Time trialling Thread

seems to be a thread for everything else so why not this.  Lets share goals, results training tips, equipment, advice for newbies wanting to give it a go?

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  • I started 10Mi TT's this season, as a complete newbie to bikes.... first attempt was a 30.5secs, and over the course of a season, with some regular training, got that down to high 26's...

    One of this winter's goals, as part of my IM programme, is to start the next season with a 24

    I'm also going to try the 25 and 50 mi TTs... no idea what to expect! image

    This next bit will be of absolutely no interest to the guys that are posting times I can only dream of on the other thread, but perhaps of interest to those contemplating their first TT as absolute beginners like I was back in May....The biggest three things I learnt in my first season were:

    1] Pacing myself... even for a 10mi TT, you can't go off like a rat out of a drainpipe... you need to be quick from the go, but not so quick that you die on the second half

    2] Climbing...  being in the right state for a climb is so critical... it may feel good to be averaging 25mph when you reach the foot of the climb, but if you die going up it, your average plummets.. better be a tad slower to the climb, and then be able to get up it quickly

    3] Getting the right gear for the climb is key... it may be easy to select the granny ring, and bang out the climb with a cadence of 130, but its quicker to notch it up a few, and work on power... yes it hurts, but you'll be quicker overall.

    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • MC- what were you using kit wise?  Can you just rock up with a road bike and clip on tri-bars?
  • My current PB's are

    10 mile : 26.40

    5 mile : 12.29

    I've only done 3 club TT's, on my road bike with clipon bars, got my first open TT on 25th Sept and I am planning on going 25:xx

    Hopefully when my Felt B16 turns up I can go even quicker!!!!

    First 25 and 50 mile TT will be next year

    Biggest tip I can give is, just go for it, rock up on your road bike and give it a go, its a blast when you pass your minuteman image

    Biggest improvement you can make in kit, bang for buck (IMO) is clipons, took nearly 2mins off my 10 time going to clip ons

  • Majority of people at my local evening TT's are on road bike with clip ons etc, no fancy helments wheels.  You can sign on on the night generally for £2.   You will always have a few very quick people with all the gear and even some not so quick.  Dont get intimidated by it all, pin a number on your back and pedal like fcuk image

  • I have a Specialized Allez 16, with clip on tri bars from eBay.... about as 'entry level' as 'entry level' gets... so yes... you don't even need the tri bars to start with....

    I was pleasantly surprised at my local club (Fenland Clarion) how few people turned up with exotic bikes to ride... sure there were a few, but mostly the guys posting 20's and 21's... the majority were on good quality road bikes with TT handlebars fitted in some cases... I certainly didn't feel out of place, or indeed feel inadequate in any way for having an entry level bike.

    I will add that TT'ing is bloody good fun, and I REALLY noticed the improvement in my riding pace after a few weeks of doing it... my long rides improved by nearly 2mph over a 6 to 8 week period

    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • reposted on here, good thread idea Dooz.

    My frustrating situation with entry is not unusual so maybe tips on this aspect going forward, link to entry form download, how to go about entering races that dont have online options, and where to did local club races

    'the archaic entry system for open events and the not so well listed word of mouth club events, drives me potty.

    Because it's a single event I still think on a Thursday say that I would like up do a 50 this weekend, problem is, these need to be planned and entered up to 2 weeks before, ok no problem, download entry form, that takes 3 days to find, now who to send it to, you now have to be a member of the secret society for this as it's a book with everyjbes addresses in it,ffs, talk about getting people into the sport, anyway moan over, will get a tt book asap'
  • Agreed, massively, the TT community seems a VERY clandestine place, and to a beginner, is a very tough thing to get your head around.

    I think that this puts a heck of a lot of people off.

    CTT websites beginners page> http://cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/Beginners/tabid/203/Default.aspx

    is a good place to start, as is your local cycling club, my club (CC Breckland) is only a £10 a year, I've probably had £10 worth of decent advice already!.

  • I find that my club has an e-mail circular that flies around with details of local TT's, and with attached entry forms and addresses.... worth joining a local cycling club for that alone... they are ridiculously cheap to join... mine is only £12 a year!...
    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • At the start of the year, the CTT website has a list of all the Open TT's being run in the following season. It does not include the details of the organiser tho, they are only given out in the handbook. This handbook not only includes details of said races but also the rules and regulations etc to TTing in the UK. It also list all the previous years winners and times plus all the mens, womens etc records for events and past champions, its well worth buying for all this info you need and more. £7 I think.

    Yes the entry system is archaic but it works for the most part, the only part I can see changing soon is the payment cheque system. This year the only cheques I have written have all been for TT races. 

    Dont get a book until next year Nick, 99% of races are now over, its mostly only hill climbs left.

  • I promise next year I will have a go a a few TT's
  • I'd be interested in hearing about peoples training tips for 50mile and 12hr TT's, pretty much anyone can go out and bang out a 10mile TT (and probably a 25), but for longer ones, what training do you do?.

    For 50's, I was told long rides of around 80miles a time were the order of the day, what about intervals for 50's? (and longer).

    I was going to take the plunge and go for our club 50 this weekend, but decided I wasn't up to it yet, and opted for marshalling instead!!!!

  • A good idea with regards to entry form for opens, is to save a copy with all you details filled in.  Things that wont change address etc.  Only update PB's as and when they happen, saves having to trawl through results to finds dates and times.

     DEf get a handbook for 2011 very useful, only £8

    Anyone know or done the Anfield 100, looking to do that next year?

  • Rosey has ask him image

    Danowat do you have an email, I can fwd on some info if you want

  • danowat32 at hotmail.com

     Cheers

  • Pebble 2 wrote (see)

    Dont get a book until next year Nick, 99% of races are now over, its mostly only hill climbs left.

