Unless I’m missing something I don’t see a thread for 2023 time trials so thought I’d start one.
Decided to give my local club 10’s a go this year after several years of relative dormancy.

Did the first one a few days ago. It was cold, wet, windy, my neck was aching, and then I got a puncture at about 6 miles in.
It was apparent to me how unadapted I’ve become from TT position. I was 15-20% slower than I was a few years ago, not quite sure how much of that was lack of fitness/power vs the windy conditions.
So overall a good baseline for the season and I am looking forward to improving 😁

Plan to do them regularly this season, took last year off.

Have 3 open tens under the belt which went ok – more about shaking the bike down and remembering how to ride it. First couple feel like a rollercoaster ride when you’re not adapted – cold driving rain, in position, on a Cheshire cart track. Done DH runs that felt calmer. It gets a lot more composed-feeling once you have your eye in.

Think it might need to be new bike time though – have an old exocet2 that is fine, speed and position-wise. But it’s showing its age, starting to need a lot of tinkering to keep it right. Looking at a trinity as its prob last chance for a new non disk frameset – don’t want disks on a TT bike.

Following the aborted one due to puncture, I’ve completed two 10-mile TTs now, and starting to get a bit more comfortable in the TT position. Managed to improve my pace each time. The last run I set out a bit too keen on the pace which I think cost me in the middle section of the ride. Starting to think about what TT specific things I should try to do to improve aside from endurance and interval training – any particular techniques to develop turtling and shrugging?

I think the shrugged position is just hard and means experimenting with position to give you the best possibility, and then training yourself to find comfort in discomfort. That magic triple point of power, aero, comfort. Personally I dislike position tinkering, so keep it to a minimum, but for others it’s the most interesting side of the sport.

I got myself a trinity frameset and have a 25 tomorrow – hope to ride it but it’ll need a big spannering sesh tonight. Need the brakes to go on without any hassle, which is optimistic from what I’ve read but we’ll see.

Starting to think about what TT specific things I should try to do to improve aside from endurance and interval training – any particular techniques to develop turtling and shrugging?

Just make sure you spend as much time in that position as possible – especially intervals, but even recovery/steady rides. Doesn’t need to be a full shrug, but just get down on the drops as much as possible. Also, consider moving your bike saddle to facilitate more comfort in that position (i.e. forwards and up usually).

I’m managing to make a steady improvement with each TT and the position is getting more tolerable each time as well.
Did my first 25 mile yesterday – I found myself wanting to scootch further back in the saddle to pedal more circularly. Thinking I may have fallen into the trap of pushing the saddle too far forward on the TT bike, so I’m going to have a look at that and see if I can make some better power with the saddle further back.

Any suggestions on wheels as I’m looking for some deeper sections. Not too spendy as it’s just a fun thing.

Good to get a 25 under the belt @twisty, and the position improvements.

@kentishman s/h facebook groups are the place to start for TT stuff – there are a few different ones. TT equipment has a very easy life in comparison to most other disciplines, plus people upgrade at the drop of a milliWatt, so there’s always good value stuff available.

I had a decent run out at Levens at the weekend, but horrible prep sorting some mechanical issues in warm up – got the bike straight and then punctured 10 mins before start ffs. Sealed but not convincingly, was leaking sealant sporadically, so had to make a decision on risking it. Decided best not to so tanned it back to the car to plug it, rode back out and Timekeeper kindly let me start last man. Went decent once I settled down for a short 21 on course, although my official time was massive as I incurred a late penalty.

Our club tens start this week so looking forward to riding the same course each week to work the position on the new bike – you need that sort of consistency to figure things out.

Done a few races up to now this season with various levels of success. Since my coach and I parted company at the end of last season (perfectly amicable, it was just a cost thing for me) my training has been a little ad hoc. One of my races was a spocco up in Cumbria so with the National 12hr being once again my target race of the year I thought I’d ride out and back to it. A nice 50mile warm up, race (coming 4th) then a 50 mile cool down 😂 Anyway I did the Anfield 100 last Monday in great weather. Had a power figure I wanted to stick to that I broke down into 25mile laps. The first 50 went well but then miles 55-75 not so. Just felt I couldn’t hit my targets. I even thought about jacking at one point which is unusual for me, my mindset is one of my strongest attributes normally. Decided to neck two gels at once and see how I felt and, coupled with catching up and passing a rider who flew passed me earlier, gave me renewed enthusiasm. In fact according to some Stravaland segments (don’t laugh at the back) I actually got into the top three of the day for the last 15 miles. It’s a tough old course though, some very grippy roads doesn’t bode well for a quick time. Finished 6th overall and 1st V40 with 3hrs 54min 13sec

Sounds like you going well Andy – nice results.

I did a ten this week having left my garmin at home with no power, didn’t miss it much – went long 21, about 20 secs off my course pb. I do like a few spot checks on avg speed but rpe is the boss for short TTs I reckon.

Did one tonight, absolute misery. Have to question why I bother given they are not much fun but they are quite addictive.

Was planning to rider the tour of Cambridge this weekend but binned it given distance and fact I’m nowhere near what I was hoping for power wise. Got a few tens coming up in next couple of weeks but I think my power has well and truely plateaued, and there’s no more gains to be found from the bike and kit.

Were you doing the ToC TT or the road race Tp? RR I guess anything can happen, very dynamic, but for the TT if your condition is not there then it’s a long way to go for a training ride.

Your position would have to be mega-optimised to think there are no more gains to be had – most riders (def me) are nowhere near that level of refinement. You’ll go faster in the next few weeks.

@kentishman You might find something at Sigma in their sale, such as the Vel 85 RL set for £549 https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Vel/85-RL-Carbon-Tubeless-Disc-Wheelset/QS5D

Was planning to do the tt, no expectation of qualifying but heard it was a good day out and some of my club mates had been planning to ride the road race but pulled out. It’s the last one ever so can’t even delay my entry. 400 miles and a lot of cost for 40 min of riding when not in peak form made little sense

I think kit wise I’m pretty close to no more gains unless I start spending big bucks in a wind tunnel, and at my level, given there aren’t any near me, that seems like a cost too far. Position seems ok (could roll the shoulders more but neck issues mean that would be very uncomfortable). Bike is a trinity tt with every aero advantage going, fancy pants extensions, drive train optimized to the max (ceramic speed ospw and waxed chain), some custom parts to hide the cables, the fastest tyres out there. Coupled with a 300 quid skin suit etc I think it’s fair to say the bit that holds me back is the rider sitting on it🥲

Garry_Lager
Full Member
Sounds like you going well Andy – nice results.

I did a ten this week having left my garmin at home with no power, didn’t miss it much – went long 21, about 20 secs off my course pb. I do like a few spot checks on avg speed but rpe is the boss for short TTs I reckon.

Used to ride my local midweek ten and got my course pb on feel. Rode out to it and my pm died so took off the info on the Garmin and basically mullard it from the off 😂

Did you get out of bed for the Levens 25 at the weekend @bjj.andy.w ? Saw your name on the startlist – unfortunately I was one of the first off so had to drive up to learn it was cancelled. Seemed like the right decision, there was heavy rain and a lot of spray on the road.

Last few weeks for me I reckon – going away early Aug and will prob park it up then. Hope everyone’s times have come tumbling down – I went  decent in June, set a local pb in Cheshire and went a few secs off outright pb up in Levens. Slowed down with the bad July weather though. Hope to get one last bash at Levens next week and also fit a local 25 in, which I still have yet to do this season.