TTs are the only races I've ever done. I'm not fast - my best 10 was 25:50 or so on my road bike, but I took a full minute off my time when I bought a set of clip-on aero bars. :D
Yes I did a "timed trial" when I was in the USAF, back in 1979. The USAF wanted it's airmen in peak physical shape so we were required to run a one and a quarter distance within a 16 minute "timed" limit or the USAF insist you have to go on a diet and excise program. The night before the BIG run a few of us stashed beers along the route and still finished within the 16 minute timed limit.
Ollie always so enthusiastic - I almost went online shopping for some clip on TT bars and then remembered that I don’t like pain and must never, ever be seen in public in a skin suit!
great video. here is some historical perspective. when i raced in the 1972 to 1978 era, we had plain road bikes. nothing was aero. for speed we used 28 spoke soldered on the spokes wheels and silk tubulars. i never got to 40 km/hr (came close) and i was a good provincial calibre time trialist (omg our flat plains were WINDY!! so it was challenging). helmets were tiny leather strips. I did have a silk track jersey, but on a provincial team we use the cotton jerseys provided. Of course we pretty much all were in the same boat. Slammed headset/bars? not a chance. no one to save our ass if punctured, so carried pumps and a spare tire. but we still had fun. things have progressed so so much, and i really enjoy learning and observing today's technology. using tips from here and other places, i figure with a real modern TT bike i would have done maybe 56 minutes for 25 miles at my best. not bad for a kid who always came last in sports day in every event. (side note: i was lucky to afford tires and shorts, let alone fancy stuff... cannot imagine how folks afford this nowadays for your average racer)
Here's one an idea. A video on roadbike upgrade to add speed Each presenter gets £250 to upgrade a roadbike set up. Take them to a wind tunnel and see who can reduce the drag the most. Fyi TT bars from decathlon are selling for £30 atm
Sounds like a really cool idea, except might be nice to do it in the real world as I imagine with that budget, latex tubes and TT tyres (or tubeless) might have the best bang for their buck
The issue with this is just how good and well set up their bikes already are, most already tubeless and fitted with best equipment. Maybe instead a better idea would be to get the average good level riders bike and show us how to upgrade that instead. I really want another presenters buying cheap bikes battle and other presenter competitions as well so maybe each presenter gets the same decent bit not perfect bike and the one who shaves the most Watts off in the wind tunnel wins.
Regarding bar tape for time triat extensions I have another tip - I am using tape which is originally aimed for squash rockets. It is really thin and light but at the same time pretty comfortable and offer secure grip
I haven't done an actual TT. But have managed by adding clio on aero bars, switching from 29 to 25mm tyres, adding aero overshoes, reducing tyre pressure, aero helmet I have gone from a 30+minute 10 mile ride to a -27minute 10mike ride. Cheers
Thanks Ollie! Got into TTs this year - I'd lov to see a video showing where I can get the best watt savings for my money. Road Vs TT and normal lycra Vs skinsuit for example! Great video
Oli never got to see much of this bike when he got to race it earlier this year did he? So good job he presented this video so he got to see it again 😉
Dan Loyd TT pics 😂😂 I once carried a can of coke down my neck behind my head on a TT because I had no water bottle and no pockets on the short TT!!! Worth it as I came 6th with my bike and clip on TT bars!! 😂😍
The car keys go into one of your water bottles secured to the seatpost with a 31.8 stem fastened to 26mm aluminum tubing with more 26mm tubing split in half with a gap. Using a bench vice, press fit the 3 layers onto a 30mm tubing. Apply the stem cap and standard handlebar bottle adaptors. Next standard water bottle holders commonly available. Cost almost nothing. Submit to hacks and bodges. It works well.
Great practical tips. I've never actually video taped my aero position, but anecdotally I've assessed my aero position by using bike speed. For example, I may move my head ever so slightly to test slightly different positions and watch the bike speed on the computer to see which position change translates to a faster speed with all other things being held fairly constant (environment, cadence, effort, etc.). For example, if I'm riding at 20.5 mph and a slight head position change increases that speed to say 20.6 or 20.7 while pedaling at the same power output and cadence, to me this might suggest and possibly correlate to being in a more aero position. But certainly the visual feedback is irreplaceable and directly shows body position. Great video thanks for sharing 👍
Question, wouldn't it make the most sense to be "more aero" into a headwind? Obviously if you're moving faster you hit the wind faster, but in a headwind, wouldn't the wind speed add on to whatever speed you're ticking along at?