    Cheers mate, btw, off topic, you been following IMAZ this year, you doing it ?
  • Yep been following it on Slowtwitch, does not look good image   Good job I changed my entry to Florida image

  • Doozer. wrote (see)

    Anyone know or done the Anfield 100, looking to do that next year?

    yes, well organised, fills up but not early, popular early season one here, I did a 4.32 but rocked up 90 secs late as forgot number and they don't adjust time. I will aim to do this again, it was my first and only so far over 10 miles.

    Winning time last year 3.42 I think, don't know about this year, can be windy and supposed to be a quick one.

  • I noticed the issue with entries last week and figured cycling clubs mustn't depend on the revenue from events in the way running clubs do. The details of my old club's 24 mile TT are circulated by email and not posted on the website even though it's an open event. Then you have to enter and pay by tomorrow for something at the end of September. Sod that. Grumble.

    Oh and I turned up at another local club's 10 mile TT in April and came stone last - it was brilliant fun - as hard as possible the whole way round - my legs fell off around 8 miles. I would have gone back but couldn't really justify leaving work before 5 in order to get to the start on time. A pity.

  • There are justifiable reasons why you have to enter 2 weeks in advance. image
  • But the 10 mile ones you can enter on the day.....
  • they are club races gyraffe. Opens are always 10+ days.
  • A bit of motivation and encouragement for everyone to get out and do a few more races. Add you best times in.

    Honours Board

    10 miles                  Time            Course           Date

    Doozer                     21.24           P613               Sept 09

     25 miles                 

    Doozer                     56.02           R25/3L            Sept 10

    50 miles

    Doozer                     1:59:13        P885/50         Aug 09

    100 miles

    12 hours

    24 hours

  • Honours Board

    10 miles                  Time            Course           Date

    Doozer                     21.24           P613               Sept 09
    Magna Carter           26.35           Bluebell 10      July 10

     25 miles                 

    Doozer                     56.02           R25/3L            Sept 10

    50 miles

    Doozer                     1:59:13        P885/50         Aug 09

    100 miles

    12 hours

    24 hours

    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • Am actually quite glad I didn't try to enter the open 24 as I've just found out they look at predicted times in advance and reject anyone who isn't competitive enough. The advance entry rule makes more sense now. I shall leave time trialling to the hard men of the road and go back to my knitting. image

  • Honours Board

    10 miles                  Time            Course           Date

    Doozer                     21.24           P613               Sept 09
    Magna Carter           26.35           Bluebell 10      July 10

    Danowat                  26:40         B10/18             Aug 10

     25 miles                 

    Doozer                     56.02           R25/3L            Sept 10

    50 miles

    Doozer                     1:59:13        P885/50         Aug 09

    100 miles

    12 hours

    24 hours

  • Gyraffe at most opens there is 10-20% entry reserved for women. It is generally the fast courses that have selection problems, don't let it put you off but get out there and post some faster times. In the pirate mantra jfdi and htfu image
  • Gyraffe, they do not look at predicted times, they use the times that you supply on the entry form to correctly seed the field, the field is set out so that the fastest 12 rides are on numbers 120, 110, 100 and so on, then its the turn for the 5's. So that the slowest 12 riders will have a number ending in 9.

    Then if there are over 120 entries and the max field is set at 120, the slower riders will get the entry form returned. But some Open TT's have SC (special conditions) such as slowest 120, 10% women and Juniors etc, its very rare that a women will have an entry returned, I've never known it.

  • danowat wrote (see)

    I'd be interested in hearing about peoples training tips for 50mile and 12hr TT's, pretty much anyone can go out and bang out a 10mile TT (and probably a 25), but for longer ones, what training do you do?.

    For 50's, I was told long rides of around 80miles a time were the order of the day, what about intervals for 50's? (and longer).

    I was going to take the plunge and go for our club 50 this weekend, but decided I wasn't up to it yet, and opted for marshalling instead!!!!


    I dont agree with anyone can bang out a 10, this depends on how fast you want to go.  Best training for a 10 is to do lots of 10's.  I find it takes me at least a month of racing to get 'race fit', its very similar with 25's but lots of hard 2-3 hour rides work for 50's as long as you have the base from the winter, which does involve 60-80 miles rides regularly, gradually getting quicker towards the season.

    Interval wise, anything from 5-10 mins will work, with intensity and rest intervals dependant on phase of training and type of workout, keep shorter recoveries for endurance intervals.  High levels intervals need longer recoveries.  A good way of helping with endurance is to increase the number of intevals, not the intensity. 

    For example:  4x5-8 mins with 2 mins recovery  @ 50 mile pace - build to 10 x 5-8 mins over 6-8 weeks.  also very good IM and Half IM training,  

  • Indeed, speed comes with training, but most relatively fit cyclists could go out and do a sub-30, 10 mile TT, pushing on is easier for 30mins, then it is for x amount of hours!!, but to get to the level of 21:xx, yeah, it takes some doing.

    I am doing some 5min intervals during my daily 34 mile commute, which I think has been helping, and I've also been racing in a weekend crit series, which has seen my ability to hold high intensities and HR's improve quite dramatically over a short time frame, which is all helping towards 10's, but I need to get some more long stuff in, as currently my long rides are never more than 60miles, so I can work towards 50's and maybe even a 12hr TT next year.

    If I could get to sub 24min 10 and/or sub 60min 25, I'd be very, very happy.

  • The crit racing would definatley help, not done any myself but know the sort of intensity that those guys get up tp.  I train with a lot of roadies. 

    Pebble - Just seen your photo from Sunday, get some overshoes, you are throwing away free time!!!!!    and white is not a good look image

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