Cruzbike Time Trial Challenge 2020

[Veinbuster]

You must be riding something slower than Strava has an as average for the actual power to be higher than their estimate when not user power. Since I ride a recumbent, their estimate is always way high if I don't ride with my power meter.

That makes sense. I knew the estimate wasn’t accurate. I measured the seat angle of the bike I’ve been riding to date and the back is at 50 degrees. That means I’ve been pushing a lot of air out of the way...and wasting watts, but what the heck, I needed a good workout anyway.

 

[NeaL]

I don’t know if this will help anyone but...

My 53T chainring got swapped for a 50T. For a number of reasons, things are stuck like that for now. (I don’t need suggestions on solutions I’ve already had a lot of time to ponder about, but I’m getting sidetracked.)

This has resulted in my feeling like I’m spinning my legs at a higher rpm for a slower top speed.

I don’t have clip-in pedals. I wear regular shoes. Another long story there. It is what it is.

For about three weeks, my fastest time with the 50T was slower than my slowest Time Trial with the 53T.

I had a change in technique this last time which, seems maybe helped me get within about 30 seconds of my PB time. I don’t know if sleep or diet played a role. I think it was just technique.

I just decided to say screw it with focusing on RPMs or putting as much effort as I could into the full rotation of every pedal stroke. That was wearing me out. I just focused on treating each rotation as a one-footed leg press.

You know those weight lifting machines in gyms with the cables and pulleys and stacks of weights? One of those is the Leg Press. I’ve had powerful legs since my teens. Just about every leg press machine I’ve seen, I can do reps of ten using the full stack of weights. I can’t get a challenge there unless they have a free weights version which I can pile on the disks.

So I just focused on the big push at the top of each stroke and let momentum carry it around the rest of the way. Somehow that improved my speed.

 

[GetBent]

A quick up date on the new camera. The 47 page "Quick Start Guide" says that the camera will take a max of 32 GB micro SD card. Guess what, a 64 GB card worked just fine. It recorded 20 segments of 34 minutes each while connected to external power. Perfect for recording every moment of those double centuries...

 

[Bill Wightman]

So I just focused on the big push at the top of each stroke and let momentum carry it around the rest of the way. Somehow that improved my speed.

For me that is true for a finishing sprint and just after I have gotten up to speed. Getting up to speed or powering over a short hill requires spinning so as to not spend the legs. On these 12-mile TTs the finishing sprint is like leg presses assuming you have anything left at that point. I try to time my finish with exhausted legs running only on willpower and the impending feeling of puking, but just short of that. Watch Larry's one-minute-of-pain after his last TT. That is how you build legs and lungs. It is like a micro TT burst.

 

[ElyDave]

Well, I got out early today both to avoid the heat and the strengthening wind. Even being back home by 10am I was only partially sucessful. The mercury still hit 30C/86F - we are in a period of 5 days in a row of >34C which is unheard of for the UK, and not dropping below 20C at night. Both last week and today I took an extra bottle of plain water and poured it over my head and chest between my ride out and start of the TT to try and give some evaporative cooling effect.

The first short loop was good today, being just about on PB pace, but then I had a long section directly into the easterly, and although I managed to recover some of it, I was 30s behind at one of my timing points and it was just too much to make up with a tricky section to follow. The weather does not look good fro the rest of the week with predictced thunderstorm activity all day.

Another week of keeping the box ticked of filing a time every week, but still no new PB. That first set-up run for defining the segment must have been better than I thought.

 

[LarryOz]

I just got done running my TT this morning. I did not feel wonderful (probably because super hard workout on Mon) and could not seem to make the max power I wanted - but it was OK. Even with that I was still on par to break my PB by at least 15 secs. Then is started raining near the end, then a big pickup-truck pulling a 30' trailer pulled in front of me before the traffic circle and "stopped dead" . I had to slow to under walking speed, slowing creep by him to check if all the cars had passed in the circle and then was finally able to "jump" in front of him before he got moving. I crushed it as hard as I could down the final .6 miles (and 2nd traffic circle) and barely eked out a 1 sec gain! DANG! This seems to happen to me about 95% of the time on this final stretch. I might have to get my wife to come and direct traffic for me on the last week so I won't have to worry about getting stopped! - or I guess I could do it at night! - not likely -haha -but since this is only Wed, at least I have time to try it again if want to.

The heavens reward my huge effort with a dramatic downpour for my 7 mile ride home! Rain is considered a Spiritual Blessing so I will take it - plus no need to shower now! haha - My Garmin 1000 is now in a ziplock baggie of rice though since my top button broke off due to dry rot and it got wet. Maybe an excuse to get a new one??

See if you can guess where the traffic circle was on this little clip of my speed and power reading from Strava! - nothing like 1/4 mil at 19.5mph to knock down you average speed when you are going 26.4mph!

 

[nobrakes]

I tied both my power and time PRs this week. One of the reasons I prefer outdoor to Zwift. You put in the same power and get the same time. More honest but not as fun. Great for training....

