The TT Thread

[Karla]

In that case I'll listen for the insults to find out where you are.

[rob]

Won’t bother with a seperate thread but who’s going to the 24 this year ?

[Feanor]

Won’t bother with a seperate thread but who’s going to the 24 this year ?

Not me.
Too close to PBP.

[Karla]

Muggins here

[rob]

In that case I'll listen for the insults to find out where you are.

I’ll be at the Cloverleaf on the early loop on the edge of Ashford.  I may head to the Brenzett roundabout for a while to cheer people on.

[DuncanM]

I did another 10 tonight. 28:10 ish including getting held up slightly at the turn (and having no warmup as I was last off doing the start stopwatch duties). I need to work on getting more aero - 28 minutes off 251W normalised is disappointing. It's not a super fast course (record is 21:15), but still...

[Karla]

4:30:21 in the KCA for me.  I set off at a conservative pace as I had no idea what I could sustain, having done zero speed training since I got back 10 days ago.  This ride was purely to get a qualifying time for the nationals in a month - I wouldn't be racing in this sort of condition otherwise - so I was also using it as a test bed for several new bits and pieces and had got the bike out of a friend's loft a few days before and on the road the previous day, running a double ring in a single setup, no chain guard, and a pair of brake calipers I'd bought on the way down when my hydraulics turned out to not be working.  Oh, and I hadn't paired the PM and the Wahoo was still in kilometres.

Result: 4:30:21 including over four minutes stopped, mostly retrieving my dropped chain (eight times) or fetching water, as I'd decided my BTA bottle holder was sufficiently dodgy that I just ran with the saddle bottle.  This was always going to be a lastminute attempt so I don't begrudge that; I did what I had to and now I'm pretty sure I'll get into the nats. 

Lessons:
Get a gorilla cage for the front, and cut a mount between the tribars so it can be attached at both ends.
Find a Rotor spider tool somewhere so I can install my single chainring (I suspect I have one in the loft but don't want to disturb the tenants again so will have to buy another one).
Ride more in the TT saddle, and never forget to use chamois cream on a long time trial! 

[rob]

All riders at my roundabout went the right way.   Only one cock of a motorist who wanted the event stopped.

[rob]

Cambridge CC 50 on the E2 this morning.   New position, new skinsuit, new helmet.   The day was a bit breezy and it lifted towards the end.  I didn’t expect a PB day but was running close to the required average speed up to about 38 miles where I turned into a block headwind and it all went to shit.  At the final turn at 45 miles I had 10 minutes to cover the remaining 5 miles to get under 1:50.  I managed to keep the speed over 30mph for most of it and finished with.........1:50:05.

Anyway it’s my second fastest 50 ever and only my first race out since last July.   Lots to think about.

[Karla]

Congrats on the fast time!

[Feanor]

Alistair Speed Meml 50 TT today, out of Freuchie in Fife.

2:02:17, which is my PB over 50 ( it's only my second 50! )
I'll have another bash at getting under 2 hours later in the year.

Course is not the fastest.
Relentlessly undulating, and rather better ventilated than is optimal.

You have to approach the same roundabout 3 times, and I had to stop a couple of times.
5 left hand turns , 1 right hand 😱 and a dead turn. Certainly varied.
One rider managed to count 25 Marshalls!

Great fun, and a PB so what's not to like.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2454842653

[DuncanM]

Those are two very impressive 50s.  Congrats to both of you!

[bairn again]

I rode my first club TT in <inaudible mumble> last night.  My expectations were limited, anything sub 30 mins would have been ok, I just needed to actually post a time.

In the end i was pleased to get round safely and in 27.40.  Warm up consisted of pumping tyres up and riding 1/4 mile to the start.  I couldnt hang about at the finish but im sure id have been last, nobody else seems to go over 25 mins these days. 

Im on holiday next week up at my mother in laws in Ft William and will take the TT bike with me and ride the Jason McIntyre course a few times. 

Target 1.  Age standard (27.07).  Target 2.  26 mins. 

[bairn again]

Alistair Speed Meml 50 TT today, out of Freuchie in Fife.

2:02:17, which is my PB over 50 ( it's only my second 50! )
I'll have another bash at getting under 2 hours later in the year.

Course is not the fastest.
Relentlessly undulating, and rather better ventilated than is optimal.

You have to approach the same roundabout 3 times, and I had to stop a couple of times.
5 left hand turns , 1 right hand 😱 and a dead turn. Certainly varied.
One rider managed to count 25 Marshalls!

Great fun, and a PB so what's not to like.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2454842653

 

[sg37409]

It was my 5th attempt in my clubs' Crow Road TT this week.  An uphill (not too steep) ~3 km: Last 4 attempts (7:30, 7:37, 7:47, 8:24) pretty much track my gradual slowing down, so I was hoping to check this. I was happy with 8:16 this time, although slipping down the leaderboard. I'm probably around 1.5kg heavier than previously too. 

