Time Trial / Time Trialling / TT

I’m trying to decide between skinsuit with a few layers of merino underneath, full winter kit, or staying in bed...

I have no qualms riding early season TTs in full winter kit. They're only ever going to be training rides for me. Depends on your goals though. Maybe you really think you can get a course record or something and have been trying for 5 years... in which case I'd pull out all the stops.

It depends on the wind chill factor. I regularly race cx in a merino base layer, bibs, short sleeve jersey and arm and knee warmers. Oh, and a cap and gloves.

Once you get into the effort, you barely notice the weather.

Until you need to use your fingers for braking or gear changing (I know, I know, doing it wrong..)

Silk glove liners under normal TT gloves work well.

It is sad but true that the BBAR is not what it used to be.

It is worth remembering that this competition was originally started by 'Cycling' (as Cycling Weekly then styled itself). Naturally there was a lot of coverage in the magazine, which at the time delared itself to be 'the leading cycling journal of the world'. Whether this claim was valid may be debatable, but it would certainly have seemed true to pre-war British cyclists.

To have full coverage of your efforts every week in such a publication was a tremendous spur to competition generally and the BBAR in particular.

Since CW has pretty much lost interest, the competition has gradually gone down hill. However in the age of the internet, journalism is at least partially democratised. It's up to us to write about the events that interest us and to publish where ever we can.

I've done what I could do in recent years but more activity is needed, and from younger people than me.

the competition has gradually gone down hill.

Some people on TTF consider that to be cheating.

You’re right about young people. Time trialling just isn’t attractive to them, road racing has got all the allure.

People also don’t seem to keen on 12hours now. Perhaps a rejuvenation could happen through reducing it to 100mile. So 10,25,50,100. Would increase competitor numbers.

Never mind. Cancelled due to possible ice.

You’re right about young people. Time trialling just isn’t attractive to them

That's OK, we'll wait for them :) TTing in the UK form will be fine as long as we keep attracting MAMILs, AG triathlengers and former runners and rowers too old or knackered to continue in their original sport. Young people who still think they can get anywhere in cycling shouldn't be concentrating on TTs in the 21st Century, although they are always welcome to come and treat an evening 10 as a 20 minute FTP test and keep the rest of us in our place.

The men's BAR might eventually drop to 25/50/100 if there are no 12s run, but we're not there yet. Making it easier just to increase numbers smacks of "prizes for all".

NRHR cancelled. Saves me a tough decision ❄️

Today? I had a lovely ride out in the Chilts. There was feck all. I was surprised.

Yeah, one particular spot that is a key point on circuit was a skating rink at 8.30-9. (Car in hedge nearby too) Ice gone by 11 but extremely wet. Sub zero tonight and colder in general tomorrow means very likely a repeat of conditions in the morning.

I saw skinny's retweet. I was amazed the usually soggy Bottrells Lane was almost bone dry and there was enough sun around to make it quite nice out. But yeah, depends on the lanes, clearly.

When I went out there was still quite a lot of ice this morning. A lot of roads are bone dry, but the typical points of flooding are still soaked. The water level is really high this way still.

Essex is our drain. :)

The Thames is everyone's drain

Even in the days before road racing really existed in Britain (Pre 1942, apart from the Isle of Man and a few closed circuits) I'm pretty sure most of the then young people would have preferred to race en ligne rather than *contre la montre*if they'd had the chance. And as Tester so rightly says that's what young people should want to do.

Time trialling has many advantages, but for any ambitious young rider it will probably be a sideline. We can't all be Anquetil.

I'm not sure that many riders have ever been keen to ride a twelve - it's something that's far more enjoyable in retrospect than in anticipation - or when you're actually out there doing it.

However I am strongly opposed to taking the twelve out of any BAR competition (that, Hippie, was the reason we met as competitors in the 2011 Kent CA event). It might increase numbers to remove it, but it wouls severely detract from the interest. Aside from the fact that it would be an obvious dumbing down, a reduction in standards, it should be remembered that from the 'story' point of view it's the longer events that are more worth writing about. You try to find something interesting to write for a report on a 10! A twelve usually provides some drama because things can go wrong but be overcome by ingenuity or just sheer grit.

So let's keep the twelve as long as we can.

Couldn't agree more.

P.S. to Skinny:

When I mentioned 'younger people than me' in my first post on this subject I wasn't talking about actual young people, just those who are younger than me - which includes almost everyone. I was not thinking of competitors - it was writers I had in mind.

12hr?

Warmup.

HTFU.

I do see what you’re saying, and I can agree. I am just reflecting an option to bring life back to what is an iconic competition.

I don’t see it as a dumbing down, as tester put it. More an alternative. For me I’d love to ride a 12 and 24.

When you say the bbar isn't what it used to be, consider the performances of the top 6 in particular last year. They were incredible. Some of the best testers in the country trying their very best to win the competition.

Duggleby, Bideau, Harrison, Turnbull, Donaldson, Grieves.

Doesn't really match your narrative of it not being what it was.

Women's 12hr record finally being beaten...

I agree. I was thinking more in terms of wide publicity and respect. It’s quite a inside thing, beyond the small circle of time trialists isn’t not a talked about this.

I just got the impression from reading some old accounts, it was a widely known and immensely respected competition, across the cycling community.