time trial

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly
time trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go.
Unfortunatly I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I
have is my birdy folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it?
I am a little concerned about embarrassing myself.

Do the route tomorrow and base the decision on what time you get. Assuming
suitable gears, I'd guess that the hills (slower speeds) will give those
with aero riding positions and toys less of an advantage than they normally
have.

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go. Unfortunatly
I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have is my birdy
folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a little
concerned about embarrassing myself.

Adam

Have a go if you fancy it Adam.

Should you do a "poor" time, never mind - because future improvement is
almost certain?

Enjoy it. If possible!

John

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go. Unfortunatly
I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have is my birdy
folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a little
concerned about embarrassing myself.

Adam

Go for it. *Enjoy yourself* There is positively no cause for embarrassment.
*enjoy*

Adam Lea said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go. Unfortunatly I
haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have is my birdy
folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a little
concerned about embarrassing myself.

Go for it. My first TT was done on a machine with enough clearance for
several sets of mudguards (700C rims on a 27" touring frame) and a set
of bars waaaay too narrow, oh and I didn't even have a proper cycling
jersey I wore a rugby shirt IIRC.

To be really embarrassed let one of the fast types have a go on your
Birdy :-)
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go. Unfortunatly I
haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have is my birdy
folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a little
concerned about embarrassing myself.

Why embarrassing? Most people who ride club TTs are only riding against
themselves. If nothing else you'll probably be the fastest rider on a
folder. :-)
I would suggest trying to get an early start, to avoid being last man
home, if the idea bothers you.

in message <[email hidden]>, Rob Morley

(') said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go.
Unfortunatly I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have
is my birdy folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a
little concerned about embarrassing myself.

Why embarrassing? Most people who ride club TTs are only riding against
themselves. If nothing else you'll probably be the fastest rider on a
folder. :-)

Furthermore it gives you a great shot at the 'most improved rider' trophy
at the end of the season...

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Wise man with foot in mouth use opportunity to clean toes.
;; the Worlock

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Rob Morley

(') said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go.
Unfortunatly I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have
is my birdy folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a
little concerned about embarrassing myself.

Why embarrassing? Most people who ride club TTs are only riding against
themselves. If nothing else you'll probably be the fastest rider on a
folder. :-)

Furthermore it gives you a great shot at the 'most improved rider' trophy
at the end of the season...

To be honest, the way I felt cycling back from work today I will be grateful
if I can finish the course.

Anyway my name is down now so we shall see what happens.

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Rob Morley

(') said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...
> The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
> trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go.
> Unfortunatly I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have
> is my birdy folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a
> little concerned about embarrassing myself.
>
Why embarrassing? Most people who ride club TTs are only riding against
themselves. If nothing else you'll probably be the fastest rider on a
folder. :-)

Furthermore it gives you a great shot at the 'most improved rider' trophy
at the end of the season...

To be honest, the way I felt cycling back from work today I will be grateful
if I can finish the course.

Take it really easy until Tuesday night - rest is one of the most
important parts of effective training. Then ride /gently/ to the event
if that's practical, so you're well loosened up.

"Rob Morley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...
Take it really easy until Tuesday night - rest is one of the most
important parts of effective training. Then ride /gently/ to the event
if that's practical, so you're well loosened up.

Seriously?
I've been trying to exercise quite hard 2 days before and then make sure I
did a bit the day before too. It's annoying to think all those folks who
whiz past me might have had their feet up for most of the time. I'll give
the rest idea a bash this week and see if I can improve on my usual
last/second last man position.

This leads to another question though. If you are doing weekly time trials,
when is the best time to train if not in the days before the event? I
certainly don't feel like getting on a bike the day after my weekly
suffering but perhaps that's when it would do the most good.

Jim

"Jim" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

"Rob Morley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...
Take it really easy until Tuesday night - rest is one of the most
important parts of effective training. Then ride /gently/ to the event
if that's practical, so you're well loosened up.

Seriously?
I've been trying to exercise quite hard 2 days before and then make sure I
did a bit the day before too. It's annoying to think all those folks who
whiz past me might have had their feet up for most of the time. I'll give
the rest idea a bash this week and see if I can improve on my usual
last/second last man position.

Quoted message said:

This leads to another question though. If you are doing weekly time trials,
when is the best time to train if not in the days before the event? I
certainly don't feel like getting on a bike the day after my weekly
suffering but perhaps that's when it would do the most good.

Quoted message said:

Jim

48-72 hours after the TT.

You may need 48 hours to maximise glycogen reserves. You need these to
be high when you race and when you train.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

Jim said:

This leads to another question though. If you are doing weekly time trials,
when is the best time to train if not in the days before the event? I
certainly don't feel like getting on a bike the day after my weekly
suffering but perhaps that's when it would do the most good.

Set some TTs as 'target' events and train through the rest.

A rough plan for a non-target event might be to do a two hour
ride on Saturday with the middle 1 1/2 pushing on steadily
(not all out, but not touring pace either) then a longer
ride on Sunday (optional if you are only doing 10s really
- you could just do another couple of hours at a steadier
pace. Three hours is plenty anyway).

Then if the TT is Thursday, do 5 x 5 minute intervals
on Tuesday, TT Thursday (or visa vesa). Don't expect to go
that well if you've done the intervals before the TT. Remember
to eat lots as well.

