Question for time trialists

brit66

If you did a time trial on your normal road bike with normal road bike clothing, how much slower do you think you’d be over say 10 miles? Slightly slower or significantly slower? I appreciate there might be some guesswork involved here.

I’d like to have a go maybe later this summer (I’d need to join a club I guess) but the only initial concession to special equipment I’d make would be to buy some clip on tt bars.

danlikesbikes

Depends you would be slower on a road bike partly due to the position you can achieve on the TT bike, the aero effects of your clothing.

However you could just as easily buy a cheap helmet & cheap deeper section wheels to put on a road bike & up your times that way.

The biggest limiter in a TT is the engine i.e. you which really brings us to the point of TT racing that you are racing against yourself & to try to get better and faster over time.

As for TT racing you don't need to be a member of a club but it might help you if that club runs some TT's and also some training too.

Quite a few BR members over your way so they might be able to recommend a few clubs

Strith

Google something like 'buying time in time trials' and plenty of reading will come up, but you can buy a lot of speed which is obviously cumalative, so more benificial over longer distances.

FWIW I just use my standard road bike as TTing is secondary to RR to me.

paul2718

You don't need to join a club to do a club time trial as a guest, but I think to do an 'open' event you need to be a member of a group registered with CTT.

Bicester Millenium Cycle Club run a time trial most Tuesday evenings at Weston-on-the-Green airfield, so it's off road and ideal for a first go. No navigation issues.... http://www.bmcc2000.com

Paul

danlikesbikes

paul2718 wrote:

You don't need to join a club to do a club time trial as a guest, but I think to do an 'open' event you need to be a member of a group registered with CTT.

Bicester Millenium Cycle Club run a time trial most Tuesday evenings at Weston-on-the-Green airfield, so it's off road and ideal for a first go. No navigation issues.... http://www.bmcc2000.com

Paul

Do you know if you need to be a member to do the weekday events or is it open?

Mullet52

Question:

Why are the bikes so different in time trial?

simon_masterson

Mullet52 wrote:

Question:

Why are the bikes so different in time trial?

The principal reason is that they are designed to get from A to B as fast as possible; no concessions to comfort. That influences the geometry and saddle and handlebar height, gearing choice (very often higher than would typically be used in road racing), and choice of wheels. However, the UCI regulations on road bikes and rider attire for mass start road races are different, and place limitations on the aerodynamic enhancements the riders may use - eg. no aero extensions (though that's as much a safety issue), no disc wheels - nothing that serves no purpose other than to enhance the aerodynamics of the rider, supposedly, though the lines have become very blurry.

In this case a road bike can be a very credible TT bike. Look at the bikes that pro riders use in mountain TTs - Richie Porte did one recently. Without going into 'marginal gains don't apply to you', just putting aero extensions on could provide a significant advantage. Remember that you represent the vast majority of the frontal area of the bike: your position is everything. I daresay that a TT hat, shoe covers and things like that would benefit you, but on a 10 mile course, they will knock off more seconds than minutes - if you can't do it in 25 minutes, or 24 minutes, or 23 minutes, etc, then it's not as if these things will save you.

paul2718

Do you know if you need to be a member to do the weekday events or is it open?

IME the BMCC evening club events welcome non-members although it might be worth an email to express an interest, obviously I cannot speak for them. I have ridden several of their club events and been welcomed. It's all good for their funds...

FWIW the results from April 2 show 16 riders, 5 from BMCC.

Paul

Jim C

Worth checking with the club whether U need to be a club member or not. Some events are come and try it. Most club events, U would need to be a member of a CTT club.

Benefits...... On a flat 10......tribars/ good position 60 seconds. Skin suit 30seconds. Pointy helmet.....up to 20 seconds (bare head is faster). Deep section wheels/ rear disc.....benefits only kick in when I can ride at 25mph.
All based on 10 years of club and open events. Very much open to debate

Anonymous

I did a few at the end of last year and found them addictive.
Probably the only intimidating cycling thing I have ever done, but worth the effort, so I would definitely say give it a go

I am a bit unsure about the whole 'equipment' thing. Its a race against yourself so if you start improving your bike to get a faster time it feels a little bit like cheating lol.

