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kosherdave
08-14-08, 10:38 AM
So, aside from smartly setting up all your equiptment on a towel so you can dab your feet dry and get your shoes and things on, does anyone have any other tips for making T1 and T2 quicker?
I'm not to the point where I want to keep my shoes clipped to my pedals, maybe that will come next year. Right now I'm pretty quick slipping my shoes on and getting my things, but I thought I'd just see what other people do to knock off seconds from their transition times.
T1: Remove your cap, goggles, and the top half of your wetsuit on the way to your bike rack. Remove the bottom at your bike. Ditch the cap and goggles. Put on shoes, if they are not clipped to the bike. Put on sunglasses, if you want. Put on helmet. Remove bike. Run with bike, *holding the bike by the seat* to just past the mount line. Execute a flying mount, if you can. Clip in *or* get up to speed, then put your feet in your shoes one at a time.
T2: Remove your feet from your shoes. With your bare feet on top of your shoes, execute a flying dismount just in front of the dismount line. Run with bike, *holding the bike by the seat* to your bike rack. Rack your bike. Put on your running shoes (and socks, if you want). Grab your hat/visor/number belt/etc and get out of there. Put on the stuff you grabbed while running out of transition.
Some general notes:
- Have a towel at your area, but don't use it unless something is wrong.
- The flying *mount* is optional, but IMO the flying *dismount* is compulsory. To do a flying dismount, simply swing your R leg over to the L side of your bike (assuming that, when you walk your bike, you walk on the L side). Slow to about 5-6mph. Jump off the bike and literally hit the ground running.
- shoes on in T1 vs. shoes clipped in: for me, this is purely dependent on the conditions at the transition area. If I have a long way to go, I'll have shoes clipped in. If I have to walk over jagged rocks, I'll put my shoes on in T1. If the transition area is at all slippery, I'll have shoes clipped in. If the transition area is graded, I'll have shoes clipped in. If the start of the bike is immediately uphill, I'll put my shoes on in T1. You get the idea :)
KyleKranz
08-14-08, 11:17 PM
Put your glasses on UNDER the helmet straps. That way you can whip the helmet off after the bike and not worry about either having to remove your glasses before that, or dropping them when you take the helmet off.