First "modern era" TT...what to change?

[Lewis Moon]

I'm going to do my first "modern era" TT, that is; my first TT in the era of aero bars. I've never ridden them before, but I have a short TT coming up with a -1% gradient, so aero is going to rool, and riding a stock roadbike will increase time suckage exponentially. Any tips for minimal set up for my trusty steel road bike? The TT is pretty non-technical, just head down and go.

[Lewis Moon]

Also...can anyone point me toward a good site that explaines how to purchase the correct aerobars and set up a roadbike with them?
Yeah...a noob site. I've always stuck my nose up at aerobars (tribars)...now I need them.:rolleyes:

[bikinchris]

Interesting post.

Setting up a TT bike is best done by a good coach. Any aero bar will do fine, even a cheap model. For clip on, Profile still makes good ones.
If you are going to do more time trials getting an aero bike will do more good.

You can buy a good used low profile bike and it doesn't have to be a new model to work fine and go fast.
Don't let anyone convince you that you need the 2014 model of anything for $10,000 with another $7,000 of wheels to go fast.

[aramis]

When I've done TTs I figure there is no chance I'm going to do win or whatever, so I just use a regular road bike and keep it as a constant so I can compare my times against each other.

It would be fun to try a TT and re-try with aerobars and see if there is a large difference.

I did go and buy a set of clip on aerobars on competitive cyclist for $50, and I might go try those out this year though. I can't justify an entire bike for a few TTs a year.

One tool that is great on a TT is a powermeter though.

[WickedWheels]

Tweak the position as well as you can. Get down low and forward.

As for equipment... aerobars will allow you to maintain "down and forward" and renting/demo'ing a good set of wheels (Enve 6.7 or Zipp 808's) will get you an extra 1-2 mph. Super-tight clothing if you don't have a skin-suit. The rest is mostly bull·····.

[Rusty Luggs]

I have done many, many TT’s (oddly enough a favorite discipline). A few suggestions for a “minimal” set up you asked about:

I wouldn’t move saddle position at all. Keep it in the normal road position. My observation is that it is easy to significantly decrease power output moving the saddle forward as many folks suggest to facilitate a low aero position, unless you actually spend significant training time in that position. Same thing can happen with getting too low.

As far as how low to go, I would suggest that you essentially replicate how low you are when you are in the drops on your normal road bike, which will be a low position where you are comfortable making power for most racers.
Arms close together is good, but needs to be far enough apart to be comfortable to control the bike. In line with your legs or closer is good, as long as you feel in control.
Fore/aft position of your forearm on the pads also plays into how steering feels as well as how low you will end up.

Though I have a dedicated TT bike, there are occasions where I TT on a regular road bike, one that comes to mind is a TT with a few miles of flat followed by a few miles of steep uphill (>10%) where I want the light weight and climbing position of the road bike. For that occasion, I use my regular road race bike and clip on aero bars. Bars I use are Vision mini clips, used without the bridge and positioned as close to the stem as possible (narrowest possible). These bars are just a bit short for me, and I end up grabbing them well out at the end. If the TT was longer and more miles of flat, I would probably get a longer clip on bar with adjustable length. I do like the Vision clip on bars as they allow a low arm rest position, which helps when you are using them on regular road bars – I don’t generally need to lower the stem. Just as I said above, I do nothing to the saddle position.

[one60]

I thought the information provided at the speed merchant site was quite informative & applicable to any type of fast paced riding, TT or otherwise.

Obviously, a major change to your position should take into consideration power output, comfort and aerodynamics

http://speedmerchantaero.com/BangforYourBuck.aspx

[jmoore]

I have a set of Profile Design aero bars that came off my wife's bike that you can have cheap.

They look like this.
http://s.stpost.com/eccstorefront/product_images/66949/f_66949_1.1.jpg

[JER3]

If you don't want to spring for an aero helmet, just put duct / packing tape over the holes in stock model and you'll notice a quieter and ever so slightly faster ride. Not recommended on a hot day though!

Position, aero bar and wheels/tires are bigger factors.

[RedRider]

Do they have a cannibal (non aero) category? You can probably get more aero on regular road bars than by just adding clip-ons without other modifications.
To get a performance advantage you would most likely need to adjust saddle / bar drop and assess overall fit.

[mhespenheide]

I'm at least a decade behind cutting-edge. More like 15 years, actually. But the research that I paid attention to after LeMond's win over Fignon showed that "narrow" is more important than "low". With your hands in the drops (or an ancient funny-bike position), you're creating a miniature parachute with your arms and chest. You want to mimic a downhill skier's position.

