informal TT tips

[david1701]

basically some mates are doing a super informal TT with 8ish riders on a sub 10k course.

Any tips for organising it?

Any tips for winning it?

Yes I am entering, thinking I'll even strip off my rack and panniers, but probably leave the gps there to get a track log, might ditch it for aero goodyness.

 

[Theseus]

Tip for winning: Ride faster than anyone else.

 

[HLaB]

Tip for winning: Ride faster than anyone else.

 

[david1701]

its mostly a mess around, but I'd still like to win....

 

[Theseus]

OK, trying to provide as much of an answer as I can. Given that I have never taken part in one, but have read a number of accounts.

The art of riding a TT is to arrive at the finish and be too exhausted to do more than fall off the bike just after crossing the line. Fall off too soon and you won't finish, fall off too late and you could have ridden faster. How fast and hard you ride depends on your fitness, how you are feeling on the day, experience, the weather and any other variable you can think of.

 

[Wobblers]

its mostly a mess around, but I'd still like to win....

I'd let down everyone else's tyres then....

 

[david1701]

hmmmm

I maaaay be doing this on the way to work on Saturday morning, thank god I don't need to do anything constructive till lunch

ok so just flog my guts out over the route and hope I'm good enough to win?

 

[Dave Davenport]

Not wishing to put a damper on things, but there's quite a bit of red tape (risk assesments etc.) you have to do even for a club TT. I know you say 'informal' but if anything were to go wrong whoever the organiser is deemed to be could well have a problem.

Why don't you just all enter a local club 10, most will let you enter on the line as a guest for a couple of quid.

 

[Herzog]

Not wishing to put a damper on things, but there's quite a bit of red tape (risk assesments etc.) you have to do even for a club TT. I know you say 'informal' but if anything were to go wrong whoever the organiser is deemed to be could well have a problem.

Why don't you just all enter a local club 10, most will let you enter on the line as a guest for a couple of quid.

Solve this by not organising it.

By this I mean, telling your friends that you'll be cycling from point A to point B at a given time. If they happen to do the same at 3 minute intervals, that's up to them.

 

[david1701]

unfortunately we're a bit rural the nearest club is more than 20 miles away.

the guy vaguely sorting it out has had a word with the police and we're only talking circular route and a stop watch with about 8 of us so its not really a biggy on the organisational side.

Its just a bit of street cred required on the winning front.

 

[HLaB]

I can't guarantee it'll win it for you, but it helps if you can carb up the night before (pasta is good), sip an ectrolite drink beforehand so that you are just topping up on the ride, or not needing to drink at all, warm up before hand (I think ideally your hr should be at 80%) and take an energy gel 15minutes or so before the start.

 

[david1701]

I'm not sure its the best time to try energy gels and I'm a bit weary of them because I have ibs :s

I can carb up, be properly watered up, warm up by riding there and maybe eat a small flapjack while I wait for people. Potentially I spose I could have breakfast

 

[Dave Davenport]

You don't need to carb up for a short TT, warming up properly is most important. A 20 mile ride to the start with a 90% of race effort between miles 12 - 18 would be about right imo

 

[david1701]

oh dam, my warm up is like 5 miles, I spose I need to add the test lap at 5, then I can go around town a few times which has climbing/descending which should be good...... :s


Think I might try slamming my stem too tomorrow is strip off rack and guards and tweak fit day, then I have the week to see if I like it, then I can become my speedy set up