I used my road bike but quickly added some clip on bars. I do not use them for the whole 10 miles, but they are a bit of a must IMO. You could cut out just as much air resistance on the drops, but it is just more comfortable and purposeful with TT bars.
I now have some deep section tubulars to try this season. I love wheels and so buying them was not just for a faster time.
I also wanted to check out tubular tyres. I really enjoyed fitting them and early indications are that they feel better/faster.
I change my tyres depending on conditions (winter/summer on road bike and level of mud on MTB) and I just feel tubulars are more suitable for time trials.......even if I did have to buy new wheels to put them on
I plan to start this year with standard wheels/clinchers on. Firstly as weather is rubbish, but also as I want to get back to my PB from last year before switching so I can better compare.

At the end of the day you are trying to go though air as quick as you can, so it makes sense to do that as effectively as you can. You would not put a lead weight in your pocket, wear a bill board or run your tyres at 30 psi, so why not got the other way and try to be as light, aero and fast rolling as possible.

Am not sure when/if I will go any further than the bars and wheels.
I feel that my time would have to get below 25 min before a skinsuit is required lol.
I would buy a TT bike if I had the spare cash. Again, more because I like bikes than just for time improvement. As it is there is at least a CX bike ahead of the Que.

Apart from the bars I would say only change stuff because you enjoy TT's rather than just to improve times.

brit66

Thanks for those comments, very helpful.

Getting into middle aged now (well 45), I know I'll never compete to win but I would like to beat my times gradually.

I saw the tail end of a 10 mile tt this Sunday on a stretch of the A40 near Witney, and was very impressed with the machinery on display and the obvious dedication the riders have for their sport.

Anonymous

45 here too (hiding the cracks pretty good so far though 8) ).
Not near Teddington (GL20 8NE) Thur eve are you? Its just under an hour from Witney.

For a TT, not a date

Mettan

brit66 wrote:

Thanks for those comments, very helpful.

You can do most mid-week club-10's on a ''come and try it'' basis - when you sign for your number just put ''unattached'' in the club column - you can typically do a few before they mention joining a club - to do Open TT's you need to be a member of a CTT-affiliated club.

Jim C

Club membership- just done a quick check (our club TT series starts tonight and were bound to be asked), and for a club or open time trial U need to be a member of a CTT affiliated club. No mention of come and try it on the CTT website. Definitely check with the organising club to be sure

markos1963

Carbonator wrote:

I did a few at the end of last year and found them addictive.
Probably the only intimidating cycling thing I have ever done, but worth the effort, so I would definitely say give it a go

I am a bit unsure about the whole 'equipment' thing. Its a race against yourself so if you start improving your bike to get a faster time it feels a little bit like cheating lol.

I used my road bike but quickly added some clip on bars. I do not use them for the whole 10 miles, but they are a bit of a must IMO. You could cut out just as much air resistance on the drops, but it is just more comfortable and purposeful with TT bars.
I now have some deep section tubulars to try this season. I love wheels and so buying them was not just for a faster time.
I also wanted to check out tubular tyres. I really enjoyed fitting them and early indications are that they feel better/faster.
I change my tyres depending on conditions (winter/summer on road bike and level of mud on MTB) and I just feel tubulars are more suitable for time trials.......even if I did have to buy new wheels to put them on
I plan to start this year with standard wheels/clinchers on. Firstly as weather is rubbish, but also as I want to get back to my PB from last year before switching so I can better compare.

At the end of the day you are trying to go though air as quick as you can, so it makes sense to do that as effectively as you can. You would not put a lead weight in your pocket, wear a bill board or run your tyres at 30 psi, so why not got the other way and try to be as light, aero and fast rolling as possible.

Am not sure when/if I will go any further than the bars and wheels.
I feel that my time would have to get below 25 min before a skinsuit is required lol.
I would buy a TT bike if I had the spare cash. Again, more because I like bikes than just for time improvement. As it is there is at least a CX bike ahead of the Que.