[lord hereford]

Just entered the Mersey Roads 24 hour TT. I will be riding without any support.

Any advice from those who've experience of riding or supporting others on where best to place my car so I can get to my food and spares with the minimum of faff?

I know there is a HQ and a particular roundabout that gets used, but will one place cover me for all the various circuits over the 24 hours?

Thanks!

[Karla]

Press Island will cover you for everything except the finishing circuit. 

The course starts in Wrexham and immediately goes down to Press, from which it uses three circuits that all go past the island.  It then goes back up to Wrexham on the second morning and loops the (8?) mile finishing circuit around where you started. 

Your best plan is probably to park your car at Prees and ride up to Wrexham with a bag of stuff you can leave with the organiser to put out the next day.  Label it clearly as "Finish Ckt Bag" or something though, so it doesn't get taken down to Prees.

Look on the "Mersey Roads 24 Hour" Facebook group, there's a course map there and you can ask questions that will hopefully get an official answer.

[rob]

The course details are available here.   

https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/19122

Whilst Prees Heath is the best base you will spend a few hours (circa 60 miles) away from there on the Saturday afternoon as you do Espley-Shawbirch twice.   It has been mentioned that they have lost the old HQ on the Wrexham Industrial Estate.   The route (start) would suggest that they have returned to the Farndon Sports & Social Club.

With regard to Prees Heath there's a big car park there.   The caffs are open all day but no longer overnight.   There's also a chippy/pizza place.

[Karla]

Ooh I missed that extra Espley-Shawbirch leg.  Let that be a lesson in asking questions of random unaffiliated strangers on the internet  . To ask what official support is available for unsupported riders, contact the organiser using the contact details you saw when you entered the event.

[mattc]

The course details are available here.   

https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/19122

Whilst Prees Heath is the best base you will spend a few hours (circa 60 miles) away from there on the Saturday afternoon as you do Espley-Shawbirch twice.

That's a pain The start is about the hottest part of your ride, so 60miles is a nuisance.

In  a perfect world MerseyRC would put someone (at Espley?) during the afternoon. There was water-bottle support at the only 12 I've done. Of course this is stretching resources even thinner.

Or folks have left bottles around the circuit - that works. (Paging oranj! )

Or someone could volunteer to be neutral support for Billy Nomates-es - this has happened when I rode and was rather lovely. < thinks ... >

[Exit Stage Left]

I've just been talking to Jon Williams, volunteering to marshal from 10pm at Espley. There will be water at Espley during the day, but not the full catering, which will be available at night. If it's hot I'd suggest carrying salt or electrolytes.

The headquarters is at Farndon. The previous headquarters at Wrexham is now closed. They've decided to keep the finish circuit from last year. It comes within 500 metres of the Farndon headquarters, but doesn't pass it. 70 entries so far apparently.

[Revellinho]

I’ll be riding. 81”.

[Revellinho]

Just entered the Mersey Roads 24 hour TT. I will be riding without any support.

Any advice from those who've experience of riding or supporting others on where best to place my car so I can get to my food and spares with the minimum of faff?

I know there is a HQ and a particular roundabout that gets used, but will one place cover me for all the various circuits over the 24 hours?

Thanks!

I would park at HQ and hand over your box of supplies/night layers to be taken by the marshals to Prees Heath.  On your first pass of the Prees Heath roundabout, you are on the wrong side for the boxes/tent if it is like previous years.  In fact, on the first pass I'm not even sure that your stuff will be there by then.  Maybe put 2 bottles on the bike and a bite to eat in the back pocket?  After that it is just a matter of pulling off and helping yourself, although when coming FROM the A41 TO the A49, you do have to cross the carriageway.  The first time I used this facilty, it was quite warm and I got through my 8-ish made-up bottles pretty quickly, but the marshal looking after things there made them all up again whilst I was riding using the electrolytes/squash from my box.  Would recommend plenty of 'normal' food in your box and consider some chain oil and a rag.  Happy to try and answer any questions you may have.

[rob]

ECCA 100 on the E2 this morning. Whilst the event started early I was off towards the back at 6:04.  Wind was a different way round to last weekend and much kinder.  Fuelled properly but maybe not quite enough water.  Improved my PB by just over a minute with 3:45:29. 

Men’s team record was broken, but the solo record is safe as Marcin went off course and was DQ’d.

[Pedal Castro]

ECCA 100 on the E2 this morning. Whilst the event started early I was off towards the back at 6:04.  Wind was a different way round to last weekend and much kinder.  Fuelled properly but maybe not quite enough water.  Improved my PB by just over a minute with 3:45:29. 

Men’s team record was broken, but the solo record is safe as Marcin went off course and was DQ’d.

I did rubbish (absolute last in the h'cap comp), just couldn't get the power down or the HR up. I felt a bit drowsy on the way home so maybe lack of sleep...? Just entered the EDCA 100 as I need to be at least 6' faster.