Thinking of entering a 12 hour TT.
freehub
Posts: 4,257
As above, thinking of doing one.
It'd be my longest ride ever, should I be aiming for a high speed or just aiming to actually get round? I'd reckon I'd do 19mph avg max so that'd be pretty crappy I guess?
I presume it's none stop for 12 hours so do they pass bottles and all that at points?
Thanks
Will.
It'd be my longest ride ever, should I be aiming for a high speed or just aiming to actually get round? I'd reckon I'd do 19mph avg max so that'd be pretty crappy I guess?
I presume it's none stop for 12 hours so do they pass bottles and all that at points?
Thanks
Will.
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19mph average is pretty good to be honest, especially if you are doing it on a road bike. I averaged 20.4 mph for my first 12 hour, and that was on a TT bike, though it was in Kent so not the flatest course around.
If you want to stop you can, I stopped for about 25 minutes in total, which is a bit too much really, this year I will be aiming to stop for about 10 mins max. You would generally have a helper and they would look after your food and drink, and pass you this. Some 12hr TT's might even have clubs manning drinks stations as well.
Doing a 12hr is an achievement thats for sure, and you will go through some bad patches, mine was about the 7 hour mark, but you get through these, just with the encouragement of supporters and your helpers.0 -
A good beginners benchmark (for someone trained and used to competing in short / medium distance TTs) is 200 miles. Anything above that is into impressive territory for a first one.0
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I have only ridden one. That was back in the 60s. I only made one stop in a pub for a quick shandy. Carried 2 bottles and some sandwiches. No support. Managed 229 miles.
For your first one it is all about getting round, or getting your head round the idea that it is 12 hours no matter how fast or slow you go. You need to ride comfortably below threshold or you will blow up. Make sure you only eat and drink what you are used to. Expect a few bad patches but you should go through them. I blew completely with about 15 min to go. I was doing 24 mph on the finishing circuit till my legs fell off. I grovelled along at 12 mph till the end. I then had to ride 12 miles home.0 -
19mph is ambitious for a first one if you haven't done any previous long distance TTs. My longest TT is a 100 and I averaged just under 19mph (5 hours 20 minutes). Bikes can become seriously uncomfortable after a few hours in a racing position. 19mph would give you 228 miles which is good going!0
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As John.T says you can do it on your own and that's how I did my first one. I didn't want to get my clubmates all organized and committed to helping all day only for me to bail halfway through and feel like I let them all down.
It was a huge step up from a 100 mile TT for me, I think my best 100 before the 12hr was only just inside five and a half hours. For that first 12hr I took drinks and sandwiches same as John.T but didn't get anywhere near his distance, I managed 204 miles. The big difference with later ones was the support team. Having clubmates there to literally put you back on the bike and keep you motivated through the bad patch(es) is worth a good few miles. Mind you even with a support team I never beat John.T's solo effort. That was some ride!
I've never ridden a TT bike but I imagine they are more uncomfortable than road bikes so I wouldn't relish doing a 12hr on one.0 -
A TT bike is actually far more comfortable for me, I had no major comfort issues when doing mine.
I found a 100m TT alot harder, as you are racing this, where as a 12hr is more mental IMO. I did do a 300km audax prior to my 12hr, just to get time in the saddle, but this was on my road bike, and was pretty uncomfortable.0 -
Oh, I thought 19mph would be pretty slow, I'll be happy to get round.
I've done 165 miles at 18.5mph average once, that was with like lots of hills though. So dunno if those long rides I've done put me in good position for a long TT?
Dunno what they do in a 12 hour tho for refuelling? If I just fill my pockets with as many gels as possible and have some boxes round at the start line for when I go round again or something.
I can't find any 12 hour TT's round Manchester tho.
I might buy some 30 quid aero bars.0 -
freehub wrote:Oh, I thought 19mph would be pretty slow, I'll be happy to get round.
I've done 165 miles at 18.5mph average once, that was with like lots of hills though. So dunno if those long rides I've done put me in good position for a long TT?
Dunno what they do in a 12 hour tho for refuelling? If I just fill my pockets with as many gels as possible and have some boxes round at the start line for when I go round again or something.
I can't find any 12 hour TT's round Manchester tho.
I might buy some 30 quid aero bars.
Was that a solo ride?More problems but still living....0 -
No, I'd have probs gone faster if it was solo, apart from the parts I was doing it solo, probs about 50% of it was solo. Was a vv windy day.0
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IME there is a big difference between a 100 and a 12. in 2007 when I last attempted both, I managed 4:37 for my first ever 100. I packed at 78 miles in the 12 as I had an upset stomach, but my target was >200 miles which I was on course for. I reckon a 100 is the hardest TT of them all, simple because the effort level is higher; there is no way you could ride 12 hours at 100TT effort.
Also don't be put off by half the field putting their heads down and going for it from the start!0 -
How much difference in speed does aero bars really make, providing they're set up properly of course..0
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They don't make a difference in speed, just in the effort required to ride at that speed
Seriously though I've always found them to make things a lot easier although much of that may be psychological. It also gives you another position which may help with comfort on such a lond ride. 0 -
Pross wrote:They don't make a difference in speed, just in the effort required to ride at that speed Seriously though I've always found them to make things a lot easier although much of that may be psychological. It also gives you another position which may help with comfort on such a lond ride.