Apart from the bars I would say only change stuff because you enjoy TT's rather than just to improve times.

It's your money and you can spend it how you like but £ for £ I would say a skin suit and pointy helmet gives you a better return than deep section wheels. I use carbon tubs(50mm) and gained 9s on a 10TT, cost £500. By switching to a skin suit, shoe covers and a TT helmet I gained 44s, cost £200

Anonymous

markos1963 wrote:

It's your money and you can spend it how you like but £ for £ I would say a skin suit and pointy helmet gives you a better return than deep section wheels. I use carbon tubs(50mm) and gained 9s on a 10TT, cost £500. By switching to a skin suit, shoe covers and a TT helmet I gained 44s, cost £200

Thanks for the tip
As I already have the wheels/tyres (it was mainly just the tyres I wanted anyway) I only have to spend another £200 to get a 53 second improvement then

I am not really trying to buy a faster time and I would probably get a TT bike before skin suit and hat.

simon_e

brit66 wrote:

I’d like to have a go maybe later this summer (I’d need to join a club I guess) but the only initial concession to special equipment I’d make would be to buy some clip on tt bars.

Don't buy anything yet, just turn up and have a go (if you are allowed to). I rode my stock Giant SCR that way for 2 seasons before I even started buying better tyres, clip-on bars etc. I could get quite low in the drops so I didn't find clip-ons improved my time by very much, though they were more comfortable after a few miles.

Too many people focus on equipment when it's the rider that makes the biggest difference - my times came down and were more consistent once my fitness and pacing improved. The quick riders are quick whatever they ride.

brit66

45 here too (hiding the cracks pretty good so far though ).
Not near Teddington (GL20 8NE) Thur eve are you? Its just under an hour from Witney.

For a TT, not a date

Thanks, but I think I'll try a 10 miler near Witney, just in case I hate it a throw my bike into the nearest hedge, cursing "never again!".

I've got some cheap clip-on bars which I bought years ago so there will be no new kit for my first attempt.

P_Forrest123

It depends how fast youre travelling and how good your position is how well fitting the clothes are all sorts

Anonymous

Have fun :-)

You will probably hate it and ask yourself why you are doing it about 3 miles from the start, so do not throw your bike away or you will have a long walk of shame and confuse all the other riders!

Stick with the other 7 miles and after you have regained your breath and happy that the pain is not heart failure (if you have done it properly), you will drive home wanting to do another ;-)

A Garmin (or other GPS bar mounted device) is one thing I would consider. Not cheap but invaluable for anything where you are trying to improve on a time.

simon_e

Carbonator wrote:

You will probably hate it and ask yourself why you are doing it about 3 miles from the start, so do not throw your bike away or you will have a long walk of shame and confuse all the other riders!

Going off too hard, particularly in a 10, is the most common mistake people make. But as you say, hang in there and eventually the sense of satisfaction and the desire to do it again will (eventually) kick in.

Carbonator wrote:

A Garmin (or other GPS bar mounted device) is one thing I would consider. Not cheap but invaluable for anything where you are trying to improve on a time.

Nah, I disagree, they're a distraction. If you have time to read your Garmin you're not trying hard enough! Some people I know use a computer's average speed to remind them to not let it drop but you don't really need anything, just PLF

simon_masterson

Indeed - GPS computers are hugely expensive for what they are. At the time, cadence, moving average or HRM can be instructive if you don't have a power meter and a coach with an intercom, but if you want to improve your time I wouldn't rely on GPS accuracy anyway.

Anonymous

The GPS was just a thought.
I find it useful to know where I am at any given point compared to the last fastest run.

Its a race against yourself, so seems good to be able to actually have a virtual version of yourself to race agaist

TT's are just a bike/kit/gadget/tech/ego 30 min blast anyway lol

Its not as though having an Edge 500 is exactly frowned upon for use in non TT cycling, is it now :roll: