Are TT bikes much quikcer round Richmond

birdy247

Hi Have a road bike with mini clip on's and have recently purchased a TT bike.

I set a pretty descent benchmark time on my road bike and as yet, am slightly slower on the TT bike.

I am certainly quicker on the straights on my TT bike (and much quicker on proper open roads), but around Richmond park I seem to loose time on the hills and crest of the hills with the TT bike as I try to change gear etc...

So, do you think a road bike with TT bars could be the fastest way to lap Richmond park?

jibberjim

birdy247 wrote:

So, do you think a road bike with TT bars could be the fastest way to lap Richmond park?

Nope, pretty sure a TT bike is quickest, you need to get better at staying in your aero bars so you can change gear when you need to, and also anticapting the right gear for the couple of places where you won't be (out of corners and up dark hill)

Anonymous

Just out of interest, what sort of speeds do you get up to on a TT bike round Richmond Park?

BeaconRuth

birdy247 wrote:

So, do you think a road bike with TT bars could be the fastest way to lap Richmond park?

You might want to look at the results of this event:

http://cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/Default ... &tabid=109

The 'road bike' category doesn't allow any tribars, so it's not showing the difference between a TT bike and a road bike with clip-on tribars, but at least it shows the kind of speeds that some good riders can do in Richmond Park on TT bikes and on road bikes.

Sounds like you should look out for this event next season and give it a go - if the London Dynamos run it again next year.

Ruth

jibberjim

RichardSwt wrote:

Just out of interest, what sort of speeds do you get up to on a TT bike round Richmond Park?

20mph of course... anything else would be illegal...

In the 3LC challenge thread, of the top 6, 2 were on road bikes and 4 on TT bikes, the two on road bikes are Elite / Cat 1 racers, 2 of the TT bikers are Cat 2 racers, one is an elite duathlete/triathlete, and the other guy's a swimmer.

TarmacExpert is in the list twice:
TarmacExpert (TT)....Anti.........72kg......49:20.......May......KW.......AP 277W NP 293W
TarmacExpert (road).Anti.........71kg......51:00......Apr.......KW.......AP 278W NP 288W

Which shows a 1:40 difference between the two for very similar watts. Of course that's the road bike no tribars in the 2nd. However I suspect tribars would save him little over the drops position on his bike, he's pretty aero and cares about it! Also it would mean moving position to change gears.

Anonymous

jibberjim wrote:

RichardSwt wrote:

Just out of interest, what sort of speeds do you get up to on a TT bike round Richmond Park?

20mph of course... anything else would be illegal...

LOL, I'll remember that when I'm pooteling along at 20mph on my mountain bike and some guy flies past me like I'm stopped.

I'm sure I get passed on the flat by guys and ladies doing well over 30mph. So impressive, makes me want to get a road bike. (Though next time I will point out they're breaking the speed limit, I'm sure they'll thank me)

bigmat

Might be worth having a look at the results of the 2009 Richmond Park time trials, that year the road category did allow use of tri-bars. I was actually quicker this year without tri-bars, although I was on a better bike and conditions will have been slightly different. Not convinced tri-bars make a huge difference though (although probably helps if you know how to use them!)