First TT bike, feels strange!

[mcnute]

You don't have to be ashamed or afraid to be uncomfortable on a TT bike at first. Keep practicing on it and you'll get used to it. Concentrate on your position and ignore the minor pain. TT is not about feeling comfortable, it is about regularity and aerodynamics.

Guys like Andy Schleck and Joaquim Rodriguez are terrible time trial riders, because they provenly don't practice the aero position they worked out on track testing sessions. One of the best riders of the world lost Grand Tour GC because they preferred comfort over working to get used to the more aero position.

 

[Rob3rt]

You don't have to be ashamed or afraid to be uncomfortable on a TT bike at first. Keep practicing on it and you'll get used to it. Concentrate on your position and ignore the minor pain. TT is not about feeling comfortable, it is about regularity and aerodynamics.

Guys like Andy Schleck and Joaquim Rodriguez are terrible time trial riders, because they provenly don't practice the aero position they worked out on track testing sessions. One of the best riders of the world lost Grand Tour GC because they preferred comfort over working to get used to the more aero position.

Being comfortable (in terms of bike fit, obviously riding flat out is not comfortable) is important if you want to stand any chance of staying aero and getting the power out!

Additionally, looking to the pro's is a pretty poor idea in this context, they are bound by a different set of regulations to the majority of us UK time triallists, thus we are potentially able to adopt even more aerodynamic positions whilst maintaining comfort.

 

[mcnute]

You're contradicting yourself in your own sentence, Rob. "... we are potentially able to adopt even more aerodynamic position whilst maintaining comfort." So why you have not done it yet? Because it is NOT easy to be more aero, even not being restricted by UCI rules. It always involves concentrating above average on your training rides and it always involves using muscle groups you haven't before.
That's why you're potentially more areo, and I AM aero.

 

[Rob3rt]

You're contradicting yourself in your own sentence, Rob. "... we are potentially able to adopt even more aerodynamic position whilst maintaining comfort." So why you have not done it yet? Because it is NOT easy to be more aero, even not being restricted by UCI rules. It always involves concentrating above average on your training rides and it always involves using muscle groups you haven't before.
That's why you're potentially more areo, and I AM aero.

I have not contradicted myself at all and your suggestion that I have is utterly nonsensical.

Additionally, you have misunderstood my point regarding the potential to be more aero. What I meant was under CTT rules, riders are able to do things which are known to be effective in reducing drag, which the UCI prohibit i.e. riders not bound by UCI regulations, can potentially (it is not automatic or assumed) achieve more aerodynamic positions, whilst also maintaining relative comfort.

Above average concentration and using muscle groups you don't typically use does not mean being uncomfortable!

 

[Cuchilo]

As per the title, after nearly 15 years of cycling I`ve bought a Felt TT bike, as I always enjoyed doing TT`s on my normal road bike.

I took it out for a ride around the town on Saturday afternoon for a 3-4 mile test ride, and thought I was going to die!

What a strange riding position? I kept thinking I was going to tip over. I know I`ll get used to it with practice but did anybody else who took it up find the same thing? I don`t want to make myself look a muppet! Luckily I have the winter to get the hang of it before the next season

Hows the TT bike now ? Did you stick with it ?

 

[speccy1]

Hows the TT bike now ? Did you stick with it ?

It`s been put at the back of the garage for the winter, will start playing again in the spring, fingers crossed!

 

[Cuchilo]

It`s been put at the back of the garage for the winter, will start playing again in the spring, fingers crossed!

Hmmmmmm are they really that horrible ? I have one on order .

 

[Spartak]

Hmmmmmm are they really that horrible ? I have one on order .

No not at all.
It just takes a bit of time getting the 'right' position

 

[palinurus]

Hmmmmmm are they really that horrible ? I have one on order .

When set up about right they are comfortable enough. Might take some further tweaking when you first attempt some longer distances- if you want to try a 50 or a 100 for example. It's a little unpleasant to be in much the same position for longer TTs but you can stretch a bit when climbing- get out of the saddle for a bit and ride on the bullhorns, similarly you can have a little stretch at junctions when you need to cover the brakes.

 

[Cuchilo]

When set up about right they are comfortable enough. Might take some further tweaking when you first attempt some longer distances- if you want to try a 50 or a 100 for example. It's a little unpleasant to be in much the same position for longer TTs but you can stretch a bit when climbing- get out of the saddle for a bit and ride on the bullhorns, similarly you can have a little stretch at junctions when you need to cover the brakes.

Do you think its worth getting a turbo trainer to get used to it or just go out on it ?

 

[palinurus]

I didn't have a turbo when I got my TT bike so I took to the roads (when I did get a turbo I found I could barely motivate myself to use it and would train on the road but plenty others do most of their structured training on a turbo- on balance it's probably useful to have one). You can work on your position on the turbo a bit but you won't get use to the 'feel' of riding on the tribars unless you ride on the road.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

My winter hack is an adapted Trek 1200 with tri bars I bought second hand on eBay, complete with SRAM brake levers and shifters.

I use it on club runs and for what I loosely call training runs to the gym. If I'm riding 6 days out of 7, then probably 5 of those will be on the Trek and only one on a road bike.

Result is, I now feel completely at ease on the bike, even in group situations. So my advice would be to ride the bike as often and as far as you can. If it's too good to ride outside at this time of the year, then definitely put it on a turbo, although, as been said, it's not the same as getting the bike out on the road where you actually have to steer the thing whilst remaining upright!

 

[oldroadman]

My winter hack is an adapted Trek 1200 with tri bars I bought second hand on eBay, complete with SRAM brake levers and shifters.

I use it on club runs and for what I loosely call training runs to the gym. If I'm riding 6 days out of 7, then probably 5 of those will be on the Trek and only one on a road bike.

Result is, I now feel completely at ease on the bike, even in group situations. So my advice would be to ride the bike as often and as far as you can. If it's too good to ride outside at this time of the year, then definitely put it on a turbo, although, as been said, it's not the same as getting the bike out on the road where you actually have to steer the thing whilst remaining upright!

Blowed if I would want to be in a group ride with someone using Tri Bars. No proper control when in the tuck. They are meant for TT and pursuits, and that's it. very understanding of others but they won't be quite so keen when the incident happens!

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Blowed if I would want to be in a group ride with someone using Tri Bars. No proper control when in the tuck. They are meant for TT and pursuits, and that's it. very understanding of others but they won't be quite so keen when the incident happens!

Yes, I know you're right. Tend to stay either well at the back or leading from the front and I make a habit of not getting very close!

 

[Cuchilo]

Ive seen a few people on tt bikes on club runs . They tend to stay outside of the pack . Never really thought about that until now .