Road Cycling - Time Trial bikes

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : Time Trial bikes

mikemets5
04-20-04, 07:38 PM
I did my first ever TT this evening, and first of all, I have to say, it was the most painful thing I have ever done on a bike. The weather was a perfect 65F, and not a hint of wind.

My question:
Most of the serious participants had TT bikes, and I was on my regular road bike (Calfee Luna) Would I have done much better if I had a TT bike or at least had aero bars?

The course was pretty flat, and the race consisted of 3 loops totaling 9 miles. I did it in 25:02, and was 3rd out of 9 riders. The best time was 23 something.

Thanks,
Mike

Dutchy
04-20-04, 07:47 PM
Aero bars will make a huge difference in speed, 3-5kph is what I noticed when I use to put bars on my bike. A specific TT bike won't make an enormous difference, not nearly as much as the aero bars make. Your average of 34.9kph is a good average speed, well done, but it does hurt doesn't it.

CHEERS.

Mark
zonatandem
04-20-04, 07:48 PM
I time trial on a Merlin and use Cinelli tri-extensions. Get aero (lower the bars) and hammer!
Your Luna will do just fine, can't get much lighter than that.
I'm 71 and still time trial and have also done time trialing on tandems.
Get out once a week and pick a course and hammer; try and improve your time splits each week. It works for me!

MERTON
04-20-04, 08:14 PM
do bull horn bars work too?
gruppo
04-20-04, 08:50 PM
The best bets would be to do a little time trial specific training to up your pain threshhold and build strength and to maybe play with your gearing a bit. When you're only getting beat by a "few" seconds, then think about customizing your bike (Equipment won't win you a race but it might lose you a race). The biggest gains, given your engine and mind-set are in good condition, would be had with aero bars (Fairly affordable to expensive) and time trial wheels (Expensive to 2nd mortgage).