Time Trialing

[Christoph]

Hi guys

 

I did a 30km TT today in preparation for the SA Time Trial Champs and was quite happy with my time. I just feel that I could have gone faster because my mind kept on thinking of other things which distracted me and I would start slowing down..I can't focus properly..

 

Are there any tips on how to keep your focus on a lengthy TT? Like listening to a certain song etc...??

 

Thanks for the input in advance...

 

BTW if anyone knows what would be a 'good' avg speed or time for the PE TT considering I'm a junior.. 'good' being a guaranteed top 10..

 

Thanks a lot

[DomJBo]

What was your time Christoph.

 

Also a juniour and want to see how far off the back i am.

[Christoph]

haha umm I did a 45.26 on exactly 30km - avg was 39.4kmph..

 

Note that it was done with a set of 2kg Bontrager select training wheels (2mm section!! )

[The_Break]

Hi Christoph

 

TT is my food so going to enjoy this thread.

 

There are a few mental training exercises you can do in preparation:

 

Here is a basic and good one I use. The point of it is to help you clear your mind so that you can focus like yo say, but keep the other thins out of your mind.

 

Start off by laying on your back on your bed with your eyes closed.

Begin by controlling your breathing and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Nice and easy for 1 minute. More or less, don't look at a watch just keep your eyes closed.

Then start to relax your body bit by bit. First your right foot, then your right calf, then your right thigh, etc until you have moved through your whole body. You need to have a feeling of absolute relaxation.

Then just let your thoughts run for a while. Try not to focus on anything specific, just let them run for about a minute.

Then start to concentrate only on yor breathing the sound of your breathing.

Certain thoughts will want to pop back into your mind, but just concentrate on the sound of your breathing and clear those thoughts out of your head.

Do this for 5 minutes.

The whole exercise takes about 10min.

 

The idea with this is two fold. It teaches you to clear your mind and it teaches you to concentrate on one thing. In this case your breathing and the breathing is what you will want to concentrate on when going full throttle. Try also concentrating on your breathing during training to get used to it.

 

By the way, you may not wear an ipod whilst cycling.

 

There is something else that helps too during the event to keep focus. Pick points a few hundred meters in front of you as you go or certain known defined points along the course and concentrate on getting to those at your overall race pace. It helps to break the 45min odd race up.

 

Our road surfaces are pretty rough down here in PE and together with the "thicker" air your times will be a bit slower depending on where you come from.

 

Have no idea about times, look at last years results. Good luck!

 

You need any advice on optimizing TT set-up and equipment selection?

[Christoph]

Hi The Break

 

Thanx a lot for the info... I'll definitley give it a try..

 

BTW what type of wheels would you suggest for me for the TT... considering the typical wind direction etc.

 

Also different options on wheel choice regarding the strength of the wind on race day..

 

If you can, any useful advice on the TT setup like leg measurements etc..

[The_Break]

Hi The Break

 

Thanx a lot for the info... I'll definitley give it a try..

 

BTW what type of wheels would you suggest for me for the TT... considering the typical wind direction etc.

 

Also different options on wheel choice regarding the strength of the wind on race day..

 

If you can, any useful advice on the TT setup like leg measurements etc..

 

I would suggest the deepest wheelset you have. Most of our past TTs where in strong winds and we still road with discs effectively. Loads of guys still riding witht their 404s, HEDS, etc during road races in our winds. Unless of course you are a lightweight and struggle in windy conditions to keep your front wheel vertical. It is only on really fast decents that winds normally play havoc on the front wheel. Where are you from?

 

Are you using your road bike and moding it or do you have a TT bike?

[The_Break]

I would suggest the deepest wheelset you have. Most of our past TTs where in strong winds and we still road with discs effectively. Loads of guys still riding witht their 404s, HEDS, etc during road races in our winds. Unless of course you are a lightweight and struggle in windy conditions to keep your front wheel vertical. It is only on really fast decents that winds normally play havoc on the front wheel. Where are you from?

 

Are you using your road bike and moding it or do you have a TT bike?

 

Oh, the route is out along the coast. Flat as can be. Normally the wind is in your face going out with a slight yaw on it. Definitely a course where you should go with the deppest wheelset you have. Tar is rough on this section, so don't stress about your speedo. Took me 8 months to figure out why my TT time had dropped so badly after I got here from Cape Town. Hint: Ride the painted lines - they are a bit smoother and faster.

