especially as i've just started out. I'll maybe do this loop once a fortnight to see how I improve.

Grazy81

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php

How does this route compare to a TT route for 32 min, it is a fairly hilly so if it was a flatter route would i be able to do it sub 28?

brownbosh

The best thing you can do is look up a local courses details on the ctt website. Ride the route once to make sure you have the right directions then ride it and find out what your likely times are. That or just do one. They are all different. There is 3 mins difference for me between our local hilly course and a flat one.

Mettan

BoboGib wrote:

I did just that tonight. 10 mile loop, mainly flatish with some short climbs. Timed myself at 37:20. Not too bad I think, especially as i've just started out. I'll maybe do this loop once a fortnight to see how I improve.

That's a good start - for a new-ish rider (to TTS) on a standard road bike (no clip-ons) you'll fit in fine (for a road-bike setup) if you can do 31-34 mins, now. That wont win you anything, but you won't feel embarresed with that kind of time as a new-ish rider. Of course, take part when your ready, it's all good experience/fun.

pickled

Grazy81 wrote:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php

How does this route compare to a TT route for 32 min, it is a fairly hilly so if it was a flatter route would i be able to do it sub 28?

The link appears to be broken. Do you have the direct link?

.

Grazy81

pickled wrote:

Grazy81 wrote:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php

How does this route compare to a TT route for 32 min, it is a fairly hilly so if it was a flatter route would i be able to do it sub 28?

The link appears to be broken. Do you have the direct link?

.

Hows this now?

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=15541

Oh and the return leg takes 34 min

balthazar

It's astonishing how much faster you go when it's actually the TT. You find reserves – of worry, maybe – that you simply didn't know were there. It's hard to quantify, but I'd guess that it might be 5 minutes, (say, the difference between 32 minutes off your own back, and 27 on the night).

acidstrato

i've been riding years and when i started trying a local tt out the best I could come up with was just under 30mins, but i do have a fair bit of weight i'm still carrying and i'm more used to pacing over 25-30mile distance so hesitant in my mind to go all out for 10

phreak

balthazar wrote:

It's astonishing how much faster you go when it's actually the TT. You find reserves – of worry, maybe – that you simply didn't know were there. It's hard to quantify, but I'd guess that it might be 5 minutes, (say, the difference between 32 minutes off your own back, and 27 on the night).

I'll second that. Havn't done many time trials but the adrenaline of 'competition' always makes you go that bit harder and find speeds you didn't know you had.

BoboGib

A nice discussion going on now. I like it. I guess the only thing that I am kind of not looking forward to is being looked down on by better riders. I currently don't have any lycra to wear, being a MTB'er to so just wear padded boxers, baggies and a sports top.

I'll have to have a look around, like you say to see if there is anything local then ride the route to see where I would stand. Not to fussed about winning. Thats never going to happen. Just want to have fun but be slightly competitive.

SBezza

BoboGib wrote:

A nice discussion going on now. I like it. I guess the only thing that I am kind of not looking forward to is being looked down on by better riders. I currently don't have any lycra to wear, being a MTB'er to so just wear padded boxers, baggies and a sports top.

It is highly unlikely you will be looked down on by anyone. To be honest when I am TTing, I don't really care what other people are riding or wearing, they are there to enjoy the racing just as much as I am.

We have riders in our club TT's that wear baggies, and we don't look down on them, just wear whatever you are most comfortable in.

pompeypoppy

Don't think of it mattering what others think of your attire. Benefit from lycra etc. is that it will streamline you more than anything baggy, which I found noticable when I wore them for the first time.

Considering doing my first TT before the season end.

will3

Aim for under 18 minutes.

That's be a good time.

eh

Every beginner should look to go under 30 minutes (assumed stock road bike and cycling clothing).

Obviously baggy anything isn't going to help in the slightest and leave any bottles, food, clothes etc. at the start and pick it up at the end.

