Training for Time Trials

[RoadRaven]

Here are some tips I have gathered from various books (Friel, Bernhardt) and magazine articles (Bicycling, Endurance Sport, Cycle Sport, Ride, Bicycling Australia)


1. Do 5 minute intervals once or twice a week, gradually increase interval length to 15 minutes each time.


2. Do “pyramid” intervals… based on distance… ½ km (¼ mile), recover, 1km (½ mile), recover, 2km (1 mile), recover, 4km (2mile), recover, 8km (4miles), recover, 4km (2mile), recover, 2km (1 mile), recover, 1km (½ mile), recover, ½ km (¼ mile), recover all the way back home.


3. Do 3-5km (2-3 mile) intervals with 3km of recovery (2mile) in between.

[RoadRaven]

1. Time trialing is about efficiency, not just power. You increase efficiency by becoming more aerodynamic. It's much easier to increase your aerodynamic efficiency rather than increasing your power.

2. Your bike accounts for only about 15-20% of overall drag.

3. Approximately 75% of drag is determined by your body's resistance against the air.

4. Aero-bars will save up to two minutes on a 40km/25mile course. Aero-bars are more aero-dynamic than tri-bars.

5. Keep tyres pumped up hard - tubulars should have about 140psi (regular car tyres are pumped to 30psi)

6. A non-aero helmet creates four times the drag of a non-aero wheelset. It is therefore better (and cheaper) to spend money on a TT helmet, rather those tri-spokes and a disc.

7. How the race number is fixed to the bike matters more than having an aero wheelset. Place it low and stretch the jersey so the number is as flat as possible when the rider is in position and so that it does not create a "sail" effect.

8. On a round tubed bike frame, a water bottle on the seat tube is more aero than having no water bottle. It is more aero to put it on the seatpost than on the down tube.

9. Wearing gloves creates more drag than having a non-aero front wheel. Like the helmet - spend money on close fitting, smooth gloves rather than a HED disc...

10. TT booties and a skin suit will only save you seconds, and are not worth the expense unless you are an elite contender.

[RoadRaven]

6. A non-aero helmet creates four times the drag of a non-aero wheelset. It is therefore better (and cheaper) to spend money on a TT helmet, rather those tri-spokes and a disc.

Just going to take myself to task here... while this statement is pretty accurate, it is only accurate if you wear your TT/aero helmet correctly and position your head so it sits in the most efficient place between your shoulder blades and if you never look sideways or behind you.

If you do move your head alot, or can't get the helmet to sit low between your shoulder blades, then your money is much better spent on aero wheels.

[Geonz]

Whew! I suppose it is safe to say that if the TT is indoors, all that aero stuff doesn't matter? That I better work on the power? (Yea, I know, clipless!!! But ya know, it's even more fun to go hard in sneakers... I could tape myself in like in Breaking away, maybe?)

[RoadRaven]

Whew! I suppose it is safe to say that if the TT is indoors, all that aero stuff doesn't matter? That I better work on the power? (Yea, I know, clipless!!! But ya know, it's even more fun to go hard in sneakers... I could tape myself in like in Breaking away, maybe?)

I don't know about indoor TTs, never having ridden indoors at all (though the local club and council are making exciting sounds about a velodrome for this region).

I imagine the aerodynamics are important, but in a different way.

Outdoors you have the wind eddying and shifting, the temperature, cars creating drafts and swirls, inconsistency in road surface, gradations...

Indoors the surface, the air resistance, flatness of course are all consistent...

Any experienced indoor racers shed some light on the aero indoor/outdoor question?

Def clip in pedals/shoes/cleats will improve your speed and power output once you have mastered them. No question.

[Eden]

I don't know about indoor TTs, never having ridden indoors at all (though the local club and council are making exciting sounds about a velodrome for this region).

I imagine the aerodynamics are important, but in a different way.

Outdoors you have the wind eddying and shifting, the temperature, cars creating drafts and swirls, inconsistency in road surface, gradations...

Indoors the surface, the air resistance, flatness of course are all consistent...

Any experienced indoor racers shed some light on the aero indoor/outdoor question?

Def clip in pedals/shoes/cleats will improve your speed and power output once you have mastered them. No question.

I think Geonz's indoor tt was on computrainers... (or something similar) since you aren't actually moving forward no amount of aero gear will do much of anything

As far as indoors in a velodrome goes - yes! aero equipment and positioning will help you! If it didn't the pros wouldn't use it. Even without the inconsistancies in airflow outside you still need to overcome air resistance. Because its safer (no side winds) track racers inside can even use two solid disc wheels. The guys going for the hour record even go as far as to go to a velodrome in Mexico City (I think) because it is the highest elevation velodrome and the air is thinner there. Its debatable whether the decreased air resistance is offset or not by the fact that there is also less oxygen at that elevation.