And that car key looks almost exactly like a team radio, making Ollie even more pro! I mean, he would never have dropped if Manon explained the tactics via ear buds.
I don't know how most work, but my through-axle wheels screw in in such a way that the handle (it's really more of a handle than a true lever, since it doesn't pull out in the way a quick-release lever does) is _always_ horizontal when tight. The front one points backwards, and the back one points forwards.
Lower isn't always faster, smaller is faster. You get smaller by relaxing your upper body, so fiddle with your position that will let you roll your shoulders as noted in video, and also crane your neck. Core, core, and core.
Once again Ollie, all those wonderful watt saving tips simply fly out the window if you do not rotation balance your wheels! WHY? Wheels carry inertia and if your wheels are not balanced they oscillate and create what is called interrupted inertia thus slowing you down tremendously. But if you balance your wheels there is no oscillation so your inertia is smooth flowing thus greatly increasing your speed using the same amount of energy/watts. Once you naturalize your wheels, then all those wonderful watt saving tips can work and do their thing.
I wasn't going to comment about Ollie getting dropped in a time trail, because in a different video Ollie's 10 mile PB was stated as being sub 20 minute, that's much faster than me. But are those bottle tips all legal? Or just for the triathletes? And how much time do you loose grabbing a bottle that is positioned behind your saddle?
Ideally rear-mounted water bottles would be used to top up an aerobars-mounted bottle, rather than being something you regularly grab to drink directly.
This might be nitpicking, but I'll mention it anyway. At 4:50, you said, "Trying to be as small as possible when travelling at the fastest speeds, so, with a tail wind ...". Really, riders should be aiming to do that where they experience the greatest air speed*, i.e., most likely into a head wind, or downhill as mentioned. * 35 kph into a 10 kph head wind = 45 kph air speed. 45 kph with a 10 kph tail wind = 35 kph air speed.
@@MrBoggins1234 I've always been in some kind of competitive environment, be it Sunday league or doubles tournaments. So when I started cycling during lockdown, I wanted to try some racing. I'll probably get a TT bike next season. I can't see a road bike winning 😂
Had to laugh yesterday while out riding. I was on my 20yo MTB with skinny tyres, my riding buddy was on his flat bar bike. A TT rider on his aero setup called from behind us to pass, but he wasn't as fast as he thought he was compared to us. Passed me OK, but took ages to get passed my mate. Quite funny.
hello GCN Tech, I came here because tips ... and am grateful again for Ollie's advise but I have to ask for some more tips, and video tips, like how to adapt your regular road bike, aero, or climber bike for a TT event, how estimate the angle and measurements for your temporaly aero bars , another must see example is how to place or move and rotate your saddle, like for push it fwd to get more compact aero position, or get more comfortable for the stroke position of a TT event, can we have something like that from GCN tech #GCNTech
@@rasmuswi F1 cars, recumbent position, are more aero than sporty motorbikes. Funny how upright bike mentality translates to motorbikes who insist on uoright position and no full fairing.
@@taufikabidin412 then get an F1 car. It will also smoke people on recumbents. Thinking of it, you're sitting in recumbent position in an F-16 fighter jet too. That one will also be faster than a recumbent bike.
@@rasmuswi Its more appropriate to jave motorcycles company to have recumbent laying down position, especially for those who love touring and environmental consious about their energy consumption
Cables. Miniscule drag in comparison to the rider and the wheels. Hidden cables may be esthetically pleasing, but unless you are going for Olympic Time Trial Gold, dare I say, unnecessary?
I mean. Skateboard tape is literally meant to have the friction of sand glued to tape. To stand on and not fall off at every jostle. Why would you put that on a seat? I think I’m scarred from hearing that.
@MRGRUMPY53 I don't know about your inner thighs, but my inner thighs chaff and that skin hurts and no chamois actually covers that. I recognize that bits isn't super precise language.
