"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Poll: Are TT's real bicycle racing?

Just answer the poll you road nazi scum.

Ha, saw this one coming a mile away! I like 'em in a stage race format, but what the hell's the point as a sole race besides just a training marker. (This is coming from a former triathlete too)

Ha, saw this one coming a mile away! I like 'em in a stage race format, but what the hell's the point as a sole race besides just a training marker. (This is coming from a former triathlete too)

If you have to ask you'll never understand you velo storm trooper. Now back to your copy of Mein Road Kampf and your Jan Ullrich blow-up doll.

Uphill TTs: Where money can't buy you (that much) speed.

Uphill TTs: Where money can't buy you (that much) speed.

This sounds like a metaphor for my experience with women.

sitting in for 80 miles just to jump out in the last 50 meters or drilling it till you puke for 25 miles, which sounds harder. I voted for option 1.

Side note: I hate to TT
Side note#2: pcad has a very unhealthy crush on the TT and even more so on the TT topic on BF.

The test of truth. And I am a liar. Hide. Me. In. A. Pack.

The test of truth. And I am a liar. Hide. Me. In. A. Pack.

For me, the fear of being caught while in a break is far greater than that while in a TT. It consumes me, and I'm capable of far more in that mode than I am when riding solo (TT) or in the pack.

Fear and the hormone stimulus associated with it are powerful things.

It better be a real race or I'll never see a podium again.

For me, the fear of being caught while in a break is far greater than that while in a TT. It consumes me, and I'm capable of far more in that mode than I am when riding solo (TT) or in the pack.

Fear and the hormone stimulus associated with it are powerful things.

Yeah, I love breaks, but I suck at them. The breaks I can hang in get caught, and I've been unlucky this year in picking the winning break. I had a couple stick, which is better than previous years.

I would never place in a TT, but I might win a road race.

When was the last time someone went into the wind tunnel to improve their aerodynamics while riding on the hoods?

When was the last time someone went into the wind tunnel to improve their aerodynamics while riding on the hoods?

What does that have to do with how hard it is?

The test of truth. And I am a liar. Hide. Me. In. A. Pack.

The test of the truly boring. :D

The test of the truly boring. :D

I would agree it's not a real successful spectator sport.

What does that have to do with how hard it is?

Er...nothing. What does how hard it is have to do with whether or not it's stupid? Or "real" racing?

When was the last time someone went into the wind tunnel to improve their aerodynamics while riding on the hoods?

I'll bet a lot of top pros have tested it. It would be useful to know the load variances if you're in a breakaway (e.g. what it's costing you to be a little more comfy).

I would agree it's not a real successful spectator sport.

it could be worse, it could be RAAM.

I'm astonished nobody has chosen the 'only freds/poseurs do TT's' answer to the poll. What kind of road nazis are you guys?

Wussies.

Is the UCI hour record real racing?

I'm astonished nobody has chosen the 'only freds/poseurs do TT's' answer to the poll. What kind of road nazis are you guys?

Wussies.


Why are you surprised? We all know that they dont actually pay the fee and enter the start house. Lots of talkin, but no walkin.

'Start house'? You must do fancier TT's than Pcad. I was under a little canopy with some guy holding my saddle. No ramp, not start house, no TV cameras, no choppers, nothing. There were a lot of 'DNF's on the result sheet. I suspect that really meant 'did not start' unless this TT turned into a crash/puncture-fest.

I may have been slow but I did start and finish and I DNC (Did Not Crash). I will learn if this moved me up that daunting USA Cycling ranking ladder even one friggin rung in the next couple of days. It's a long climb boys. On the other hand Pcad has nowhere to go but UP.

By the way Zipps RULE.

'Start house'? You must do fancier TT's than Pcad. I was under a little canopy with some guy holding my saddle. No ramp, not start house, no TV cameras, no choppers, nothing. There were a lot of 'DNF's on the result sheet. I suspect that really meant 'did not start' unless this TT turned into a crash/puncture-fest.

