[Closed] 2017 TT'ing thread

Good advice Jamz re position. Its my first season on a full on TT bike (used my roadbike with clip ons last year) and I'm slowly getting there. I'm finding that there's a tipping point when it comes to aero v power. It's all very well being slippery as an eel but if you can't put the power out you maybe slower. Likewise other way is the same. A clubmate of mine is a prime example of this. He regularly puts out over 400w for a 10 (no joke, the guy is a monster) but although faster than me he admits himself he should be putting out faster times so maybe have to forgoe some of that immense power for a more aero position.
Bit off topic but I'm thinking of getting a nopinz pocket retrofitted to my Bioracer suit. Noticed there's two options available, a internal pocket that you put your number in from the inside and an external one. What's the general feeling on what to go for ?

I'm coming late to this thread.

I'm riding the Ipswich and District Cycling Association TTs. They had a couple of 5mile warm-up rounds and on Tues we had the 2nd of the 10s.

I was fairly pleased with my times in 2015 (road bike with tribars) although it's fair to say I was never near the top of the time sheet, however I broke my neck at the end of the year and spent most of last year recovering. In fact I've only been feeling comfortable in a roady position since late Feb this year, and I'm having to ride without the tribars as that position still hurts.

It's fair to say I've lost a lot of pace... 🙂

My main aim is to use the TTs as a way of rebuilding strength and confidence, hopefully seeing my performance improve through the season, although I've no aspirations of being as quick as I was... For the time being, at least.

however I broke my neck at the end of the year and spent most of last year recovering.

Christ. That's nasty. Glad you're on the mend.

A clubmate of mine is a prime example of this. He regularly puts out over 400w for a 10 (no joke, the guy is a monster)

I know how you feel. One of my clubmates was smashing over 400 for our club 10s last year. I was 2nd overall on scratch for 4 counters, but he was putting nearly a minute into me some weeks. 😥 He reckons his training is on target for 440 this year. 😯 He is 6'7 though.

What's the general feeling on what to go for ?

Go for the internal one unless you think you're really going to have a problem getting the number in. If you're happy taking off the top of your skinsuit when you're standing around in a layby, you should be able to slip the number in yourself. If you can't do that, then you may find your fellow competitors are a little less likely to help rummage around the inside of your.clothing than they are to help pin on the outside. 😆

DT78 - Member
So picked up boardman and on the turbo Couple of questions.

Not used bar end shifters before. Is the rear shifter normally very stiff? This is like 2 finger stiff. I was expecting minimum effort to maintain position

You can loosen - not leave loose though - the small bolt on the side of the gear lever at the end of the bar which makes it a little easier. But mines the same.

Bit off topic but I'm thinking of getting a nopinz pocket retrofitted to my Bioracer suit. Noticed there's two options available, a internal pocket that you put your number in from the inside and an external one. What's the general feeling on what to go for ?

I would say external - so much easier to get the number in (well, easier to get someone else to do it). If you're regularly riding out to club events then that will make life simpler. You can get a number into an internal pocket whilst still wearing the suit, but it is certainly not easy, and you need to be flexible. Of course you can ask someone else to do it, so long as they're comfortable with ferreting around near your sweaty bum crack...

My main aim is to use the TTs as a way of rebuilding strength and confidence, hopefully seeing my performance improve through the season, although I've no aspirations of being as quick as I was... For the time being, at least.

Sounds bloody awful mate, I wish you all the best for the coming season. The good thing is you will have the satisfaction of seeing your PB plummet as you get fitter over the months ahead 😀

What's the general feeling on what to go for

I'd agree with external. Mine is internal and I can't put the number into the pocket easily whilst wearing the skinsuit. That makes sign-on a change-in-the-toilet affair. I won't be asking anyone else too either!

Oven liners arrived today, already marked out and cut to shape with a pair of scissors. I have to say that the teflon material looks ideal for a disc cover, not too stiff, cut well, easy to form. Just need to cut the holes for the hub and tape to the wheel. I won't bother removing wedge as it is already thin, unlike ABS. Could be £18 well-spent.

Sounds good.

I wonder if your powerpod is accurate/consistent enough to do some Chung testing and see if you can detect a drop in cda.

I can't wait to see those wheel coveres next Wednesday!

About to pop out for my powerpod calibration ride...

I can have a test at Hillingdon in the next 10-and-a-bit on Wednesday - or I could go and chase some points at the first Surrey league Vets race. Hmmm...