@MRGRUMPY53 Realistically, I don't expect to put sandpaper where I wear a chamois either! HAHAHA Different body type I'm guessing. My inner thighs do rub the edge of my seat and I'm picturing a fully covered in grit saddle.
Wouldn’t it have been quicker to get Si to do this, rather than have him explain it all to Ollie first before he filmed it…? Plus… well, he’s just quicker, isn’t he?
I've heard it said the best athletes make the worst coaches. Raw talent helps gloss over marginal gains in many endeavors, even at pro levels. The Olis and Adam Hansens of the world are a gift to those willing to listen.
#11 get sponsored by Wattshop for some bleeding edge aero extensions... #12 break both collar bones and let them heal naturally, with the broken ends side by side, reducing their length and thus reducing your shoulder width. (Tick)
Have you ever raced a time trial? Let us know in the comments below!
TTs are the only races I've ever done. I'm not fast - my best 10 was 25:50 or so on my road bike, but I took a full minute off my time when I bought a set of clip-on aero bars. :D
Love them. Won the first one I did on a road bike. No aero equipment. Bought a TT bike and never looked back.
Yes I did a "timed trial" when I was in the USAF, back in 1979. The USAF wanted it's airmen in peak physical shape so we were required to run a one and a quarter distance within a 16 minute "timed" limit or the USAF insist you have to go on a diet and excise program. The night before the BIG run a few of us stashed beers along the route and still finished within the 16 minute timed limit.
Softride powerwing is still the best TT bike 😁😁
Have only ever done a TT on a road bike... Merckx style.
Ollie always so enthusiastic - I almost went online shopping for some clip on TT bars and then remembered that I don’t like pain and must never, ever be seen in public in a skin suit!
great video. here is some historical perspective. when i raced in the 1972 to 1978 era, we had plain road bikes. nothing was aero. for speed we used 28 spoke soldered on the spokes wheels and silk tubulars. i never got to 40 km/hr (came close) and i was a good provincial calibre time trialist (omg our flat plains were WINDY!! so it was challenging). helmets were tiny leather strips. I did have a silk track jersey, but on a provincial team we use the cotton jerseys provided. Of course we pretty much all were in the same boat. Slammed headset/bars? not a chance. no one to save our ass if punctured, so carried pumps and a spare tire. but we still had fun. things have progressed so so much, and i really enjoy learning and observing today's technology. using tips from here and other places, i figure with a real modern TT bike i would have done maybe 56 minutes for 25 miles at my best. not bad for a kid who always came last in sports day in every event. (side note: i was lucky to afford tires and shorts, let alone fancy stuff... cannot imagine how folks afford this nowadays for your average racer)
Here's one an idea. A video on roadbike upgrade to add speed
Each presenter gets £250 to upgrade a roadbike set up. Take them to a wind tunnel and see who can reduce the drag the most.
Fyi TT bars from decathlon are selling for £30 atm
Sounds like a really cool idea, except might be nice to do it in the real world as I imagine with that budget, latex tubes and TT tyres (or tubeless) might have the best bang for their buck
Great idea! 😁
The issue with this is just how good and well set up their bikes already are, most already tubeless and fitted with best equipment. Maybe instead a better idea would be to get the average good level riders bike and show us how to upgrade that instead.
I really want another presenters buying cheap bikes battle and other presenter competitions as well so maybe each presenter gets the same decent bit not perfect bike and the one who shaves the most Watts off in the wind tunnel wins.
@@themindgarage8938 TT bars are the fastest upgrade. It's all (mostly) about position in a TT
@@itarry4 then they can get a £300-£1000 bike
Regarding bar tape for time triat extensions I have another tip - I am using tape which is originally aimed for squash rockets. It is really thin and light but at the same time pretty comfortable and offer secure grip
What's a squash rocket? Is that somewhere in between atmospheric and hobby rockets? ;)
Just wear a small aero Camelpak for hydration also aids in reducing the gap to your aero helmet. no annoying distracting bottles required.
Ah perfect timing, thanks! Just as I was doing my first ever TT in Zwift! This sentence took me a minute to type.
