Time Trial

[Hammer]

Last night was my first time trial with my local bike club. It's not really a competitive event, we're all at different abilities. I've only been biking for a year. The wind was pretty calm, no big difference during the five miles out or back.

I watched my cadence more so then speed. I didn't really know how much to push because I'd never done 10 miles as fast as I could before. So, I shifted back and forth just trying to keep the RPMS around 95. I wasn't sure *exactly* where the turnaround point was, even though I was watching my odometer on the way out. The road was narrow, and I'd never turned around on it before so I did slow down quite a bit to make the switch.

I tried to crank it up more for the last mile. I finished with 32:42, averaging roughly 18 mph. I was pleased with my first attempt on the flat course.

Do any of you do time trials? How long have you been working at it? What was your first time? How fast can you go now?

[maillotpois]

As SK this - she's been doing them for a year now, I think!

We just went to her Davis TT last night. I'd done it a month (?) ago - great, flat 10 mile course. I can't ride right now because of my medical issues (which probably affected the TT I did do last month because I sure had a hard time breathing, and it was less than a week later I ended up in the hospital.) Anyway, that time I did somewhere under 29 minutes, 28 something - don't remember exactly. DH didn't complete the course that day because he had a sidewall blow out. Last night he did something like 26:40 or thereabouts. Roughly 2 minutes faster than me. So that gives me something to shoot for when I am back on the bike next year!

It is a real challenge finding that balance you can hold for 10 miles - not too slow, not too fast.

SK? Wanna weigh in? (I know you do.)

[RoadRaven]

I love TTs

Thats what I train for, though there are sadly not too many organised TTs locally.

I do 18-20 kilometre TTs (11.25 -12.5 miles)

I started training for TTs in January 2005 - doing averages that year of about 25.5kph (15.93mph)

I rode in my first club race this year in April. The course is called the "Dartmoor TT" and is an out and back just-under-18km mostly flat course. It has about 3 kms of low rolling hillocks either side of the turn around.

I first rode this course in August 2005 with a time of 37.57 minutes and an average of 28.1kph

In the race this last April I did it in 35.02minutes with an average of 30.13kph

There is a club race in two weeks for this TT - I hope to shave at least another minute off my time.

My goal is to do this course in 33 minutes by the end of the year.

Training for a TT is alot about getting your head-space right... you have to ride to the limit of your lactate threshold for the entire race and then crank it up another notch for the last few kilometres.

Because you ride it on your own, it can be very tough. If someone passes you it takes a great deal of mental effort to stay with your own rythym and not get sucked into chasing them.

The TT is the ultimate race of truth... ideally TTs should be over flat courses... they are about the power you can create and maintain... they leave out variables such as light riders dacing up hills or the strategy of drafting or faking tiredness or surges to wear other riders down.

The TT is about you and the clock.

Ideally, when you cross the finish line you should have nothing left... you should only be able to spin your legs slowly to disperse the lactic acid, and the next day your muscles will feel quite different to how they feel after a race in a pelaton.

Remember... men will be faster then women ...

For example... the "Dump Block TT" has the fastest man as 24.06 minutes at an average of 44.81kph.
My partner has the ninth fastest time of 25.56, averaging 41.94
The fastest woman did it in 28.59 minutes at an average of 37.26
My last time I did that course was October last year in 37.01 minutes, averaging 24.33kph

The Dartmoor TT I mentioned above has the fastest man at 23.27 minutes
My partner has the 10th fastest time at 25.25mins and 41.55 average
The fastest woman did it in 29minutes at an average of 36.14

I hope those stats are the kind of thing you were after???

I'll stop here... I could talk TT strategy, stats and training til the internet shut down...

[SheFly]

...time trialing is addictive!

Three years ago, I talked DH into doing a time trial that was being hosted in Maine (we were on vacation, and have a house there). It was a 13 mile out and back. We both showed up with our regular road bike, which, at that time, still had MTB pedals on them. I was VERY intimidated - other racers had skin suits, full TT setups, etc.

