First time trial

xscreamsuk · February 2012

just over a week and I will be in my first TT, a 25 mile 2 up event. Guy who I'm riding with is similar pace to me on club runs, and has same amount of racing experience, ie zero. We will both be on standard road bikes, Flat course. PLan is 30 second ish turns on the front each, I have a HRM and know roughly what I can sustain for that sort of time, around 85% of max HR. We shall try the swapping over turns etc on a couple of rides before the event. No expectations other than to finish.

Don't plan to go out too fast, and if one of us feels stringer they will do longer on the front, any other suggestions?

RoadMeridaBen · February 2012

The good thing is your a similar speed, last year I did a 2 up 25 with my brother and by the time we got to the first turn at about the 5 mile point he was dead lol. We were doing a minute each but it didnt work very well.
Couple of weeks and we'l be doing the same 2 up again, the plan is I do 25 miles on the front and he follows lol

touchy · February 2012

Practice to see what works best for you, but i would think that 30sec turns is too short. You wont get perfect transitions every time and you'll probably waste a little bit of energy each time you swap over by trying to catch up if your partner goes through a little too fast or by easing off a little too much and having to catch up again. Will you be using aero bars? If you're not used to them it will be even more difficult to ride close. So longer turns might be a little easier.

Other things to think about:
-How are you going to time your turns? One person's computer? If so, how will you let the other person know? (Shouting isnt always best if your both going flat out)

-Try not to push yourself too hard. It can be difficult if your partner is slightly stronger than you. Let him know if he's going too fast for you, dont try hold his pace and wait until you're completely knackered.

SBezza · February 2012

I would have a practice beforehand, you want to be confident at riding close to the guy in front, and if you do a short period of a full on effort, you should be able to guage what sort of length turn you both can reasonably do. As mentioned above it is good you are fairly closly matched on a club run, but racing is different, and you may find one of you is stronger than the other, especially is you encounter a hill etc.

If you are good at rotating, then 30 secs is not a bad time, though it doesn't leav much time for recovery between stints when there is only 2 of you. No doubt towards the end one of you will be doing longer turns as you both get tired, I wouldn't expect to to both tire at the same rate.

sheffsimon · February 2012

Think I would do longer rotations TBH, you will spend a lot of time jumping onto each others wheel which is knackering, doing 30 seconds, especially since neither of you has a great deal of experience. You dont want to be on the front until your dying a death, so a practice run or several is the key.

Enjoy it (in a sick, painful kind of way!), and chapeau for doing it!

xscreamsuk · February 2012

Cheers guys, we are having a practice tonight along with another pair who are having a bash. Should get time for 2 more trials before the day. I think elbow flick front front guy is going to be our signal method,

Matt the Tester · February 2012

best of luck! you have surely jumped into the deep end of the pool!

Chip \'oyler · February 2012

I would suggest longer turns than 30secs. Also depends on wind direction. Go for shorter turns into a head wind and longer turns if you have a tailwind. If you have any drags or uphill sections let the weaker rider on hills dictate the pace on the climbs.

cyco2 · February 2012

Since you probably not of equal ability you should do different times on the front and watching a clock when you're supposed to be looking where you're going can be awkward. So, count the pedal revs..I.e. start with you doing 20 and then partner doing 15 . Then if one of you can do more or less change it.Call out the the changes to pedals revs. so you can control the pairing. When you get on a slope or hill reduce it or take lead up the hill but keep the weaker partner on the wheel. The idea is for the stronger one to protect the slower one.
This also works for bigger groups and stops riders hogging the front. It does if riders are using HRM show their recovery HR and they can if need be alter their pedal revs. at the front to suit.
In a trio and when one drops out it upsets the balance of effort so reduce the revs. at the front to suit the recovery HR when you're on the back. Good luck with the TT

RoadMeridaBen · February 2012

My plan for the 2 up with my brother is for me to be on the front for 25 miles and stick at a certain HR about 88% of my MHR and hope he can keep up, he's about 3 mins slower in a 10 so who knows whats going to happen! lol

mattshrops · February 2012

did a mini 2 up series last year and we decided to only use 3 words agreed in advance (otherwise someone shouts something and youre going -what?)so we went for -"off"-dropping off the wheel. "on"-back on go go.and "change"- yes thats self explanatory too. worked fairly well, didnt make us fast tho

xscreamsuk · March 2012

Well it's done, had a great time, was a little windy though. We worked together well, didn't blow up and came in with 1 hr 11 mins 3 seconds putting us 30 th out of 44. I used my heart rate monitor to work out how much effort to put in, and could sense partner flagging a bit so I took longer turns at the front, especially into the wind.

Pleased with that as we were on road bikes with no aero bars etc. Plenty fancy bikes there, full skinsuits and aero helmets etc. We even overtook the team infront early on, and were only passed by two teams in the final few miles.

Will get some clip on aero bars for the local tens and look forward to the next one.

RoadMeridaBen · March 2012

xscreamsuk wrote:

Well it's done, had a great time, was a little windy though. We worked together well, didn't blow up and came in with 1 hr 11 mins 3 seconds putting us 30 th out of 44. I used my heart rate monitor to work out how much effort to put in, and could sense partner flagging a bit so I took longer turns at the front, especially into the wind.

Pleased with that as we were on road bikes with no aero bars etc. Plenty fancy bikes there, full skinsuits and aero helmets etc. We even overtook the team infront early on, and were only passed by two teams in the final few miles.

Will get some clip on aero bars for the local tens and look forward to the next one.

Well done, looking forward to my two up next week just hoping its not as windy as yesterdays club 10 lol

Dave_P1 · March 2012

Any other tips for first a first time TT?
I'm tempted to enter some this year, just on a normal road bike though.

StorckSpeed · March 2012

For a 2 up no need to shout change. If you both start you cycle computers at the same time then you should both know when a minute is up.
A wave of the arm to indicate the trailing rider should come through should then be enough. The lead rider should pull out and slow down slightly so that the trailing rider doesn't have to speed up to pass. Just as you both are level the rider slowing down needs to put in a slight burst to make sure he doesn't lose the wheel of the rider coming through. I reckon 1 minute turns are a good balance between effort and recovery.
I don't think that riders who can post the same time in a 10 mile TT are necessarily well paced. I seem to take about 5-6 miles to get into the groove, then finish strongly whereas my mate always seems to start stronger.

1 piece of advice for your first TT, spend at least 20 minutes warming up before hand and try and finish your warm up about 1 minute before you start.

First time trial

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