what are geek bars worth over 15mi?

[Fat Robert]

did tt today

15 mi, technical (roundabout and hard chicane each lap), hill on the backside

got 4th

#1 was ex-euro pro. just got 9th at masters worlds. put 15 sec into fatmo each 1.5 mi lap. ok. never touchin that dude.

3rd was :45 in front of me. aerobars, dork helmet, cosmics, full tt monty.

i was ridin the scott -- drop bars, 32h open pros.

how much was 3rd place gettin from those geek bars over 15 mi? should i give in and build the ridley up as a tt bike?

[obtuse]

did tt today

15 mi, technical (roundabout and hard chicane each lap), hill on the backside

got 4th*

#1 was ex-pro who rode 1990 worlds. just got 9th at masters worlds. put 15 sec into fatmo each 1.5 mi lap. ok. never touchin that dude.

3rd was :45 in front of me. aerobars, dork helmet, cosmics, full tt monty.

i was ridin the scott -- drop bars, 32h open pros.


i've never ridden aerobars in my life. did a 59:37 40k this year to show i could still break an hour old school style.

how much was 3rd place gettin from those geek bars over 15 mi? should i give in and build the ridley up as a tt bike?


*10 uscf dudes, about 12 good triathletes, and then a bunch of filler. fatmo avg a little over 24, won the unofficial "dudes on round bars and handbuilt wheels" category, in which i was the only entrant.


not enough to sacrifice the strange pride you have averaging 24mph on road bike for 15k.

obtuse

[Fat Robert]

not proud of it

just givin the info so someone can clue me in about whether or not its worth actually having a tt setup of some sort

i know its not fast

[obtuse]

not proud of it

just givin the info so someone can clue me in about whether or not its worth actually having a tt setup of some sort

i know its not fast


thin skin-
listen to what i'm saying here. would you rather finish fourth on your road bike or third on a tt bike? yes a dedicated tt setup will be faster...but it'll not give you the thumbs under the armpits feeling that you crave. trust me, it feels much better to beat guys on dedicated tt rigs on a road bike than it does to beat guys on dedicated tt rigs on a dedicated tt rig. get it?

i think you should have sachs or weigle build you a time trial bike circa 1978. steel lugged frame with just one giant chainring and whacked-out 28hole track rims rims. don't forget to use brake housing for gear housing either.

obtuse

[Fat Robert]

so i like to sing along with dusty springfield records

its hard reading inflection on this internet thing

i get what yer sayin obtuse

but what the "thumbs under the armpit" feeling? does it involve big swedish guys? if so, i'm out....

[stevep]

throw clips on that thing and see what its worth.

[Fat Robert]

would i go down to a 120 stem to use clips? do you shorten up to use those things, or just throw em on?

[stevep]

i have my guys just throw 'em on in the interest of general simplicity.
takes 5 minutes. some kind of slightly more aero rim would help some too, even cheap fsas..anything w/ a non flat profile but the bars are the key.
if the bike was a special you might want to go a cm shorter so your forearms sit a little better... but i dont think it matters enough to bother.
my guess. 2nd time you use 'em you will save 45 seconds.
if you win the race i will give you a counterfeit $50 bill compliments of catulle and obtuse.

[Grant McLean]

http://www.profile-design.com/2006_product_pages/aerobars/t2_plus.html

g

[obtuse]

would i go down to a 120 stem to use clips? do you shorten up to use those things, or just throw em on?


just hold on to your shifter housing if you use shimano....

obtuse

[Lincoln]

It depends on whether or not you ever train in that position.

[nm87710]

Build up a TT bike or not??...ask "What do I want from racing?" :confused:

If U wantz to be competitive in TT's based on time(not placings) then U needz a full TT set up and practice time.

If U wantz to have fun then ride whatever.

How much might U pick up in a 15mi TT?
here's the low hanging fruit
clip on aero bars over drop bars ~0:30
int aero bars over drop bars ~1:15
deepv fr/disk rear over 32 hole box ~1:15

So TODAY a TT bike with int aero bars, deepv fr, disc rear MIGHT get you in the ex euro pro ballpark assuming he put 2:30 into you and didn't have anything left. Now don't go gettin all bigheaded on us based on these theoretical-virtual-guestimates...

P.S. Where was the course?? I used to race round those parts.

[mike p]

At our local thurs. nite TT there are a couple guys that switch back and forth between regular rr bike and full blown tt rig. Difference 1min to 1.30. That said I agree with the jerk.

Mike

[Fat Robert]

So TODAY a TT bike with int aero bars, deepv fr, disc rear MIGHT get you in the ex euro pro ballpark assuming he put 2:30 into you and didn't have anything left. Now don't go gettin all bigheaded on us based on these theoretical-virtual-guestimates...

P.S. Where was the course?? I used to race round those parts.


he had a lot left -- it was a medium training ride for him. it was nice when he came by me...i learned how to take the technical parts by following his lines....


it was around the old charlotte coliseum...fun course. 1.5 mi lap: almost a 360 around a roundabout, then a tight chicane, downhill in 53x12 for about 10 sec, sweep left, hold the gear for a bit, then hit a headwind false flat, then hard left, then up a 53x19 drag, then hard right and through the short start/finish flat....hard to keep momentum for us mortals...a 24 avg was decent/good...they goofed up some timings but it was all fun....


listening to the feedback...there are 5-6 tts i could do in a year...i've done 4 this year, cracked top 10 in all of em...usually first 3 or 5 get money...so the grand for a kit to hang on the ridley wouldn't be worth the investment...but maybe geek bars would be...for what its worth, if you're under an hour in a 40k in this region, you're top 10 in masters/cat3/cat4...pretty much cause a lot of cats hate tts and only the goofballs show up....

[nm87710]

Old Colisuem...on Independence??

Do they still have the circuit race around that little lake/park in Rock Hill early each spring? It was always the first race of the season. Makes me remember all the good races in NC/SC...Ashville SR, Peach RR over the Saluda grade, Hickory Crit, Tour de Moore, Greenville Omnium, State RR course in Chester...mmmm good stuff

[Fat Robert]

no...where the hornets used to play, on tyvola


the genetic freak was doin me for :15 per mile...not lap...nature ain't fair

[shinomaster]

You can borrow this thing..