So they do make a difference in speed
, If It takes me 250W to do 19mph, with aero bars what's is it going to do to do that 19mph in the same place? 0 -
freehub wrote:Pross wrote:They don't make a difference in speed, just in the effort required to ride at that speed Seriously though I've always found them to make things a lot easier although much of that may be psychological. It also gives you another position which may help with comfort on such a lond ride.
So they do make a difference in speed, If It takes me 250W to do 19mph, with aero bars what's is it going to do to do that 19mph in the same place?
If your position presents a smaller frontal area and drag to the wind then it will have a similarly signifcant effect on your speed. With reduced wind resistance you can either go faster for the same power, or use less power for the same speed. TTs are about speed so most of your training is focused on generating maximum power in the most aero position.0 -
Will,
22/08/2010 - West Cheshire 12hr on D12/1. Makes up part of the Cheshire points series.
Highly likely I'll be riding this one 8)0 -
Bah, I'll be back home in Yorkshire by then.
Can you EOL for events like that?0 -
I got roped in to doing the Welsh 12 last year.
I've done loads of shorter distances but had only done one 100, a month earlier, 4:15 (with a fall after Coke explode over my face!) before and a Gold standard Tour o Pembs, 117 miles in 6:40ish, so it was a bit of a worry for me.
I was supported by my wife and had lots of short stops for sandwiches or cakes and did 217.8, one team mate rode to a shedule of longer stops and meals and hit the target 235, and another just went for it and did 258.6@ 60 years old!
Three different approaches, but my team mates had done the Marmotte and a few other sportives in the bulid up as they had planned to enter and I hadn't!0 -
freehub wrote:
Can you EOL for events like that?
Nope.... entry needs to be at least 2 weeks before the event....0 -
Is there no 12 hours in may/june?0
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http://www.rttc.org.uk/?&ge514__geka=MoeMaZhZdmGPSYuQ8onYwr5VtT1MpzEe2fhLDMJ2raIcqkycJrweT-tOSegOH8lwEB63Z4jLgVoj_3jukNhph9jUECIWddZxpEEWihhSQOJBIdT58jrsAQTZw_LjxTe1ISVhwJ3MRzp9FLhhsCyHmQ&ge514__gevi=96x3h6tw3t8iWlhlj1ktgw&gv850__gvac=2&gv850__gvff0=21665&gv850__gvfl0=0&tabid=361
Non at all in June Will. This one should not be far from you at home.0 -
Probably not going to do a 12 hour now, being advised no point doing it just to get round, and that I should be training specifically for this event, which I am not.0
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Up to you really.
Plenty of folks do one to see if they can get round. Others want to race it.Jeff Jones
Product manager, Sports0 -
You regularly do 100mile+ club rides - sounds an ideal foundation to build on over the next couple of months......but yes, you'll need to do a bit more specific training for an event like that.freehub wrote:Probably not going to do a 12 hour now, being advised no point doing it just to get round, and that I should be training specifically for this event, which I am not.0 -
Was thinking of doing the E2/12hr in August, but I just realised, its the E2 course! isn't that going to be mental? Surely it'll be over the traffic count at somepoint? It is the E2 that's on the A505/A14 right?
Had a really good talk on nutrition last night and now feel like I could go and do one without issue. I now realise I never knew how to feed properly before! With proper feeding on gels and drinks it should be possible to get through without issue. Just keep necking that 60g glucose and 30g fructose ever hour...I'm really up for one now!
Although I'm not up for getting killed on a dual carriage way...Surely its more dangerous in a 12hr than a 10/25/50?Racing for Fluid Fin Race Team in 2012 - www.fluidfin.co.uk0 -
I'd be surprised if it stayed on the main roads much after 10am. Our local 12hr course does about 60 miles on the A1 then it's up and down the less busy A507 and onto country lanes for the remainder.0
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Ah k that could make sense. Looking at the very useful route description on the ctt website it appears it heads off onto small roads too. Think I'll be putting in an entry then.Racing for Fluid Fin Race Team in 2012 - www.fluidfin.co.uk0
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And not all riders will cover the same course - you will have some doing high 200's and some 100 miles less. So, think of the course diagramatically as a tree - he fastest riders will be sent up more branches as they need to cover more road - its also usual to finish on a circuit of about 10 miles for the final 2 hours or so.0
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You should go for it, consuming only mars ( not aero ) bars and plain water for 3 months in advance to top up vital vitamin levels. Go from the Gun by putting it (like me) putting it in 56 x12 fron the 1st revolution work out how to do a 'Paula Radcliffe' whilst in the saddle to save distance from stopping.. And don't forget to wax your chest for extra aerodynamic advantage.0
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Thick Tester wrote:You should go for it, consuming only mars ( not aero ) bars and plain water for 3 months in advance to top up vital vitamin levels. Go from the Gun by putting it (like me) putting it in 56 x12 fron the 1st revolution work out how to do a 'Paula Radcliffe' whilst in the saddle to save distance from stopping.. And don't forget to wax your chest for extra aerodynamic advantage.
4 posts so far, and the poorly worded drivel is increasing each and every time! Should be fun to watch.0