[Christoph]

Okay thanx a lot!!

 

I am riding a TT bike (Felt b12) and I weigh around 60kg..

I can organize myself a Zipp 1080 back wheel, a Zipp Sub 9 and a Zipp 1080 Front wheel..

What would you suggest??

 

The Sub 9 is a maybe because it deppends when my start time is compared to the guy whose wheel it is...he is also junior and doesn't want to lend the wheel to me if I start before him...

 

 

So you reckon there won't be much problem with cross winds etc. Is it usually headwind out and tailwind back??

 

Thanks again!!

[The_Break]

Okay thanx a lot!!

 

I am riding a TT bike (Felt b12) and I weigh around 60kg..

I can organize myself a Zipp 1080 back wheel, a Zipp Sub 9 and a Zipp 1080 Front wheel..

What would you suggest??

 

The Sub 9 is a maybe because it deppends when my start time is compared to the guy whose wheel it is...he is also junior and doesn't want to lend the wheel to me if I start before him...

 

 

So you reckon there won't be much problem with cross winds etc. Is it usually headwind out and tailwind back??

 

Thanks again!!

 

It is usaully a headwind out once you turn west after about 5km. I am not sure how much you have used a disc, but I have never had a problem in cross winds with it. Weigh 72kg. Theory is that the disc will help more in a crosswind than in a head-on. That is where aero equipment is best. Normally from 5-15degress or so.

 

The 1080 is however only a few seconds slower so also a very good choice, but that said every second counts. Personally I would set up with the 1080 and disc and if the wind is really pumping and you feel a bit uncomfortable during the warm up pre-rollers then swap to the 1080. Just make sure you set the bike up to fit both wheels prior to that and with tyres at race presuure. You don't want to swap out and find your tyre is skimming your frame.

 

Oh, and if you do use the sub 9, just make sure it does not scuff your frame during out the saddle efforts. I know there have been clearance issues with some frames and the sub 9 toroidal.

 

Will post more on setup tomorrow.

Edited January 16, 2011 by The_Break

[Christoph]

alright thanks a lot ..curious to hear about the setup help!!!

[The_Break]

alright thanks a lot ..curious to hear about the setup help!!!

 

Ok, setup.

 

Time trialiing is all based around an aero position. In order to obtain a more aero position time trial frame manufacturer have increased the effective seat tube angle so as to move the rider forward. In moving the rider forward, you are forced to also move the rider up in order to keep the effective leg length the same so as to keep the hip angles correct for proper power transfer.

 

Why would you want to move forward and up. Well, because you are then in a better aero position as your hips are effectively rotated thus rotating your upper body and flattening it out. It also helps with getting your arms forward and onto the TT bar pads.

 

So, when you set up a TT bike, you don't set it up normally as you do with a road bike.

 

So here is my advice with setup for UCI controlled road race:

 

UCI rules state that unless you are classed as having an abnormal body geometry the tip of your seat may not be less than 50mm behind the centre of your crank/BB (horizontally measured) and the end of your bars (not including shifters) may not be more than 750mm in front of the centre of your crank/BB.

 

In time trialling the more forward you are the more aero you are, however UCI regulations stop you from obtaining a too forward position as you would find with Ironman and non-drafting legal Tri races.

 

So, I would start by setting your saddle at 52mm behind the centre off BB (to avoid questioning using various measurement devices at different races). Then you adjust your seat height to set your leg angle, with crank parallel to the effective seat tube angle at 30deg between the outside angle of the lines between hip and knee bone knobs and hip and ankle bone knobs as per a normal setup procedure. You knee will now be in front of your pedal axle when crank is horizontal which is normal for a TT setup.

 

Depending now on where you want to sit on your saddle, tip or normal, you may need to adjust the seat back to get onto the tip with the Felt. Normal road bikes require a very forward position of the seat to get the tip 50mm from the BB. A TT frame probably a normal fore aft setup to get it there.

 

Then you set the pads at a comfy position for your forearms and stem at a height that gives you a nice flat back. Your fingers should then be comfortably on the shifters without having to move. Normally a 90deg arm angle is a good comfortable and aero position. This is a good starting point for a nice effective aero position that is sustainable over 40km.

 

It would be interesting to see a pic off your current position though as you may be pretty good already I suspect if you are running for a top 10.

Edited January 17, 2011 by The_Break