[Closed] 2017 TT'ing thread

A good night last night, 21:42 at WOTG, which is possibly my quickest 10 not on the F11! No traffic assistance required! 😛 Good work from CTM too with a PB!

Dropped my bars 2.4cm (-10 to -24 degree stem) with no effect on power so I'll stick with it for a bit.

TiRed - Is that the centre pull TRP? I'm thinking about one of those for the front, as apparently it can quite easily be bodged to work! No arms outside the headtube line, and vertical cable has to be a winner.

Ugh an accident at the VTTA on F11/10 today. Was off early at 21 and the traffic was already backed up by the time I got there. Rider lying in the road being seen to and a mangled bike, horrid sight. Really hope the rider is ok. I think he got airlifted.

They were putting times up on the board at the HQ when I got back which didn't seem right to me 🙁

Here's a question. Numbers just for easy maths.

I complete a race whereby I've just my effort to average a 80watts. After I finished, data shows I achieved 110 watts average.

Is it reasonable then on the next event to aim to average the 110w and push on in the latter stages, knowing I can achieve it? E.G use last rides average power data to improve upon?

Kryton. Doesn't sound unreasonable. Though keep in mind you're trying to ride the course as quick as you can, not average some power target.

Feeling bad that I didn't stop at the accident today. I've no first aid knowledge so I don't think I'd have been any help, and I could see a lot of people out of their cars helping. I didn't even have a phone to call for help. So, race over, I just rode on to let the race officials know.

Yes it uses a noodle and is direct pull. Fits with the new forks and is a quarter the price of the TriRig. Mine is silver to match the groupset. Well the cranks and rear brake. Bike will be finished with the disc wheel. From the front it is very clean indeed.

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Some pictures of this work in progress. Just the disc to swap now. It's not an English (Oh I wish), but it was built by England's most famous TT bike builder (Barry Chick). You can see from the front how well the brake is hidden. And from the side, how much space you will need to fit it. There was not enough room with the MDT/Argos steel fork. Now to see if it's faster!

Feeling bad that I didn't stop at the accident today. I've no first aid knowledge so I don't think I'd have been any help, and I could see a lot of people out of their cars helping. I didn't even have a phone to call for help. So, race over, I just rode on to let the race officials know.

There's nothing you could have done mate. Unless you're first on the scene, or first aid trained, then the best thing to do it carry on riding. If its that bad then its gonna need the professionals to sort it out. Stopping on a DC is never a good idea and as soon as other people see one rider stopped then maybe they think they should stop and you end up with a crowd forming. If he has got a first aider and the emergency services have been called then there literally nothing else to be done, except making sure the situation doesn't get any worse.

Having been at the pointy end of a fatality, it's dreadful. Awful news. Condolences to the family.

Some first aid training goes a long way, but the most important part is that somebody takes control. Stopping traffic, calling the emergency services, and administering first aid. If those actions were taken care off, there is no more you could have done.

My clubmate had the same tragic outcome despite everything we did. Awful.

Read this morning that he died at the scene. Just awful. RIP Ray.

Absolutely awful news Wednesday. Circumstances unknown, but I never feel the F11 is dangerous, super wide, quiet and large shoulders. Shows that it can happen anywhere.

21:38 on the H10/17r last night for me, a 30s course PB but not brilliant. I just don't seem to do well on that course!

F15/10 tomorrow has been moved to the F11/10, which is good in PB potential, but I wouldn't have raced Tuesday and last night if I'd have known! Then H10/22 Sunday, which I think I may be exhausted for by then!

Nice work JB. Is a hard course to get right.

Didn't race yesterday, didn't even go for a ride. Wednesday's events very much on my mind. Been at events where there have been incidents before but never saw the scene, and never one with such tragic consequences 🙁

I would have agreed with you about the F11/10, but I've raced twice and both times there's been a bad accident and the event has been cancelled. Talk at the HQ after the event that it's becoming such a frequent occurrence that permission for events to be run on that course may not be granted in future. Is a shame as it is probably the fastest course round these parts. At 8 miles when my race ended I was easily on for a PB. Took a wrong turn at the first roundabout and had to do an u-turn, had to slow and filter through traffic for the accident, and then not racing the last couple of miles, strava says I still did a 20:01 for the 10.

