mikearena

Just finished my first 40k. Out and back course, nearly completely flat. It turns out I suck royally at pacing -- started out way too hard. There was a slight headwind on the way out, which made it not the worst thing in the world.

Just after the turnaround, I started getting the chills (temperature was in the mid 80s). I ended up going through about a liter and a half of water (camelbak thing), and felt reasonably alright about five minutes after I finished, so I'm not quite sure what the deal was.

Anyway, you can see how sharply the power started to drop off toward the end. Average heart rate for the effort was 200bpm on the nose (I'm 23), peaking at 206. It definitely sucked.



Good enough for 5th in the 4s, unofficial time of 58:29. I was shooting for 57, but oh well. Winner in the 4s did it in 54:something. Slightly ludicrous.

Grumpy McTrumpy

DrW

if you are still planning on making the NY state TT: Jay Joslyn is going to be there. There's only a few hours left to register!

patentcad

Kudos on the sub hour 40k mikearena. Well done.

patentcad

It took me the better part of two years. Get the bike dialed in and stick with it. Now I'm comfortable on a TT bike, but it did take a while.

Racer Ex 

Straight blocks are your friend. When possible, change the front rings to accommodate the course.

carpediemracing 

New rule for 2010, among other things.

Pins must be used for attaching numbers to your uniform. They can supplement other methods, but you must use pins.

cdr

Grumpy McTrumpy

3M 77 plus four pins works just fine

mollusk

By pins do you mean two? If not two, how many? And how big?

DrWJODonnell

must use four pins - one in each corner.

badhat

so i'm interested in TT, cuz i think it appeals to the strengths iv';e developed as a commuter over the years, and my numbers compare pretty favorably to other beginner (cat4) times and speeds, but a dedicated bike and skinsuit are out of the question until i have more experience, so my question is when i show up for TTs as a 4, on my road bike with clip on bars and my non aero team kit and helmet, am i gonna be conspicuous or can i expect a fair number of 4s in the same situation?

Nate552

In my experience at a Cat 4 TT, about 15-25% of the riders will be on a road bike with clip-ons, but that's just an estimate. At a dedicated TT event it might be less, at a stage race it might be more. You're in a cycling hotbed, so maybe there will be less. And yes, you can beat a guy on a TT bike with your set up. You can also find some pretty cheap skinsuits and maybe pick up a used aero helmet off slowtwitch. Perhaps a forward seatpost would help. Check out WaterRockets pics from the State TT from last year. His team won their category and he was on a road bike.

badhat

i have the frostbite TT here in early march, i am definitely gonna take a crack at it. i may beg and borrow some aero gear from my teammates and go from there.


if i dont embarrass myself and if i have fun and make it to at least top 1/3rd of the 4s, then i'll start thinking about putting money into stuff.

that pic rules.

recon455

See you there.

vladav

Re lower power in TT position:
I understand FTP (L4) will be lower in TT position. So it follows that for a short TT (3.6k) that power will also be lower, but is the effect more or less pronounced for a L5 paced TT? The same?
Thanks!

DrWJODonnell

Positional power changes are individual. Some people cannot produce suprathreshold efforts in the aero position because you are not in a position of power (as you would be climbing or sprinting). Other people have a very solid core and find it easier to produce power (to a point) in the aero tuck (I am one such person...looks funny when you see me climb on a road bike and when I struggle I drop down really low). For some it is even across the board.

Best answer is practice your anticipated 3.6k TT. My guess is that it will be 4-5 minutes (VO2 max power) and so figure what you can actually do. If you don't have time to figure it out, just decrease things proportionately.

There. An answer full of nothing.

vladav

Replete with nothing - which also happens to be the answer
Thanks!

I practiced last night. Counter intuitively I found AB level was more comfortable than AB raised. Raised made me tense my abs to keep from slipping down. Felt like I was doing a rope climb. Was considering doing some coast-downs to guesstimate which is better aero...

(Oh and power was same or better than drops for both postions)

vladav

Took pictures and found out why power was the same - shoulders dropped no more than an inch going to the AB's. Elbow pads too high. Took an evening to figure it out, but now the pads are literally resting ON the handlebar with aerobars underneath. Kind of a laughable setup but couldn't afford a new stem right now... Now it feels like a new position where where power suffers & the saddle is too low. Gawd does the tweaking ever end?

save10

clip on aero bars on carbon road bars? Y/N?

go4gr8

Are your CF handlebars rated to have clip-on bars? If not, then no.

save10

status update- was in contact with FSA: 2008, 2009, 2010 FSA K-Force (not K-wing) bars will take clip-on aerobars and are rated for that purpose. had to send them emails of my bars to confirm the year.

Still haven't decided if this is what i will do...but i have the option now.

go4gr8

Torque wrench is your friend. Also ask for the torque specs so you don't go ahead and crack your expensive bar.

danahs

what is difference in saddle height between your road bike and TT bike?

johnybutts

Anyone have an example of how to mount a Garmin 705 on a TT bike so that you can read it in the aerobars? Right now Mine's mounted under my right elbow-rest, and not very visible.

Grumpy McTrumpy

my TT bike saddle is 1cm higher, however the knee angles are around the same due to the more forward position

kensuf

And in case that winds up disappearing at some future point, here's a photo I took while waiting out a thunderstorm last night..