Time Trial / Time Trialling / TT

Seems it is Chris'

What's the idea behind it?

Haha you mean they'll sit on the floor for another 24 months and maybe, just maybe, I'll break the bars on the PX and use the Shiv bars.

Q25/10: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Q25-10

Is it reasonably fast, and is it possible to ride it without getting lost?

It's a nice part of the world but it's the second time I've tried to figure out the route and I'm still confused.

Do you ride with a Garmin? You could load the GPX to make it harder to get lost.

It has the potential to be fast, but what doesn't help is having to climb up and over the Thanet Way four times at either end of the course. Heading east you also have to leave the carriageway and take a service road for a mile or so, the road surface is crap along there. Blame Q district and their H&S rules for that one. Then there is the wind. Be careful at the finish, as the line is about 75 yards before you join the dual carriageway again. You'll see what I mean after the first lap.

I rode this event in 2015, there will be plenty of marshals. I had pencilled it in for this year, but I don't think I can make it.

I've just entered three 25s up till the 24th September (Kent CA on 10th, Cambridge CC on 17th, Oxonian CC on 24th). Then what? The new football season will have started by then, and I'm not sure I actually enjoy cyclocross. I'm getting nostalgic already

This has been my first season of time trialling (I did one 25 last year, but that doesn't really count). I've ridden eleven 10s, four 25s and one 50, and I beat all of the targets I belatedly set myself.

I don't have another 10 lined up but I think I could definitely beat that, there are no more 50s in easy reach, and my 25 is probably the time I'm going to struggle most to beat.

Not really sure what to do next year. Probably more of the same, entering a few 50s early and trying my first 100. I might even think about getting a geared bike and seeing if that makes a difference.

Gears? Where be the fun in that?

Definitely do a 100

I might even think about getting a geared bike

I didn't know you were over 45...

What's the idea behind it?

It's for old people who have trouble getting their leg over.

Wondered it was ultra low q, to stop knees hitting top tube.

Wondered

The answer I gave is the actual answer, notwithstanding the humorous phrasing. It's not an uncommon problem, as swinging a leg over either the saddle or the bars can become problematic as hips degenerate. Back in the olden days, there was one old bloke who famously had to lay his bike down on the grass verge and climb through the main triangle before picking the whole thing up between his legs, as that was the only way he could get aboard. He was fine once he was on.

The monopole tribars and drop stem are all Mick Fountain, Chris had a much more upright position. Eventually he lost the ability to balance on a bicycle and took to a tadpole trike with a similar frame layout

Even that became too much for his body after a while, and he campaigned (unsuccessfully) to allow recumbent tricycles in TTs for people whose disability precluded the use of upright cycles.

I'm guessing the use of recumbents only refers to open events? A few years back I used to quite often see a chap on a recumbent taking part in the CC Bexley club 10 up and down past Brands Hatch.

A lot of opens seem to have para categories which presumably allow for recumbents? Or are they just for tandems with a pilot?

Chris Hart was great - the first person I ever spoke to after finishing my first open 10 mile TT.

I think the main reason for wanting to ride with gears would be getting a bike that's suited for the purpose. I could do with a lower front end and a slightly shorter top tube, and I'd love a bike that looked like a BMC Time Machine.

A lot of opens seem to have para categories which presumably allow for recumbents? Or are they just for tandems with a pilot?

Para in CTT terms usually means hand cycle. People with at least one working leg who can ride a conventional bike just race in the regular class, tandems with blind stokers ride against regular tandems, people with balance issues who ride trikes ride against regular tricyclists.

I used to quite often see a chap on a recumbent taking part in the CC Bexley club 10

I guess there's no harm in giving a private time trial to somebody on a road legal recumbent, although you probably have to DQ them for violating Reg14 immediately after telling them what time they did :)

Ahhh, shit. Just thinking about it again, he used a hand cycle :0)

There was a lady I saw this year at a VTTA event who had to use a sort of Zimmer-frame-on-wheels thing to get to and from HQ. Didn't stop her getting on her bike and knocking out a time on the E2/25. I was impressed.

a guy regularly turns up at my club in this, would love a go in it on a 10, thing is rapid excepting uphill.

Velomobile's rock. I would love to to try one.

Plenty of room for some electric motors.

Marcin DQ :(

Good.