Successful weekend for me

21:50 for 4th in the Islington CC event Saturday, and 21:18 for 7th in the Watford Velo Sport event yesterday.

I was hoping for some Top 10's this season, so I'm quite pleased!

Tired after 4 x 10s in 6 days, and managed 4 x 21:xx, which was my target. A modest target, but going the right way!

Nice work JB. How did you do at the F11/10, which was that?

It reverted back to a variant of the F15/10 in the end, after discussions with CTT according to race email. I imagine after Wednesday's tragedy, which is perfectly understandable.

Missed out the ski slope start of the F15, and did 2 laps between roundabouts for those familiar with it.

Well, I nearly binned it tonight.

Going fairly fast - I'm relatively inexperienced - over a rough road on the extensions and my vision went wobbly and so did the front wheel.

My issue - being honest - is that I feel a bit out of control fast downhill without pressure on the pedals and before I've had a chance to change gear. Then, I'm too busy shitting myself and fighting the urge to sit up to reach my thumb out to shift.

Any quick fix or just MTFU and experience?

I think practice is the key. After not riding the TT bike for 7 months every year I find it bizarre, and an effort to corner etc., but give it 2 or 3 rides and I find nailing corners at race pace fine.

Other contributors may be seat too far forward so weight is a little unevenly distributed?

Or maybe tilt extensions up a bit so you're kind of pushing back and making yourself more stable on the bike.

Were you pedaling? If not, 'sit' on the pedals if that makes sense - get your weight lower and it'll stop you freeing up on the bike.

I find a more stretched out position helps with stability too.

Any quick fix or just MTFU and experience?

Fantastic, thank you all.

Actually managed to get a ride on the mighty V718 this weekend, and couldn't be less excited.

As fun a 4 races in 6 days the other week was fun, my motivation to ride a bike, never mind race has disappeared it seems! Though the weather isn't helping!

I'd probably have withdrawn usually and saved a 350 mile trip, however I'm up North anyway so I may as well partake.

I'm on V718 on Saturday too. I'm not riding well at the moment so I'm not quite sure why I entered it but we'll see what happens.

My season has got a bit disrupted due to an ongoing car issue (it broke down on the way to a TT in mid June and still isn't right!). I've been hiring cars for weekend events (although I'm trying the train on Saturday) but have missed out on midweek evening TTs. I've even resorted to bunch racing instead as that's easier for me to get to.

I'm having a go on the back of a tandem tonight in advance of racing Hull on one next weekend.

Only thing left to do after that on my journey to becoming a fully fledged tester is buying a trike.

I've not raced as much as I'd have liked due to focus on MTB and she injuries, but I have E22/24 on Sunday, should be interesting considering this'll be my 4th TT of the year with only 2 x10's and 1 x 15m under my belt.

Of course, its going to hurt!

I'm having a go on the back of a tandem tonight in advance of racing Hull on one next weekend.

Only thing left to do after that on my journey to becoming a fully fledged tester is buying a trike.

You need a fixed tandem trike. I've got two thirds of the way there:

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Well I'm getting rather grumpy. Life is conspiring against me getting a chance to ride the new TT bike. It's been 3 months now confined to the turbo. In desperation to actual ride the bike outside for its maiden voyage I was going to commute on it this morning and go for a lunch spin.

But no, strong winds and showers. Back on the commuter....

I'm saving my trike for our last "TT" of the season. The dead flat, no camber, 1km sprint. Our courses in the FoD are way to rough for my level of trike control. Now, do I run it fixed or gears? Aero or normal bars?

Got a "proper" TT ride on the tandem a week next Sat on the flat L1015 course near Levens, having done nothing similar for the past 20 years! Have done a few club events on a sporting course though, and got a nice PB last night so at least we are in some sort of shape. Rather to my surprise, there will be another tandem turning up to beat us.

