overtaking time triallists

[515mm]

On the commute home last night (sat) on the 'dry bike' (my lovely Wilier Mortirolo) and saw a guy in full on TT gear, disc wheel, silly hat, lock, stock, the 'king lot, doing his 'turn' on the mini roundabout at the Swansea side of Loughor Bridge as I approached it.

I'd just been enjoying myself enormously by over taking the cars that have to slow for the traffic calming through the village of Loughor and was feeling all smug and fast.

I blast past TTman (I think they were Bynea CC colours) on the bridge as he was accelerating slowly and I was nudging 25mph as I passed him and headed for the bypass. All was well with the world.

About two minutes later I heard him change gear behind me - those TT bikes make a shocking bloody racket and I felt all warm again as I thought ''He's sitting on. A tester is sitting on my wheel. Heh heh heh.''

Another 30 seconds go by and I hear another *clatter, clatter, BANG!*

''Changing gear then?'' I said, under my breath

Then he came past.

shoot the bed! His acceleration was amazing. I changed up and stamped on the pedals to try and get on his wheel. Absolutely no way - no bloody way on Earth - he just rode away from me. I'd started at 22mph and jumped to 27 but he just pulled away.

Not feeling quite so smug now.

 

[Ian Johnson]

Well ,a full TT bike with disc wheel etc and riding in the correct position gives a 2.5 mph advantage over a standard road bike... so I read somewhere. Debatable I suppose.

 

[515mm]

That and the lungs of a giraffe!

 

[Jake]

lol

 

[peanut]

awesome isn't it I guess the art of the TT is to conserve energy at all times and measure your output carefully so as not to blow up. He accelerated slower than you from the roundabout to get up to top speed but once there he'd be a lot more aerodynamic than you at anything over 20mph he'd have a huge advantage.

I can't wait to try my first TT .Mind you I'd never wear one of those ridiculous hats lol

 

[palinurus]

awesome isn't it I guess the art of the TT is to conserve energy at all times and measure your output carefully so as not to blow up. He accelerated slower than you from the roundabout to get up to top speed but once there he'd be a lot more aerodynamic than you at anything over 20mph he'd have a huge advantage.

I can't wait to try my first TT .Mind you I'd never wear one of those ridiculous hats lol

That's basically it.

The wearing of pointy hats isn't compulsory, they are quieter than a regular helmet though and if you can't hear the wind it's less discouraging.

I thought i'd never wear one either. What have I become.

 

[addictfreak]

Had a similar things about two weeks back, I was on a flyer doing 28.8mph nice a comfortable and im passed by a TT guy as though I was standing still!

 

[peanut]

I thought i'd never wear one either. What have I become.

A pointy hat person ?

to do a respectable 22 minute 10 you'd need to do approx 27.3 mph average
Which means to make up for the windy hilly bits and roundabouts you'd need to do quite a bit of the 10 miles at above 30mph

 

[lukesdad]

Luv that bit thru the ramps at loughor till the lollipop lady steps out in front of me , which she always seems to do.

 

[515mm]

hello Lukesdad!

didn't know you were local. Yes, that bit of road is huge fun if you've just come down the hill from the college or you have a tailwind off the bridge and can keep 20mph+ up the little rise and give the cars attempting an overtake a little surprise......

Do you commute into Swansea? btw

 

[lukesdad]

Hi 515 yeah I do when working on the gower you can check it out on elevation of my commute in commuting, whats your trip ?

 

[515mm]

Llanelli - High St Swansea

bypass to loughor - pant y cob rd to Gowerton - bike path(normally) to Blackpill then coastal path/jump onto Oystermouth rd and dice with the cars into the town.

although recently been staying on the road through Gowerton/Dunvant to Uplands/Walters Rd. A very nice trip into work but nasty going home - very impatient traffic and lots of hill starts! I shall take Carmarthen Rd instead for the trip home in future....

 

[lukesdad]

Find the dog walkers bit of apain inthe mornings on the blackpill path only use it till the pub then go up thru upper killay.

couldnt you use the Waunarlwydd road or would that still mean using Carmarthen road.