A Time Trialing Thread

Not about components and CdA, but about RPE during ITT:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283294992_Respiratory_frequency_is_strongly_associated_with_perceived_exertion_during_time_trials_of_different_duration (full version available for free)

And on pubmed: Respiratory frequency is strongly associated with perceived exertion during time trials of different duration - PubMed

@jarsson When I have been upping the pace to empty the tank in the last 10 miles of a 50 or 100m TT, I judge ā€œRPEā€ at the by the number of places I have cramp in each leg and how much I have to shout at themā€¦!

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I sent through position photos last month following some changes. I have then had a lot more time in position mainly indoors and then done a moderate 40min effort and was able to hold position.

New position with final tweaks and helmet. I have borrowed this helmet to check it will be a good fit which I think it is? Helmet is a giro aerohead.

(Indoor - new position, outdoor - old position)


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What are ppls recommendations for overshoes? UCI compliant height please :slight_smile:

New position is MUCH betterā€¦looks good. The Aerohead tests well for a lot of people, so it is a solid choice if you canā€™t test. Looks like it sits well (but how a helmet looks against your back is not always reliable. )

Question for you guys about pacing. Had my first 10 mile TT of the year and took the win by 14 seconds! But I felt like I went fairly slow for the power that I put out. Conditions werenā€™t super fast (68 degree, 5-10mph cross wind, rolling course with 460ft gained in 10 miles).

Hereā€™s my file below (note that the drop is the halfway turnaround). Iā€™ve been doing a ton of solo intervals, so Iā€™ve gotten really used to holding a constant power over rollers. Looking at other files, my power was much more steady, vs others were lower on the downhills and harder on the uphills (for example, 250 downhill and 350-400 uphill, vs I was 300 downhill and 330-340 uphill). Would I be faster riding more with this strategy? I never spun out on the downhills since theyā€™re short, but did get into the 55-11 a couple times.

Play about with a on line calculator and you might find the theoretical answer folks recommend Best Bike Split

https://mywindsock.com/ is another.

The main determinant of your power/speed ratio is your CdA; if youā€™re a big guy maybe you need so much power, but there might also be issue with your positionā€¦

Adequate pacing (going harder uphill, easier downhill) is obviously an advantage, but on a course like this the difference wonā€™t be huge.

Time trials arenā€™t about going fast, theyā€™re about not going slowā€¦sounds glib, but itā€™s true.

When youā€™re going slow (i.e., headwind/uphill), push a little more, when youā€™re going fast (downhill/tailwind), you can afford to back it off a little.

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Quick course recce before race day next week. Hopefully it will be a bit warmer on race day.

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Hi again guys, further to the above pictures/gifs there is a picture of me, from the actual event, after changes to the cockpit & saddle in order to improve the position.
I think I am pretty satisfied with how my TT went as I managed to beat my power pb and thatā€™s in TT position (390w for 21mins) and finish joint 3rd out of 120 on the day on the somewhat budget bike :slight_smile:
However, I would still like to listen to opinions and tips on how to lower my head slightly and make shoulders a bit more narrow.
Any comments greatly appreciated! 169069103_150822816950313_8514177487226063039_n

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The power is crazy good!
You might benefit from higher hands lower head aerodynamically though.

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Thanks!
I have used all the spacers for the handlebars. I could tilt the stem upwards but is my thinking correct that this will reduce the reach? Iā€™m already grabbing to the shifters to be as far stretched out as possible and the extensions are on the absolute limit too.
Is tilting the whole cockpit at an angle an option to achieve lower head?

One thing I have found that works for me is to concentrate on ā€˜pushingā€™ my chest down & forwards, it lowers my head & allows me to see better up the road without neck acheā€¦ but everyone is different of course.

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Iā€™d second the raising your hands, if youā€™re not racing UCI TTs. On one of my last TTs I was over a minute faster for the same course since I fitted 45deg ski poles, despite me and the being 4 years older. I probably could have been faster still but I was mostly going Tempo rather than Threshold in 33mph side winds.

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would it make sense to just swap back to front my existing extensions? I have deda parabolica UNO at the moment and by the looks of it they would make around 50 deg back to front.

If they can be gripped securely and cabled up that way it should be fine. Actually even if they canā€™t be cabled up initially, thereā€™s no harm in experimenting to see if you like the position before investing in new poles.

I run external cables so I donā€™t think there will be any problems there. Potentially, there are just subtle differences in the diameter of the tube at both ends. So this may be the only problem, but hopefully they are the same on both ends.

Iā€™ve got quite a few TTs lined up this month, so I may consider some real life experimenting.
Thanks for the advice.

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This is exactly what I done with my extensions. I then ran the cable on the outside but took it in just before the arm rests (where it would have gone it at bar end the right way around).

After having them like that for a while I have drilled the end so cables run internally now

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Iā€™ve got some of them at a good price, so gonna try experimenting with increased reach, high rise angle: PROFILE DESIGN - Aerobar Extensions - Black - 400 mm - 35a
Hopefully it works out ok as Iā€™m set for some PBs in the upcoming weeks! :slight_smile: