I want to increase TT speed

[toddvino]

I am trying to increase my avg. speed over a 20K TT from 22 MPH to 25 MPH. I'm 40 years old in decent shape and am looking to find the best training techniques that will help increase my speed for TT as opposed to longer rides or hill climbing. On paper it's only a 15% increase but on teh road it seems like a whole 'nother level of riding.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[BlueJersey]

With everything being equal, you can try to improve your aerobic engine but working on your 20 minutes power output twice a week for 2 months or so. Otherwise, prepare to smack down serious dough for a full blow TT rig.

I am trying to increase my avg. speed over a 20K TT from 22 MPH to 25 MPH. I'm 40 years old in decent shape and am looking to find the best training techniques that will help increase my speed for TT as opposed to longer rides or hill climbing. On paper it's only a 15% increase but on teh road it seems like a whole 'nother level of riding.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[rmur17]

I am trying to increase my avg. speed over a 20K TT from 22 MPH to 25 MPH. I'm 40 years old in decent shape and am looking to find the best training techniques that will help increase my speed for TT as opposed to longer rides or hill climbing. On paper it's only a 15% increase but on teh road it seems like a whole 'nother level of riding.

Thanks for the advice!

all else being equal you'll need approximately a 40% increase in power over the duration of your TT's. That's why an apparent 15% just isn't easy at all.

 

[Fday]

I am trying to increase my avg. speed over a 20K TT from 22 MPH to 25 MPH. I'm 40 years old in decent shape and am looking to find the best training techniques that will help increase my speed for TT as opposed to longer rides or hill climbing. On paper it's only a 15% increase but on teh road it seems like a whole 'nother level of riding.

Thanks for the advice!

PowerCranks claim that their average new user sees a 40% increase in power in 6-9 months of exclusive use, which is a 2-3 mph speed increase for most people. Many here don't believe it is possible but I would guess that 80% of our users at your level see that kind of improvement for a 20k TT in 6 months or less (if they use them exclusively in training). You could give them a try and report back to the group on your results. However, if you do see that kind of improvement and you report back, be prepared to take a lot of flack.

BTW, just so you are not deceived, I invented, manufacture, and sell them.

Frank

 

[Alex Simmons]

I am trying to increase my avg. speed over a 20K TT from 22 MPH to 25 MPH. I'm 40 years old in decent shape and am looking to find the best training techniques that will help increase my speed for TT as opposed to longer rides or hill climbing. On paper it's only a 15% increase but on teh road it seems like a whole 'nother level of riding.

Thanks for the advice!

You can also reduce the power required to ride at given speed.

That's primarily a combination of improving your power/weight ratio (esp for hills) by ensuring you are appropriately lean; improving your aerodynamics to lower your CdA (position and equipment choices); and lowering rolling resistance with tyre choice and inflation key in that equation.

 

[toddvino]

Thanks!

You can also reduce the power required to ride at given speed.

That's primarily a combination of improving your power/weight ratio (esp for hills) by ensuring you are appropriately lean; improving your aerodynamics to lower your CdA (position and equipment choices); and lowering rolling resistance with tyre choice and inflation key in that equation.

 

[Philsybob]

Hi there

I was fairly similar to yourself. I wanted to do a 16 k TT at an average greater than 40kph before I turned 40.

My approach (apart from throwing money at helmet, skinsuit, disk + trispoke+ shoe covers + TT frame) was to focus on shorter intervals 8 minutes to 10 minutes and do them and at a pace that is higher than what you currently average over your TT. Do three in a session with a full recovery in between. And do that twice a week, plus do the TT once a week as well. Build it up over a period of a few weeks and then have a recovery. You could also chuck in a couple of big gear low cadence sessions (don't do too many as they can be quite hard to recover from).

Climatic conditions also make a huge difference (about a minute over the time you are talking about), so pick a warm day, damp road (less rolling resistance) and keep trying, and start thinking aero.

With this approach I have managed a 22.40 for the 16k. Although I am currently languising around the 24minute mark (40 k).

 

[wiredued]

Isn't it cheaper to just lift your knees?

PowerCranks claim that their average new user sees a 40% increase in power in 6-9 months of exclusive use, which is a 2-3 mph speed increase for most people. Many here don't believe it is possible but I would guess that 80% of our users at your level see that kind of improvement for a 20k TT in 6 months or less (if they use them exclusively in training). You could give them a try and report back to the group on your results. However, if you do see that kind of improvement and you report back, be prepared to take a lot of flack.

BTW, just so you are not deceived, I invented, manufacture, and sell them.

Frank

 

[toddvino]

Thanks dude! Very helpful. Do you train using power meter, perceived exhaustion, or HRM?

Hi there

I was fairly similar to yourself. I wanted to do a 16 k TT at an average greater than 40kph before I turned 40.

My approach (apart from throwing money at helmet, skinsuit, disk + trispoke+ shoe covers + TT frame) was to focus on shorter intervals 8 minutes to 10 minutes and do them and at a pace that is higher than what you currently average over your TT. Do three in a session with a full recovery in between. And do that twice a week, plus do the TT once a week as well. Build it up over a period of a few weeks and then have a recovery. You could also chuck in a couple of big gear low cadence sessions (don't do too many as they can be quite hard to recover from).

Climatic conditions also make a huge difference (about a minute over the time you are talking about), so pick a warm day, damp road (less rolling resistance) and keep trying, and start thinking aero.

With this approach I have managed a 22.40 for the 16k. Although I am currently languising around the 24minute mark (40 k).