Believe it or not, I did manage to run the Cheung method using my Power[b]cal[/b] power data from heart rate, but I suspect that this might not be sensitive enough to detect changes - the power profiles per lap look very persuasive though and I think Powercal is sufficient for TT efforts based on 30 second averaging. But then Heart rate does a good job too 😉

Thanks all for the advice on the speedsuit pocket, I'll decide which way to go over the weekend.

Turned out OK, bit lumpy in places, despite duct taping inside, but easy valve access - can peel the join back on the NDS. 160g plus tape makes it lighter than a Hed Jet disc.

[img] ?oh=9f655217d03fd2c899985ec376dfaee2&oe=5989C140[/img]

Any chance of the ripples fouling the mech in the largest cog? Could end up a bit of a disaster.

Anyone thinking of getting a speedpocket, it really isn't hard to unzip your suit and put a number in, it's easier than getting a number pinned on in a satisfactory way for sure

TiRed, superb bit of bodging. Is it taped to the spokes?

Anyone thinking of getting a speedpocket, it really isn't hard to unzip your suit and put a number in,

You must be a lot more flexible than I am 😯 Pretty much impossible for me to get a number into the pocket while wearing the suit. I even find it pretty tricky to get the number in properly when not wearing the suit!

Entered a 12hr

12hr?!

Re skinsuits what is worth a look that isn't silly money but would be better than a decent fitting castelli jersey and bibs

I have a Galibier chrono 4 skinsuit and its excellent for £70

Looks good value. How did it size up? 5 11 at 75-78kg I should probably be looking at the large?

Hmm. Im 5'11 and 3/4 73kg. I have a medium which would be the right height for you. I am a bit barrel chested and do have to do some breathing manoeuvres to get the zip over the bottom of my rib cage, but once over its fine

Entered a 12hr

Are you able to hold a good shrug for that distance? Does your position change compared to shorter distances?

I struggle to hold a good position for 10 miles, never mind any longer distances!

We'll find out! I don't change for 100s, and I'm not really doing any specific training for this so just going to see what happens.

You must be a lot more flexible than I am Pretty much impossible for me to get a number into the pocket while wearing the suit. I even find it pretty tricky to get the number in properly when not wearing the suit!

mrblobby

(Swiss Toni voice) You dont need to twist to put it in , just put it the right way round, fold it a little, then slot it in, then unfold it and then there is a bit of faff getting it neat in the corners. new stiff ones are easy to slot, old floppy ones get in the corners better.

If you're finding it hard to get in, maybe think about making the slot wider?

the need to be flexible is a distraction - you just need to be not cack-handed 🙂

Help! Can anybody tell me if Vision TriMax Ultimate aerobars are UCI legal or not?

I want to try my first time trial race next week and don't want to be disqualified before I even begin! Rules for Triathlon are much simpler.

I've tried to read the UCI rules before and find them rather baffling. I remember something about the extension bars requiring a regular shape profile whereas my extensions are an irregular shape.

[url= http://all4bikes.be/vision-aerobar-trimax-ultimate-si-bar-j-bend-670-2450-p-1584290.html ]Picture here[/url]

Another picture here
[img] [/img]

ECCA Festival 7k this morning. We're often away over the bank holiday weekend so I'm mostly reading reports of this event and wishing I could give it a try. Finally got my chance this year, so I was a bit miffed to end up with a rotten cold all week. Typical.

Was targeting an average of 390W, so was very disappointed with only hitting 360. Averaged 390 dead for the first 3:20, but then I caught my minute who unfortunately had a car behind him. As it was a single-track road I was trapped. Nightmare. After 10s I gave up, did what was probably stupid, and sprinted round them on the verge. That completely threw my concentration, and I didn't ride the next few minutes nearly hard enough. Managed to pick it up for the last 3, but the damage was already done.

Clocked a 9:44 for 2nd place. 1st was a 28. Could really do with a proper TT bike.

After 10s I gave up, did what was probably stupid, and sprinted round them on the verge

Hopefully an organiser will spot this and DQ you.

@twisty. CTT regs are much more lax than UCI. You can pretty much ride what you like.

https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/articles/view/11

Hopefully an organiser will spot this and DQ you.

Maybe "in the gutter" would be a better term. I was on the road, overtaking on the rhs.

Maybe "in the gutter" would be a better term. I was on the road, overtaking on the rhs.

Ah, I read it as passed them on the lhs. Still not the best idea but you already know that 🙂

Thanks Matts, however I am currently in Singapore and this essentially THE only annual time trial race they have and I am pretty sure they apply the UCI rules quite strictly (they even award UCI points to local Singaporean racers) so I am having to make sure my saddle is 5cm behind the BB etc, but I am worried about the conformity of these bars - is there an idiots guide to the UCI rules somewhere on the WEB?