It was a relatively "flat" course (a few rollers for good measure), and I ended up having the fastest "First Timer" ride, and the second fastest ride in my age category (36:18/21.1 mph)! That was it - I was hooked.

We came back home, and found a weekly TT put on by a local bike club. I have now been doing this TT for three seasons, on a fiarly regular/weekly basis. Last year, I upgraded to a dedicated TT bike, and this year added aero helmet and a skinsuit (now I am one of those dorky looking people ).

Our local course is a 9.75 mile loop (all right hand turns), and includes one significant (?) hill (it's a big ring climber). The first time I did this course, I finished in 27:18 (21 mph). By the end of the season, I had reduced that to 25:45 (22.71 mph). I set a PR this season, hitting 24:32 (23.72 mph). I am hoping to best that in the next few weeks, before this season is done.

DH and I also started doing this race on our tandem in the first season. In our first attempt, we finished in 23:07 (25.32 mph). This year, we added a TT-specific tandem - full aero bars, disk rear wheel, etc. Just this week, we hit a PR of 21:08:01! This is within 9 seconds of the course record for tandems (which we are hoping to break!).

As I said, this gets addictive! I have learned that the TT is my specialty, but this experience has also launched my road racing for the season, and in my first year (this season), I competed in and finished 12 races! The TT skills come in handy as a great base.

Have a great time! I love competing against myself....

SheFly

[SadieKate]

How did I miss this? Was there something going on that distracted me? Of course, I want to chip in!

I know this thread is long, but over on www.bikejournal.com we've got a pretty detailed thread going. Rather than try to summarize it all, go read it. Good tips on both racing and training. Of course, my schizophrenic approach this year with trying to ride double metrics and mtbike vacations (plus bad weather and flat kharma) has not helped my results but I suspect that things will get better. The Grand Pois did really well in his first flat-free TT.

http://www.bikejournal.com/thread.asp?ThreadID={A19C3EF0-D3B9-44CB-A65B-2A26D52A3FDE}

[Eden]

I did my first road races before I did a TT. The first one that I did was part of a stage race. It was more of a prologue, being short only about 5.5 miles.

The first plain TT that I did was a 12 mile and I finished in 31.45. The course is pretty flat, steady wind tail on the way out, head on the way back.

A few weekends ago I did a 40K TT which I finished in 71.06 on a rolling course with one very short steeper hill.

Sunday is the state Team Time Trial - wish me luck!

Up to this point I've been using my road bike with clip on aerobars, but I found a killer deal on Craig's list and I'm picking up my used Quintana Roo tonight. I'm hoping that this will make a difference to me, though I don't have any of the other specialized TT equipment yet. In any case it will make stage races easier, as I won't have to change around my road setup to do the time trial stage - plus I can't put aerobars on my new road bike. From what I understand, after aerobars, a TT helmet is the next best piece of equipment to own. I might order a skin suit on next year's team clothing order.

[SadieKate]

I forgot to mention that the latest issue of Bicycling Magazine has a great article with the MIT Cycling Team. They talk about aerodynamics. Who know that gloves had such huge drag.

Of course, psychologically I feel naked without gloves. Haven't crashed in years but leaving off my gloves might jinx the kharma.

[kelownagirl]

This is an interesting thread. I haven't been riding long enough to do TT's but it's definitely a goal of mine eventually. I think I do pretty well on the flat courses and have pretty good endurance so maybe someday I'll be able to try one. So my question is - how do you know when you're ready? Is it realistic to go out and do the TT route on my own and see how fast I can go over a 10km ride or are the conditions/ situation just too different from the actual even to be able to compare? There are not many women my age who race around here so I can't even compare myself with others my age.

My fastest average speed on the flats so far was a 25km ride, averaging 29 km/h (about 18 mph?). (Would have been faster if we hadn't had to slow down on a hwy offramp/overpass ) Downside, I was drafting part of the way - upside, I was on my mountain bike. I have nothing more accurate to use as a comparison...

