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Any guidance on how to get into time trialling? Did one local one about ten years ago and just wondered the best way to go about entering one or training etc ? What sort of numbers do I need to hitting so I dont embarrass myself
Go along to a club 10, give it a stab, if you enjoy it, keep at it
Use a road bike then you have your excuse ready.
Road bike category though has breathed new life into the the local scene.
We've got 50 turning up to clubs evening series this year up from a max of about 30 last year.
I'd suggest 3w/kg should see you not embarrased (clearly if you weigh 50kg and doing a flat TT you will not be that quick). You're not going to get near the win either.
Join a club (preferably one with it's own little club only series on an evening).
Enter events on the https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/ website.
You have to be a member of an affiliated club to enter.
A club series on the same course weekly is also good as you can learn pacing and strategy to get the most out of the course.
I'd suggest not bothering with numbers at all if you are just starting. There's nothing to get embarrassed about .
As above, go along to your local club evening 10 and just have a shot. You'll find lots of people happy to have a chat and help you out with advice.
Where are you in the country? If you are in the north east I can point you in the right direction as I do loads.
Generally though find out when they are and turn up. Opens are organised through the CTT. Various lengths, details are all on the calendar.
Good to find club ones as well. The ones round here are about a £5. Pay on the day. Normally in a layby or carpark. Pin your number on, warm up and go for it.
Short regular ones are good to get a feel for the events. I started racing doing 10mile TTs trying to chip away my time each week. People turn up on all sorts. We've got national champs and pro racers on the start lists of ours but also absolute novices.
The time really depends on the course. Check out strava or the CTT results page for an idea.
For a reasonably fast ten mile course where experienced riders are going under 20minutes for a 10. Then under 24minutes for a road bike is good ((25mph). On a roadbike around here my PB is 22:04 but some courses I haven't managed to go under 24 minutes because they are hilly.
The ones round here are about a £5. Pay on the day. Normally in a layby or carpark
Just be careful you don't get the "wrong" carpark 🙂
Local club 10s are the way to go. Usually held on the same course each week and easy to gauge progress over the season. normally a friendly, laid back affair. Don't take it too seriously (to start with!).
I did my first club TT's on the way back from work on my singlespeed racer. Didnt come last and I'm not fast.
The only way you'll be embarrased is if you miss your start slot, so watch that. Is really good, accessible, cheap competition that makes you want to improve each week, suprised its not more popular
A few years ago I did a few 10k TTs on a cx bike with slicks and aero bars and was not last. Really quite enjoyed it.
Get some aero extensions and try to get a good position you can maintain then have a go. Nobody else cares where you finish.
Just turn up and pay on the line. Off you go. It’s always a ride off two halves. Personally I hate 10s and avoid them. For me it only starts to get fun at 25 and gets better from there.
Aim for 30 minutes for a 10 on a road bike. It’s a nice target and you’ll be faster than that.
I'm in the west Midlands so I think there is a local one once a month. I've got an aero bike with carbon wheels so should be quick enough bike wise.
FTP is about 300 ish at the moment but I'm pretty heavy so I'd imagine would suit a flat course.
I'm in Manchester and there are club tens four days a week within reach on various courses (plus opens at the weekend) so I reckon you'll have more to go at than one a month in the West Mids. There will be details on the websites of the local clubs.
Big fella laying down some Watts - you're built for time trialling. Just give it a whirl and do like Tired says, treat 30 mins as a benchmark (20 mph) for your first one and see how far you get under it.
Lots in the west Mids - Solihull CC, Shirley CC run a series. Courses are flat/rolling so ideal for your build. FTP of 300 is fine to start with so I'd just get stuck in and see how it goes.
http://www.solihullcc.org.uk/timeTrials.html
If that's too far then lots of clubs about - just get on. their websites
West Midlands covers a big area but if your on the west of the West Midlands Stourbridge CC runs a TT series throughout the summer, you've just missed the June one so the next date is July 2nd. The details are all on our website or find the club on Facebook.
Aero road bike and lots of watts. Make that 25 min! Our fastest club riders go under the hour on road bikes for the club 25s.
Seriously just have a go.