The base-bar is legal. I'm not 100% sure about the one-piece extensions and arm rests.

Had my first go at trainerroad holding the new TT position. Feels super comfy stationary, but really hard work actually moving.

Think I need sometime to sort.... how do you get your back flat? If I roll my shoulders / tuck my head it seems to result in an arched back.

how do you get your back flat?

Head tuck is not my forte, but I focus on staring at my eyebrows and over my glasses (luckily I'm +5 not -5). A separated shoulder means that one side is more aero than the other - I just don't recommend such a dramatic body modification 😆

how do you get your back flat? If I roll my shoulders / tuck my head it seems to result in an arched back.

How low is your head compared to your pelvis? Also, depending on your overall position, an arched back may not be a problem. Look at Tom Dumoulin's position, for example.

[img] [/img]

Not everyone is going to look like this...

[img] [/img]

The base-bar is legal. I'm not 100% sure about the one-piece extensions and arm rests.

Having a think about this, Wiggins had that 3d-printed bar made for the hour record. The extensions were very similar to your bar, so I'm guessing that they should be legal.

Hmmm I'm pretty flexible and can easily touch my toes / put back of my hands on the floor, so I should be able to get flat. My saddle is currently much further forward and slightly higher than usual position. Using an ism race so rotating as much as I can. Wondering if when I actually pedal I shift the weight back into a more normal position hence the discomfort

Flat back is a distraction, don't worry about it, narrow shoulders far more important

Wet, cold and windy Westerley 10.3 tonight with Kryton. Went off quite fast up the slope into a headwind, settled in for a 2:06 lap, and pushed on. Heart rate climbed as expected to zone 4.1, 4.3... last lap was a 2:08 and finished equalling my PB of 23:38 and my first ever win. Given the conditions, I'm very pleased. Just need to find those 38 seconds on a nice still warm evening.

Disc wheel cover ran flawlessly. Powerpod read low, but I did change my position on the bars, so I will recalibrate.

Having a think about this, Wiggins had that 3d-printed bar made for the hour record. The extensions were very similar to your bar, so I'm guessing that they should be legal.

Hmmm I'm pretty flexible and can easily touch my toes / put back of my hands on the floor, so I should be able to get flat. My saddle is currently much further forward and slightly higher than usual position. Using an ism race so rotating as much as I can. Wondering if when I actually pedal I shift the weight back into a more normal position hence the discomfort

It might be due to your pelvic rotation, if you keep your pelvis more upright then it curves the lower back and the rest of the back tends to follow, whereas if you rotate your pelvis and smoosh your nads into your saddle (as recommended by Cobb) then I think this helps to get a flatter back.

UCI regulations require bars (and extensions by implication) to be less than 3:1. They also require that the height difference from elbow pads to tip of the shifter in the most upright position be less than 10 cm. They say nothing about horizontal alignment. I think you will be fine.

Regulations are here :

Wiggins fails the CTT 3cm rule in that photo. He'd be DQ'd on the road - well having no brakes might also be an issue 😉

Also of interest, they remove the 3:1 ratio rule for frames and forks. Sadly there is a minimum dimension clause of 1 cm, and my steel Columbus Air forks, whilst absolutely beautiful, don't appear to meet that threshold 🙁

Great ride TiRed! Well done you!!!!

Not quite the start to the season I had planned here. Only second race of the year on Monday and I had to pull out after less than a mile of the 25. Past couple of months have been hampered by injury problems 🙁

So withdrawn from this weekend's Charlotteville 50. And the Fairly United 10 on the 20th has just been cancelled. Might get a club event or two in in May but looks like my season starts in June 😕

Can I have your place - was rejected 😉

Congrats, TiRed. 8) 8)

Can I have your place - was rejected

You might well do if you're on the reserve list!

Just for info 3cm was clarified with a view to enforcing but ctt have now realised what everyone knew - its unenforceable.

So fill your boots ( while staying safe of course ) - big aero gains by finding your best elbow position - which could be < or > 3cm depending on your physiology

Congrats, TiRed.

Indeed! He was moving - he started 30 secs behind me and came past a lap later, then again just at then end of my penultimate and 10th lap. I finished 3 mins down on TiRed at 26:38.

It certainly was cold and my lack of experiences in the wet was telling as I had to mentally MTFU in the Hillingdon hairpins a few times, not helped on one occasion when I had to sit up on the brakes because 3 jnrs decided to ride abreast across the track.

In a blind panic over my now calibrated powerpod showing zero off the start (I now realised I need the wheel to spin up to start the speed sensor) I reached down an press the button to turn it to off accidentally, so raced the hold thing on RPE. However all my times where within 5 secs of each other range from 2:22 on my last lap to 2:27 on my slowest.

