Question about Time Trial from an average cyclist...

djraceworld

Hi everyone.. sorry to make 2 topics right after another.

I've been interested in doing Time Trials for a long time now. They have events here once in awhile but for someone like me, who's not really big and doesn't train all the time, I still want to compete (mostly to have fun at first).

I usually average around 25-28 kph on rolling hill rides and wonder, is it a laugh if I competed in a TT? I'm thinking that I'd average about the same on flat 10 mile courses...

..I do ride a TT bike, with full 85 carbon wheelsets and carbon components if this is anything to question.. Thanks.

jgsi

Well nobody would laugh at you for taking part at all... not in the UK.
However, turning up on a full carbon tt specific bike with deep section wheels ,.. perhaps a bit disheartening if you get passed by an array of minutemen on slightly less glamorous kit... 25 - 28 kph is simply not quick enough for a flat 10 to be brutally honest.

SBezza

You wouldn't get laughed at, and too be honest even having a full on TT bike with the best wouldn't even cause a snigger. I see all sorts of riders on all sorts of kit, and they no doubt all try their hardest, I don't think anything of it as we are all out there just enjoying the sport we do.

Also if you average a certain speed on a rolling course, no doubt on a flatter course your average speed would likely increase. Just get out there and give it a go.

jibberjim

He did say 25-28 on his hilly rides, on a flat 10 he's likely to be faster. OP Just ride it, UK TT'ing has lots of people of all abilities, I've been in events where there were people taking almost twice as long as the winner, no-one laughed at him.

danlikesbikes

Give it a go - most TT's I've been too are run and organised by some really friendly people and to be honest those who come to support/watch are pretty hardcore in that they like to see everyone trying and having a good time/good ride. Plus if you can do the same TT over time you can use this as way to chart your progress.

Don't worry about the bike in my local club we have people turn up on bikes that are 20+ years old to people riding bikes that cost more than your average car.

Plus you could always check on forums what people think of certain TT courses before you go and get some good advice from people who have ridden the event.

Hope you enjoy yourself and let us know how you got on!

Surfr

TTing from the club level to the Nationals is about the most inclusive sport I've come across. Get down to one near you immediately and start having fun Besides, It's a crying shame to own a TT bike and not actually race it!

markos1963

Surfr wrote:

TTing from the club level to the Nationals is about the most inclusive sport I've come across. Get down to one near you immediately and start having fun Besides, It's a crying shame to own a TT bike and not actually race it!

Definatly. One of the most inclusive cycle sports there is. An evening club 10 is one of the joys of cycling, friendly people all out to better there OWN time on WHATEVER they can ride. I been to races with MTBs, TT rigs, tandems, trikes and even a shopping bike once :shock:

Mike67

Can only echo what's been said above.
My clubs evening 10TTs are my favourite riding event and friendly with it.

I ride my standard road bike, do average times, occasionally have been 'last' and only wish I was 'allowed' to get a TT bike

First and foremost you're racing against yourself, the conditions and the clock.
If you happen to beat some of your nearest rivals that's a bonus.

One last things, they are addictive

Pross

The OP is in California isn't he? Not sure if they would have the same sort of 'social' club time trials over there. I've always thought of that sort of thing being a bit of a British eccentricity!

Matt the Tester

Pross wrote:

The OP is in California isn't he? Not sure if they would have the same sort of 'social' club time trials over there. I've always thought of that sort of thing being a bit of a British eccentricity!

highly unlikely.

jgsi

Matt the Tester wrote:

Pross wrote:

The OP is in California isn't he? Not sure if they would have the same sort of 'social' club time trials over there. I've always thought of that sort of thing being a bit of a British eccentricity!

highly unlikely.

That was I thought as well when I replied, I bet to a US dollar things are 'social' over there. if the OP can enlighten us, but

some of the vet times are non too shabby at all sir to put it mildly ... for what I can gather is an 'all ability' event
http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2012-258

Surfr

Ah sorry. I missed the fact they were stateside

ugo.santalucia

I think you can realistically aim at a low 26 minutes or high 25 minutes, which for a starter is not bad. With a bit of practice and a lot of training you might be able to go down to 23-24 minutes by the end of summer, which is not laughable at amateur level.

Good luck

Mark Alexander

JGSI wrote:

Well nobody would laugh at you for taking part at all... not in the UK.
However, turning up on a full carbon tt specific bike with deep section wheels ,.. perhaps a bit disheartening if you get passed by an array of minutemen on slightly less glamorous kit... 25 - 28 kph is simply not quick enough for a flat 10 to be brutally honest.

With the best will in the world and "to be brutally honest" that's rubbish. Everyone will encourage you, any speed is fine. the 1st target for a 10TT is 20 mph, then a bit faster then a bit faster then a bit... well you get the idea.

No one gives a monkey's what kit you're on. They may be envious though. It does limit your excuses but give uit a few rides and you'll have a good list of them. If you need any excuses I have developed a little-black-book full of them.

Have ago, whatever time you do.. it will never be enough!

nickel

Did my first TT last weekend and I couldnt recommend it enough! Couldn't believe the variety of people and bikes that were there, everything from a couple of iron man triathletes on bikes worth more than the average family car to an old chap on a trike, and there was tea and cake at the end too, if anything, its worth it for the tea and cake alone

Mark Alexander

+1 for the tea (free when u hand your number back) the cakes are sometimes home made so pick your races carefully.

ugo.santalucia

If I had one of those old Lo-Pro frames like Fignon's, I would enter every TT in the country...

peejay78

time trialling is pretty good fun. as soon as you've ridden one you'll have a time under your belt, from which point you can only get quicker.

if you're interested i have a blog which explores the arcane, sociable and utterly british world of time trialling and hillclimbs in a bit of depth. see the link below.

djraceworld

Thanks everyone for the kind replies. I'll for sure, try to get into a TT event soon! As for now, I'm planning on a bunch of Triathlons/Duathlons during this spring/summer.

Yes, I'm from California and the people here are social. But to be honest, I believe things are much better Internationally, with the social side to racing. Noobs, professionals, whichever don't always look at you with greatest want to help out here. It's a very cocky lifestyle in America...

What's the best way to train for about 32~40km Time Trial? Just a consistent rate? Intervals? Thanks all!

Matt the Tester

well i would do interval training 2 x 20 AND actually race the distance solo and consider it "training" if your pushing yourself it allows you to know what kind of suffering your going to endure during the racing season

atleast this is what i have done and seems to have worked for me!

RoadMeridaBen

Im going to try some intervals on the turbo today for the first time since early last year as I want to do a 20 minute 10 in a few weeks, havent bothered with them for over a year and it hasnt done me any harm :P