I may have been slow but I did start and finish and I DNC (Did Not Crash). I will learn if this moved me up that daunting USA Cycling ranking ladder even one friggin rung in the next couple of days. It's a long climb boys. On the other hand Pcad has nowhere to go but UP.

By the way Zipps RULE.

Are the results posted?

Are the results posted?

Not quite yet. Got them in rough form last night. They'll be up on Bike Reg and the USA Cycling website by tonight or tomorrow. I'll link them here when they're up. As usual Dr. W. droped his hamer I think he was probably in the top 5 overall. There were some fast dudes there for sure when more than one guy beats Dr. W.

Yikes.

Not quite yet. Got them in rough form last night. They'll be up on Bike Reg and the USA Cycling website by tonight or tomorrow. I'll link them here when they're up. As usual Dr. W. dropped his hammer I think he was probably in the top 5 overall. There were some fast dudes there for sure when more than one guy beats Dr. W.

Yikes.

fixed.

Not quite yet. Got them in rough form last night. They'll be up on Bike Reg and the USA Cycling website by tonight or tomorrow. I'll link them here when they're up. As usual Dr. W. droped his hamer I think he was probably in the top 5 overall. There were some fast dudes there for sure when more than one guy beats Dr. W.

Yikes.

Did you break 40km/t? I seem to remember that being a goal of yours.

The chances of Pcad ever breaking the hour for 40km are zero point zero. Of course you never know when the right all downhill/tailwind TT course may present itself.

What is 'fixed' botto?

The test of the truly boring. :D

You know what's *REALLY* boring? A 20 MPH flat group ride for an hour followed by a sprint.

Give me a hilly RR any day over either a TT or a crit.

The chances of Pcad ever breaking the hour for 40km are zero point zero. Of course you never know when the right all downhill/tailwind TT course may present itself.


Same here. Though I keep trying. Sigh.


What is 'fixed' botto?

He converted your long vowels to short ones. Think about it.

The chances of Pcad ever breaking the hour for 40km are zero point zero. Of course you never know when the right all downhill/tailwind TT course may present itself.

What is 'fixed' botto?

a p and an m.

I can't believe I spelled drope the hamer wrong.

My apologies to BF.

You know what's *REALLY* boring? A 20 MPH flat group ride for an hour followed by a sprint.

Give me a hilly RR any day over either a TT or a crit.

dude, all i get here is flat.

make it a 25 MPH and see who can handle it, and who can't.

if that's not enough, go faster.

I can't believe I spelled drop the hammer wrong.

My apologies to BF.

fixed.

I can't believe I spelled drope the hamer wrong.

My apologies to BF.

No apology for the extra apostrophe?

Try and win a stage race if you can't TT and get back to us.

Try and win a stage race if you can't TT and get back to us.

just because you're right doesn't mean that TT'ing isn't boring!

TT's are also the refuge of the old and the crash-adverse.

I had a long monologue written, but I decided not to post it. I'll just cut to the chase instead.

TT's tell you who is strong. As has been said many times there is more than being strong to be a good bike racer For this reason I think that the time trial is the least interesting of the bike racing disciplines, but it is still bike racing. At times it can be compelling (Armstrong vs Ullrich in the penultimate TdF stage when the GC hung in the balance or Lemond winning on the final TdF stage, for example) and those times can hold great drama.

just because you're right doesn't mean that TT'ing isn't boring!

Lies.

ITTs are the only true bike races.

The rest are just guys tooling around with wind breaks.

People talk about how stupid and strange bike races would be if there were no anti-design rules. To this I say, "Look at what we got now!" The lack of aerodynamics causing the strongest riders to hide behind sacrificial riders, heavy specialized sprinters being towed along for hours for a few seconds of glory, hopelessly doomed breakaways by superior riders who didn't cooperate to beat the wind?

If riders could better cheat the wind with engineering then bike races would be more about rider versus rider and less about rider versus air.

ITTs are the only true bike races.

The rest are just guys tooling around with wind breaks.