It shows how the weather affects things - I'm over 2 mins off my PB and racing 30w est. more power yesterday than when I set it on a Sunny evening last year.

Thoroughly enjoyable in a TT kind of way, I now need to clean the bike up up ready for Saturdays 10' on the A11 🙂

Bought a blue tinted visor for the Giro Advantage from Bob Heath Visors via eBay. Great fit, looks cool, should stop my eyes streaming. Also a 17 degree Thomson X2 stem to lower the front just a little, and make the bars a little more aero. Maybe.

And sadly I didn't tick reserve, it was the first open event I've entered so wasn't sure of the procedure. Have a throaty infection.

Horribly windy club TT tonight. Over a minute faster than last week though as the TT bike came out to play, and also faster than my first ride on the TT bike last season (which was a much better night). 2 strava QOMs on the tailwind section too...

Oh, and TiRed /Kryton57, were you cycling [url= https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/369616627 ]Here, at Minet Park?[/url]
I wish I used that circuit more when I was living close by.

Yes thats it Twisty.

TiRed I hope thats not the generic one thats going around - see my thread in the chat forum, it has a 3-6 week life.

TiRed I hope thats not the generic one thats going around - see my thread in the chat forum, it has a 3-6 week life.

Yeah. I thought I was getting over it at the weekend but I'm a right phlegmy bar steward this week. Probably explains why I struggled to get the power out on Monday. Don't fancy being down for 6 weeks. 😥

A 25 mile PB for me on V232/1 today. 1.05.55, not as fast as I think I'm capable of but the headwind on the outbound leg was horrible and other people suggested it was a slow day. My power numbers looked decent though so I'm hoping for better weather on Etwall next week!

Congrats, hjghg5. Bunch of my teammates did pbs on the E2 today, so maybe it was the day for it.

Washed down the bike, removed wheel covers and gave it a polish. No Charlottesville 50 tomorrow, so will do a modest training ride to meet this weeks target. Ordered a 17 degree stem to flatten the front and drop the bars by a cm. might need to shorten the extensions to meet the UCI limit. Forks are almost compliant too.

[img] ?oh=78ae8f9773d163c1b3178dc1ffe32e11&oe=597B218C[/img]

Well done on the PB hjghj5 !
PB for me also tonight also (by 30 odd seconds,) at Levans in Cumbria. One of my aims was to do a 20min ten this year and to achieve that so relatively early in the season I'm well happy 😀 especially seen as I was carrying a few injuries from a get down on my roadbike on Thursday which resulted in a cracked frame 😥

Sub 20 min nice! A PB for me too yesterday on E2/11 coming in at 23:40 even after getting a few things wrong with pacing and my rear shifter barrel rattling loose!

Good work all round on the PBS

Well done guys!

Well I did my first ever competitive TT ever today in the Masters category, 24km (probably nearer 25km) in 41:18, a full 5:30 behind another brit. I feel I could've done quite a bit better as I was frequently going out of the aero position due to lack of conditioning and crappy setup.

Tired you may find you need to flatten out your aerobars for UCI compliance as no part (incl shifters in any position) may extend 10cm above or below the arm rest height. It does look longish too. Eshifters seem to provide a big advantage as they leave more length/height for the bars. I only got though compliance earlier today because I was judged to be over 190cm in height.

When I read the UCI rules I realised that because my old Quintana Roo frame does not have a UCI sticker it would have to be thoroughly checked and might well end up failing on something or other. So this seemed like an excellent excuse to jump on my recently purchased (2nd hand) Cervelo P3, but riding a bike I set up in a hurry the day before was not a good idea, I put the bars too low and my weight too far forward, which teamed with lack of riding in aero position for about a year meant I couldn't hold the aero position and I spent a fair bit of time sitting up.

On the plus side, I finished before a thunderstorm came and rained off the competitors in the open category.

Going to go out on a limb and suggest the Charlotteville will be won with a 1:39 this year.

I see from strava that Tim did a 1:39 and he doesn't think he won it 😯

Dewey 1:37 - incredible

Measured all the dimensions with shifters uppermost and it does fit under the 75cm BB to tip and +10cm rule. Where it doesn't fit is the width of the steel forks 🙁 (they are thinner than 1 cm. Rode a 100 km training ride on it today https://www.strava.com/activities/975668128 , and aside from sore shoulders, it is a very smooth ride indeed, and my position is getting there. Best advanced is the blue visor I added to the Giro Advantage - no streaming eyes, but I probably need a helmet that doesn't spend so long with a tail in the wind.

