The TT Thread

[Geriatricdolan]

Agree, prize money doesn't serve any purpose anymore. Those who are likely to cash it, these days have sponsors who pay for their equipment and travel anyway and the value is peanuts. It's becoming increasingly rare to see club riders at the top, they are all part of sponsored teams.

As an aside, in hill climbs there is a push towards 50% gender spread at the National championship, which is something positive to aim for, I just hope it comes gradually and with some sense... an entry still needs to be something athletes work towards throughout the season, rather than something handed in to make up the desired numbers.

[tatanab]

I think a lot of the organisers are staying out of the debate by removing prize money from their events.

Does this mean they will go back to the old ways of trophies and medals, or even before that with items such as canteens of cutlery?

My core time trial days span late 60s to early 80s (since 1981 I rode only a few a year), and the very few medals I have mean something to me.  My faster clubmates have boxes full of medals and little trophies, most of which mean little or nothing to them because they have so many.  I imagine they were happier when money prizes became more common.

[Geriatricdolan]

I think a lot of the organisers are staying out of the debate by removing prize money from their events.

Does this mean they will go back to the old ways of trophies and medals, or even before that with items such as canteens of cutlery?

My core time trial days span late 60s to early 80s (since 1981 I rode only a few a year), and the very few medals I have mean something to me.  My faster clubmates have boxes full of medals and little trophies, most of which mean little or nothing to them because they have so many.  I imagine they were happier when money prizes became more common.

Or no prizes at all... the money could be invested in producing race numbers that don't fall to pieces before the end of the race if they are pinned

[AntLockyer]

I'm hoping to do some TTs this year once my bike is finished

[DuncanM]

Cool bike.  What gearing(s) are you planning on using?

[Karla]

A bit of free speed for everyone: I've been pointed at the Aerocoach tyre pressure calculator.  They recommend low pressures: for me with 23 mm tyres and a 75 kg all-up rider weight they recommend 81 psi.

[Frank9755]

Amazing - not that long ago that I was trying to get 150psi in my tyres and hoping the rims didn't explode!

[Geriatricdolan]

Amazing - not that long ago that I was trying to get 150psi in my tyres and hoping the rims didn't explode!

I made a supersonic inner tube explode at a lot less than that...  ... it happened as I was warming up, 10 minutes before my start time in a 10 TT... I limped to the car, managed to replace the inner tube and put some air in it... and was on the line 30 seconds before I was due

[AntLockyer]

Cool bike.  What gearing(s) are you planning on using?

I think 103" is probably what I need based on 78rpm = 23.92mph, the key will be training to be able to push it in headwinds or slopes.

[Frank9755]

Amazing - not that long ago that I was trying to get 150psi in my tyres and hoping the rims didn't explode!

I made a supersonic inner tube explode at a lot less than that...  ... it happened as I was warming up, 10 minutes before my start time in a 10 TT... I limped to the car, managed to replace the inner tube and put some air in it... and was on the line 30 seconds before I was due

I had one go bang in my car as I was driving to an event (tube not rim).  After I'd recovered from the shock, I had just enough time to go home, get another wheel, and make my start.  Wish I hadn't bothered as it was blowing a gale and it was my slowest ever 50.

[DuncanM]

Cool bike.  What gearing(s) are you planning on using?

I think 103" is probably what I need based on 78rpm = 23.92mph, the key will be training to be able to push it in headwinds or slopes.

That's a big gear, but at least you won't spin out! I was running 94" max 2 years ago when I was TTing on fixed. I only managed to spin out once with a massive tailwind on a dual carriageway course.  It was really painful pushing back into the headwind! https://www.strava.com/activities/2627238193

[AntLockyer]

Cool bike.  What gearing(s) are you planning on using?

I think 103" is probably what I need based on 78rpm = 23.92mph, the key will be training to be able to push it in headwinds or slopes.

That's a big gear, but at least you won't spin out! I was running 94" max 2 years ago when I was TTing on fixed. I only managed to spin out once with a massive tailwind on a dual carriageway course.  It was really painful pushing back into the headwind! https://www.strava.com/activities/2627238193

I had planned to start on mid 90s once I get used to pootling around on the 69" gear I have on there at the moment. I'm certainly no spinner so will see  how I get on.

[bairn again]

Note that the organisers are moving away from using the Prees-Espley stretch too much, so the main leg is likely to be more Shawbirch-Espley heavy.  This means you'll likely need any supporters to move between Espley for the main circuit and Prees for the Quina Brook circuit, rather than just staying at Prees all the time.