Pre-ride or drive the course if you can, start out at a solid pace for the 1st mile or so, so that you don't over cook it then wind it up to mega pain mode for the rest. Oh and if you don't vomit shortly after crossing the line you didn't try hard enough :evil:

Ah TTs so much fun :twisted:

LittleB0b

eh wrote:

Oh and if you don't vomit shortly after crossing the line you didn't try hard enough

I aply this philosophy to binge drinking :oops:

Finbar Saunders

I did my first ever 10 in March and did 33:12. Did a second on the same course in July and did 31:44 and the third this month with a 30:07. I haven't got the right pacing yet as I have always felt like I could have gone harder at the end. But the main pleasure for me is to see my own progress...no matter what everyone else is doing.

Kingtut87

Did my 1st ever 10 mile TT in May without any serious training. Had been off the bike because of exams but thought it would be good fun. I had a fun even though it was painful fun. 34.30 mins on my 71" fixie. Hoping to get that time down a fair bit with some training.

a_n_t

my first 10 was april this year, 27.34, now down to 25.24 after 8 events.

Might do some training next year to try and go sub 24!

BoboGib

Think i'm going to wait till I can get a sub 35 min time on a regular basis. Going to look into joining a club so i'm not riding on my own all the time.

Anonymous

NOOO!

Don't wait!!!

The sooner the better, you'll only wish you'd done one sooner when you do do it...

If you can ride 10 miles you can do a club 10. Just try and go off earliest.

I managed one earlier this year and I couldn't pedal properly, I just turned up for the social aspect but I still had great fun.

Woodchip

I just done 10.8 around my local town in 38.36. Not bad considering I wasn't even TTing it, just out for a fun spin (ruined by stupid driver, but that's mentioned in another post).

SBezza

NapoleonD wrote:

NOOO!

Don't wait!!!

The sooner the better, you'll only wish you'd done one sooner when you do do it...

If you can ride 10 miles you can do a club 10. Just try and go off earliest.

I managed one earlier this year and I couldn't pedal properly, I just turned up for the social aspect but I still had great fun.

+1 you don't try to achieve a time in advance, just go for it. You will enjoy it, and get to meet members from the club, so it will give you an idea of what the club is like before joining as well.

BoboGib

Well if the general concensus is to just go for it i'll have to try find an event I can get to. Anyone know any around Chippenham?

Just been out after a couple of rest days, forced ones due to shift I work, and knocked a minute of my 10 mile PB, down to 36:10 now. Getting closer to the 30 min mark. Wasn't even trying that hard either, just out having fun and enjoting the sound of my tyres eating up the miles. Was nice and quiet out today.

cjw

On my 15 mile run around the local reservoir, I've got a 10 mile bit that has only a couple of junctions and is fairly level and I usually click in to lap times to record progress over the same stretch. My time on that is 33 mins without trying to TT. Next time out I'll give it a blast and see what I can do on it.

Jeff Jones

BoboGib wrote:

Well if the general concensus is to just go for it i'll have to try find an event I can get to. Anyone know any around Chippenham?

Yes - Chippenham Wheelers ( http://www.communigate.co.uk/wilts/chip ... ndex.phtml ) have two Wednesday evening 10s left this year plus a hill climb. You should be able to come along and ride them for a few quid a pop.

Sign on by 6:15 in Queens Field, which is a farmer's yard off Sutton Lane, Sutton Benger.

Next Wednesday's is the standard club 10 which starts on the B4069 in Sutton Benger, then after 3 miles left at Swallett Gate, over the M4 motorway bridge, right at Dauntsey, follow The Green and Idover Ln to Little Somerford, left at The Street, follow that through Great Somerford to finish opposite Five Thorn Lane at Lower Seagry.

Map: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ch ... urse-UC861 (if it works)

The Wednesday after is the sporting 10. Starts on the south side of the M4 motorway bridge at Sutton Benger, follow the road through Lower Seagry, Great Somerford and Little Somerford (ie the opposite way to the normal 10), turn left at Little Somerford and go up The Hill, left onto B4042 until you hit the Malmesbury roundabout, left there onto the A429, then first left onto Grange Lane. Follow that until just before Upper Seagry.

Hopefully see you there

BoboGib

wow, Thanks Jeff.

Don't know whether i'll be able to make this wednesdays but will try the week after. Are you a member of Chippenham Wheelers or just turn up for the opens?