Now I don't need to read the comments anymore when Ollie jokes himself already about his love for TT because he can't get dropped there :)
I’m kind of done with dropped jokes, unless it’s something original like Ollie dropping a bop or us dropping an old saw.
I wouldn't be so hard on Ollie since he won a hill climbing competition while with "Cycling Weakly."
Genuinely good advice!
As always, another top clip from Ollie. Thanks mate l have only raced 3 tt's to date but will be doing more. I found this very informative for a newb.
have fun Ray. keeping an even pace is the best advice this old bloke can give
I love this portal AC. We can move around the house. Definitely need it for the hot summer.
I haven't done an actual TT. But have managed by adding clio on aero bars, switching from 29 to 25mm tyres, adding aero overshoes, reducing tyre pressure, aero helmet I have gone from a 30+minute 10 mile ride to a -27minute 10mike ride. Cheers
Nerdery level 1000! I Love it
Thanks Ollie! Got into TTs this year - I'd lov to see a video showing where I can get the best watt savings for my money. Road Vs TT and normal lycra Vs skinsuit for example! Great video
Oli never got to see much of this bike when he got to race it earlier this year did he? So good job he presented this video so he got to see it again 😉
Position- that is THE main thing. TT bars are the largest upgrade you can make.
Thanks, always wondered what the little pocket was for 😂
Thankx Ollie I was about to point you can't get dropped in a timed trial then you say it before I can, dman you Aero King!
Dan Loyd TT pics 😂😂 I once carried a can of coke down my neck behind my head on a TT because I had no water bottle and no pockets on the short TT!!! Worth it as I came 6th with my bike and clip on TT bars!! 😂😍
The car keys go into one of your water bottles secured to the seatpost with a 31.8 stem fastened to 26mm aluminum tubing with more 26mm tubing split in half with a gap. Using a bench vice, press fit the 3 layers onto a 30mm tubing. Apply the stem cap and standard handlebar bottle adaptors. Next standard water bottle holders commonly available. Cost almost nothing. Submit to hacks and bodges. It works well.
Loving the Wattshop Anemoi cockpit. Just looks amazing, on this bike and on Froome’s bike, too. 😍
One at home...Love it!
Great practical tips. I've never actually video taped my aero position, but anecdotally I've assessed my aero position by using bike speed. For example, I may move my head ever so slightly to test slightly different positions and watch the bike speed on the computer to see which position change translates to a faster speed with all other things being held fairly constant (environment, cadence, effort, etc.). For example, if I'm riding at 20.5 mph and a slight head position change increases that speed to say 20.6 or 20.7 while pedaling at the same power output and cadence, to me this might suggest and possibly correlate to being in a more aero position. But certainly the visual feedback is irreplaceable and directly shows body position. Great video thanks for sharing 👍
Question, wouldn't it make the most sense to be "more aero" into a headwind? Obviously if you're moving faster you hit the wind faster, but in a headwind, wouldn't the wind speed add on to whatever speed you're ticking along at?
Air speed matters more than ground speed, yes.
This is really helpful
4:01 position of the helmet changed during the shift of bikes. Maybe better when not optimal when climbing La Planche des Belles Filles.
Ollie looks like he's ready to defend the ice planet of Hoth from Darth Vader in that helmet!
And that car key looks almost exactly like a team radio, making Ollie even more pro! I mean, he would never have dropped if Manon explained the tactics via ear buds.
Just What I was looking for
Awsome video, cheers Oli. I did my first TT on Thursday 🤙🏼
LOVE the Litespeed titanium TT bike the younger Mr Lloyd is training on!!! Wonder if he still has it
Gotta love Ollie!!
Ollie: Don’t use valve extenders any longer that necessary.
Editor: Here’s a clip with an extra 3 inches of valve....that’s the ticket!
Thanks for the video! But, Ollie, how could you forget about shaving everything!!!
13:05 attached to saddle with a toe-clip tape inside a bag ?
I wish they had more TT events in the US
I don't know how most work, but my through-axle wheels screw in in such a way that the handle (it's really more of a handle than a true lever, since it doesn't pull out in the way a quick-release lever does) is _always_ horizontal when tight. The front one points backwards, and the back one points forwards.
