Was it the TT bike or the standard chainset?

BMKN
BMKN Posts: 222
edited March 2014 in Road general
I used to own a TT bike, I sold it as I never liked the aero position so rarely rode in that position it, When I did my first TT I was 2-3kph faster than my previous efforts, or even in other casual spins with full out efforts as I did on my road bike, I smashed my records with the TT bike, not being in aero position, however it did come with a standard chainset 53/39 and my road bike has a compact both bikes were same weight and carbon. Id love to here your thoughts

Comments

  • ashleydwsmith
    ashleydwsmith Posts: 693
    Would it not be because you were in an aero position? Less drag so more efficient and quicker through the air?
    Sitting more upright will create more drag slowing you down?

    Although I'm no expert!
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Chainset won't make a lick of difference as you'll effectively be riding similar ratios. The position that you can achieve on a TT bike is the difference as you are the biggest source of drag.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • BMKN
    BMKN Posts: 222
    I was not in the aero position for long enough, maybe 5 mins max if even that amount of time
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    BMKN wrote:
    When I did my first TT I was 2-3kph faster than my previous efforts,
    Perhaps it was just because it was your first TT ? A friend told me "Pin a number on your back and everything changes" ... having just done my first TT on sunday I have to concur - it did change! I rode the whole way with my heart rate ~10bpm faster than I've achieved before... it was also the fastest time I've ever ridden a 10 in - although that's not much of a test because I've not ridden that course before! ;)
  • BMKN
    BMKN Posts: 222
    Slowbike wrote:
    BMKN wrote:
    When I did my first TT I was 2-3kph faster than my previous efforts,
    Perhaps it was just because it was your first TT ? A friend told me "Pin a number on your back and everything changes" ... having just done my first TT on sunday I have to concur - it did change! I rode the whole way with my heart rate ~10bpm faster than I've achieved before... it was also the fastest time I've ever ridden a 10 in - although that's not much of a test because I've not ridden that course before! ;)
    Perhaps but it doesnt explain my training rides being faster, I didnt use aero position as I was in the city,
  • gazman428
    gazman428 Posts: 111
    Dunno. I ride a tt bike on drop bars as my winter bike!!!
    The reason being I have a very long torso and short legs so need bikes with a long top tube to get comfy, and funnily enough this tt bike had the same dimensions as my summer carbon bike.

    I will say this though, the bike flys, and is very lively.
    I think it might be down to the stiffness etc of a tt bike
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Dude, different days mean different conditions,. both for you and the weather. Looking for this sort of justification as to why your average speed is lower is a bit silly as unless you're in a TT or race average speed means absolutely nothing. It could be as simple as you don't have auto start/stop on your bike computer and you hit more lights. Just concentrate on the riding instead of red herrings.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Grill wrote:
    Just concentrate on the riding instead of red herrings.
    I prefer sardines .... would that be ok? ;)
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Slowbike wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Just concentrate on the riding instead of red herrings.
    I prefer sardines .... would that be ok? ;)

    In case of sardines, yes. You can concentrate on those instead.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • diplodicus
    diplodicus Posts: 722
    If I concentrate on sardines during a 10, how much quicker will I be?
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    diplodicus wrote:
    If I concentrate on sardines during a 10, how much quicker will I be?

    Depends on the chainset, obviously... ;)
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    diplodicus wrote:
    If I concentrate on sardines during a 10, how much quicker will I be?

    Quicker than if you concentrated on salmon as then you'd do the course the wrong way round.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    BMKN wrote:
    I used to own a TT bike, I sold it as I never liked the aero position so rarely rode in that position it, When I did my first TT I was 2-3kph faster than my previous efforts, or even in other casual spins with full out efforts as I did on my road bike, I smashed my records with the TT bike, not being in aero position, however it did come with a standard chainset 53/39 and my road bike has a compact both bikes were same weight and carbon. Id love to here your thoughts

    It's not the gearing.

    I know my TT bike has a lower position on the base bars

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