Top tube drilled, steerer cut, bars on. It’s starting to look like a proper bike!

Had to swap the 5 port A junction for a 3 port, and will still have to take a dremel to the tabs on the back in order to get the seatpost in.

Brake outers were a PITA as they have a very tight bend through the hole into the side and out the bottom of the stem, bit of a struggle getting the inner through there. May swap over to some Jagwire Link cable but that would likely mean taking the bars apart again 😕 Shall see how sticky they are in use. It’s very tempting to do the Andy Potts / TriRig mod and chop a corner off the back of the base bar for the Di2 cable and rear brake, as below…

Looks pretty tidy here…

Not sure I can bring myself to take a cutting disc to 800 quids worth of bars though 😐

know nothing about TT, but if you are super worried about aero, wouldn’t a 1 by system be better?

not really, most of the aero benefit for a low profile is in being able to get a low/narrow position AND be able to hold it with minimal discomfort. Once you get much past the front 25-33% of the bike and those legs/cranks spinning round, the air is so turbulent that the actual aero gains for the bike are pretty much experimental error sized.
Most (not all) of the claims made are done on the bike with no rider. Or a mannequin with legs that don’t move (or move slowly).
So unless you are talking about big surfaces (disc wheel) it’s probably not worth the effort. So 1x, and losing the capability to go up anything steeper than a flyover is something for those with lots of cash.
It wasn’t unusual not that long ago to run a half step double and a close ratio cassette. So you get a good spread of TT sensible gears. Think my last one was 46/54 and 12-21 ish. Felt a bit odd to be giving it beans on the extensions and looking down to see you were on the little ring!
New one has a 54 ring on it. Doubt it’ll get used except going downhill!

Not sure I can bring myself to take a cutting disc to 800 quids worth of bars though

Even you’re at it now: “the bars on this budget build were way to expensive to risk damaging” 😉

It’s a lovely build, dare I say it… A second hand Cervelo seems a waste! Black would be a faster too.

It wasn’t unusual not that long ago to run a half step double and a close ratio cassette. So you get a good spread of TT sensible gears. Think my last one was 46/54 and 12-21 ish.

That’s mostly what I run now. Does give a nice spread. Am I old school already?

A second hand Cervelo seems a waste! Black would be a faster too.

Well it’s spending the budget where I think it’ll make the most difference*, and that’s the front end. I’d like to upgrade the forks too, got eBay on the case. There are bits of white, black and red, the three fastest colours 🙂

* di2 is the obvious exception to that rule, I just wanted di2.

Damn right! Di2 has to be done.

Your logic makes sense – frame makes about the least difference in all the literature I’ve read, at least within the category of “TT bikes”.

The Enve TT bars are nice, was playing with a set in Sigma on Sunday.

Am I old school already?

no idea. Last time i did a time trial/prologue on a TT bike was 1998. Probably only done single digits since then. No idea what the done thing is now.

I was listening to a time trial podcast with Hutch and Xav, I think the equipment list went (in order of most important:

Tribars
Skinsuit
Helmet
Front wheel
Rear wheel
frame

But all of those were trumped by position! I have just realised i have owned up to listening to a TT podcast, but it is interesting, and the guys in my club have some super slippy positions sorted. Mine is more like a brick….towing a parachute……dragging a rhino!

not really, most of the aero benefit for a low profile is in being able to get a low/narrow position AND be able to hold it with minimal discomfort. Once you get much past the front 25-33% of the bike and those legs/cranks spinning round, the air is so turbulent that the actual aero gains for the bike are pretty much experimental error sized.

Cervelo state that the front derailleur hanger causes as much drag as the entire downtube of the new P3 – single ring is worth doing.

Cervelo state that the front derailleur hanger causes as much drag as the entire downtube of the new P3 – single ring is worth doing.

Is pretty amazing that. Still probably a tiny increment compared to the anchor like drag of my size 12 feet right next to it!

It’s coming along…

(Edit… still need to fix that cupboard door!)