[SheFly]

1. Time trialing is about efficiency, not just power. You increase efficiency by becoming more aerodynamic. It's much easier to increase your aerodynamic efficiency rather than increasing your power.

Got the power, now working on the aerodynamic...

4. Aero-bars will save up to two minutes on a 40km/25mile course. Aero-bars are more aero-dynamic than tri-bars.

This is the newest piece of equipment going on my TT bike - integrated stem/aero bars. DH says that they are about 1lb lighter than my current setup.

9. Wearing gloves creates more drag than having a non-aero front wheel. Like the helmet - spend money on close fitting, smooth gloves rather than a HED disc...

Precisely why I don't wear gloves when I am TT'ing.... Then again, I don't wear them while road racing/training either.

10. TT booties and a skin suit will only save you seconds, and are not worth the expense unless you are an elite contender.

Well, I don't consider myself an elite contender, but I have both a skinsuit AND TT booties, and they do make a difference. Depending on the length of your TT, seconds count. For me, the addition of these items and an aero helmet probably saved between 30-45 seconds, which on a 9.75 mile course, is significant. Where these really made a difference though was on the tandem TT attempt.

Great advice, RoadRaven! And thanks for the training tips, too .

SheFly

[Eden]

We'll see how much difference the equipment makes
Truthfully, I will have changed a lot of things, hopefully power is among those things so I won't be able to say its any one thing, but I'm totally tickled.
I've ordered my helmet from the team, so aero helmet check
I got my TT bike last year check (only had the opportunity to race it once last year) check
Just purchased a used disc wheel last night (Hed superlight) and got a front wheel from ebay a while ago (Hed Jet 60), both tubulars.
All I need is one more tire and I'm all set to go. Best thing, I've managed to keep the budget for all of this under $1000, by going used on most stuff.
I can't wait to ride it now. The first TT is at the end of February, its totally flat, and only 8 miles so it should be a real barn burner.

[RoadRaven]

I've ordered my helmet from the team, so aero helmet check

Just purchased a used disc wheel last night (Hed superlight) and got a front wheel from ebay a while ago (Hed Jet 60), both tubulars.

The first TT is at the end of February, its totally flat, and only 8 miles so it should be a real barn burner.

I don't have an aero helmet or wheels

My partner has the helmet, which he shares with my eldest sons - but my head is too small

We also have only one disc and a couple of tri-spokes - again, my partner and sons are the contenders, so they use them.

My partner did order me some bar-end shifters and together with the bull bars we picked up second hand a couple of weeks ago this will make my bike truly TT specific - I will not be able to road race at all with it. It will mean I do not lose time shifting position to change gears (inevitable on two of the TT courses which have hills) - the only time I will need to get out of the aero position will be at the turn around.

Hopefully this will be set up by the 8th of February - the next ITT the club is having.

Looking forward to reading your race report - don't forget to describe how you feel the gear went - the physical difference but also if it made a diffence to the way you prepared and acted mentally.

[RoadRaven]

Just purchased a used disc wheel last night (Hed superlight) and got a front wheel from ebay a while ago (Hed Jet 60), both tubulars.

Eden, you got this in Jan, and your TTs started in Feb and i have been meaning to ask ALL year how you have found your HED disc!?

[Eden]

Eden, you got this in Jan, and your TTs started in Feb and i have been meaning to ask ALL year how you have found your HED disc!?

I haven't done a lot of TT'ing so far this year, so I've only used the disc 3 times. The last one was very windy and I was a little concerned about being blown about with the disc (it was a pretty seriously ugly wind - enough that peple were doing over 30 mph (48.3 kph) out, but only 12 mph (19.3 kph) back and I never felt like it was going to take me off the road or anything bad like that), but it was fine. It's hard to say, since really a lot has changed besides just the rear wheel, but it may have even helped since I did better than I expected. From what I understand, in a crosswind the disc can actually act like a sail and help you go forward faster. I'm not a really strong TT'er - middle of the pack at stage races usually - but I still got omnium points for being 11th out of a few over 30 some particpants and I beat some people that I generally consider to be stronger than I am. An omnium race here is a stage race that instead of using your total time, uses a points based on top finishes (1-11 in TT's and crits, 1-14 in the road race I think) in each stage - I actually prefer a regular stage race since its easier for me to make up time in a road race than it is to get points in TT's and crits. I've got another big stage race coming up next weekend that will include a TT, so another chance to get the TT bike and the disc out. Last year I muffed the TT in this race bad, by having my rear wheel skewer come open and the rim drag on the brake for the whole TT - so I really expect to do much better this year

