Calga TT

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Do you use WKO+3.0? If so, you could do a multi file range analysis chart overlaying the power file from both rides.

[1q2w3e4r]

No, still on WKO+ 2 something, the initial problem where some people claimed to have lot all their data made me decide to hold off until all the bugs were sorted.

Are you using it? Worth the upgrade?

[lukas]

This month's return leg was 4:11 seconds faster than the out leg. That seems like a massive discrepancy, I've usually always been 2:00 to 2:15 faster on the return leg, I'm wondering if I paced it well today, or left a bit too much in the tank on the first half of the course. It also hurt, but not as much as last month. Maybe FTP is on the rise.

Bike, equipment, race weight all unchanged. Weather was probably better last month with the rain and atmospheric barometer

I went out for a crack at the 25km today, and I reckon the outleg was into a slight headwind, and the return with a slight tail. It felt that way anyway. I had a similar discrepancy, though I don't have a previous effort to compare it to, nor do I have a power meter.

I was blowing pretty hard on the way out and was 30.5kph at the turn. I know it's predominately downhill on the return but it felt as if I was being assisted by some wind. I crossed the line in 43 and a half (ish) mins. Average was something like 34.5kph. This was just on my road bike, no clips ons etc. I think I may invest for month. It was a lot of fun. Some very nice TT rigs out there.

[1q2w3e4r]

Hmm, I didn't notice any wind, you could be right though.

I'll ask a mate who did it as well and see what he thinks.

Sounds like you had a cracker ride! Well done I'm finding it a lot of fun.

What pacing strategy did you use?

[Alex Simmons/RST]

No, still on WKO+ 2 something, the initial problem where some people claimed to have lot all their data made me decide to hold off until all the bugs were sorted.

Since I have clients using it, yes. I don't think there are any serious bugs in current version.

Are you using it? Worth the upgrade?

I can't really say whether the additional/improved functionality is of value to you or not.

[lukas]

Sounds like you had a cracker ride! Well done I'm finding it a lot of fun.

What pacing strategy did you use?

Yes it's a lot of fun. I joined up to ATTA so I'll be back next month for sure with some clip on's and a bit more TT experience in tow.

I've never time trialled before outside of hill climb events, so I didn't really have a strategy.. just not go out too hard and completely blow up. I probably did end up going out a bit hard, but not knowing the course it was a bit difficult to really know.

My younger brother came in at nearly 37kph on my old road bike.. no aero kit. Put me in my place a bit!

[toolonglegs]

Have you tired overlapping the two files to see where the differences are?...sounds like you had more wind in one direction.

[1q2w3e4r]

I haven't managed to overlap the files, as I'm using WKO+2

I did however do a km by km breakdown on each ride, noting the time, power, speed, cadence and then noted the cumulative total as well of power (NP/AP), speed, cadence, etc. I lost a lot of time from the 9 km mark to the 13 km mark.

The Calga results say there was a very light north easterly but I didn't notice it. Maybe I just didn't have my head fully in the game on the out leg, although I made an effort to keep the wattage up within the desired range. Maybe next time I'll just go as hard as I can without watching to PM as much from around 10 minutes in and see if I blow up, if nothing else its a different pacing strategy.

[philip]

My splits were 41:30 and 41:56 which to me seems strange as I was pretty sure we were pushing it harder on the 2nd lap. I can see how a power meter would help heaps on a TT, all I could go by was perceived effort, I don't even have an HRM. I did notice a bit of wind but only up towards Peats Ridge, at the Calga end it was pretty calm.

[Chris249]

What sort of speeds do you guys drop down to up Blood Hill? I did the TT twice last winter (my first racing season) and finished dead in the middle of the pack both times at about 43 min and 35 kmh.* That's on a Cervelo P2K with cheap wheels, so I can blame the gear for about 20 seconds of my 500 second deficit...

Secondly, would anyone know of an overlay or GPS track that shows how hard a good rider would be pushing themselves at various places on the course? I'm never sure whether I'm pushing it too hard on the hills or flats, so it would be interesting to see how fast the good guys try when going up the hills etc.