Bars all done. Wiring done. Crankset was a bit of a bugger as the new Rotor ceramic BB was super tight (really don’t like bashing the power meter with a mallet!) I ended up cracking an insert so had to dig out a Shimano one from the spares box.

Nice clean front end (unlike the floor, that’s a different thread!)…

Not too sure about the orientation of the bar end shifters, seems about right with the way I hold the bars, I’ll see how I get on.

Here’s the hole I had to drill on the top tube, might have to make it a bit bigger to properly fit the grommet.

And here’s under the BB. Had to enlarge the hole coming out the down tube and the hole that the front mech cable would normally go up. Shall tape the cables down.

Still got to sort out the brakes. Got some nice TriRig Omega X brakes in the post (I’ll also change the butchered outer for some Jagwire Link.) Until they arrive it’ll have the Ultegra brakes but I need a longer pivot nut for the front. Still not decided whether to leave it at 10 speed, I think my wheels are ok for 11 speed so I may need to pick up a new cassette and chain. Need to put some grip tape on the bars too.

First club 10 of the season tomorrow, I’m not sure it’s going to be ready in time 😕 If it is then shake down ride will likely be race warm up. What could possibly go wrong 🙂

That looks ace. I’m a big fan of the aesthetics of Cervelos. I may end up with an S3 one day.

Looking good! from an aesthetics point of view, knowing nothing of the sport.

Cervelo state that the front derailleur hanger causes as much drag as the entire downtube of the new P3 – single ring is worth doing.

i can imagine that, from my limited understanding of aerodyanmics and turbulence. What I do know is that increasing turbulence in the boundary layer increases the resistance felt by flow, having a block like that will generate a lot of turbulence which, for reasons of blockage, may also be presnt up- flow and hence cascade onto the other side of the seat tube . I also think the FD is in relitively clean air for at least half a peddle stroke (assuming going straight ahead).

Thanks gray.

Ferrals, I just about followed that! It’s a wonder why they don’t build some sort of aero shroud for the FD into the down tube. I’m sure they could do it in such a way as to make it “structural” and not just a fairing.

Off to my LBS now to see if they have a long brake pivot bolt.

Because that would be a fairing which is generally against regs, and the only way to get around those is to be Pinarello.

Looking ready…

… but still got saddle to pop on (obviously!) And still got to fit the cassette and chain and get the Di2 all set up. And the cupboard door to fix. So close but that’s probably it for tonight as the turbo calls.

Edit… just popped it on the Park Tools scales. Not too bothered about the weight but for those curious it’s 17lbs 14oz without chain and saddle. Think it’ll be a shade lighter than the PX but not that much in it really.

No interest in TT really but have enjoyed this thread.

Skinwall front and not rear though? And different brand wheels? OCD nightmare

I won’t pretend it doesn’t bug me a little.

I got a really good deal on the Corima disc a while back to replace the PowerTap / Aerojacket wheel I started with which weighed a tonne and felt like it too. The Zipp 808 was a late season purchase last year to replace a cheap Planet X 50 mm carbon tub wheel I had been using previously (pair for sale if anyone is interested!) I should really do the decent thing and at least fit a skinwall on the back. If money was no object I’d have a Lightweight disc on the back 🙂

Yeah… no idea what a disc wheel costs but I would imagine mere OCD isn’t going to justify a new one

I won’t pretend it doesn’t bug me a little.

remove the logos from both? Or are they under a clear coat?

+1 for no interest in TT specifically but an interesting thread once we’d settled on the bike build and not the budget.

V nice MrB.

Thanks for your comments on the stealth upthread – I picked a nice medium one up last week and the fit seems right. Position is going to take a lot of getting used to! Took it out on a bit of a windy day and felt like bambi on ice. Need to stick it on the turbo and get some sessions in.

remove the logos from both? Or are they under a clear coat?

Zipp is under the clear coat I think, I’d have gone for the black but again an eBay deal! I could de-sticker the disc but it doesn’t bother me that much.

Nice work Garry. Be good to hear how you get on. Seem to remember you’re not short on power from the Trainer Road thread. You might well find it hideous at first on the turbo, I could hardly sustain any effort when I started trying to turbo in position on the TT bike. Only really getting that sorted now.

