Time Trialing - Dying on it's Arris?

[Sharky]

+1
Having a clean dedicated bike for TT's is a good idea, but it doesn't have to be costly. I had an old Mercian track frame in the loft, originally bought in 68 and cleaned it up with a new pair of basic track wheels and used it as my TT bike through the 90's. My times were comparable with the previous gears bike I had been using. Since then, several upgrades, with new wheels, frame, bars - probably everything, but still fixed and was done over several years, so did not hit the annual budget very much.

But, I be will be turning Pro next year, riding for the Gov.UK.Pensions squad and am tempted to sell my soul to the Dolan devil and acquire something special for the "autumn" years.

Cheers Keith

 

[Sharky]

I know you always like photos, so ..

The first, taken in 1968 - My Mercian, with 5 speed 14-18 Simplex gears and a 54 TA ring, Stronglight 49d cranks. Note the "computer" on the handlebar clip - a Smiths Pocket Watch. GB bars & stem. And notice my shoes - I'd forgotten to bring my cycling shoes!
.

The second taken in 2007 - same frame, but everything else upgraded and now all fixed. A joy to ride, although has now been replaced with another track frame.

You don't have to spend a lot to get a competitive machine.
Cheers Keith

 

[G3CWI]

The second taken in 2007 - same frame, but everything else upgraded

Bloke on top looks downgraded. Sorry.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Thanks for the photies Sharky, funnily enough when I last rode a time trial I too was riding a Mercian fixed, my old road frame from the 80s. Best wishes for your pro debut !

 

[Spartak]

TT's ceased to be the race of truth sometime in the last 15 years when technology overtook most people's budgets. When I was riding them 25 years ago you could be competitve on a very modest budget because no matter how much you spent all racing bikes were pretty much equal. On occasion I achieved top ten placings in open events on a standard steel road bike, no skinsuit, no aero anything in fact. But nowadays most people need to spend 5k on a specialist TT bike to be competitive even in club events. Nowadays its the race of budget not of truth.

I'm sorry FotE, but I disagree.

I believe it is still the race of truth, it is still you against the clock.

I am a MAMIL & took up TT ing approx 6 years ago, I haven't spent a fortune although I could, I like many in my club just enjoy trying to beat our PB's each week.

 

[oldroadman]

There will always be someone who has to have the latest kit. Usually it does little good because it's bought as a substitute for hard work!
The ITT can be a race of truth, and I expect more so at a place like Hillingdon which is a closed circuit. Out on the road you can be obstructed by traffic, helped by traffic, ride a "fast" course (which usually means big roads with plenty of passing traffic?). If any of those examples constitute a race of truth, then cloud cuckoo land exists. The only race of truth is on a closed road with no interference apart from weather, which is something we all have to contend with. Which makes places like Hillingdon look as close to that as you are likely to get.

 

[Dan B]

I'm imagining Sportives - not racing but they can pretend, and not got enough balls to put a number on their back against a clock.

How many balls are needed to put a number on your back? Wouldn't safety pins be more effective?

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

How many balls are needed to put a number on your back? Wouldn't safety pins be more effective?

You'd need sticky balls.

 

[derrick]

Our club struggles to get 10 riders on a Wednesday evening, this was my first year at TTing at the grand age of 62, really enjoyed them and looking forward to next years series, It would be good to see some of our Sunday riders doing them, Did get my other half and a couple of her mates to do the last 2 events. The three of them said they all enjoyed it, Most of us are on road bikes but we do have a couple on full blown TTbikes, but one guy is only 24 and he is quick, the club treats them as fun events and thats what i like, not to serious but still hard work. Most of us do end up in the pub after, so it's a good night out. Below is our course if anyone knows the area.
http://app.strava.com/activities/166904801

 

[Smokin Joe]

I know you always like photos, so ..

The first, taken in 1968 - My Mercian, with 5 speed 14-18 Simplex gears and a 54 TA ring, Stronglight 49d cranks. Note the "computer" on the handlebar clip - a Smiths Pocket Watch. GB bars & stem. And notice my shoes - I'd forgotten to bring my cycling shoes!
. View attachment 59039


The second taken in 2007 - same frame, but everything else upgraded and now all fixed. A joy to ride, although has now been replaced with another track frame.



View attachment 59040

You don't have to spend a lot to get a competitive machine.
Cheers Keith

Nice pics, Sharky. The first one was taken the year before I started racing and brings back a few memories, I had a 49D chainset too.

As you said in a previous post, a TT bike does not have to be costly. The biggest drag factor on a bike is the rider, not the machine itself which has a very small frontal area. I see some riders competing with tri bars clamped on top of their road bars without any adjustment to the bar height and they might just as well have put a parachute on their backs.