This was a great video!
Oli dropping some knowledge to help cycling in a bunch 😂😂👌👍
I’ve always did the quick release hack. I know it probably only saves like half a watt but it’s free and easy so I’ve always figured why not?
Lower isn't always faster, smaller is faster. You get smaller by relaxing your upper body, so fiddle with your position that will let you roll your shoulders as noted in video, and also crane your neck. Core, core, and core.
Radio pocket? I always thought that was a key pocket !!! Lol
Once again Ollie, all those wonderful watt saving tips simply fly out the window if you do not rotation balance your wheels! WHY? Wheels carry inertia and if your wheels are not balanced they oscillate and create what is called interrupted inertia thus slowing you down tremendously. But if you balance your wheels there is no oscillation so your inertia is smooth flowing thus greatly increasing your speed using the same amount of energy/watts. Once you naturalize your wheels, then all those wonderful watt saving tips can work and do their thing.
I wasn't going to comment about Ollie getting dropped in a time trail, because in a different video Ollie's 10 mile PB was stated as being sub 20 minute, that's much faster than me.
But are those bottle tips all legal? Or just for the triathletes?
And how much time do you loose grabbing a bottle that is positioned behind your saddle?
It takes a bit of practice but you save a few seconds from having rear bottles if you can stay aero whilst drinking
Ideally rear-mounted water bottles would be used to top up an aerobars-mounted bottle, rather than being something you regularly grab to drink directly.
To get your head aligned with your torso, make sure you look at your front wheel and not at the road ahead.
hahaha, especially if you are the sort of person who loves surprises
That's the way we did it! Gotta look up once in a while. Using no lever quick release up front because aero habits die hard.
Solid tips!
"Pinless" skinsuits are still not accepted in the time trials I have competed in here in California...no idea why not but there it is...
How do you make your own disk-wheel?????
Rep. of SA
Ollie should be in an endurence competition!
Good video Ollie
Thanks!
Thanks Ollie
At 6.20 did Ollie really recommend a defecated bottle holder behind your saddle?
Where can i find that wheel made video? 😅
Is this a cutting edge TT bike or a cutting air TT bike? 😉
Nice 😉
This might be nitpicking, but I'll mention it anyway. At 4:50, you said, "Trying to be as small as possible when travelling at the fastest speeds, so, with a tail wind ...". Really, riders should be aiming to do that where they experience the greatest air speed*, i.e., most likely into a head wind, or downhill as mentioned.
* 35 kph into a 10 kph head wind = 45 kph air speed. 45 kph with a 10 kph tail wind = 35 kph air speed.
any tips to keep up your TT socks??
Did my first TT last week (on my road bike) and got overtaken by TT bikes like I was standing still 😂
It’s the sound isn’t it? You know they are coming and try as you might, they just thunder past!
You did it though, good on you, I keep finding excuses to do my first. What tipped you over the edge ?
@@MrBoggins1234 I've always been in some kind of competitive environment, be it Sunday league or doubles tournaments. So when I started cycling during lockdown, I wanted to try some racing. I'll probably get a TT bike next season. I can't see a road bike winning 😂
@@EnterTheOrb
I did on a road bike. I know a couple of other guys that won on road bikes.
well perhaps just consider it a race against the clock for your own PBs. rule #1 is have fun
Surely "rolling your shoulders in" is about air speed not ground speed, so should be done into headwinds not with tailwind?
Handig dit!
But jazz hands to the wind is how we entertain people puzzled at us flying by in aero suits...
Everything goes better with jazz hands...100%
Great video, but I am never going to tape over bolt holes! 😂
What next? Tape your mouth shut and cover up the nostrils 👃 😂😂😂
Speaking of TT. Someone is selling a sexy stealthblack BMC Timemachine 01 disc ONE for 6k, new, size MS.
Had to laugh yesterday while out riding. I was on my 20yo MTB with skinny tyres, my riding buddy was on his flat bar bike. A TT rider on his aero setup called from behind us to pass, but he wasn't as fast as he thought he was compared to us. Passed me OK, but took ages to get passed my mate. Quite funny.