One thing that I would like to try to do - the speed sensor for the computer that came on the bike is positioned for the rear wheel, so I want to try to get a magnet onto the disc - I think I'll have to try to find something very small and epoxy it on. Right now I can only get cadence, which is OK - I can pace myself with hr and cadence, but I'd like to have speed as well. I guess I could move the sensor to the front fork, but its a funky big aero fork, so it might be hard to get it to stay put.

[RoadRaven]

My partner and sons say epoxy you could use, but then you have no alternative if you want to take it off.

But what he and my son do with their HEDs is use a small round flat magnet, and tape over it with black electricians tape. Its the same stuff that they use to tape over the valve to make that part of the disc aero too.

I need to read the 'ominum' bits tomorrow - I'm too tired to quite get what you are saying.

I am glad you have had some races on the disc, I have yet to ride on a disc, but I do have some deep dish wheels (Grammo Vipers) I am going to ride for the first time tomorrow

I look forward to hearing about your stage racing next weekend... spesh the TT

[RoadRaven]

Well, I don't consider myself an elite contender, but I have both a skinsuit AND TT booties, and they do make a difference. Depending on the length of your TT, seconds count. For me, the addition of these items and an aero helmet probably saved between 30-45 seconds, which on a 9.75 mile course, is significant. Where these really made a difference though was on the tandem TT attempt.

I would be interested to know how much of the 30-45 seconds was the helmet and how much was the booties and skin suit.

I know seconds count - every second counts... (to quote "THE" book)!! - I was just meaning that unless your right up there with your power-output (and it sounds like you are), then you may not see the gains made by equipment because they will be swallowed up by your increasing ability.
Heck, I know what I'm trying to say, I'm just not saying it very well!!! Sorry - might try again tomorrow!

I always wear a tight-fitting jersey with no pockets, but thats as brave as I'm gonna get - think I'd look too darn scarey in a skin suit...

[Eden]

I always wear a tight-fitting jersey with no pockets, but thats as brave as I'm gonna get - think I'd look too darn scarey in a skin suit...

I soooo wish I had a photo of a woman who races around here.... You wouldn't be afraid to wear a skin suit if this woman were to be showing up at your races cause all eyes are always on her so no one would notice you at all. She wears a flourescent pink full body skin suit. She even wore it on a day it was in the 80's (that's over 26.6 c) for an uphill TT. BTW if it was racing at a higher level she would not be allowed to wear this getup - the rules say your skinsuit can't have full legs, but no one really cares at the 4's level.

Really though don't be afraid of wearing a skin suit. I didn't get one this year because I didn't have one on my clothing order yet and I'd already gotten the total up to over $400... Pretty much no one looks good in them so you wouldn't be alone. My husband's team kit skinsuits (and I think ours too for that matter) since they are black in the shorts area and a light color above make everyone look a little potbellied when the are standing upright no matter how skinny they are, but its not a fashion contest and everyone is more focused on their own race than bothering to look at you (unless you are head to toe in hot pink that is)

[RoadRaven]

I soooo wish I had a photo of a woman who races around here.... You wouldn't be afraid to wear a skin suit if this woman were to be showing up at your races cause all eyes are always on her so no one would notice you at all. She wears a flourescent pink full body skin suit....
<<SNIP>>
....above make everyone look a little potbellied when the are standing upright no matter how skinny they are, but its not a fashion contest and everyone is more focused on their own race than bothering to look at you (unless you are head to toe in hot pink that is)

Well - flurescent pink I could cope with, its the pot-bellied thing that bothers me, and the muffin that stretches round my back, and the "wings" near my shoulders... I know people wouldn't be looking at me, but I just wouldn't feel comfortable...

I think Geonz's indoor tt was on computrainers... (or something similar) since you aren't actually moving forward no amount of aero gear will do much of anything

As far as indoors in a velodrome goes - yes! aero equipment and positioning will help you! If it didn't the pros wouldn't use it.

LOL Eden... we're both posting at the same time!!!
Yeah, thats right re Geonz... I think she is referring to a trainer as opposed to a race track - I forgot! And yeah, if you aint going nowhere theres no point to being aero...

And yeah, I was sure aero equipment would help indoors... there are just more variables outside.