Finally fit the saddle, charged the Di2, cleaned and lubed a new chain, and indexed the gears. Ready to race!

Had some issues with slipping bars and saddle which messed up my race a bit, should have used fibre grip paste, but other than that I love it. Di2 is superb on a TT bike. Pretty bloody quick too 🙂

Sounds like it went well considering the amount of testing (pun intended)! So how did you do?

Went ok. Didn’t really get to warm up, had to go back to my car to sort out the bars and saddle, missed my start time, had to hang about to start last, got really bloody cold (this is all while wearing a skinsuit in 4C temp), then couldn’t get the legs spinning or the HR up, my saddle was a bit too high, and I almost abandoned halfway. Kept going and thought it was a bit meh when I crossed the finish line. So quite surprised to finish second (results) in a decent field of rides, only some 25 seconds down on the winner who was a 19 minute man last season. So quite a bit of encouragement to take from that 🙂

Bodes well.

I think so. Compared to a ride on the same course last April I’m some 30 seconds faster for a bit less power, so position and bike changes are going the right way. There should be a lot more watts too by the time we get to the faster flatter courses.

New bike was brilliant to ride too. Just ordered one of the ANT+ things to add to the Di2, mostly so I can see battery level from the Garmin as the junction box is hidden in the frame. Might be useful to be able to do see gear selection too, wondering if this is saved in the fit file and can be used for analysis?

Nice one mrblobby!

Thanks ferrals.

Really pleased with the Di2 too. Last year on the PX the shifting was so poor I really needed to put a bit of thought into a gear change and was quite hesitant about it. Change of hand position, would often shift two gears by mistake, and by the time I’d got around to shifting my cadence would have dropped too much or the terrain would have changed and I’d be in the wrong gear again. Was quite a distraction. With Di2 it’s just a tiny movement of the thumb and it’s done in a fraction of a second. Going from mechanical to Di2 on the road bike is nice. On the time trial bike it’s bloody brilliant.

That’s ace, well done! Nice to put in some money / effort and end up really feeling a difference. Storming season coming up then!

Awesome! Well done 🙂

Should have gone 1x.

Would have been 24.9 seconds behind.

😉

Nice result.

Should have gone 1x.
Would have been 24.9 seconds behind.

If I’m near the end of the season and knocking on the door of a 19 I may well do!

Well done mrblobby, have enjoyed reading this thread.
Whereabouts in the country are you based? One of my team mates is a sub-19min man who took a year off last year. However, he’s got his mojo back and has put a right shift in over Winter in preparation for the coming season. He rides for HD Revolutions (HDR) based in Huddersfield. Name of Mark Thaxter, if your paths should cross at all.

Thanks. I’m down south in Newbury. I don’t plan on chasing fast courses up north so doubt our paths would cross.

No worries, was a bit of a long shot. Good luck this year – keep us updated on your results, it’s great following someone’s progress like the ‘Credible 4th Cat’ road race thread last year.

Well I do believe Kryton is planning on doing some testing this season so I’m sure there’ll be a thread on here along the same lines as the 4th cat one soon enough 🙂

^ I was hoping for an MTB XC one first!

What was your Age standard time? And I do think Di2 suits TT bikes more than any other. Shifting is the last think to think about when you are suffering. By contrast, I smiled every time I clicked that Dura Ace 9000 right lever yesterday. I also absolutely love the semi-compact 52/36. I think I used the inner ring twice in the whole ride, and that was to really slow up for some mates.

Might do a few more TTs myself this year, West London Combine and Westerly 10-and-a-bits, and I was thinking of a 100 at some point.

What was your Age standard time?

Umm I’ve no idea 😳 Was a 22:21, not a fast course or day. Quick bit of googling and looks like the standard at 42 is 26:09, so I guess that’d be 3:48?

I can see the appeal of a 100. Maybe next year.

^ I was hoping for an MTB XC one first!

I think he has already achieved credibility in that particular arena of competition 🙂

100s are the best.