* Last time there, I met an old rival from windsurfer racing who said he was also doing 43/35s. Considering he's been concentrating on the bike for years I was damn happy to be pulling the same numbers that he was and felt quite smug - until I found out that he meant that he was doing 43kmh and finishing in 35 minutes (and second place). Damn!!!

[philip]

Both laps we almost came to a stand still up Blood Hill because my parter was having mechanical problems with his gears. I reckon we lost a good minute from that. From memory of the gradient I reckon you could keep it above 20km/h going up there. From what I've been told, in a TT you really want to make sure you haven't killed yourself at the bottom of a hill like that so that you can get to the crest and get going again without taking ages to get your speed up.

[1q2w3e4r]

I've made the mistake before of hitting it with too much pace and having to ease off after the top to catch my breath.

I went up it at about 17-17.5 km/h last time seated the whole way at a cadence of 94rpm and changed back up to the big ring at the top to the finish which is just under 3k (2.97k) and averaged 41.7 to the finish.

[Chris249]

Thanks for the info guys.

I can recall seeing 17 on the way up that hill on the way to a 43.05 finish, so it seems I wasn't too far off - but I was pushing it a bit hard and standing at times, from memory. I think I need to check what sort of cluster I'm running, as staying on the big ring seems a bit hard.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

I expect to do a few Calga TTs this year. Will be interesting to see how I fair compared to last year.

[lukas]

So is anyone going back on Sunday? Being Easter Sunday the field may be down a bit?

I’ve purchased some basic clip on aero bars and adjusted my position on my Canyon slightly. Hoping to better my effort from last month with these aero improvements, and a good month of training in the legs.

[philip]

I hope to be, but rain + whether or not I have access to a car to get up there might stop me

[1q2w3e4r]

The field was massive on Sunday, I really enjoy this event I think I may end up doing it each month.

I managed to beat last month's time, I went out harder on the out leg this time and hit the turnaround in 22:39, so 1:11 or so faster than last month. The return leg was slower though, I managed to finish 15 seconds faster than last time which was nice but probably took it slightly too easy in the first few km after the turn around which is evident from the 50+ seconds slower return leg.

Power was bang on 4 w/kg with an average speed of 35.5 kph. I'm thinking any further gains are going to be hard to come by, still will be fun to try.

[toolonglegs]

Yeah I thought you were a light weight ...shows the difference weight makes!.I have to average 388 watts to hit 4w per kg ...god when you say it like that it is embarrassing .
Good ride btw.

[1q2w3e4r]

Thanks TLL! I was pretty happy with it, I would have been happy to go under 43 mins as I haven't been doing too much specific training this month but mainly some crits and group/bunch rides.

[philip]

Anyone going up this weekend?

[philip]

Did another 50km 2up, only slightly faster than last time (21 seconds faster), did it in 1:23:05 (splits 40:51/42:14). Bit disappointed, I was really hoping for a minute or two faster.

[philip]

Did the 25km solo this weekend in 39:00 giving an average speed of 38.5km/h. I nearly didn't go because I'd had a cold all week so hadn't ridden much but then figured that it would be a good one to go and do and set a time to beat for next time. I had to do some snot rockets on the course which didn't work too well and I ended up getting snot all over my kit, haha, I looked gross when I finished.

I don't have any aero gear besides the aerobars, it would be interesting to know how much difference a disc wheel/helmet/etc. would make.

[philip]

it would be interesting to know how much difference a disc wheel/helmet/etc. would make.

I just read Alex's first post:

On an aero set up I could get that down to ~ 0.28m^2 pretty easily I'd expect which would increase speed by nearly 2km/h and would drop time by ~ 2-minutes without a change in power.

2 minutes is pretty huge. I would've been extremely happy with 37 minutes, that would give me an average of 40.5km/h!

[foo on patrol]

That's still a good effort though Philip.

You need too blow harder, so that it clears you further.

[Kev365428]

Remember, a rearward trajectory with the snot, should equate to an increase in forward momentum.

Kev.