 

[vadiver]

PowerCranks claim that their average new user sees a 40% increase in power in 6-9 months of exclusive use, which is a 2-3 mph speed increase for most people. Many here don't believe it is possible but I would guess that 80% of our users at your level see that kind of improvement for a 20k TT in 6 months or less (if they use them exclusively in training). You could give them a try and report back to the group on your results. However, if you do see that kind of improvement and you report back, be prepared to take a lot of flack.

BTW, just so you are not deceived, I invented, manufacture, and sell them.

Frank

I personally would invest my $1000US in a good trainer and do isolated leg pulls and work on how to ride. You would also be able to ride year around.

I would think that any new rider would see an increase of 40% in 6 months regarless of what they were using for training. I know when I got back into cycling I improved my TT speed by 5MPH (18 to 23MPH) in 5 months with standard cranks.

 

[toddvino]

I have a good Cyclops trainer. What workouts over the next 5 months would you recommend doing on it specifically as you've outlined some outstanding gains?

Thanks

I personally would invest my $1000US in a good trainer and do isolated leg pulls and work on how to ride. You would also be able to ride year around.

I would think that any new rider would see an increase of 40% in 6 months regarless of what they were using for training. I know when I got back into cycling I improved my TT speed by 5MPH (18 to 23MPH) in 5 months with standard cranks.

 

[musher]

I have a good Cyclops trainer. What workouts over the next 5 months would you recommend doing on it specifically as you've outlined some outstanding gains?

Thanks

The best training for TT are the mini TT .

 

[Fday]

Isn't it cheaper to just lift your knees?

Sure, if you can actually train yourself to do it. Evidence suggests this is very hard to learn.

Frank

 

[musher]

The best training for TT are the mini TT .

There are 3 periods that you should work on to develop your TT. These are:15' - 6' & 2' mn. efforts . 15' solid mn. of training at your 100% LT; 6' is working on improving your VO2 max & LT ; 2' efforts is an effectif way to increase your overall SPEED for your TT. . Try : www.racelistings.com & go to Time trial Strategy . Have fun and ride hard , Musher

 

[vadiver]

I have a good Cyclops trainer. What workouts over the next 5 months would you recommend doing on it specifically as you've outlined some outstanding gains?

Thanks

Doing intervals and working hard. Reading these forums for the most part I had been doing what other recomended. I have read other drills in various artilcles that seem to make sense. I do them and they have not hurt.

I have a set course (out and back) that works well for me to base on. It is somewhat hilly with only three (six) stop lights and two stop signs. I would ride it at 90-95% of my MHR with recovery at the stoplights if I got caught. I have other rides that I do that have a lot of hills on them and longer rides. I mixed it up to not get bored. At the end of the season I was not making as big of improvements.

My comment about the marked improvement was more to the point of when I started I was not in good shape. Just riding regularly with a goal such as increasing my TT speed from 22MPH to 25MPH will probably do it. You will learn to pull up on your feet because you are trying to get every thing out of each stroke and you will realize you are wasting 50% of the time with each leg. I think it is acogan has some good articles on this and how much energy is waisted just having one foot go for a ride.

Getting your core muscles to the point you can stay in the drops in a good areo postion and getting as much of your body out of the wind will help a lot. The 20KM TT is only about about 30 min. Work on very hard intervels and you will be there shortly.

 

[musher]

I have a good Cyclops trainer. What workouts over the next 5 months would you recommend doing on it specifically as you've outlined some outstanding gains?

Thanks

Here are some articles with great INFO: www.cervelo.com/content.aspx?m=Engineering&i=Aerodynamics. www.timetriallingforum.co.uk. Position and Power :www.biketechreview.com/power/position.htm and a great article by Karn Brems:www.altovelo.org/training/timetrials.php , have fun ,Musher

 

[Philsybob]

The Karn Brems article is very similar to the protocol I prescribed. I prefer to do intervals in the 5 minutes to 10 minute range (because my race is of a shorter duration than the full hour, and I am lazy).

I find that intervals under three minutes (full noise) hurt a lot, (do improve your VO2), but tire you out too much (so you can't do them very often).

I have made the biggest gains when I have followed a protocol of increasing intensity (I use a power meter to determine), and then recovery so week 1 of intervals would be, 260-280 watts 8 - 10 minutes (usually three), week 2 280 - 300 watts and week 3 300-320 watts, then recovery week.

And don't forget to do lots of TT's. The more you do, the more you discover about yourself (and how much pain you can sustain).

You may also want to consider the cadence with which you train/compete. I try and keep my cadence up as high as possible during my interval training (trying to work my heart and lungs), but often resort to bigger gears in a TT. My best TT has been done at a cadence of 74 - but that is probably an individual thing, you have to work it out.

Have you considered hiring a coach? I have had one for a year and a half and they were very useful initially.

 

[typ993]

With everything being equal, you can try to improve your aerobic engine but working on your 20 minutes power output twice a week for 2 months or so. Otherwise, prepare to smack down serious dough for a full blow TT rig.

Or not so serious (depending on what the OP is currently using). CH Aero wheel covers, clip-on aero bars, aero helmet, ~$US 250.

 

[dessa]

Or not so serious (depending on what the OP is currently using). CH Aero wheel covers, clip-on aero bars, aero helmet, ~$US 250.

Are CH Aero covers still legal this year fo USCF events?

 

[dessa]

Or not so serious (depending on what the OP is currently using). CH Aero wheel covers, clip-on aero bars, aero helmet, ~$US 250.

Are CH Aero covers still legal for USCF events this year?