"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - first TT, what to expect

so this coming sunday I'm gonna do my first TT, I have no idea what to expect, I've got my allez setup with TT's fitted properly for use with aerobars, since I'm not positive I'm gonna keep doing TT's i'm not gonna bother buying a TT helmet. but what should I expect at the race, I know I should start the race warm so I'm gonna spend a little time on the trainer before hand. it's a CAT5 TT (obviously) might be a stupid question but i'll ask anyway 1. do you start with both feet clipped in and somebody holding the bike and 2. do they use the hand in front of the rider technique?

Thanks.

They should have a holder for you. Likely just a verbal countdown (no hand count).

-Get to the line sweaty and ready to rock.
-Get in line a little early so you don't have to stress about it.
-Let the guy or gal holding you do the balancing, you just stay straight up.
-Start in the big ring with your gears crossed over.
-Don't go out too hard, but you want to get up to speed quickly
-Keep enough in reserve so that you can up the pace a bit at the halfway mark.

Good luck, and have fun!

thanks a lot waterrockets, I'm looking forward to this. been riding real ahrd training for it for the past 2-3 weeks

-Get to the line sweaty and ready to rock.


+1. You need to go pretty hard in your warm up. Gradually build up in warm up, until you do a couple of short maximal efforts. Something like this 10-15 minutes easy. 5 minutes at tempo times 2. 3 minutes at lactate threshold times 2, building to maximum effort for the last 30 seconds of these. Then 5 minutes easy, and to the line

Also, pace yourself. Devide the distance into Thirds. First third, go one notch easier than the pace you think you can hold for the whole distance; Second third, raise your effort to the pace you think you can hold; Third third, gradually ramp your effort until yo die at the line.

Definitely err on the side of going out too easy. No matter how much you try to go out easy, you're almost guatanteed to start too hard.

thanks for the info, I was told that, start easy and gradually increase the pace/effort

No matter how much you try to go out easy, you're almost guatanteed to start too hard.

+1. I have a powermeter and still have trouble pacing myself for the first five minutes.

It's the adrenaline.

+1. I have a powermeter and still have trouble pacing myself for the first five minutes.

Yeah, it can be tough. I haven't paced for a TT yet, just for a power test, and that went pretty well. In a TT, I'll let my output rise a bit more on the climbs and fall a bit more on the descents. Here's my last 20m test on a moderately hilly and very windy course (note the two potholes during the 35-40mph descents). The dashed line is my average of 347W:

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/9448/runfarttsw8.png

Yeah, it can be tough. I haven't paced for a TT yet, just for a power test, and that went pretty well.


Completely different animal in my experience. Having that rabbit spinning away from you for thirty seconds while you sit there is a major adrenaline stimulator (or at least it is for me).

The dashed line is my average of 347W

Wow, I'm beginning to hate you, WR; jealousy makes me feel that way. Nice results.

+1. I have a powermeter and still have trouble pacing myself for the first five minutes.

I had a PT for my first and only TT, but still I rode the first 5' @ 116% FTP. A perfectly paced vo2 max interval. :o

It's amazing how much L5 feels like L4 when you're pumped full of adrenaline. Needless to say, by the last 20' I was barely able to hold 85% FTP.

If you can swing it, start off between two people you think are crap. That way you'll have the mental boost of chasing someone down and possibly passing them while avoiding the depressing experience of being passed by someone. Being able to see someone up the road, I find, mentally helps to squeeze that last bit of power out of your legs.

If you can get your hands on one, the noise a disc wheel makes goes a long way towards crushing the souls of people you're passing. :)

If you can swing it, start off between two people you think are crap. That way you'll have the mental boost of chasing someone down and possibly passing them while avoiding the depressing experience of being passed by someone. Being able to see someone up the road, I find, mentally helps to squeeze that last bit of power out of your legs.

If you can get your hands on one, the noise a disc wheel makes goes a long way towards crushing the souls of people you're passing. :)

One great thing about having a last name at the end of the alphabet - I've always started last/next to last. The only people who have ever passed me in TT's are Cat 2's or Tandems. Probably only a minor advantages, what without radios and all, but there's still a psychological benefit.

And a big +1 to seeing the rabbit in front of you. The worst is when you've passed a couple of people in a row and there's no one in front of you for a bit.

Wow, I'm beginning to hate you, WR; jealousy makes me feel that way. Nice results.


+1...except for the hate part :D

Very nicely paced!!!!

Wow, I'm beginning to hate you, WR; jealousy makes me feel that way. Nice results.

Thanks. Remember, I'm a heavier rider though :o

One great thing about having a last name at the end of the alphabet - I've always started last/next to last. The only people who have ever passed me in TT's are Cat 2's or Tandems. Probably only a minor advantages, what without radios and all, but there's still a psychological benefit.

And a big +1 to seeing the rabbit in front of you. The worst is when you've passed a couple of people in a row and there's no one in front of you for a bit.

Huh - we always go off in the order we sign in at the race desk. So you go and find some newbies and have a friendly chat with them as you stroll up to the desk together, then sign the form amongst them. :)

Then again I'm usually disorganised and running late (I ride to most of my races) and showing up at the last moment, thus just going dead last.

We also don't TT in categories - it's everyone all together, which shouldn't matter as it's a non-drafting, non-group riding event. We only have categories in road races.

If you can swing it, start off between two people you think are crap. That way you'll have the mental boost of chasing someone down and possibly passing them while avoiding the depressing experience of being passed by someone. Being able to see someone up the road, I find, mentally helps to squeeze that last bit of power out of your legs.

If you can get your hands on one, the noise a disc wheel makes goes a long way towards crushing the souls of people you're passing. :)

I'm to poor to afford a disc wheel, I'm riding an 07 allez elite w/ clip on aero-bars.

I'm to poor to afford a disc wheel, I'm riding an 07 allez elite w/ clip on aero-bars.

Then give them 'The Look' as you go by. :)

I'm to poor to afford a disc wheel, I'm riding an 07 allez elite w/ clip on aero-bars.

Yeah, I'm running a steel bike with clip-ons and hairy legs. I love passing guys with all the kit.

Don't concern yourself with the gear you see on the start line. It helps, but not as much as your motivation and fitness.

I envy thee :(

Don't be afriad to ask the guy staging you to adjust the angle if you don't feel balanced. Just say "right a little please." Hold both your brakes also as you clip in and contiue to hold them until the count is zero and you are ready to take off.

Don't be afriad to ask the guy staging you to adjust the angle if you don't feel balanced. Just say "right a little please." Hold both your brakes also as you clip in and contiue to hold them until the count is zero and you are ready to take off.

will do, thanks for all the info guys

Yeah, I'm running a steel bike with clip-ons and hairy legs. I love passing guys with all the kit.

Don't concern yourself with the gear you see on the start line. It helps, but not as much as your motivation and fitness.

Hey, I was doing exactly the same thing until a month ago. Still riding the steel steed in road races. Nothing more satisfying than riding a bike I got for £50* and placing better than guys on £3000 carbon Cervelos and such.

* - Granted it was worth a lot more than that and I've upgraded it to the tune of about £250. But still.

lol I have no shame about my bike, it would make my year if i could pass somebody on a more expensive bike

lol I have no shame about my bike, it would make my year if i could pass somebody on a more expensive bike

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you will do this. Make sure to report back how it goes.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you will do this. Make sure to report back how it goes.

will do