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12 Hour Time Trial

11 posts & 7 voices | Started 11 months ago by Surfr | Latest reply from Surfr

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Surfr - Member

Quite a few of you mentioning 12 hour TTs in the recent 'How far have you ridden in a day' thread.

I've entered the Welsh 12 hour champs this year. My first Open event full stop. Never ridden more than 123 miles in a day before and that was the Dragon ride a couple weeks ago. Hoping to break into the 200 mile range. I'll be on a road bike with tri bars, skinsuit and a pointy hat and have apparently got some form of roadside support.

I've not got a lot of times to go on to predict a distance really. local club spoco 10 PB 25:20 (probably 24:30 if we get a float night soon). I'm happy enough in the saddle for upwards of 7 hours (Dragon was 7:20 riding time).

Any hints and tips gratefully received. I imagine similar tactics from 12/24 hor MTB soloists would be useful too. In fact if I survive this, I may try the Bonty 24-12 or a Mayhem solo.

Posted 11 months ago #
epicsteve - Member

On your thread on Bikeradar I liked the advice from someone who said "start crying"...

Posted 11 months ago #
Surfr - Member

Yeh but he's a clubmate who is also competing

Posted 11 months ago #
LS - Member

Don't start too fast. The first hour or two should feel 'easy'. Set yourself a schedule but be prepared to alter it on the fly according to wind etc.
Most people have a bad patch at some point, try and resist the temptation to climb off. Ride through it and you'll probably come round again after an hour or so - beyond 6-7hrs you're into mental strength and fatigue management rather than all-out cycling ability.

Make sure whatever you eat/drink agrees with you and has done on long, hard rides in the past.

Posted 11 months ago #
hugh jardon - Member

Only three things you need to remember,
1 Don't go off too fast
2 Don't go off too fast
3 DON'T GO OFF TOO FAST!

Did the Welsh 12hr in 2009, superb event, they have an area where you can collect drinks as well as people handing you rice pudding in ice cream cones which believe it or not just hits the spot.

I did not listen to the above advice and paid the price, I went through 100 miles only 20 mins slower than my 100 pb, through 150 miles in a little under 7 1/2 hrs, caught and passed a club mate (who is quicker than me) for 16 minutes!

Then hit the wall, cramp on inside of both thighs and both calfs, got off with nearly an hour left thinking I had gone over 200 (according to my computer) only to have a distance of 199.658 put up on the board.

The triathlon style frame bags are very useful for putting gels etc in, but take some sandwiches cut up small as after 7 or 8hrs of gels and energy drink I was craving something savoury?

I did it on my TT bike, didn't use my pointy hat as the one I had at the time wasn't very comfortable and not well ventilated.

I did the end to end a couple of months previous and a couple of 300K Audax's, TT pb's were 22.49(10), 56.46(25), 1.59.03(50), 4.23.19(100) at the time I did it.

Posted 11 months ago #
pistonbroke - Member

Get plenty of savoury food such as pork pies, sausage rolls, sweet stuff such as bars , jelly babies and gels can make you feel sick after a while. Fresh water alternated with electrolyte drink will also settle the stomach. And by the way, DON'T GO OFF TOO QUICKLY.

Posted 11 months ago #
Surfr - Member

Good tips so far. Thanks. What about entertaining yourself? Not allowed music and you can't talk to other riders as you can't ride alongside or draft.

Posted 11 months ago #
Surfr - Member

Well I climbed off after 200 miles with saddle related pains which developed after 180 miles. It was a brilliant event and I'll be back next year to try and record a 230+ distance. I spent 90 minutes off the bike this year and was averaging 20MPH for the day before that so I know I can do it. I just need to tweak the bike setup a little and try an Adamo saddle I think to relieve perineum pressure.

Decided that I quite like the long distance TTing and am filling in my entry form for the Welsh 100 as we speak. Who knows, I might even attempt the national 24 next season!

Official recorded distance was 201.314 miles. Winner was 267.62 miles. Many packed due to heat stroke but that didn't seem to get to me luckily.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/96648818

Posted 10 months ago #
m1kea - Member

I see some TTFers have replied here

I've done various long duration MTB events but never had the bottle to enter a 12 on't road bike.

A big difference with road events is that you won't generally have a HQ area to go through on / stop on each lap, and you won't have potential situations like needing to stop/walk for a technical bit, and thus get a break of some form.

Whilst personal music will help while the hours away, mp3 players are a no no on the road for a whole host of safety reasons (and let's not get in to that discussion now) so you'll need to be able to mentally tough it out.

Make sure your bike position is already good now, possibly raising bar height a splash if you're riding quite low. Once settled, DON'T touch it until after the event.

Support will help no end and you may want to consider having a couple of folk help over the course of the event, so that they can have a break.

I recently helped out and photographed the National 24 hour TT in Sussex and that was cracking event with a great atmosphere. What was even more impressive was we didn't reckon many would get over 480 miles on what was a lumpy old course.

As it turned out Wilko set a new championship record with 541 miles!!!!!

Posted 10 months ago #
clubber - Member

Indeed. Our guys finished second and third despite doing silly high milages - seriously, over 500 miles in 24hrs and still not winning! Mad...

Posted 10 months ago #
Surfr - Member

Yeh that was a monsterous performance by Wilko. Fair play!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tix9iF3reSE

Posted 10 months ago #