TT success 2018 ᕦ(òᴥó)ᕥ (fixed | geared | human)

Since accidentally making a baby come out of my wife, I've had very little time to cycle for pleasure. In the 13 months that have passed I've bought more frames than I've done proper rides.

Something must be done. The answer is clearly to buy two frames on a whim that may or may not fit me and tool them up for time trials based on wisdom I've read on the internet.

In the traditional manner of these threads, the most interesting parts of this project are bikes: one fixed-gear time trial bike, and one lo-pro.

(ignore the wacky bar angle this was just for a photo on BikeRegister)

Frame: Dolan Pre Cursa 58cm
Wheels: a Mavic one and another silver one
Crankset: UNDECIDED OMG FUN! (see below)
Chainring: Shimano 52t 3/32" (no ramps or pins)
Cog: (I'm getting a 16t, a 17t and an 18t for 85.4, 80.4 and 75.9 GI respectively)
Bars: some pursuit bars with extensions
Finishing kit: Alpina (came with the frame)
Saddle: I think it'll be a PlanetX one I have lying around but no idea how comfy that is. Might be a Regal in the photo
Tyres: ?? fast ones that take like 3 minutes off my time
Brake: I think a Sora one I have with a Cane Creek lever

Frame: I don't know what this is, but it's not a Peugeot. It's light and possibly TIG welded and has been resprayed by Argos at some point
Fork: aluminium one with "D" and "G" on the dropouts, so clearly French. Maybe Alan? Need to sort headset.
Wheels: Zipp 340 rear/310 front, tubs
Crankset: Almost certainly Dura Ace 740x
Chainring: 50t something or other not yet bought
Cassette: Shimano 12-23 one (8 speed)
Shifters: DA 7402 (right only - frame has no braze-on for left)
Rear mech: DA 7402
Brakes: UNDECIDED OMG FUN! (see below)
Bars: Nitto RB021 pursuit
Stem: NEED. I have a few nice quill stems but I think they might all be too long. I'll swap one for a shorter one, I reckon.

CRANK JOY
I have a set of DA 7400 cranks for the Dolan right now, but need the 103mm BB to give it a 42mm chainline. I'm planning to use the same cranks on the "Peugeot", so perhaps I can turn one of my other cranksets lying around into a fixed set, but they're all external BB road cranksets… Rotor 3D, SRAM Rival and possibly SRAM Force. I'll need to look into whether this can be done.

650c WHEEL TORMENT
I bought a Zipp 310 front wheel that, annoyingly, is from one year later than my rear wheel, so has a red/white fade sticker, instead of a white "ZIPP" with a red border to match. Unfortunately it looks like DPD have fucking lost it, so I'll have £85 back soon.

BRAKE THRILLS
The Dolan will have a Sora front brake, but if I can get a nicer one, it might get an upgrade. The Peugeot is in brake limbo. Right now I'm also building up a Look KG241 with (period very fucking incorrect) 7402/Tricolour bits. Right now it's a toss-up in brake terms between these two bikes to receive these brake combos:

Brake setup Alpha
Shimano Tricolour brakes and Shimano BL-7401 levers

Brake setup Omicron
Modolo levers like this and Sachs Modolo brakes like this

BODILY FITNESS ECSTASY
But what of the meatsack making the cranks turn? Even at my fittest, my 10-mile times were pathetic. Now I've stopped proper bike riding, stopped playing football, stopped doing circuit classes and running. Plus, my previous five-times-a week commute has been reduced to a puny three.

Long jaunts are out of the question. Even before fatherhood, I used to find it difficult to get 4–5-hour rides in on a weekend.

Now, training can take a maximum of one hour out of my life, and there ain't even a lot of one-hour blocks to take. It would be doable to work some intervals into my commute, and certainly to put in some lunchtime laps of Regents Park, which isn't too far from work. Then I could maybe steal an hour per weekend, but that's not guaranteed, and I'm not sure how I'd get quality training in near where I live (Streatham).

I have no power-measuring devices, no indoor trainer, and no bike computer. I managed to find these lunch-hour triathlon (HA!) tips online, including:

"1km Sprints"
You need to be fully warmed up for this one. Complete as many 1km sprints as possible in 30mins allowing for 1min very easy spin recovery in between the efforts. Aim to maintain a reasonable consistency in 1km times and focus on finding the optimal gear and cadence.

