Time Trial / Time Trialling / TT

thanks @umop3pisdn, stuck to the plan today, despite a non functioning power meter, was very pleased to tick this one off, now looking forward to seeing if i can better it, anyone know if i'll get a ride on the BDCA event with a 3:57 pb?

I'd expect to

Are there any club events on Wednesday or Thursday this week, in North or North East London? Point me in the direction of a good one and I might be able to drive you there...

Herts Wheelers and Whitewebb CC do events on a Wed eve, but none this week that I can find.

http://www.herts-wheelers.org.uk/racing/club_tts/
http://www.whitewebbscc.co.uk/events-2017.html

I recorded 3:59:20 (on gears) completely fell apart in the 2nd half, the heat, wind and the road to Chawton didn't help, onwards and upwards.

What tips and suggestions does everyone have for my first 100 next Sunday?

Pacing, nutrition etc.

Don't start too hard. Way easier than you think. Second half will be hard.

I normally find 2 x 1ltr bottles of nuun fine, ideally the second around 60 miles. Start with a full bottle of water in your stomach to see you through the first hour. You might need more water if it's stupidly hot like the weekend so maybe leave another bottle out on course?

I normally go with a ZipVit gel every half hour, alternately caffeine/non. 4hrs shouldn't be long enough to get stomach issues (touch wood), but make yourself eat as you'll need the carbs.

You'll have low points, for me it was 65-70 miles, some people get it around 80 miles. Just keep pushing.

I rode with 1x1.5l camelback shoved between my skinsuit and a base layer, one elite aero bottle on the frame and a second as a handup at 85 miles that I could have lived without,

as with Andy one zipvit mega gel every 30 minute or so, and I was fine and didn't flag too much.

you will flag a bit, so don't worry if you go off a bit ahead of pace but don't go crazy.

make sure you know what your target speed, power and time is, I realised that I work in km and didn't know exactly how far the course was in km, so was just waiting for the course to finish once I got to 160km!

try to break the course down into cucks and focus on that section, the Hounslow course is easy as its 5 laps, so each lap I had a target speed and power and wiped the slate clean (pressed lap reset) each lap, the first 3 flew by it was only in the 4th and fifth where I was having to work a bit and cope with various discomforts.

use decent chamois cream, my gooch looks like a war zone this morning having not used any (I don't usually struggle) everything else is ok other than some slightly sore legs.

probably don't do a race the day before, it didn't do me any harm really but doing 20 miles flat out probably didn't help!

The first thing I thought about as a I crossed the finish line yesterday is that I might finally get a start on the e2/100 course next year, got rejected 2 years ago and this year I had other commitments, the idea of 100 on nice road surfaces is pretty appealing - it closed on 4:06 this year so even with e pace of progress a 357 should be enough next year.

Anyone doing the National 25?

Are you doing the EDCA race? @Cycliste and I are both doing it. First time 100ers too. One of our clubmates has very kindly and foolishly volunteered to do hand-ups for us. I've yet to break the news to him that our start times are an hour apart, so he's got a 5 hour stint ahead of him.

Oh, and while I'm here, a quick vicarious #boastpost. @Cycliste did the VTTA 25 on the E2/25 on Saturday, beat her PB by 3m49s, went under the hour for the first time, and broke the club record for a 25. Hopefully the women's results will stand despite the cancellation of the men's race.

Edit: looks like they will

Yeah, the EDCA, I'm off at 7.03am. I was planning on a 1ltr bladder, a rear spare and then a spare to pick up later on in the ride. I've been having a nightmare with my saddle recently, mainly through stupidity, so hopefully that wont be my undoing.

debating entering currently, my PB of 54:20 looks like it'll just make the cut currently, and presumably would get me a reserve spot if not, but cant decide if I want to ride it enough to pay £30 to race when I could wait a few weeks and ride it in September for £10!

After reading @umop3pisdn excellent write up of his 12hr TT, im now seriously considereing doing the national 12, as its on the e2 course which I presume is a less horrific surface, but I have a few questions that I'm hoping the amassed experience here can answer!

1) can someone explain the course in simple terms, does it have different circuits, and how the hell do you know where you are going for 12 hours?!
2) where do peoples supporters hang out?
3) what the hell do you eat for that long?
4) can I do it off 4 weeks training?

any other encouragement or discouragement welcome....

Can't help with course specifics, but for eating it's just about having loads of different types of food available cos you don't know what you'll want to eat after 9 hours.

I didn't really do any specific distance training and only had a 50 as my longest race before, I say go for it... just don't beat my distance ;)

1) 2 laps of the DC for ~85 miles - then 3 different circuits round quiet ish lanes - this should give you some idea https://www.strava.com/activities/370910011
2) There are a few spots on each circuit - and obviously just the lay bys on the DC.
3) I did Garmin style rice cakes and things for my first couple but later ones just went with energy bars and gels and bananas.
4) Depends how fast you want to go!

About to buy a disc wheel for next season & torn between clincher & tubular versions. Is there much in it in terms of speed? I know clinchers have bridged the gap (supersonics, turbo cottons) but is the consensus still that tubs are better for TT or are the differences neglible? (I would prefer clinchers as they will work out a cheaper option)

clincher, tubeless with vittoria speed corsas would be my pick.

Cheers, pretty sure these wheels are not tubeless ready however. I think I will go for clincher + turbo cottons - the crr values seem to be better than some tubs and will work out cheaper than having them glued + expensive tubs

I'm running a flo disc tubeless and haven't died yet, and they are not tubeless ready.

the vittorias have a reported lower CRR and having ridden both, the vittorias feel faster and for me handle about 10 times better,

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/

not tubeless

Apparently you still want the Corsa Speed, but with a latex tube.

lpus they're cheaper, and dont have naff tan sidewalls!

flo disc...not tubeless ready

They look as tubeless ready as any of the other non-UST "tubeless" rims

Ah noted. Will order these instead. I foolishly thought these: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-corsa-speed-g-tubeless-ready-tyre-graphene/ were only for tubeless ready rims but I will just use these + a latex tube
Cheers