TT & Road Bikes

Ssushi

I can see that there are some significant differences between TT & Road bikes but why is that? The premise of the two events is more or less the same and does not seem (to me) to justify the differences in the bikes used...

Why is this?

Ssushi

rv

you must not need more than one golf club either, since the premise is the same...hit a golf ball.

same with shoes...move from one place to another.

time trial bikes are a specialized tool, just as a putter or racing flats would be...

time trial bikes are for going fast by yourself. taking advantage of the aerobars, your position is more laid out offering less wind resistance (more aero.) this is different than on a traditional road bike in a pack (road race) where drafting is allowed.

tt bikes are event specific and cannot be used in mass start races. everyone doesn't need one, unless you enjoy the pain of time trials and do them fairly often. lots of folks merely attach aerobars to their road bikes if doing the occasional time trial.

JohnO

Unless, of course, it's a team time trial, in which case the bike doesn't matter, because the Blue Train is going to roll over you no matter what you are on!

Ssushi

I was actually thinking of team TT, where they are drafting all the time. Also, do you loose something (power etc...) by having the adjusted ride position? Why not have a more laid out bike the whole time?

BugMan

Team TT events are not like road races because all the riders are cooperating to keep an organized rotating paceline. In a road race, different teams are jockeying for position and looking for opportunities to drop each other. TT bikes are not nearly as maneuverable as road bikes (esp. with disc wheels) - they are made just for going forward fast. A road race with TT bikes would result in chaos and multiple crashes.

__________________
"There is no such thing as a great talent without great will-power."
- Honore de Balzac

edd

There is also the performance v comfort thing. The twitchy thing. I think some TT bikes on the road would be like riding a skate board down a flight of stairs.

J-MAT

If you are serious about time trialing you are really wasting your time by using a regular road bike. Many people can't afford a 2,000-3,000 dollar dedicated TT bike, but if you are serious and you can afford it, get one. A TT bike is like a special tool a mechanic might use for a difficult job. Not used all the time, but when you need it, nothing else will really do.

If you ever notice a rider in a solo break, you will often find that they are very forward on the saddle, almost on the tip. When pushing a big gear at speed on the flats, the natural tendency is to move forward on the saddle, not backwards like when you are climbing.

As a result, you will find TT bikes with very steep seat-tube angles usually, 75-78 degrees, compared with 72.5-73.5 degrees found on most road bikes. The steep seat tube gets you forward and over the aero bars nicely, but the forward position will make it harder to climb big hills.

To be effective in this position, you must train on your TT bike, preferrably once a week or so if you are a regular road rider.

TT bikes today are extremely aerodynamic as well, with some even allowing the rear wheel to draft the seatube. In most cases, a disc on the back and a tri-spoke up front is the fastest wheel combination. All of this trick equipment will make a big difference in your times over a regular road bike with spoked wheels.

__________________
Send comments, praise, or flames to:
jm_560@Hotmail.com

BugMan

A dedicated TT bike is certainly the best option if you can afford it, however, I would not agree that using a road bike for time trialing is a waste of time. Rider strength and training are the most important factors in TT success. If you can afford separate bikes for TT versus road events, more power to you. But if you're like most of us amateurs who don't have much left after paying for the mortgage and all, get a road bike and use aero bars for the time trialing. You won't be wasting your time - and if you train and have the talent - you can be very successful (I took silver in a recent state championship TT - on a road bike!).

J-MAT

Bugman:

Most people don't have the money for a dedicated TT bike, that's why I said what I said. But if you are serious about TT's and focusing on TT's, you should get a TT bike. Especially when you start going faster, something like 26-28+ mph.

If you are mostly a road rider doing a TT now and then, it's not that big a deal. Riders who are serious about winning TT's pull out all the stops, including wearing booties over their shoes.

Why train hard and race at your limits only to lose races to those who are tricked out with aero equipment??? The fastest time trialers are almost always exclusively on dedicated TT bikes.

Congratulations on your silver medal. However, a TT bike might have made you State Champion. To me, that's worth the money right there!!!

__________________
Send comments, praise, or flames to:
jm_560@Hotmail.com

BugMan

J-MAT: I agree with you completely. Certainly someone who is serious about time trialing needs a TT bike. I just didn't want people to get the impression they shouldn't even attempt time trialing unless they had a TT bike.

As for silver vs. gold - who knows? It was my first time trial. I'm definitely looking to get serious about it - now I gotta work on the wife!

__________________
"There is no such thing as a great talent without great will-power."
- Honore de Balzac

J-MAT

Bugman:

Silver for your first TT is highly impressive for sure. I would think a State Championship is well within your grasp. Why don't you set that for a goal next year!!! Sounds like you could probably do it on your existing setup as well.

Hopefully, nobody got the wrong idea and are avoiding TT's because they don't have a dedicated TT bike. Most riders don't have one. It really makes you appreciate the efforts of Eddy Merckx and Chris Boardman, doing 30 mph for an hour on "regular" bikes.

Good luck with the wife. Convincing non-riders to go along with large cycling purchases is one of the more difficult aspects of the sport!!!

__________________
Send comments, praise, or flames to:
jm_560@Hotmail.com

ChristopherSprk

Hello There..........
J-Mat and Bugman..... mind if I ask what a time trail bike is ..... I'm new to all this cycling stuff and would love to learn as mucha as possible
Thanks guys
Christopher

BugMan

Chris - watch the Tour de France this Friday and you'll see exactly what a TT (time trial) bike looks like. Basically, it's designed more for going forward fast and less for maneuverability. The handlebars allow the rider to sit far forward and low to minimize wind resistance. The rear wheel is usually within 5 mm of the seat tube to prevent air turbulence in front of the wheel, and the solid disc prevents the "egg beater" effect of spokes to further minimized air turbulence and the associated aerodynamic cost. Even frame geometry is tailored for aerodynamics.

And they look way cool...

__________________
"There is no such thing as a great talent without great will-power."
- Honore de Balzac