Who races on a TT, who races on a road bike?
Fox5
Posts: 21
in General Chat
Hey all,
Just wondering as to who races on a TT and who races on a road bike (with or without clip on aero bars) and why? I know about the aero benefits of a TT and that you enter the run fresher, but any other insight would be interesting. Would you perhaps chose to race a road bike on a more technical tri course where less time will be spent in the aero position, and at what point does it becomes counter productive to be racing a TT (if you only spend half the distance on the aeros, 2/3rds on the aeros?) Also if money was no object would you all be racing a TT and have a road bike just for group training etc? Would be interested to see what all you guys think. Thanks all
Just wondering as to who races on a TT and who races on a road bike (with or without clip on aero bars) and why? I know about the aero benefits of a TT and that you enter the run fresher, but any other insight would be interesting. Would you perhaps chose to race a road bike on a more technical tri course where less time will be spent in the aero position, and at what point does it becomes counter productive to be racing a TT (if you only spend half the distance on the aeros, 2/3rds on the aeros?) Also if money was no object would you all be racing a TT and have a road bike just for group training etc? Would be interested to see what all you guys think. Thanks all
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I have an Argon 18 E112 all kitted up for my TT bike, and a specialized S-Works Tarmac for my road bike.
The tri bike was the brainchild I believe of Dan Empfield founder of Quintana Roo who designed it from the aerobars back.
Why a tri bike? see my very very first post the-old-question-which-bike-etc-t14316.html#p14326
I still have my £60 Halfords MTB and my Giant SCR2 but then I am a kleptomaniac (recovering)
Speaking of Q Roo, anyone own a Q Roo tri bike? I still havent seen any reviews on the handling of their more recent models, except a few comments on poor customer service.
But my cycle to work voucher arrived this morning....... so it's a weekend of shopping.
Happy days.
Good luck with the bike
I have overtaken a TT bike on my 72' fixed gear though. That was quite funny.
Its a massively different riding position, even more so than I expected. It doesnt even really compare with clip-on aero bars on the road bike, much more aggressive.
Personally, Im very pleased with it. I would be weary of a cheaper TT bike, I think you'll get a better road bike for that kind of money.
Argon 18 Krypton aka Battlecat.
I also use her a kinda TT. Turn the seat post around, stick on the Zipp Vuka clip ons and add the race wheels. Vioula....
I can't justify a TT bike at the moment, not because I don't want one but generally until I see some real improvement on my cycing then I'm not buying one... (WAT won't let me either!!!)
Heres a big statement and It might come back and bite me on the dairy aire one day----
I dont think if I had the cash to spend on a TT bike that I would bother!! I reckon I dont need a TT bike! I only have room at home for one trusty stead and I would buy a nice carbon road bike!!!
the road bike is alu/carbon forks+aero bars, but i felt the biggest difference when climbing,
which obviously is less to do with aero, more to do with weight,
so if you can only have one bike, costs allowing, whichever you chose, make it a good light, carbon frame.
Would I like a TT bike... hell yes. can I justify it yet it - No.
Would I prefer an Argon 18 E114 or an Argon 18 Krypton - Thanks very much I'll have the E114.
TT's look amazing and are cool. So I want one naturally.
I also want to be as fast as I can and be better than I am. A TT bike will come for me, just not yet. I've promised myself if I do a sub 12hrs IMUk then I'm getting one.
On another note, will I ever get rid of battlecat - Not a chance. Ever, ever, ever.
I am sure we can post all day about who passes whom but in the final analysis a tri bike is designed for the job and if you can afford it then a tri bike is the way to go, it has certainly worked for me. But not everybody can or indeed wants to buy a tri bike, fine, they will enjoy no less a sense of achievement whether they fit aerobars or not and all power to us all.
I love my Focus Izalco, cost less than a grand, not much more than the equivalent specced road bike. Would I do a tri on a road bike given the choice? Resounding no from me.
Ebay:-
Cycle shorts; Buy it Now from £5
Triathlon shorts; Buy it Now from £19
I have done all of my tris / duathlons and TT on the TT bike; it's not a very steep seatpost as the frame is several years old, but I have clearly swallowed the marketing. I also have a couple of road bikes - one for "all weather" and a new Boardman waiting to be unleashed as the weather improves.
If I were racing a technical, very hilly, or twisty course where I couldn't stay on the aero bars, I would probably ride a roadie. Milton Keynes bowl, for example - I was planning to do a du there on the 20th of this month (but can't make it now) - from what I understand there would be no point riding a TT bike on that course due to the short, multiple laps, and numerous corners...
I would probably put my aero front wheel on though.
http://www.btownbikes.com/smsimg/29/941-3670-full-bob_elliotts_ridley_dean-29.jpg
There is no way, no way anyone wouldn't be quicker on that. An absolute impossibility.
Anyway, TT bikes just look good so I should have one shouldn't I??
Conehead pointed out you can all too easily get sucked in by the marketing razzle dazzle and spend a bomb in this game and it is all diminishing returns but a few bang for buck items can make a big difference for us age groupers; aerobars, aero helmet, aero bottle have all been shown to give a distinct improvement for little expenditure. I have even seen an MTB with aerobars, crack on, making best of limited resources.
But then you get someone like Willeverfinish who throws in that link ... pure temptation But (big sigh) that would be wasted on me as I would not be able to make best use of it, a P2 ?... mmm maybe
http://data.ridley-bikes.com/customizer ... n2010.html
Pure filth I believe is the term ...
Swapping the bars and seat post and re-indexing the gears takes about 30 mins, so the idea was that for winter I go with the road set-up, then swap to TT for the race season.
Funny thing is... I'm so comfy in the TT position that I've never bothered putting the road bars back on.
In short, I train and race/lose on a TT bike.