10 Mile TT Times

Jim Will Fixie It

So, tonight I did my first time trial since 2006. My bike of choice, a bog standard Specialized Langster Steel with 42T x 16 (yep, it was way undergeared but I've only owned it for a few days).

The course is 10 miles long and has around 250ft of ascent (here's the course profile). I did it in 28m30s, solid (for me) but nowhere near spectacular.

Now, here is what I want to know/debate; how quick do you think I could have gone on a flatter, out and back course, such as the K41/10 near Lutterworth, on this bike and, to compare, on a proper TT bike?

I have figures in my mind however, I'd like to have some other opinions first before spouting rubbish across the internet and getting comprehensively flammed for it.

lfc_westy

id give up going for any faster times on that gear ratio unless you attend a regular spin class !

Pokerface

How long is a piece of string?

danowat

Pokerface wrote:

How long is a piece of string?

This ^

Jim Will Fixie It

lfc_westy wrote:

id give up going for any faster times on that gear ratio unless you attend a regular spin class !

The gear is being changed, the bike is only bog standard as I've had it for just a few days.

pokerface wrote:

How long is a piece of string

I was afraid someone would say that!

StageWinner

GO out and ride the other course. That'll help give you an idea to the answer to your question.

Surfr

your gearing will produce the following speeds with the following cadences:

80RPM - 16.4 MPH - 36:35 10 mile time
100RPM - 20.5 MPH - 29:16 10 mile time
120RPM - 24.6MPH - 24:23 10 mile time

So providing you can spin the gear at those cadences, you can predict your times over that distance. However, wind, road surface, fitness, position all effect your ability to turn that gear.
It's hard to pedal much faster than your natural cadence too. for example I tend to average around 80RPM for all my riding, TTing included but I push a bigger gear to average just under 25MPH for my 10s usually, resulting in mid 24 minute times.

inseine

FWIW I did a 1.04 25mile on the equivalent of 43x16, so about 25.40 for 1O miles.
Don't know what that proves, cept you have to pedal quicker!

inseine

I didn't really answer your question (if there is an answer ).
So for 25 miles I did 1.04 on 43x16 on a regular old school steel track bike, but with aerobars, and 58.20 on a full TT bike and 'normal' gears. What's that, 10% qucker?

Jim Will Fixie It

StageWinner wrote:

GO out and ride the other course. That'll help give you an idea to the answer to your question.

I will be when I get back to uni. The 180 mile drive from Dorset is a bit excessive just to test out the course . I just wanted to see what my target time should be when I get there and how much quicker people think I TT set-up is.

Surfr and Inseine; Are the courses that your times apply to relatively flat, or are they more sporting-type courses? And cheers for the times guys, it gives me some data to try and compare. Looks like I'll have to pedal quicker - 110rpm just isn't enough!

As I said, I'm getting a 48T chainring through my LBS next week so I'll give the sporting course another go to see how much quicker it is.

inseine

I did the 1.04 on a quick course (was pretty unpleasant on the faster bits-I was really spinning!) whilst the 58.20 was on a course with a little ring climb of 500m or so and a few drags. Quite quick though, but not a drag strip and no traffic.

Jim Will Fixie It

inseine wrote:

I did the 1.04 on a quick course (was pretty unpleasant on the faster bits-I was really spinning!) whilst the 58.20 was on a course with a little ring climb of 500m or so and a few drags. Quite quick though, but not a drag strip and no traffic.

Cheers. Think I'll concentrate on 10's before having a go at any 25's (something about walking and running springs to mind). As I said, this was my first TT since 2006 (when I was 15), any I've only been back on my bike properly since April, so lot's of improvement to be made over the winter - hence why I bought the fixed wheel.

Surfr

Jim Will Fixie It wrote:

Surfr and Inseine; Are the courses that your times apply to relatively flat, or are they more sporting-type courses? And cheers for the times guys, it gives me some data to try and compare. Looks like I'll have to pedal quicker - 110rpm just isn't enough!

Sporting I think would be the correct definition. It's single carriageway A road, and unclassified lane with a few lumps.

Here's a couple of recent attacks on it:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/103886191
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/98960130
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/95729387

Course Record is around 21:32 by Gruff Lewis of Team UK Youth (Current Welsh Road Race and Criterium champ and 3rd in the Welsh 10 mile TT champs last weekend)
and was previously held by Dafydd Dylan who was riding for KFS at the time.

Jim Will Fixie It

Cheers Surfr. Looks like the course record for your course is about 2mins quicker than my local course in Dorset - however I don't think the record holder is to quite the same standard as Mr. Lewis!

The course in Gillingham (http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39015658#climbs) has about 260ft of gain over a circular course on B-roads and country lanes so I think I should be able to go a bit quicker on K41/10 when I get back to uni (I think it only has just over 100ft gain and is a straight out-and-back).

Just trying to sort myself a benchmark time to aim for on my first run - I'm thinking 26mXXs considering I'll be on a bigger chainring than my current fixed-wheel setup, plus I'll have another months cycling in my legs before term starts in October. Sounds reasonable?

Surfr

Yeh that sounds reasonable with improvements in gearing and fitness. Try working on your position too as this gave me the largest of the gains (and I still have a long way to go)

Mark Alexander

Pokerface wrote:

How long is a piece of string?

About yey long