People talk about how stupid and strange bike races would be if there were no anti-design rules. To this I say, "Look at what we got now!" The lack of aerodynamics causing the strongest riders to hide behind sacrificial riders, heavy specialized sprinters being towed along for hours for a few seconds of glory, hopelessly doomed breakaways by superior riders who didn't cooperate to beat the wind?

If riders could better cheat the wind with engineering then bike races would be more about rider versus rider and less about rider versus air.

and we could turn bike racing into RAAM

ITTs are the only true bike races.

The rest are just guys tooling around with wind breaks.

People talk about how stupid and strange bike races would be if there were no anti-design rules. To this I say, "Look at what we got now!" The lack of aerodynamics causing the strongest riders to hide behind sacrificial riders, heavy specialized sprinters being towed along for hours for a few seconds of glory, hopelessly doomed breakaways by superior riders who didn't cooperate to beat the wind?

If riders could better cheat the wind with engineering then bike races would be more about rider versus rider and less about rider versus air.

I think you're lost. Here, here's your way home (http://www.slowtwitch.com/).

This years TDF final TT was the best stage of the tour IMO. That was one of the best stages I have ever seen actually.

ITTs are the only true bike races.

The rest are just guys tooling around with wind breaks.

People talk about how stupid and strange bike races would be if there were no anti-design rules. To this I say, "Look at what we got now!" The lack of aerodynamics causing the strongest riders to hide behind sacrificial riders, heavy specialized sprinters being towed along for hours for a few seconds of glory, hopelessly doomed breakaways by superior riders who didn't cooperate to beat the wind?

If riders could better cheat the wind with engineering then bike races would be more about rider versus rider and less about rider versus air.

Hills and mountains are rather funny things that don't quite follow along with your statements...

Oh, and the Classics generally don't follow along with that either. But hey, why use history as an example?

You anti TT dudes are simply jealous of the mighty Pcad Cdale Slice TT/Zipp Speed Weaponry. I understand. You just need a BF/Ryanf Group Hug.

You anti TT dudes are simply jealous of the mighty Pcad Cdale Slice TT/Zipp Speed Weaponry. I understand. You just need a BF/Ryanf Group Hug.

It's so true. You can smell their festering jeal. That's why I love the cheap yanks on the collective chain -- as funny as my burly sub 240 FTP. It makes the group hug better than an airport bathroom.

Hills and mountains are rather funny things that don't quite follow along with your statements...

Woah, you're red lining taking me too seriously. ;)

I have noticed this about talented local TT dudes: they seem to have a tendency to be unable to use their TT mojo in mass start events to the extent you would expect them to. It generally seems that good bicycle racers tend to either be a nose-in-the-wind-alone rider or a smart tactician who may not be quite as fast but who can smell blood in the water, make the right break or move, etc. Racers who combine both (like Dr. W.) are the exception to the general rule.

I had a long monologue written, but I decided not to post it. I'll just cut to the chase instead.

TT's tell you who is strong. As has been said many times there is more than being strong to be a good bike racer For this reason I think that the time trial is the least interesting of the bike racing disciplines, but it is still bike racing. At times it can be compelling (Armstrong vs Ullrich in the penultimate TdF stage when the GC hung in the balance or Lemond winning on the final TdF stage, for example) and those times can hold great drama.

Nah. Aerodynamics play a huge role. Weak/aero person can beat (quite easily) a strong/non-aero person on a lot of courses.

I have noticed this about talented local TT dudes: they seem to have a tendency to be unable to use their TT mojo in mass start events to the extent you would expect them to. It generally seems that good bicycle racers tend to either be a nose-in-the-wind-alone rider or a smart tactician who may not be quite as fast but who can smell blood in the water, make the right break or move, etc. Racers who combine both (like Dr. W.) are the exception to the general rule.

Local guy Dave Wenger wins both, often, in the P/1/2 races in TX. In general though, those guys are pretty rare (in each region, there can really only be one or two, right?). In general, you have your Boonen or Bettini types, or you have your Cadel or Leipheimer types, none of which really dabbles in the other type's race results.