Managed a 25 mile PB on Saturday at the L2511 up at Keswick, Cumbria. Set a time of 55:12, coming joint 10th. Quite happy with that considering my injuries I've had to contend with this season. Only 3 more open events for me to do (although I've entered another 100 but it comes a week after the 12hr so doubt I'll be recovered in time)

I was looking through Bigham etc Stravas from the national 25 yesterday... how many watts do people feel Strava shaves of their own numbers?

I ask as most of the top 10 posted were around 350w for 45 mins.

I turbo'd a pre race ride on Saturday only to get indoors and find a "race" cancelled email.

Sigh.

how many watts do people feel Strava shaves of their own numbers?

If someone's using a PM, it shouldn't shave off any power.

That course does tend to result in lower power numbers cos of the huge downhill at the start... whether or not Bigham's PM is correctly calibrated is another matter...

I've noticed Strava and TP report different AP numbers in the past.

Not huge differences but differences all the same.

I ask as most of the top 10 posted were around 350w for 45 mins.

Big ski slope drop at the beginning of [url= https://www.strava.com/segments/11777401 ]R25/3H[/url] so would expect a lower avg power than on a flat course. Looking at Tim's data, 374W for the 25, but only 315W for the 2.4 miles of downhill, which will skew the avg quite a bit.

Great ride by Tim too. He's been doing some aero work recently, he's always had the power and now he's slippy as well!

Had to miss the Reading 10 due to family commitments this weekend. Last Westerley on Wednesday to fettle position and disc, then (ulp) it's the National 12 next weekend. So I'm resting this week - except for the National Masters circuit race champs on Saturday. Raised the bars an inch and bought some gel pads for the elbows from gelovations.

That course certainly damps down average power. Our rider yesterday recorded "only" 285W for the first 8km. That's about 90 down on his normal average.

Pfft. Season over for me. Had the next couple of weeks before family and work commitments pretty much rule out any racing for the rest of the season. Now a sore lower back and squeezed sciatic nerve have wiped out this week and likely the next too. The handful of result I've had have been good but still a hugely frustrating and disappointing season 🙁

Time to start thinking about winter training. 2018 goals... to actually race the bloody bike 😡

First ride on the back of the tandem on Cumnor last night.

Saddle too high, position too cramped, stitch from mile 6 and an crazy low cadence; rolled in with a low 21 so there's definitely potential there.

Really weird not being in control and kept trying to go for a gear change, going to fit my Vectors to it for the next one to see just how hard I'm made to work.

Good effort TSY, we clocked around 22:30 at Levens in our first effort for a couple of decades. Don't think it's a PB but can't remember for sure 🙂 only ever did a handful of flat TTs when living in Bedford before moving north and discovering MTBing...

Could have done with better gears, the jumps on our 13-28 7 speed cluster were a bit on the large side!

268 miles today in my first 12hr. A little tired and shoulders are sore. Awaiting exact time and handicap adjusted placing.

Much respect not just for doing it but that's a big distance too.

Well done TiRed ! Great mileage

Nice one. The National? I saw Alice Lethbridge broke Beryl Burton's comp record.

Yes the national. Results have not yet been released. But apparently she has done it. My first, which I rather enjoyed. Probably need to work harder on hurting myself mid race and on the finishing circuit. I'm definitely better suited to endurance.

With the (competitive) bit of my season over, I've decided to try the mantis position for the last couple of races. Went ok with it on Thursday, but my PM died so I have no idea what power I put out for comparison! I suspect less, as I'd been running/squash training the day before, yet maintained usual gaps to to others, so I suspect it's got potential.

Photo below, I've got some 6cm longer extenstions to put on, as the current are a bit short.

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Have a look at bikecalculator app, and see if you can calibrate your PM, then use the tool to predict power for speed in new position. The app has an adjustment option for aero efficiency the web page does not. A change in this value will tell you if your position is more efficient with a PM.

Did you insert the J bends the wrong way to get the bars really high?

Great ride TiRed, impressive stuff.

Well I had one more race entered this year, Icknield RC on F11/10. Given what happened last time I rode that course I wasn't sure if I'd ride. But predictably it's just been cancelled anyway 🙄