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?

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!

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.

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

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

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

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!.

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'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

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.

Yep been following it on Slowtwitch, does not look good    Good job I changed my entry to Florida

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.