Cycling UK Forum

Evening All!

Now the winter is looming I'm starting to think about what I'd like to attempt next year. I'm considering having a go at a 10 - 25 mile time trial either somewhere near St Helens, Merseyside, or Stone, Staffordshire.

I know very little about time trials. What sort of commitment to training does the average rider in these events have? How long do they spend a week on the Turbo Trainer or rollers? I know the 25 mile hour is something people aim for, and I realise this is not good enough to win as I was reading in Cycling Weekly about a rider who just rode a 100 mile time trial with an average speed a little over 29mph! Is the 25 mph speed about middle of the field at these events or is it rare to see much above that at normal club level events?

...so if I wanted to get a 22mph ride would I need to be putting an hour on the trainer 3 days a week (I realise what I do, and variation on the trainer is important) with many road hours too, or is that more at the level of the riders finishing in the top quarter?

Cheers for any help. This is only a little more serious than my normal random musings at the moment!

.

Hi Wes,
I started doing TTs last year on my fixie. I don't do much mileage but have a base fitness from judo. This year I changed the fixie for a Giant TCR set up as a TT bike. I started doing some concerted training around Xmas last year but got the flu and it all went out the window from there. I did some roller work, based mainly on a TT plan which is available as a download for about a tenner. I believe there is a TT training plan available on our club website which you might find useful.

http://www.pembs-velo.co.uk/training.htm


The more mileage the better but to be fast you need to build aerobic fitness. Interval training is the way to go, but to be honest, if you're basically fit you could just turn up and ride without too much problem. Once you've done a couple you'll begin to see how competitive you are and it will develop from there.

Feel free to post or PM if you've got any questions. I'm no expert but I'll do my best to answer any questions you've got.

Rich.

PS over a 10 mile TT our quick boys are taking around 23 minutes. First time out I did a 34. I'm now doing 27s. That's with no specific training and an average of only around 6k a day on the bike. One of our fast boys took a couple of years before he could break 28 minutes.

Thanks for the replies guys, that helps a lot.

My fitness isn't fantastic at the moment as I've been working away 2-3 nights a week for 3 - 4 weeks a month since April. However I regularly commute to work when I'm working in Liverpool rather than away and it is about 13 miles each way. I ride hard, but not right at my limit. I believe I'm riding towards the top end of heart rate zone 3. I can do this 3 times a week easily, occasionally 4, rarely 5. I mainly only do three as my kit rarely dries in time. Looks like I'll need at least two sets of kit to ride that much!

I have done a 56 mile commute to Stone from St Helens (rode down, stopped a few nights, rode back - I enjoyed putting in the 112 mile claim at work! ) this has a few reasonable hills and took me 3hrs30, with a 10kg ruck sac, on a hard tail mtb with 26*1.5" Specialized Nimbus Armidillo slicks pumped to 80psi.

I was toying with the idea of getting the 26*1.125" Continental Ultra Gators as they are a little lighter and narrower than the Nimbus and I hope take a little higher pressure. I was going to run with what I've got just to see what I feel like running flat out over the 10 or 25 mile route before looking for a more specific bike.

What gearing do you have on your fixie? I've got one recently to use on the track but it's not geared that high, think it's only a 84". I wouldn't like to ride tubs on the roads around here either as I get so much glass stuck in my Nimbus tyre set on commute. I was considering getting a spare set of clincher wheels with some tougher, narrower tyres.

Wes,
You sound easily fit enough for a club 10, which I personally would ride on the fixie but which could be done equally acceptably on the MTB.
If I remember correctly I was running 48/16 which is under geared for our courses but was the best I could push round. 90-100" is going to be better but don't get too hung up about it; just ride what you've got and see how it works. The main change I made was a set of decent racing tyres (Michelin Race Pros).

My max HR is around 183 and I'll ride a "10" at 177-180bpm. If you're not getting off and feeling sick afterwards, you're not going quick enough!

If it's like our club, there will be plenty of expensive bikes, aero wheels and skin suits. However, there are also cheap road bikes, the odd tandem etc.
The point is, just do it. If you wait to be fit enough you'll never go. I didn't think I would be fit or fast and I held off going. In the end my wife insisted I went and I loved it. Competing regularly is the best training and after a few you'll see some significant improvements in your times. Once you're into it you can then decide whether you go for a fancy TT bike or a change in gearing.


The training booklet I got off the web can be found at:


http://www.timetrialtraining.co.uk/default.htm

Personally, I'd start off with what we've got on our site and see how it goes.


The season's over for us now, but if you ever make it to Pembrokeshire you'd be made very welcome on one of our events.

I am also intending to start doing time trials next year, I've just ordered my first ever road bike through cycle scheme and paid my subs to the local racing club, so it's all new to me.

I only started cycling a year ago and slowly increased my commuter milage until I could get to work without taking the train for part of the journey, I also went on my first two week touring holiday this summer.

On an evening ride out in late August I came accross a large number of bikes gathered behind a local country pub, intrigued I rode into the car park and asked what was going on, I was told it was a regular 10 mile time trial and was offered a chance to take part. I was riding an older Galaxy with 27 inch wheels, touring tyres, pump, mudgaurds carrier etc, so it was not exactly built for the job of time trialling, when I got back the back wheel had broken 3 spokes and buckled to the point that it was dragging.

Despite this I really enjoyed myself and was made very welcome, I was surprised that I could maintain 20mph+ when I really tried and happy to find that although I had finished towards the bottom of the field with a time of 28 dead I was not the slowest rider on the course. I did not feel sick or particularly puffed, but I was a bit annoyed that the bike had broken and perhaps slowed me down towards the end of the course, a cup of tea in the pub car park and I was quite able to ride the 10 mile route home (albeit keeping an eye on my very wobbly back wheel)

I can't wait to see what it's like with a lighter more modern bike and I now have the winter to practice so any advice from more experienced riders would be welcome. At the moment I don't intend to undertake any special training, just keep riding a bike regularly over the winter and see what happens when the time trials start next year.

Thanks again!

I'll go for it then! I did suspect I'd missed the season now, but it does give me a chance to build up my strength a little.

I'll push up my average HR on my commute over the next few rides. Tried this morning and budged it up to a 162, but I think my max is around 195ish, so I'll be trying to get used to riding for extended periods (or at least up to 40mins) at 176-180. I'm looking forward to the post exercise rush after that run!

This morning was a dismal ride. Even though I knocked up the heart rate I was on averaging 15 mph. There was a 20mph westerly, and I was travelling towards the west! Ride home should be very fun!

Hi Wes, just shout for any advise.
I guess I am (usually) one of the most prolific tters on the site, but do not take training too seriously, well not this year anyway.

Started tting from a touring back ground. Did no specific training though I did start going out with a small training we had going at that stage and rode a little harder than with the pure touring club.
Riding the tts was the best way of training and learning as you race yourself fit and usually every event is slight improvment as you learn as you go along about what your body is capable of, how hard you can push yourself etc.

If you are doing some steady touring, weekly mileage you can easily ride a 10 miler. Around April the evening club tts re-start. There are events on the Rainford bypass every Tues, Weds & Thurs evenings. these are probably the best way to start as you get a feel for what is expected and what you can do.

I never used to have a turbo but a summer of awful weather mid-80s stimulated me to buy one, every year I say I will concentrate on riding on the turbo more for some steady training, and every year there is an excuse; neighbour on nights, too much of a pain to set up in the front room......
No excuse now I have a garage, electricity set up in it, just a tv and cycling dvds to get.....

Best thing to do is not too worry too much just go out and have a go, then you can see what you are capable of and have some targets in mind of what you can try to beat next time you ride.

Lots of useful info on CTT (cyclingtimetrials.org). I did a couple of TTs on my £40 bike and beat quite a few of the others. You are totally on your own unlike a running race and are up against people on very expensive specialist designer tt bikes that cost thousands. It is very good for your fitness levels and will add another 10% to your speed. You have to peak for the events and go into them fresh and not with tired heavy legs from too much training.
You will get people of all standards so don't be overawed.

Thanks again for all the advice!

I found the local route wasn't too far from my house. The D1/10 or D10/1 one or the other! Starts and ends near Bickerstaffe, very close to the M58. Tried it today after a bit of a dry spell from the bike, thanks to some nights away from home. I've still got a way to go!

Averages where (ride 33min50):

17.6mph, 103rpm, 163bpm.

...that's on my hard tail mtb with 26*1.5" tyres at 80psi, front shock locked out, and a large rucksac. Probably would have been a teeny bit better if I'd taken off the rain cover of my sac! Ho hum, at least I have the base mark to work up from rather than waiting until I was fit and timing myself from there! I hadn't realised it was a 7 mile ride out to the start though.

Edit, it's the D10/1:

Quoting a helpful person from the local club who organises it:

"The D10/1 start up near the church at Bickerstaffe. If you come down Intake Lane from the church just after the houses there is a public footpath sign on your left that is the start go down Intake Lane, until you come to the roundabout at the Wheatsheaf Pub, go left along the Rainford bypass until you get to the Motorway Island. Circle the roundabout back along the bypass through the Wheatsheaf roundabout and carry on until the next roundabout. Circle this roundabout back to the Wheatsheaf roundabout go back down Intake Lane towards the start. The finish is the 1st gate post just as you start the drag back up to the church (were the woods start on your left)"

Don't worry about what times the others are doing as don't forget a TT is just a race against the clock.

If the local club is any good they will welcome you and give you encouragement and you just want to get quicker as time goes by.

I don't really enjoy time trialling but I do all my club evening 10s and club 25s as training rides and because I like to support the club events.

It wiill probably take a few events before you get into the swing and before you work out which is the best way for you to approach them alhough really a 10 is just a flat out effort for 25 to 30 mins.
It is for me anyway as I like to get the pain out of the way as fast as possible.

Go for it, stick a number on your back enjoy, if thats the right word.

Well done Wes.
Remember when you actually line up with a time keeper it is a different animal, entirely. You will go faster and will have other riders around to encourage you.
Now you know where Bickerstaffe is you can ride it 3 eves a week, thru the summer months. The evening time trials usually start after Easter, ie once the evenings start coming lighter again.
Not sure who does Tues.
But Weds it is combined Wigan Whs/St Helens and they meet in the service road to the houses next to the Wheatsheaf (just do not park in front of the houses).
Thurs is Mersey Roads (I think) any way they meet at the Rugby club/playing field near the start.
Time of start tend to be from 18.45 (earlier season) and 19.00 as light improves. Just arrive in time to sign on, get your number and ride out to start.
They usually cost approx £2

New faces are always welcome.

dont give up if your first one feels like a disaster. most riders perform badly in their first race, be it TT or RR. its just lack of experience catches you out - you go too fast, too slow, miss the break, let a gap go etc etc. A fairly reasonable (beginners) performance will come after a handful of go's. After that it only gets better. But as you get better, the wallet will drain with the need for better kit.