What is considered a "flat" TT?

csmith422
csmith422 Posts: 3
edited July 2013 in Amateur race
I do a local 40K TT course that involves 5 (+) 4.8 mile loops to get the total distance. Over the course there is a gain and loss of about 850 feet. Would this be considered "hilly" or "flat"? My best time on this course is 1:07:30 @22.1 mph. How would this compare to a course that had less than 100 feet gain and loss?

Thanks!
Chuck

Comments

  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    csmith422 wrote:
    How would this compare to a course that had less than 100 feet gain and loss?

    One has to assume that a course that starts and ends in the same place averages out in the end? Bigger climbs but bigger down hill bits too.

    I would be interested to know the scientific answer though.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    smidsy wrote:
    One has to assume that a course that starts and ends in the same place averages out in the end? Bigger climbs but bigger down hill bits too.

    Don't you lose more time on the climbs than can be made up on the descents though? I'm always slower on hilly rides than flat ones, starting and finishing in the same place (my house).
  • csmith422
    csmith422 Posts: 3
    Right! The loop means it all equals out, but I FEEL like I lose more on the climbs than I gain on the downhills. I wish I could find a flat area to compare. I'm a 200 pounder, that's a LOT of beef to drag up those hills!
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    The National 50 had double that Botty put up a 1:41.

    I'd consider it moderately sporting, but certainly not flat. Most 10's I've done are in the neighborhood of 300-400 feet.
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  • sub55
    sub55 Posts: 1,025
    csmith422 wrote:
    I do a local 40K TT course that involves 5 (+) 4.8 mile loops to get the total distance. Over the course there is a gain and loss of about 850 feet. Would this be considered "hilly" or "flat"? My best time on this course is 1:07:30 @22.1 mph. How would this compare to a course that had less than 100 feet gain and loss?

    Thanks!
    Chuck


    850 feet over 25 miles , woud be considerd pretty flat wherever you are. The quickest 25 in the country has 450 feet of ascent.
    constantly reavalueating the situation and altering the perceived parameters accordingly
  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    Have to agree with sub55, it would be a pretty flat course. Very few courses have less than this, unless you come to Kent and ride some of our marsh courses (then you have the wind to contend with instead).

    More importantly IMO is how steep the hills are, if you had one big steep hill, it would be a slower course most likely than a course that is rolling with very shallow lumps, so the elevation gain in itself is not a good indication of how flat or hilly a course is.
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    sub55 wrote:
    The quickest 25 in the country has 450 feet of ascent.

    Out of interest, which course is this?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,461
    lc1981 wrote:
    sub55 wrote:
    The quickest 25 in the country has 450 feet of ascent.

    Out of interest, which course is this?

    R25/3 (L I think?) in South Wales. It does climb back up at the end but has a huge downhill start.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,461
    lc1981 wrote:
    smidsy wrote:
    One has to assume that a course that starts and ends in the same place averages out in the end? Bigger climbs but bigger down hill bits too.

    Don't you lose more time on the climbs than can be made up on the descents though? I'm always slower on hilly rides than flat ones, starting and finishing in the same place (my house).

    Generally yes although it will depend a bit on gradient. It's because when you go below your target average for a set time you have to go above it by the same amount for the same length of time. The problem is you are going quicker on the downhill so it doesn't last as long.

    eg If you did a 10 mile ride and wanted to average 20mph so need to do it in 30 minutes. On the first 5 miles you go uphill at 15mph (5 mph below target) which takes 20 minutes leaving you with 10 minutes to get back so you would have to do the second half at 30mph (10 mph above your target).
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Cheers. That's what I was thinking, but I didn't want to say it in case my maths was letting me down and I looked stupid... As a former racer I know says, "you'll always spend more time riding uphill than down".

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