Anyway, thanks for posting the stats etc!

[SadieKate]

I don't have the magazine in front of me to know if this is the entire article from Bicycling Mag:

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6..._-Get%20Faster

[SadieKate]

Kelowna, race adrenaline always drives you faster. Our local TT is very informal in that no stats are kept regarding age or gender. There might be a comment about something extraordinary like last week's 8 yr old rider or someone using a racing trike. Name and and time are the only items recorded. I use it as a personal goal and a benchmark for myself and myself alone. I don't have the genetic make-up for superb timetrialing. I really don't care (well, not that much ). I use it as a personal goal and a benchmark for myself and myself alone.

I need to go look up that 8 yr old. Apparently, he rode with Lance in Indiana and the newpaper article quoted Lance's comments about him. He averaged 17.48 mph for 10 miles.

[SheFly]

I'm picking up my used Quintana Roo tonight.

This will DEFINITELY make a difference! Nice ride, too.

From what I understand, after aerobars, a TT helmet is the next best piece of equipment to own. I might order a skin suit on next year's team clothing order.

This is also true. The aero helmet will definitely shave time off. After aero bars, they claim that this is the next best piece of equipment.

The skinsuit, in my first wearing, actually shaved time as well. Although, I'm unclear whether this was a HUGE factor, or whether it was just a marked improvement given my training and base...

Many of us in our club have been laughing about "buying time" off of our records. I forgot to mention that DH also ordered us "booties". Not sure how much of a difference those actually make...

I don't normally ride with gloves, but did see the MIT research that said you are better off without.

SheFly

[Eden]

I need to go look up that 8 yr old. Apparently, he rode with Lance in Indiana and the newpaper article quoted Lance's comments about him. He averaged 17.48 mph for 10 miles.

Don't those little kids just amaze you sometimes. There's a little one on the race circuit around here, I'm not sure of his age, but he's looks to be maybe 10 or 12, who rides crit's with the cat 5 men and keeps up just fine. There's a lot of grown men who can't do that, much less with the handicap of being about 80 lbs and having to use junior gearing.

[Hammer]

Hey, fun discussion! I live in Southeast South Dakota, there doesn't seem to be much for racing around here. Our club just sets up different rides with different goals in mind. Tonight they're going to go and do hill repeats. It'd actually be a good night to do them, but it's my turn to go and visit the boyfriend.

I haven't done the time trial since the first attempt two weeks ago. I want to get out there and keep at it, but I've succombed to using humidity as an excuse not to exert myself quite THAT much. oops, I'm a pansy... but like 60+ percent humidity... blah, I'd rather not. AND it's HOT!

Still, if there isn't a race circuit around here, I may as well try to beat myself. I find myself comparing my times to the other gals and guys a bit too.

[RoadRaven]

Wow SheFly… the first time you did your local course you averaged 33.6kph ( I have to keep the calculator open on the PC while I visit TE)
I am well-impressed! And your PB is 37.95… May I ask how old you are or your age category?
This def is your speciality, at that kind of speed you could consider trying out some national competitions…

My partner and I have talked about getting a racing tandem too… although at the moment it would probably be used by my two older sons as they are of similar ability and cadence. My partner could ride with either of them, but he is still stronger than them and would have to adjust his cadence to match their flying legs.

My partner and I are similar in cadence, so once I’m a little stronger (and lighter – still have about 10-15kgs to go) then we might be able to race together.

You are right – It is extremely addictive – I have printouts of the fastest club times at work which I (not infrequently) sometimes just stare at and drift off into a world of numbers, calculations, variables – like wind, and heart rate…

[kelownagirl]

Do they ever have TT teams racing? - ie husband/wife team? DH and I love to ride and draft and are always trying to beat our last time / avg speed. It would be fun to do that in a race...