How many of you purely Turbo on a TT bike?

daniel_b

Hi guys,

I currently train on the turbo using a Felt F70, conventional road bike - it's a tad big for me, but I have gotten around this with
a shorter stem than standard.

I would also like to get some deep dish carbon wheels for my Scott, but know I won't be able to get them past finance unless I sell a bike - so was contemplating selling the turbo bike, and then either trying to get my winter Synapse disc on there (Could be tricky, and also not really ideal)
OR finally building up the TT frame I bought many moons ago, and putting that on there instead.

Do any of you who TT, but also enjoy general road riding, Turbo purely on a TT bike?

I'm just wondering if the minimal variation of hand positions will become a bit of a pain in all manners, or demotivator long term.
I've also improved my flexibility a lot by spending time in the drops, but equally spend time on the hoods and tops.

Thanks

Dan

timothyw

For specificity benefits, you should do turbo training on a bike with identical fit to whichever bike you are targeting (so, normally, the same bike that you'd race/TT/whatever on)

If you aren't actually riding TTs on the road I can't see much point doing your turbo training on it, unless you're going to take it on the road and do some TTs once you have done your training.

daniel_b

TimothyW wrote:

For specificity benefits, you should do turbo training on a bike with identical fit to whichever bike you are targeting (so, normally, the same bike that you'd race/TT/whatever on)

If you aren't actually riding TTs on the road I can't see much point doing your turbo training on it, unless you're going to take it on the road and do some TTs once you have done your training.

Ah yes, sorry, should have been clearer :oops:

The plan is to enter regular local TT's either later this year, if I were to build it up now, or more likely next spring.

benjamess

I only ride my TT bike on the turbo / rollers BUT my main aim is racing timetrials and ride my TT bike more or less every session I do. Only ever really ride my road bike these days is if I'm riding a really hilly route or out with other people.

fenix

My TT bike is kept on the turbo so thats what I do my sessions on. I don't often ride it in the TT position though.

The fitness definitely transfers over anyway and its just easier for me to have that bike set up almost permanently.

joey54321

Daniel B wrote:

TimothyW wrote:

For specificity benefits, you should do turbo training on a bike with identical fit to whichever bike you are targeting (so, normally, the same bike that you'd race/TT/whatever on)

If you aren't actually riding TTs on the road I can't see much point doing your turbo training on it, unless you're going to take it on the road and do some TTs once you have done your training.

Ah yes, sorry, should have been clearer :oops:

The plan is to enter regular local TT's either later this year, if I were to build it up now, or more likely next spring.

This is a little of an off-topic comment but i'd say there is no need to build up to doing local TTs. Get out there and see what you can do this year, it'll give you more motivation to train through the winter.

If I was targetting TT's I'd do 100% of my turbo time on a TT bike.

timothyw

Yeah. Can't see the point in waiting to enter TTs - if your form and fitness is rubbish now, that's all the more improvement you can see once you have got fit.

Likely to be better training than sitting on a turbo too.

58585

I think it's meant "build-up the TT bike" rather than "build-up TT fitness" :-) Then again, you can TT on your road bike so no point putting it off.
But yes, I'd say if you already have the components then definitely get the TT bike built and onto the turbo.
I split my turbo time about 50-50 on TT and road bike during the winter and did like the variation.

DeVlaeminck

When I used to have a TT bike and when I used to use a turbo yes I did all my turbo stuff on the TT bike. If I did say 2*20 I'd do one of them on the TT bars and one sat up as a compromise between training for TTs and it not being complete torture.

I think it worked reasonably well in getting me used to the position. Main problem is using a decent bike on a turbo is to protect it from sweat and corrosion.

fenix

Position your fans off to one side so the sweat blows away from the bike.

Clingfilm the bars, stem and headset a few wraps.

Towel over the top of that.

Matthewfalle

Just turbo on anything. I went through a succession of bikes of random sizes that I got for nothing and just set them up to suit.

EBEB

Since I’ve moved back to London I have mainly used a TT bike, largely because the other bike is safer to ride in a city. Before this I added clip ons to a cheap road bike and replicated my TT position.

As regards now staying in TT position, I now do so by watts. I only put out really high watts going up hill & at those speeds air resistance is small anyway, so if (consistently) above 110% of FTP I am relaxed about position (easy maths is why I chose 10%)