I like the variability of outdoor more, so that on those occasions when everything lines up you get a time that puts the local TT cats in a sweat

My previously glorious TT route in early lockdown is back to a horrible traffic fest. There have been 2 RTAs today alone. The M5 is back in one piece with new non matching pedals - Keo Blade Carbon on one side and Keo Blade Carbon / Ti on the other! Got one off eBay cheap to replace the crash damaged one.

I have always done intense training indoors and saved outdoors for the fun long rides at the weekend, but the TT indoors is definitely safer now, if a bit less fun.

I live for the long summer weekend rides on empty back roads.... always the highlight of my week.

 

[trplay]

I tied both my power and time PRs this week. One of the reasons I prefer outdoor to Zwift. You put in the same power and get the same time. More honest but not as fun. Great for training....

I like the variability of outdoor more,

I have always done intense training indoors and saved outdoors for the fun long rides at the weekend, but the TT indoors is definitely safer now, if a bit less fun.

I found Zwift works best if you don't compare them with outdoors as much as consider them as companion but a different activity. Both support the other, although in different ways. When speaking of the fun factor have you actually worked with a team of like Zwifters who develop a plan and then gone out and crushed expectations? Or are you wondering around Watopia solo wondering what the fuss is all about. I challenge anyone to get in a group of peers, give a TTT an honest go, and not find it fun. I don't think there are many of those guys around. Just saying.

 

[LarryOz]

I tied both my power and time PRs this week. One of the reasons I prefer outdoor to Zwift. You put in the same power and get the same time. More honest but not as fun. Great for training....

I like the variability of outdoor more, so that on those occasions when everything lines up you get a time that puts the local TT cats in a sweat

My previously glorious TT route in early lockdown is back to a horrible traffic fest. There have been 2 RTAs today alone. The M5 is back in one piece with new non matching pedals - Keo Blade Carbon on one side and Keo Blade Carbon / Ti on the other! Got one off eBay cheap to replace the crash damaged one.

I have always done intense training indoors and saved outdoors for the fun long rides at the weekend, but the TT indoors is definitely safer now, if a bit less fun.

I live for the long summer weekend rides on empty back roads.... always the highlight of my week.

Dave, You can get different results for power and speed in Zwift, just like outside. Sure - if you ride a TT bike and put it on ERG for 250 watts - you will most likely end up with the exact same time. But, if you ride free and crush the inclines and let up a little on the declines - there is significant differences.
You are kicking on Zwift though - great power and nice 1 HR TT you just did today!
Have you considered joining one of the Zwift TTT groups - or are you already doing it? You are a high B for sure. A couple more and we could field an entire "high" B bent TTT group - where's Hardy at??

 

[nobrakes]

I haven’t done team races no but I can imagine how it would be a blast. I do some individual races or the long ‘endurance’ rides (which of course are 3 hour races) on weekend days when the weather sucks and it’s always a good time. I’m not dissing the platform, racing is really good fun.

I agree that aimless riding around is a pretty poor experience. For individual TT I think outside is better although I’m sure a TTT would be a different kettle of fish.

Traffic sucks. I’m lucky to live in a part of the country with lots of hilly back roads that are virtually traffic free. I always look forward to a long ride at the weekend.

 

[nobrakes]

Larry, I haven’t joined the TTT, no. My spare time is fairly limited so I figured it might not align with my available time. I tend to ride early morning UK time around 6 am or just before dinner. Does that align with races?

 

[trplay]

Time is a problem for some that want to race. The WRTL only offers 8 different race times to choose from. Most recumbents race in zone 7 but one can opt into any zone they wish.

 

[Rob Lloyd]

I can attest to the ‘fun factor’ of the TTT. I was just thinking of it as a way to add more miles, but the interactive nature makes it a different beast from solo mile (TT or otherwise) in Zwift.

 

[LarryOz]

Time is a problem for some that want to race. The WRTL only offers 8 different race times to choose from. Most recumbents race in zone 7 but one can opt into any zone they wish.

Gosh I did not know so many different choices existed - Zone 7 might be good for LA riders after work -but I really hate to race at this time - I have to skip supper this evening and basically blow away my evening with my wife.

 

[nobrakes]

Are all those times local to the time zone they refer to, or are they all something such as Eastern Time?

 

[trplay]

Those are local times for the city listed. The ZCL will broadcast the PL Zone race live in one hour 15. 13:15 EST. Watch it here and see what it is all about.

 

[benphyr]

Thanks for the link.
I just watched the last 3rd or so. Exciting stuff and you can pick up some course views and maybe a little (sportscaster) strategy too.

 

[trplay]

@benphyr I see where you jumped back to the Bees. Good luck to you and Chris tonight!

 

[GetBent]

Trying You Tube rather than sharing from Google Drive.

This is the video using the Action SV5AW mounted on its side over my right shoulder.

 

[woodguy]

This year is my first go round with a TT, and I am amazed at how variable my results can be from week to week. Last week I had to go 3 times before I was able to set a new PB - and then only by 5 seconds. This week on my 1st attempt I went 28 seconds faster, and my average HR was lower. Wind might be a bit of a factor, but it wasn't that different and my route is an out and back so anything I lose one way should be balanced on the other half. Time of day? Not really very different. Nutrition? Same. I have a lot to learn, and I don't know how I'm going to get better next week.