That's a bit of a bugger for the less agile support crews. Should be faster though.

Presumably that's even more of a bugger for any unsupported riders who may have previously left a car at Prees before the event with extra stuff (as I have done in the past) knowing that they would pass their vehicle either every 40 or 13 miles for the vast majority of the event.         

[Karla]

In good TT news, CTT have just sent round a message saying that events are back on from March 29th, and can everyone remember to put in their police notifications asap. 

We've put in for a 10 on April 3rd. Time to go the TT bike fettled ...

[Geriatricdolan]

I've also signed up for a club event on April the 3rd. Unusual 20 miles distance... not that unusual when it comes to think, seeing that the majority of my outdoor training rides are about one hour and 20 miles...

[postie]

My clubs evening tt's are back on this year, and hopefully by june we can offer our normal tea and cake ,post race. runing them to begin with will very different to normal,  but having read all the notes on organizering ,looks like things should work ok.

In case anyone is interested our first event is free!!!
Tuesday 6th april
P841 ( Chichester,  west suusex)

[Karla]

The Hounslow 100 has been postponed to August 1st.  Drat, that was going to be my early season qualifier for the fast events. 

[Frank9755]

We (Westerley) are getting the Wednesday evening Hillingdon circuit 10s underway again.  First one would have been tomorrow but we have shifted the series back by a fortnight.  Tomorrow will be a closed 'test' event with just club members to make sure everything works under COVID rules.   

[John Stonebridge]

My clubs midweek 10 series would normally run from May to August but there are rumour of an earlier start given that none took place last year

On that basis I plan to get out to the course over the next few weeks and see if I can remember what to do!

[Geriatricdolan]

Did a 20 last Saturday... it was cold.
Richard Bussell won, I was some 14 minutes behind... and 8 minutes behind the fastest road bike... my first time outside the bottom third...
It was fun 

[Karla]

Did a 10 on Saturday, in 23:42.  Given I'd done 22:47 on the same course during the week, I was a bit annoyed 

[Geriatricdolan]

Did a 10 on Saturday, in 23:42.  Given I'd done 22:47 on the same course during the week, I was a bit annoyed 

Yeah, but Saturday was cold and quite breezy, while earlier in the week was warm. I also was expecting to be a minute or so quicker over the 20 miles... and I also expected the winner to do better than a 42'

[Legs]

TBH, I always found the lack of comparability from course to course and day to day a bit frustrating when I was racing TTs regularly - was a short 23 on the H10/3 better than a mid 21 on the P613?  I was kicking myself that I did my PB (21:01) on what others regarded to be a 'float' day...  My next best (21:03) was a much stronger ride...

Anyway, with all that said, I'm finding Zwift TTs a bit of a revelation: no traffic, same bike and kit, same weather, no wind to speak of... and I do Tempus Fugit (17.6km) and Bologna (8.1k) so that there's not even the temptation to consider what the equivalent 10-mile time would be!

[Geriatricdolan]

TBH, I always found the lack of comparability from course to course and day to day a bit frustrating when I was racing TTs regularly - was a short 23 on the H10/3 better than a mid 21 on the P613?  I was kicking myself that I did my PB (21:01) on what others regarded to be a 'float' day...  My next best (21:03) was a much stronger ride...

Time is not comparable but power output is. Most people who are serious about TT (and even many who aren't) have a power meter.

Ultimately (and I might be a minority in thinking this way) it's a race, so it's about beating as many competitors as possible, irrespective of the time... in my case not very many...
I take more pleasure being mid way through the leader board with an average time than being last with a PB

[Legs]

Time is not comparable but power output is. Most people who are serious about TT (and even many who aren't) have a power meter.

I never had a power meter when I was racing on the road, and I don't have a road-going one now.  No idea whatsoever what kind of power I put out 20 years ago.  My FTP is 286W, but that's indoors and probably not replicable in a TT position.

Ultimately (and I might be a minority in thinking this way) it's a race, so it's about beating as many competitors as possible, irrespective of the time... in my case not very many...
I take more pleasure being mid way through the leader board with an average time than being last with a PB

But that's purely a function of how strong the field is.  If I've pulled out all the stops and come last in a great field, that's a better ride than finishing mid-table in a Wobbly Wheelers 10 with a mediocre ride, surely?
Zwift TT fields are, probably to a greater degree than IRL TT events, self-selecting; a TT field at Bologna will be skewed to climbers, for example.