"Overgearing"
Learn to build more power by slowly working at increasing levels of resistance. Doing this by ‘over gearing’ means that you ride in one gear tougher than you would normally choose. Start with short periods and build the time. You should be able to maintain a consistent cadence when riding and stay seated for these.

"20-30-40"
This tough session really passes so quickly. Get fully warmed up then complete this high intensity 3min block of 20secs sprint; 40secs recovery; 30secs sprint; 30secs recovery; 40secs sprint; 20secs recovery. After each 3min block spin easy for 1min. Choose to either sprint seated, standing or in an aerodynamic position on the aerobars if you’re using a turbo.

And the intriguing "Legs of Steel" (sounds like a prank)
This isn’t for the faint hearted. It involves changing body position by shifting so your lower spine is touching the nose of the saddle but keep your spine upright. This loads the quads full of lactic acid to terrifying levels. Start by aiming for efforts of 10secs and build up to holding for 1min. Have a recovery spin in between.

Will these make me cool?

Ok, nice one, cheers.

perhaps I can turn one of my other cranksets lying around into a fixed set, but they're all external BB road cranksets

Re-dish rear wheel for a 46mm chainline.

Next.

Is that a "turn nipples a bit" job or a "take wheel apart" type of job?

If that Pug is a Pig let me know. I have a faux-pro that might work for you.

Argh I Googled it and...medium PITA...

Might do this, as it would save me a fair bit of money on...everything. Do I need a dishing tool?

I think it'll be OK. It's certainly a nice frame. Sizing is the only unknown, and I'll at least squeeze myself onto it for a few rides - see if I can permanently bend myself into a "cycling" shape.

All the things here make me feel old and weary, because I am both.
I'm doing the 'one up from the lowest ring' on the commute climbs home this week.
I may die tomorrow, simply from being pathetic. My legs hurt now.

"turn nipples a bit"

Yup.

Respace the hub, then just get the rim centred in your stand/bike.

I'm so subbed to this. Looking forward to this very much so.

Edit. I feel it necessary that I explain my enthusiasm. We're in similar situations. I have two destructive horrors embellishing the rich tapestry of my life and this is the year that I, too, will make much fitness. My plan is a little less comprehensive than your own. So far it's doing hill repeats for less than an hour at which point I got home a physical and emotional wreck with remnants of vomit on my chin. And doing a plank while the kettle boils to build up core strength. So far I can plank for a minute before I start shaking like a scared chihuahua.

Would a Powertap rear wheel with Raltec carbon covers be of interest for the Peugeot?

Cheers - that's a nice evening's work.

If I end up without the Zipp front wheel, I'll look for a new wheelset so would be interested, yeah. have you got a pic?

Haha - I live up a biggish hill, so I get a 45x18 "workout" each day. It's not much, but at 80kg+ I'm (or was) one of the better climbers in my club.

Why such small gears? You need at least a 14t for the fixed and a 57t single with an 11 up for the lopro.

For the fixed, I asked in the FGTTB thread a while ago and got answers that suggested around 80-85GI. So, yeah, 75 is probably too small and maybe I should look at a 15t, but I'll start on 50 x 17 and see how I get on.

And for the lo-pro, are you srs? 57 x 11? The 11-up I can live with, but the plan was to share this Zipp wheel with another road bike, and it just happens to have a 12-23 block on. I went with 50 based on my road bike w. compact cranks. I kind of figured I can ride pretty much anywhere in the big ring across a 10-speed 12-25 (or could be 11-25) cassette on that, so 50 x (12-23) would be more-or less OK on this bike. Making the front ring 52 or 53 would be fine, but 57?!

Well I suppose a 57t paired with a 14 up 5 speed block would be more traditional but big gears = faster. Where are you going to be racing?

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/13510515/

If the rear OLN of the Pug is less than 130mm then you might have problems with the covers rubbing on the chainstays...

Welcome: the pleasure's all yours...

Now's probably a good time to join TTF and get involved there...

Where are you going to be racing?

Probably Surrey and Kent

Cheers - I didn't twig that Powertap is a wattage-measuring thing. How much are you after?

Now's probably a good time to join TTF and get involved there...

just put up a trispoke for sale ! could work for the geared bike
edit: if an 8 speed cassette could work on it

Subbed. Also building a tt-dolan and you do funnys pretty well

Nice one. Right now I have a rear wheel, it's just the front that's MIA,but will let you know.