Hilly TT technique

GarryM

I'm a newbie to Time Trialling (only ridden two 10m TT's on the same hilly course) and have a question specific to time trials on hilly courses. I understand the principle of maintaining the maximum work rate that you can sustain for the length of the course. I wondered about the hills and found this on the interweb:

"Now here’s one difference to the ”ride-at-an-even-pace throughout” mantra: Try pushing a tiny bit harder uphill, and then ease off slightly on the descents. Do this and you will achieve an overall quicker time.

Try it: it works!

About 20 watts more power riding uphill will save you more time than you will lose by reducing 20 watts going downhill. This is because there is a stronger aerodynamic drag at higher velocities."

Makes sense but before I found this I was thinking I'd try (on my next TT) pushing harder just as I near the top of the hill and over the top so as to benefit from a higher speed all the way down the other side, i.e. a bit like a racing car exiting a corner with more speed and being able to hold that extra speed all the way along the next straight (sorry for using a car analogy on this site!)

What do you think? (can you tell it's Friday afternoon? )

dawebbo

Rather than push harder uphill, think of it as push harder when going slower.

alihisgreat

dawebbo wrote:

Rather than push harder uphill, think of it as push harder when going slower.

I thought this was common sense?

jon208

Or put another way - if it feels hard, go harder.

(Fnar, fnar, etc, etc)

cyco2

The problem with pushing harder up hill in a TT is the build up of lactic acid. It can reduce your performance after going over the top. My way of riding hills in TT is not to 'race' up them. I used the HR monitor to keep a check on myself. In essence to 'flat line' the HR. It did mean at times going slower than expected but the effect after the climbing was I could sprint back up to speed, not worrying about the lactic because I could recover on the drop or flat. I have been caught on occasions like this but the speed after climbing was enough to see them off.
You should see what works for you though. Blast you way up on a TT then 'flat line' the HR on another occasion. Simple.

Alex_Simmons/RST

It's tricky, because most people already put out more power on inclines than on declines (it just doesn't feel that way), so suggesting they try to do this even more than they already are may well be counter productive.

So, yes, you will improve times with a variable power pacing strategy, however the physical sensations of that strategy are different, indeed done right, you will likely feel as if you are holding back a fraction on the inclines and working your backside off down the other side.

And you have to keep in mind other factors, such as:
- time spent on an incline is much longer than on a decline
- the physiological cost is not linear with power, the harder you go, it becomes far more costly than the power increase alone suggests

As for the drive over the crest comment, that is indeed a good strategy and when you actually measure power output, you will see why.

Pigtail

I'm old and pretty new to competitive cycling, but find this really difficult. Our confined 10 mile TT course has a steep hill about a mile and a half in. I usually land up going too hard on it, and then struggle to get any equilibrium back on the rest of the course. Every time I start off with 'take it easier on the hill' in my head, and I never do.

GarryM

Thanks for those replys. I'm pretty good at watching my HR and can keep it within a few beats but I can see from Alex's comments that a power meter would be so much better - but I'm not about to buy one! I will try 'driving over the crest' next time and see what happens. Thanks again, interesting comments.

cyco2

Next time you're out training and riding at TT pace try and get into your head the amount of pressure you're exerting on the pedals. Now try using that same pressure whilst climbing. You will find that using lower gears and lower speed than you thought. But you should then with guess work be 'flat lining'. In other words keeping the output watts constant while climbing is easier to do with a higher rpm. You can push loads more watts by getting out of the saddle but that effort in a TT is best left over the top of the climb. Riders I have seen 'honking' up a climb in a TT have been very fit.

giropaul

I'm normally a Luddite as far as all the technology people seem to want to hang off their bikes, but my view is that this is where a pulse meter comes in handy.

There's a time trial in Normandy called the Duo Normande. The course record is/was held by Boardman and Manning. Paul Manning reckons that during the ride Boardman didn't go much harder than anyone else up the climbs, but really kept the effort going over the top and on the descents. This advice worked for me as well when I rode it.

It's all too easy to go into the red on a climb, and have nothing for the descent and the flattter bits. Power is going to vary according to the terrain, but I reckon the pulse is the best indicator of what's happening to your body.

Alex_Simmons/RST

giropaul wrote:

but I reckon the pulse is the best indicator of what's happening to your body.

Except that it's a significant lag indicator. Once HR reaches the "red zone", the horse named "blown" has well as truly bolted.

Your pacing description is good.