Time Trialling on a standard road bike

[suthers]

Hey, I have my first 10 mile TT tonight and since I havent been cycling long i dont yet have a dedicated TT bike. So i was wondering if in the absence of aero bars etc there were any tips you could offer on reducing drag etc?

 

[Will1985]

Wear the tightest fitting cycling clothes you have - flapping is bad.

You can adjust the bike by dropping the stem (take the spacers from below the stem and put them on top) and moving the saddle as far forward as possible on the rails.

 

[Will1985]

Oh, and don't go off too quickly or you'll blow up!

 

[Joe24]

Take as much as you can off the bike, everything you dont need.
Make sure your tyres are pumped up
If you want to go faster, get fitter.
Sorted.
Oh, wear your tightest fitting cycling kit aswell, you dont really want baggy stuff on.
Keep your elbows in, keep on the drops and go for it.
Know your course before you ride it.

Hmmmm, what else.

Oh, another good idea is to make your back wheel a disc wheel by using some card, make the front wheel abit of a deeper rim using card aswell, this could take minuits off your time. Just make sure its attached to the wheel well and not flapping.

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

Take as much as you can off the bike, everything you dont need.
Make sure your tyres are pumped up
If you want to go faster, get fitter.
Sorted.
Oh, wear your tightest fitting cycling kit aswell, you dont really want baggy stuff on.
Keep your elbows in, keep on the drops and go for it.
Know your course before you ride it.

Hmmmm, what else.

Oh, another good idea is to make your back wheel a disc wheel by using some card, make the front wheel abit of a deeper rim using card aswell, this could take minuits off your time. Just make sure its attached to the wheel well and not flapping.

Take everything off - except a water bottle! Even empty it's aerodynamically advantageous to keep it on.

 

[suthers]

Take everything off - except a water bottle! Even empty it's aerodynamically advantageous to keep it on.

Seriously? I was going to take off all water bottle holders completely to reduce weight. Is there any advantage in raising the seat post? Alot of TT bikes seem to have a very high seat which im guessing means the body can move into a better position. Is this so? Cheers for the tips so far though!

 

[suthers]

Oh yeh also, i recently changed my outer tyres to contintental 4 mountain ones because i kept getting punctures due to the softer continental ultras tyre being thinner and the roads around my house being quite prone to flinty rocks etc, should i swap them back for this, will having the thickers tyres reduce my time significantly?

 

[Dave Davenport]

I shouldn't worry about changing anything if it's your first TT. Just relax & try to enjoy it. Do a few and your times will improve, you can start tweaking the bike & kit later.

 

[palinurus]

Good luck!

 

[Alan Frame]

I shouldn't worry about changing anything if it's your first TT. Just relax & try to enjoy it. Do a few and your times will improve, you can start tweaking the bike & kit later.

+1.

Just go with what you've got. All this faffing about with separate bikes for different occasions is for the pros [who don't have to buy their own kit], or those who have more money than sense.
Eddy Merckx could beat me riding a Halfords special.

 

[Joe24]

Take everything off - except a water bottle! Even empty it's aerodynamically advantageous to keep it on.

Nah, dont bother with that, just take it off.
Ive never bothered with one on 10 mile rides, and going by the amount of people that do TTs, they dont have a water bottle on, the aerodynamic thing is rubbish i find.

Wear a condom over your body, just the top half, allow a hole or something to get your head through or breath, but this will just be like a cheap skin suit.

 

[suthers]

Wear a condom over your body, just the top half, allow a hole or something to get your head through or breath, but this will just be like a cheap skin suit.

lol... So, say you took bradley wiggins and put him on a normal road bike instead of a TT bike, how much time do you reckon he would lose?

 

[Brahan]

Just make sure you know the course. I've gone wrong on a couple of ocassions (on the same course too) and there's nothing worse. If you're going to put a lot of effort in on the ride then at least make sure you know exactly where you're going. You don't want that nagging feeling in the back of your mind when you're trying to go all out.

Pump your tyres up really hard too.

 

[Wooliferkins]

The bike is usually somewhat secondary to the rider. Andy Wilkinson just broke his 12hr TT record on a hybrid with a sus seatpost although he appears to have fitted a set of Tulle TT bars this time round. Get in and enjoy it.

 

[Will1985]

Andy Wilkinson just broke his 12hr TT record on a hybrid with a sus seatpost although he appears to have fitted a set of Tulle TT bars this time round.

It was a essentially a TT bike - people make such a fuss about it, but he still used a disc and trispoke. IIRC the choice of frame was more a matter of necessity for comfort purposes. The frame is one of the least important aspects of the bike and why it is considered to be the last thing to upgrade (worst value for money per second/watt saved)

Yes the engine is more important than the equipment, but the little changes which can be made for free are still worth it.