Raleigh 531 Budget TT bike

Nice. I'm 19, have only ridden 100 miles once in my life, and wouldn't even consider entering a 100 time trial! Huge respect to you.

Thanks for your comment, but let’s not get carried away, 4.41. is not an outstanding 100 time, even for some one of my age.

I only mentioned it to demonstrate that these cheap and simple bikes can produce results (in the sense that it was a good time for me), and that fixed is not necessarily suitable only for short distance events.

Your posts seem to relate your performance just to your machine, but the bike has only a modest effect on a rider’s performance. Much more important is his knowledge, training, club and personal circumstances; a great many successful riders are second, third or even fourth generation racing men. For example Gethin Butler’s (BBAR ’94 &’96, and End to End record holder) grandfather was S.M. Butler, who competed in the 1932 Olympics, and the ‘M’ in Stan’s name stood for Meredith (google Leon Meredith).

As to riding the longer distances, you should at least contemplate it. Riding a 50 puts a 25 into perspective as a speed event, and as I mention in my preview of the Hounslow 100 (this Sunday, 26th May, see the forum Time Trial Thread) there was a time when 25’s were seen as beginners’ events. My clubmate, Martyn Roach, took the competition record for the 100 (3.51.41.) in 1968 when he was only 21 years of age, going on to become BBAR champion that year. At 19 you aren’t badly placed to be thinking about this.

Finally, and I feel obliged to say this, remember that time trialling is a lot more dangerous than road racing. This is not obvious, especially when you’re in a close packed RR bunch, and some one falls off in front of you, but the fact is that TTing will cause you to look for fast courses and this will see you riding on busy main roads, often with spear point junctions. I’m not saying don’t do it, I’ve done it and survived until now; I’m just saying you should be aware of the risks that you will take in this game.