I didn't get a place today and had hoped to be under two hours, so 1:37 is amazing. Well done to all the other PBs recorded this week.

Going to go out on a limb and suggest the Charlotteville will be won with a 1:39 this year.

Well I was nearly right

Just entered the ECCA 10 mile champs on the 20th. Fingers crossed I'll get in.

Gonna have to source some ABS and have a crack at that DIY disc cover!

@TiRed - What do you think of the Bob Heath visor? I was about to buy one. How much light transmission does your blue one have?

And I also found a supplier of ABS that is based in Hounslow. £20 for a 1300x660 sheet. Delivery is also 20 quid though, so I'll have to work out if I can arrange a day out of the office so I can go and collect..

http://www.signmaterialsdirect.com/black-pinseal-embossed-abs-sheet-abs-black-pinseal-embossed

Actually, they're right next to the tube. I may pop out there one lunchtime if they have stock.

The Bob Heath visor is fantastic! get the blue not smoke or clear. Blue and green are much nicer tints that make things stand out - this from my optician mother. Fitted into my Advantage helmet by prising back the outer cover. I'll add some silver tape to keep it in place. The only downside for me is I'll need some daily disposable contact lenses for my +5 eyes, as there is no clearance for glasses.

I may go for some of that sheeting too, since it's local to me.

-17 degree stem now fitted. Saddle angle fettled, and now have a drop of 12 cm to the pads, which I think is sustainable for up to 50 miles. Will test this on Thursday evening at the Hounslow 10.

Bugger. It's just their registered address. Stock is in Biggleswade.

There was a very nice chap [url= http://www.ebay.com/sch/vitesse3500/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= ]vitesse3500[/url] who I bought a wheel cover from on ebay, he doesn't have any items listed but it might be worth sending him a message.

If he is still in business then basically you tell him what wheel you've got or send him dimensions and then he cuts the plastic to size and posts it complete with everything you need to attach it to the wheel, cost something like £40.

If I bodge it that may be an option. 😆

I've got a sheet of 1.5mm ABS arriving tomorrow. Need to pop out and buy some ABS cement now.

No doubt I'll go to all this trouble for a PB and my next few events will be in awful conditions. Last week there were 6 people under 19 on the E2!! Conditions must've been pretty good then. Next week will probably be a hurricane.

@TiRed - how did you attach the cover to your Jet9 - flush on the side of the rim, or 'inside' the rim against the nipples?

I attached covers flush to the carbon with gorilla tape. Then masked with electrical tape all the way round.

I was thinking that if the covers sat slightly inside the rim as it curved in towards the nipples, it would result in a shape very similar to a HED Stinger disc.

Hoping to finally race for the first time this year tonight!

Minor crisis as I was loading the car this morning to realise 3 chainring bolts were missing! Amazingly I had some lying there in the garage, so it's going to be a bike fixing in layby kind of evening!

First time the TT bike has been out since the H50/8a last July so I'm not expecting much!

Crikey. That sounds like a bit of a last minute decision. Good luck!

Got confirmation of my ECCA 10 place this morning. Now I'm sat at home waiting for my ABS sheet to arrive. Wish it would show up soon so I can go out for a ride.

jb89, you riding the DPCC one tonight? Was thinking I might do that or the NHRC one on H10/1.

Only third time out for me (first was an early season club event win, second a DNF after less than a mile!) and I'm about to re-wire the bars. What could possibly go wrong 😉

Crikey. That sounds like a bit of a last minute decision. Good luck!

More last minute preparation than decision!

jb89, you riding the DPCC one tonight?

Yep! Looking like a decent night if the rain holds off! Only ridden the non 'R' version once and quite liked it so hopefully all will work!

Profile with covers is the same as a JET disc. Might put them back on for Sunday's inter-club TT. Was hoping to race the Hounslow 10 tonight, but events ha conspired. Powerpod gave correct calibrated readings on th rid to work after adjusting for normal helmeet rucksack and no velotoze 😉

Yep! Looking like a decent night if the rain holds off!

FFS this is getting ridiculous, finally legs feel ok-ish and I'm here ready to race but there's a huge thunderstorm overhead!

Decent night for my club TT - looked like it was going to be windy but seemed to drop nicely. Rode out on my commuter in a ski suit then switched to the TT bike which my OH had driven out with. Happy with 34.53 at this point in the season (12.5 miles with a hill) - my all time PB is a short 34 and I've never gone sub 35 before July until today.

Plus someone I've not seen for a while asked me how much weight I'd lost, rather than asking if I'd lost weight.

Rode out on my commuter in a ski suit

Must've been a bit warm this evening. 😯

Congrats on yet another PB!