TT bikes.....

[Panter]

Do they make much difference?

Just curious really after doing my first ever TT recently (the post is below if you're in the race forum.)

I was surrounded by very expensive looking bikes, skinsuits and those streamlined "alien" helmet things.

So, what would a guesstimate time saving be if I was on one of those instead of my trusty SCR3.0 would you think?

Its purely a hypothetical question, I need to lose a lot of weight and pump out a lot more power which I can do perfectly well on the Giant before I could even justify thinking about a new, lighter bike.
But, just hypothetically then, any ideas............?

 

[wafflycat]

Yes, they do make a difference. BUT, For the biggest initial time saving, use an ordinary road bike with a set of clip on tribars, and then an aero-lid. There's info *somewhere* on the interwebby about the time savings that can be made.

 

[andy_wrx]

Someone recently asking same on BR
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12562046

 

[fossyant]

Tribars, aero lid and fancy wheels - that's all I used on my Herety - and managed a 57minute 25 TT a few times with it.

Practice makes perfect to be honest - aero bars give the most advantage if set up correctly. If I do any club 10's this year, it will be on the road bike, without extras.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Aero aids are more effective the faster you go, because as speed increases the biggest obstruction to progress is wind resistance. At 20mph average they will make little or no difference and the extra weight may even be detrimental. At 25mph you will really feel the benifits, whhich probably become noticeable at around the 22-23 mark.

I am very sceptical about the advantage of tribars when they are just plonked on a standard road bike. I think you have to think about a serious alteration of your handlebar position before they become effective.

 

[steve23]

i rode all my TT's last year on a road bike, no tri bars, no skinsuit, no pointy hat, just standard kit, and i did alright!!!

that said, i have just bought a TT bike, but thats because i tested the water so to speak with my road bike, and wanted to make the next step!

i wouldnt even bother with tri bars on your road bike to be honest. just go and have fun, and see how far you go with what youve got!!!

plus its a great boost to beat people in full areo TT kit, when your just on a standard road bike!!!

 

[col]

I used to have a peaugot TT bike a long time ago,other than it being lighter,which im sure may help,it did seem a bit twitchy to me up front,and short in length,so i didnt enjoy it as much as i maybe should have.But im sure there isnt that much difference in the TT bikes of today,and yours,so the lid and bars will probably level out any differences for you more or less?

 

[Panter]

Thanks peeps, much appreciated

Plenty to look into there then, hypothetically of course

Nice to see that the scale of diminishing returns is so noticeable for TT tackle. I think some of the bikes our team were up against must have cost 10X what mine did, but not for 10X the performance gain.