How Ollie gonna do tech with that setup? They moved the goodies to weinie-boys house! #TOOLS4OLLIE
hello GCN Tech, I came here because tips ... and am grateful again for Ollie's advise but I have to ask for some more tips, and video tips, like how to adapt your regular road bike, aero, or climber bike for a TT event, how estimate the angle and measurements for your temporaly aero bars , another must see example is how to place or move and rotate your saddle, like for push it fwd to get more compact aero position, or get more comfortable for the stroke position of a TT event, can we have something like that from GCN tech #GCNTech
5:47 No, empty cages are less aerodynamic than when a bottle is installed. Just empty the bottle.
Softride powerwing is still the best TT bike
When your skin suit doesn't have a radio pocket, a lanyard under your skin suit works perfectly fine.
It is 100% OK to ride a ride where you can’t get dropped.
Get a recumbent low racer, set up in the "position". Smoke people on bikes which are priced 20x more
Get a sporty motorbike. Smoke people on recumbents...
@@rasmuswi F1 cars, recumbent position, are more aero than sporty motorbikes. Funny how upright bike mentality translates to motorbikes who insist on uoright position and no full fairing.
@@taufikabidin412 then get an F1 car. It will also smoke people on recumbents. Thinking of it, you're sitting in recumbent position in an F-16 fighter jet too. That one will also be faster than a recumbent bike.
Lol keep your recumbents, im not disabled so I prefer a normal bike
@@rasmuswi Its more appropriate to jave motorcycles company to have recumbent laying down position, especially for those who love touring and environmental consious about their energy consumption
all i see is wattshop equipment 🙏👍
It’s a good bike for average riders.
Just realised ...ollie is blummin aero
Cables. Miniscule drag in comparison to the rider and the wheels. Hidden cables may be esthetically pleasing, but unless you are going for Olympic Time Trial Gold, dare I say, unnecessary?
4:14 This.
Good advies having no bottles on the downtube as it saves 0,5 seconds per k in an IM bike split you lose way more on not hydrating
Surely Si is better qualified to present this! 🤓
I mean. Skateboard tape is literally meant to have the friction of sand glued to tape. To stand on and not fall off at every jostle. Why would you put that on a seat?
I think I’m scarred from hearing that.
@MRGRUMPY53 Yeah, but...sandpaper on your bits? Even if you don't move around much, that screams raw skin at the end of it.
@MRGRUMPY53 I don't know about your inner thighs, but my inner thighs chaff and that skin hurts and no chamois actually covers that. I recognize that bits isn't super precise language.
@MRGRUMPY53 Realistically, I don't expect to put sandpaper where I wear a chamois either! HAHAHA
Different body type I'm guessing. My inner thighs do rub the edge of my seat and I'm picturing a fully covered in grit saddle.
@MRGRUMPY53 Indeed. I used to use it to distress denim!
TT bike with discs isn't TT bike !
Clean your visor oli
Wouldn’t it have been quicker to get Si to do this, rather than have him explain it all to Ollie first before he filmed it…? Plus… well, he’s just quicker, isn’t he?
Ollie is more rapid in a short uphill effort.
I'd like to see each presenter do an hour record attempt. See where each stacks up against one another.
For all the cool gadgets you have your position is pretty crap😂. Don’t know why your risers are so high when they don’t need to be
Why the flip is Oli giving tips. He can only give tips on getting dropped 🤣😂
how would you feel if you got dropped and everyone in the country bullied you for it
@@thepotatocouch *world
I've heard it said the best athletes make the worst coaches. Raw talent helps gloss over marginal gains in many endeavors, even at pro levels. The Olis and Adam Hansens of the world are a gift to those willing to listen.
@@thepotatocouch I think he is fine with the banter.
Oli has done a few pretty impressive things on a TT/ track bike.
Ollie certainly ain't slow...
Its just the others are ex pro.
#11 get sponsored by Wattshop for some bleeding edge aero extensions...
#12 break both collar bones and let them heal naturally, with the broken ends side by side, reducing their length and thus reducing your shoulder width. (Tick)
Getting lower ribs removed would be worth a few watts!