90%(+/-) of aerodynamics for bicycle racing comes from making the rider more aerodynamic, not the bike. Get a cheap pair of add-on aerobars that you're relatively comfortable using. Make them as narrow as possible without sacraficing handling and stability. Practice keeping that position, and try not to leave it unless you have to brake or shift.

That's most of it. The rest is "marginal gains", as they say. I wouldn't mess with your position/fit unless you want to spend a bunch of time training in the new position.

[commonguy001]

Agree with the stock class option if there is one.

Pretty much no way you can compare your times on a road bike using clip-on bars with a full on TT rig.

You'd be better off racing stock class (assuming there is one) or just borrowing a set of clip-on bars and keeping your position pretty close to how you normally ride. The problem with a totally new position (for me anyway) is you need to put a ton of miles in holding that position to get comfortable for 20k or 40k AND make power efficiently.

[RedRider]

Check out this video from the Global Cycling Network on making your road bike more aero...
http://gcn.eu/1fi4CXw

[redir]

I have done many, many TT’s (oddly enough a favorite discipline). A few suggestions for a “minimal” set up you asked about:

I wouldn’t move saddle position at all. Keep it in the normal road position. My observation is that it is easy to significantly decrease power output moving the saddle forward as many folks suggest to facilitate a low aero position, unless you actually spend significant training time in that position. Same thing can happen with getting too low.

As far as how low to go, I would suggest that you essentially replicate how low you are when you are in the drops on your normal road bike, which will be a low position where you are comfortable making power for most racers.
Arms close together is good, but needs to be far enough apart to be comfortable to control the bike. In line with your legs or closer is good, as long as you feel in control.
Fore/aft position of your forearm on the pads also plays into how steering feels as well as how low you will end up.

Though I have a dedicated TT bike, there are occasions where I TT on a regular road bike, one that comes to mind is a TT with a few miles of flat followed by a few miles of steep uphill (>10%) where I want the light weight and climbing position of the road bike. For that occasion, I use my regular road race bike and clip on aero bars. Bars I use are Vision mini clips, used without the bridge and positioned as close to the stem as possible (narrowest possible). These bars are just a bit short for me, and I end up grabbing them well out at the end. If the TT was longer and more miles of flat, I would probably get a longer clip on bar with adjustable length. I do like the Vision clip on bars as they allow a low arm rest position, which helps when you are using them on regular road bars – I don’t generally need to lower the stem. Just as I said above, I do nothing to the saddle position.

IMO this is spot on. I like rusty have done well and in fact have won many TT's at the cat3 level anyway... Don't mess with your bike fit at all. I have a dedicated TT bike as well but I also train on that bike. IF on the day of a TT you decide to mess with your fit but never train on it then it's not going to be ideal. I can't remember the clip on bars that I have, if I remember I'll look when I get home but basically they were designed so that you don't mess with your fit, probably similiar to the Vision bars Rusty is talking about. You ever see guys off the front of the field in a road race and they are riding with their elbows on the bars to get aero? It's designed like that and it works because it gets you aero but still comfortable on your regular road bike.

[rain dogs]

When is this TT?

If you wanna change, then I'd get prepping as soon as possible.

The theory is decreasing as much frontal area as possible (back flat, shoulders in, forearms flat (for most), but most TT'ers spend a lot of time riding and training in that position - a position that isn't 'natural' and can be hard to produce power in without practice). Also check current rules on set-up... I'm not up-to-date.

I'd be wary of trying to be too aggressive with fit if you don't have time to get used to putting out power in that position. Work on core strength and flexibility.

Also, what is the position like on your road bike now w/o aero kit? If you have a less aggressive fit (larger frame, longer top tube and less drop) it's going to be difficult to get a good position that sees major gains vs if your bike is already very aggressively sized (lots of drop, shorter top tube, small frame).

Also, don't get all in the hype of tech. Poorly fitting clothing, bulky gloves etc will cost you the same aero gains as disc wheels vs box section. If you don't have tight clothing (I mean skin suit tight) go without gloves, without as much as possible before buying or renting $4000 wheels etc.

Lastly, it's about the engine. When I had an engine, I passed a lot of guys riding $$$ TT rigs, poorly setup, and I'd be riding a normal road bike.

[Lewis Moon]

Well, it looks like I'll do this one "de la Cannibal". I'll probably move and tilt the saddle a bit, but not much more. The bike is pretty much set up for climbing at this point.