For the target events (say 1 week in 3), if the event is
Thursday, do an hour easy on Tuesday, then ride out (if
possible) nice and steady and go for it.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
The struggle of people against power is the struggle
of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera

"Arthur Clune" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Then if the TT is Thursday, do 5 x 5 minute intervals
on Tuesday, TT Thursday (or visa vesa). Don't expect to go
that well if you've done the intervals before the TT. Remember
to eat lots as well.

For the target events (say 1 week in 3), if the event is
Thursday, do an hour easy on Tuesday, then ride out (if
possible) nice and steady and go for it.

Arthur

Lots of good info from Arthur (and Helen V) I'll bear it in mind that
training may compromise by performance (in the short term).
Thanks
Jim J
PS 'might even post my next time if it's half way to respectible (for a
vet).

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Rob Morley

(') said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The cycling club which I am a member of is having a 14.5 mile hilly time
trial next Tuesday evening and I am considering having a go.
Unfortunatly I haven't done one before and the only suitable bike I have
is my birdy folder. Would it be worth my while having a go at it? I am a
little concerned about embarrassing myself.

Why embarrassing? Most people who ride club TTs are only riding against
themselves. If nothing else you'll probably be the fastest rider on a
folder. :-)

Furthermore it gives you a great shot at the 'most improved rider' trophy
at the end of the season...

My plan would be to do my first time trial on a Brompton. I wonder how
that would go down?

--
Chris

All I want is a warm bed and a kind word and unlimited power
-- Ashleigh Brilliant

Quoted message said:

My plan would be to do my first time trial on a Brompton. I wonder how
that would go down?

Very well if you do badly, very badly if you do well 😉

Chris Slade wrote on 16/06/2007 22:27 +0100:

Quoted message said:

My plan would be to do my first time trial on a Brompton. I wonder how
that would go down?

Well according to a Dutch Brompton rider "I time trialed Brompton
several times in the past (1990-1993), the results were not that bad:
37km in 45º17,22' in the hilly Schwarzwald. That is an average speed of
±49kmh." Not that I believe him given that Floyd Landis' average for
the relatively flat time trial Stage 19 of the 2006 TdeF was 50km/hr.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

Tony Raven said:

Chris Slade wrote on 16/06/2007 22:27 +0100:

Quoted message said:

My plan would be to do my first time trial on a Brompton. I wonder how
that would go down?

Well according to a Dutch Brompton rider "I time trialed Brompton
several times in the past (1990-1993), the results were not that bad:
37km in 45º17,22' in the hilly Schwarzwald. That is an average speed of
±49kmh." Not that I believe him given that Floyd Landis' average for
the relatively flat time trial Stage 19 of the 2006 TdeF was 50km/hr.

Alaan van Holmes perhaps?

Tim

In article <[email hidden]>, Jim
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Rob Morley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
[email hidden] says...
Take it really easy until Tuesday night - rest is one of the most
important parts of effective training. Then ride /gently/ to the event
if that's practical, so you're well loosened up.

Seriously?

That's a bit more rest than I'd normally suggest, but I've certainly
come back from a few days off the bike stronger than I was before an
interruption in training.

Quoted message said:

I've been trying to exercise quite hard 2 days before and then make sure I
did a bit the day before too. It's annoying to think all those folks who
whiz past me might have had their feet up for most of the time. I'll give
the rest idea a bash this week and see if I can improve on my usual
last/second last man position.

This leads to another question though. If you are doing weekly time trials,
when is the best time to train if not in the days before the event? I
certainly don't feel like getting on a bike the day after my weekly
suffering but perhaps that's when it would do the most good.

For weekly events a simple training plan might be something like

distance
power
rest
distance
power
rest
race

but this will vary with the person, his schedule, the type of event and
the specific training. A rest day doesn't mean you have to stay off the
bike, just that you shouldn't push yourself hard. You might like to do
some swimming or similar to replace a distance session, and some
weights/circuits to replace a power session.
Make sure you keep your protein intake up after a power session, and get
plenty of carbs before an endurance session or a race.

in message <[email hidden]>, Arthur Clune

(') said:

Jim said:

This leads to another question though. If you are doing weekly time
trials, when is the best time to train if not in the days before the
event? I certainly don't feel like getting on a bike the day after my
weekly suffering but perhaps that's when it would do the most good.

Set some TTs as 'target' events and train through the rest.

That will really [censored] you off if it's pouring with rain and lashing with
wind on the week of your 'target' event, and all balmy and sunny and calm
the week before!

Watch the five-day weather forecast. If time trial night looks fine, don't
train hard that week. If it looks foul, train hard. You're bound to do
your best times in warm, calm weather.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; IE 3 is dead, but Netscape 4 still shambles about the earth,
;; wreaking a horrific vengeance upon the living
;; anonymous

Simon Brooke said:

Watch the five-day weather forecast. If time trial night looks fine, don't
train hard that week. If it looks foul, train hard. You're bound to do
your best times in warm, calm weather.

You'll be lucky to get better that way though. If you want to improve
over time, more structure is better. You can't plan a 3 week on/one week
off type cycle based on the weather.

Over time, a proper training plan will make you a lot faster and you'll
get better times anyway.

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
The struggle of people against power is the struggle
of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera