Conference noted::bicycle

    	In a TT, you are running against the clock, rather than other
    riders, so seconds are the enemy.  You loose the most time (sec/mile)
    at low speed, so consentrate on keeping your MINIMUM speed as high
    as possible: ie. push like heck on the hills and mayby 80% on the
    flats to recover a bit.  If you are a normal tourist, you've found
    a gear for any given condition that balances your muscular output
    to your aerobic capability (you run out of legs at the same time
    as you run out of breath). In the TT, you want to push harder so
    you will deplete you legs faster - ten miles should be a half hour
    or so of effort - so use one gear higher and push to your aerobic
    limit.  This results in your falling off the bike at the end of
    the TT  :-)    Leave the pump, bags, etc at the car. You probably
    want to bring the water bottle, though.  Ride in a crouch, down
    on the drops as much as possible.  And do better next time, cuz
    that what it's all about, improving.  - Chris
    [I wonder if any regular TT riders will dispute the 'one gear higher'
    above?]  - C

    
    No dispute from this guy, I also drop my cadence down a notch.
    
    The biggest point I can make, and I can't make it big enough, is
    
    
    		WARM UP     WARM UP    WARM UP

    Don't break a sweat, just ride for at least 20 minutes at low speed,
    small gears, maybe wind a 75 incher up to 140+ for a few bursts
    to get nice and loose. If you have to wait your turn, keep an eye
    on your watch and know the starting interval, and while you're waiting
    keep moving. When it comes to three or four names on the list before
    yours, line up. You don't want to be inactive for more than 5 minutes
    or so. Don't eat dinner before the event, 10 miles isn't going to
    put you into the bonk zone. If you're using good tires, pump them
    up to 140-150 or so, IF THEY CAN TAKE IT. Don't try this with clinchers
    either.
    
    Try and keep your cadence up the hill the same as on the flat. On
    the downside of the hill get your chin down on the bars and push
    the biggest gear you can. 
    
    You won't be a TT expert after one race, but you'll know at least ONE
    thing you can do better after each ride. A sucessful ride is one
    that leaves you exhausted at the finish...you know you couldn't
    have done any better.
    
    Good luck, be careful, and have fun!
    
    CdH
    
    

    Warming up before any event is one of the most important things
    you can do.  The best way to warm up is on a rollers/wind trainer.
    You'll find that it's hard to warm up on the road beore an event
    because there aree so many people on the same road and because you
    never want to be to far away from the start line.  On a trainer
    you can be within yelling distance of the start while able to ride
    fast enough to get warmed up.  Stay on the trainer as long as possible
    before your start (usually about 2 minutes).  Throw the trainer
    in the car and get to the line.  I don't agree with .2 about not
    breaking a sweat.  The TT is for the most part an aerobic event.
    This means you need to be aerobic before the start.  That takes
    about fifteen minutes at 65-70% of your maximum heart rate.  If
    your not aerobic when you start you'll know it after about 5 minutes.
    At that point your legs will really burn and speed will slow
    considerably until you do go aerobic.  The next most important thing
    in a TT is to now how long you can stay anerobic without losing
    all leg power.  You want to ride at your aerobic threshold (usually
    about 80-85% of your max heart rate) until your close enough to
    the finish that you can kick to a 95% effort and cross the line
    right about the time your legs feel that there going to give.  So
    next time your on a training ride see how long you can hold a 95%
    effort and use it to your advantage in the next race.
    
    Paul Dunn
    

You did not mention if you were a racer or not. So my advice is slanted 
towards racing. In TT's you have two major enemies, the clock and the 
wind. 

Combat wind by wearing a skinsuit,no socks no wrist bands,tape your helmet 
holes and most important keep your position on the bike as airo as
possible, your nose on the stem will do it. Lower you stem an inch.
Strip the bike, no bags, pumps, water bottle, take the cage off as well.

Your other enemy the clock. You must keep your speed as high as possible
in the biggest gear you can stay on top of. You will loose the most time 
on the uphills concentrate on keeping your speed as high as possible
pushing the biggest gear you can. The key is to ride the TT at an even 
pace and you can best to this by riding at or just below your anaerobic
threshold. So on the down hills push the biggest gear you can keeping 
the same level of effort. 

Starting is important, I usually start in a 53-17 shift up to a 53-14 
then back off as the hill approaches.

I do the Holden TT 9.6 miles which is mostly uphill on the way out and I 
use a 53-17,18,19 on the way out and a 53-12,13 on the way back. On a 
normal training ride going up this hill I would be on the small 42 
chainring so you can see the change in gearing I make.

RE:  < Note 426.4 by RETORT::SCHNARE "CHARLIE SCHNARE" >

>use a 53-17,18,19 on the way out and a 53-12,13 on the way back. 
    
    Do you actually build up your rear cluster to run 12,13,14,17,18,19?
    
    MATT

    re:5
    
    Matt;
    
    Yes I did. I have a Durace cassette hub which allows me to configure
    my cluster any way I wish. I have every gear between 12 & 26. In
    my training log I write down what I use for gearing in each TT or
    RR or crit. If its a new course I'll leave the hub empty till I
    see what its going to be like then pop on the gears I think I'll
    need. With the flexibility that these cassettes allow I don't know
    why you don't see more of them. Mostly I think its the "thing" to
    have freewheels.
    
    
    /Charles Schnare

< Note 426.6 by RETORT::SCHNARE "CHARLIE SCHNARE" >
                             -< Homemade Clusters >-


Charlie,

   How much would all this cost...all the cogs, spacers etc?  It seems like a 
good idea, keeps one from having a lot of freewheels.  I assume its easy to 
build up your cluster...

Kevin

    re;7
    
    Nashber has Dura Ace freehub's for $99.95.
    
    Cogs, spacers, 7 speed 12X18 12,13,14,15,16,17,18, $22.95
    
    Order 19,20,21,22,23,24,25, another 7 speed/cogs $22.95 and you
    got every combination you could want to set up depending on the
    race terrain.
    
    /Charlie

When I was riding TTs every week, I found that a cyclocomputer was a 
real help - mine gave things like avg. speed, time, etc. I found if I 
checked it several times during the ride I could often catch myself 
easing up and put the hammer down again. Also a good check on the 
officials - in one club TT I lost >3 minutes< because the official 
computing the times hit the wrong row on his calculater ....

Set goals as you ride - my favorites are to catch the guy ahead of me 
(no drafting allowed in these things, remember), and then pass him; 
also pushing then avg. speed on the cycoputer up by 1/10ths mph at a 
time worked well, too.

When you finish a TT, you should be blown. Completely. I always felt the 
after a *pretty good* TT you should *want* to heave in the bushes. On the 
other hand, if you rode a REALLY GOOD TT, then .... :-)

                                                     ken

    
    A computer might help, but don't let it become such a crutch that
    it takes your attention and concentration away from the event. The
    primary motivator for success in a TT should be your will to win.
    The measure of your progress during the event should be your body
    telling you of the efforts you're expending, not a readout on a
    display.
    
    CdH