I WANT TO HIRE A FAST TT BIKE FOR THE LONDON TRIATHLON

[junglehero]

Hi all

I am doing the london triathlon this year on the weekend of August 1 and 2 2009 and would like to hire a fast TT bike (or at least some carbon wheels) to take some minutes off my 40k time.

I've looked into hiring and can't see that anyone offers that service. So, a couple of questions:

1 - does anyone know where I can hire a fast TT bike or some carbon wheels; and

2 - does anyone have a fast TT bike (or some carbon wheels) that I could hire for the race? Obviously it's a bit of a strange request but if anyone's up for earning some cash lending out their bike to a fully insured rider under a bespoke agreement then let me know.

Many thanks in advance if you have any input,

Henry

 

[Will1985]

No need to shout.

http://www.racewheelsuk.com/ will get you some wheels - very respected service. I very much doubt you'll find anywhere which rents out full bikes. Rent a set of 808s as a maximum if you've not used aero wheels before. I presume you have helmet and clip-on tribars?

I can't imagine any sane person would lend a stranger their prized TT bike.

Why not work on your engine?

P.S. The bots will be onto your email address if you leave it there...

 

[junglehero]

Thanks. Can you tell me, is it worth spending £85 on some wheels for one race? I reckon to make it worthwhile I'd have to be taking off minutes at least.

 

[junglehero]

Also, as an increasingly keen but a beginner rider who will be hoping to do the 40k bike leg in around 66mins but has never used carbon wheels, which wheels would you recommend?

It's a very flat course with some gentle ups and downs with not to many tight corners and some long straights where you can really get your head down and go for it.

 

[Will1985]

Thanks. Can you tell me, is it worth spending £85 on some wheels for one race? I reckon to make it worthwhile I'd have to be taking off minutes at least.

Personally at that price it isn't worth it if you foresee yourself doing more triathlons using aero wheels in the future. On the other hand, the cost includes insurance etc which gives you peace of mind if you do wreck a set. Anything deeper than 50mm will certainly make a difference, noticed more by slower riders.

Also, as an increasingly keen but a beginner rider who will be hoping to do the 40k bike leg in around 66mins but has never used carbon wheels, which wheels would you recommend?

This is dependant on your size, bike handling skills, and the wind on the day. Aero wheels present a significant surface area to a crosswind which can blow you across the road - with this in mind perhaps 60mm rim is advisable for a first go.

If you do go this route, the Hed Jet 6s offer better VFM - the carbon part of the rim is a fairing so the wheels feel and behave more like regular wheels with spokes attached at the aluminium brake rim. I use last year's Hed Jet 60s which are a slightly different design and use them on all sorts of rides.

What sort of 40k time can you do on your current wheels? Last year I did a 1:05 (time trial) with standard rims, then used Jet 60s 2 weeks later on the same course to get a 1:02 on a slightly better day. 60mm deep could probably give you 2 minutes.

 

[Will1985]

I forgot to add two things:
- stick to clincher
- Chrissie uses Hed Jets, so you can't go wrong if the Ironman World Champion uses them.

 

[junglehero]

Thanks very much...

I would hope to do about 1.08 on my current rims in the race. I am c.84kgs and am 6ft 2inches - how much time off do you reckon I'd get with carbons?

Why clinchers and not tubs?

 

[andy_wrx]

Wheels are one thing, but I wuoldn't like to hire a TT bike and then try to race it hard the first time I sat on it.

 

[wyno70]

Is 3 minutes worth £85??

I did London last year and it was very windy, wouldn't have been a lot of fun with deep rims.