Author Topic: The TT Thread  (Read 408566 times)

rob

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2300 on: 16 May, 2020, 09:49:48 pm »
There’s a CTT board meeting this weekend apparently.   Look out for some news next week.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2301 on: 17 May, 2020, 06:03:00 am »
Americans  ::-)

I'd have gone with ten miles or twenty k myself. 19.2 km is both oddly precise and rather vague
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2302 on: 17 May, 2020, 07:50:09 am »
Americans  ::-)

I'd have gone with ten miles or twenty k myself. 19.2 km is both oddly precise and rather vague
That is weird! I'd probably quite enjoy 12 miles, but I can't see it catching on in the UK ..

(although those funny running races in multiples of 13.1 miles are quite popular).
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2303 on: 17 May, 2020, 08:11:33 am »
It is a bit odd vs a ten, where you can just go eyeballs out and hope for the best.  It's not quite a twenty five where you can back off a bit if you overcook it and recover.  I've found myself pushing a bit too hard, then backing off more than I should, and mentally drifting in the last quarter.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
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Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2304 on: 17 May, 2020, 02:29:07 pm »
I predict panic-buying of pedals like the M520 ... :P

Yes of course TT is the discipline easiest to run despite restrictions. Of course we don't know how the "softening" will happen in the UK, so it's difficult to plan tactics/tricks/tech to get round things, but I'm pretty certain that some form of racing could* happen.
No pushers-off will be just one such work-around - a TT is just a timed solo ride in essence.

Premier League footy is looking at restarting!!! But then at least one CX league (Central) has cancelled their 20/21 season :( (although they haven't banned clubs from running "pop-up" events)


*unless future restrictions contain some truly bizarre criteria with no scientific basis ...

Scottish Cyclo Cross season cancelled too.

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2305 on: 17 May, 2020, 04:30:41 pm »
As I reported elsewhere on here, a small independent ( fully legal though) road race league I’m a member of took the decision a couple of weeks ago to cancel all 2020 events.
The main reason for this was around our presence in villages and use of village halls. We rely on the villager’s good will, as does time trialling often. To be running races whilst people are still living with restrictions, worrying about their own and other’s wellbeing, and even maybe mourning lost family and friends wouldn’t go down well we believe.
As even several professionals have said- it’s only bike riding, not life and death.

S2L

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2306 on: 20 May, 2020, 10:22:16 am »
There’s a CTT board meeting this weekend apparently.   Look out for some news next week.

No news... is it good news? I suppose it's better than a rushed decision to cancel everything until next year.

I've seen a lot of "racing" happening on indoor trainers, but I am not overly keen to invest big money on one, at least not until the late autumn.

rob

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2307 on: 20 May, 2020, 11:47:01 am »
There’s a CTT board meeting this weekend apparently.   Look out for some news next week.

No news... is it good news? I suppose it's better than a rushed decision to cancel everything until next year.

I've seen a lot of "racing" happening on indoor trainers, but I am not overly keen to invest big money on one, at least not until the late autumn.

I suspect it's wait and see.   They have been putting in place rolling cancellations so end of May and then end of June, rather than the AUK approach of events suspended until we unsuspend them.

I'm continuing to train but I'm nit sure how much longer I can keep battering myself without a goal.   Moving to e-racing would require a fairly major investment.

S2L

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2308 on: 20 May, 2020, 12:22:19 pm »
   Moving to e-racing would require a fairly major investment.

Same here... I have my eye on a decent trainer, Kickr Core or something expensive but not top of the range, but I don't want to invest now... firstly because it's too hot and beautiful out there to lock myself in a room and sweat buckets in front of a screen, but also because there is a lot of uncertainty about jobs right now and I'd rather keep the money for the rainy days.
If things ease up a bit in autumn, then I might take the plunge...

TOH who seems less concerned about the all matter, is looking into freaking designer puppies, costing a hell of a lot more than a home trainer...  ::-)

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2309 on: 20 May, 2020, 01:15:55 pm »
The ship's sailed regarding e-solutions, if you haven't got a smart trainer now, you're unlikely to, until so long in the future you can race outside again.

Some clubs got in there quick

Racing on Zwift isn't the same as IRL. It's a game- and the winners are those who play the game best, not those who'd be fastest on the road.

rob

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2310 on: 20 May, 2020, 02:13:54 pm »
The ship's sailed regarding e-solutions, if you haven't got a smart trainer now, you're unlikely to, until so long in the future you can race outside again.

Some clubs got in there quick

Racing on Zwift isn't the same as IRL. It's a game- and the winners are those who play the game best, not those who'd be fastest on the road.

It would be a faff to get set up now and, as you say, not that easy.   My fall back is that I wait to the Spring to catch up and I wasn't supposed to be riding TTs this year anyway.

I noticed Newbury were running on-line TTs.   Rachel, the organiser had always been involved with Zwift racing even before her stroke stopped her riding outdoors.   The VTTA have also been organising 10s but I think they are using RGT.

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2311 on: 21 May, 2020, 06:38:11 am »
My club (Westerley) is doing online TTs using RGT and club rides on Zwift. 

I've not got into it as the times don't really work for me (early evening races with toddler) and I'd rather get outside on Sunday mornings but it seems to be generating a lot of interest and is great for keeping the club going.   

I don't think you need too much extra kit to do it.  I think you can still do Zwift without a smart trainer if you have a power meter, and I expect those are still available. 

I would need to buy a computer with a better graphics card to do Zwift (my 7-8 year old 4th laptop is fine for Trainerroad but I don't expect it could handle Zwift), but I could probably get that for £250 on eBay.

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2312 on: 21 May, 2020, 10:23:50 am »
Apple TV is a much cheaper way of getting on Zwift.

rob

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2313 on: 21 May, 2020, 10:57:13 am »
I've just got a dumb trainer and no power meter.   I have just blagged a desktop from work as I was borrowing my son's laptop to work from.   

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2314 on: 21 May, 2020, 02:06:37 pm »
My laptop isn't man enough to run Zwift so I use my Pixel 2 phone and the app, plus a £15 TV off Gumtree and a £30 Chromecast.

I have also resurrected an old mobile with no sim card but logged into my home wifi to use the Zwift companion app (which isn't really worth it except for group rides), Netflix or Spotify whilst keeping the Zwift app up on the main phone.

Not investigated RGT yet...


Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2315 on: 22 May, 2020, 07:02:13 am »
My laptop isn't man enough to run Zwift so I use my Pixel 2 phone and the app, plus a £15 TV off Gumtree and a £30 Chromecast.

I have also resurrected an old mobile with no sim card but logged into my home wifi to use the Zwift companion app (which isn't really worth it except for group rides), Netflix or Spotify whilst keeping the Zwift app up on the main phone.

Not investigated RGT yet...

Interesting - didn't realise that you could run proper Zwift from a phone.  Maybe I wouldn't even need to get a new computer!

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2316 on: 09 June, 2020, 02:20:35 pm »
I”m surprised that no one has mentioned CTTs latest Covid document.
B ( club events) possible from, I think, 6 July, opens from a week or so later. This is for England only  of course
Full details of how organisers must ensure social distancing etc will follow it states.

Obviously subject to the Country  not regressing in terms of R number etc.

rob

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2317 on: 09 June, 2020, 03:09:21 pm »
I”m surprised that no one has mentioned CTTs latest Covid document.
B ( club events) possible from, I think, 6 July, opens from a week or so later. This is for England only  of course
Full details of how organisers must ensure social distancing etc will follow it states.

Obviously subject to the Country  not regressing in terms of R number etc.

Read it.   Wasn't sure I could make any real decisions based on the contents.   Will wait a bit and see what happens in July.

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2318 on: 09 June, 2020, 04:03:11 pm »
My club has started working out what TTs it can run and whether the courses scheduled for those dates are suitable. I might marshall, depending on timings.

rob

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2319 on: 14 June, 2020, 05:55:42 pm »
All remaining Kent events have been cancelled. 

The Breckland 12 organiser will run if he can, and the National 12hr might still happen.   It’s starting to look a bit thin out there.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2320 on: 15 June, 2020, 07:23:05 am »
My club has started working out what TTs it can run and whether the courses scheduled for those dates are suitable. I might marshall, depending on timings.
I was amazed to see how keen your lot were to ride on the A420, over all other options  :o

(having said that, it will never be quieter :) )

My lot have just - understandably - binned the whole calendar. I'd like to see some autumn weekend events if law/CTT allow - hopefully there will be time to make short-notice arrangements.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2321 on: 15 June, 2020, 10:40:12 am »
I've not been paying attention to the proposed courses because I'm injured, but the safest I've ever felt on a TT was on the A420. Some of the driving around the "quiet roads" TTs can be really dangerous. H10/17 is one of the faster courses around as well - the alternatives (specifically Oakley) have horrible surfaces.

Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2322 on: 15 June, 2020, 02:10:25 pm »
I've not been paying attention to the proposed courses because I'm injured, but the safest I've ever felt on a TT was on the A420. Some of the driving around the "quiet roads" TTs can be really dangerous. H10/17 is one of the faster courses around as well - the alternatives (specifically Oakley) have horrible surfaces.

Safety of DC courses vs minor roads is one of the regular conversations on the TT forum, but I always quite liked the H17 too.  Not an easy course but quite a few tour buses and a fast finish.  Don't recall ever having a close pass on there.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2323 on: 15 June, 2020, 07:31:12 pm »
I've felt OK racing on the A420 (and it is my PB course!), but that's evening and early morning events: I marshalled on a Sat afternoon and it really looked too busy. Down to the riders of course, it can look very different when you're just stood by a roundabout.

There are definitely quieter courses in South Oxon; the new (somewhat technical) course round West Hanney is lovely!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Karla

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    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: The TT Thread
« Reply #2324 on: 15 June, 2020, 08:21:50 pm »
I quite liked the H25/17 the two times I did it for the BUCS.  Then again, I'm a well known traffic whore.