Time trial equipment test

Power wise, this improvement is equivalent to a 19 Watt power gain and time wise, equivalent to 58 seconds saved over a 40 km race distance Watts. The lead into Bright was also about evaluating skin suit options and this is is a perfect example of the requirement to actually measure aerodynamic performance. The change of garment provided an equivalent power gain of 14 Watts, equivalent to 40 seconds saved over a 40 km race distance Watts.

Based on Jordy's prior performance of Watts over a 23 minute duration, this sees his power-to-drag ratio at Watts per CdA. Power and time savings associated with position refinement and a change of skinsuit. For real-world performance measures, we have reverted back to field testing.

December testing showed that Jordy is now successfully able to perform 20 minute efforts at Watts. This matches his previous best performance and showing that his improvement in position has not come at a cost to his power output.

In terms of the real performance indicator, his power-drag ratio improved to Watts per CdA. Jordy's best 20 minute power, as recorded in December , performed on his TT bike.

Time trial is a discipline of constant refinement in the quest for speed. In the lead up to Nationals, equipment optimisation is focusing on improvements gained thorough driveline optimisation and garment choice. Stay tuned for the final instalment in the quest for improving aerodynamic efficiency.

A big shout out to Jordy for allowing us to share his CdA and power data. The data analysis processes would not have been possible without the help of Scott Gigante , creator of the custom data analysis package we use. More can be found on the importance of aerodynamic efficiency on the Cycling Power Lab web page, including power-drag data for elite time trial athletes. So how does his progress look?

Equipment Since we started working with Jordy on this project, his bike has been fitted with a power2max Type-S power meter, the accuracy of which has been confirmed with the CYCLUS2 ergometer. What is important to time trial performance? These goals are set using physiological testing processes, in the lab and in the field.

So how did the changes stack up? For those of you who do not have a heart rate monitor, you can still take your heart rate by counting the pulse on your neck. If you go that route, you should have someone there to help record your results after each mile. Just take your pulse for 10 or 15 seconds and call it out.

You can calculate when the test is finished. Run Test Breakdown: 1. This test can be performed on the road, or on a trainer. If you are testing outside, make sure you find miles of either a flat or a slightly rolling stretch of road. Once you are ready to begin, you will ride for 30 minutes at race pace effort, making sure to record your average heart rate. Please make sure that your pacing is fairly even throughout the entire effort, otherwise your results will be inaccurate, and the test must be redone another day.

A good way to monitor your pacing is with your bike computer keeping track of your miles per hour, or your power output if you have that feature on your bike. Record your average heart rate for the 30 minute time trial and that will estimate your LT.

I, personally, like to do this test indoors on a trainer where I can control the course and the wind, as well as monitor my power output through my computer. Bike Test Breakdown: 1. This makes your models much more robust, as well as uses time more efficiently.

I felt like the model gave me new ideas, as it provided me a pathway I have never explored before when using Evernote. I did not feel as jaded as I might have if I were to test it without a model.

Using the model made me realize that when you have massive products, or multiple stories around the same feature, you should not wait until you have a minimum viable product to test, because by then the testing effort may be insurmountable. Many times we complain about Dev-complete late in the sprint causing us not to meet a deadline, but this sometimes could be mitigated by testing things earlier, even if in an incomplete state.

Using the model helped to focus our thinking. This prevents the potential loss of currently running threads in our mind, so that new thoughts do not supersede or completely squash existing or unfinished thoughts. This should be something I inform my stakeholders about, as it is a test limitation they may not assume exists. The model helped me not start testing too soon. If 9 minutes, use a progressively harder gear each three minutes, so the last 3 minutes of the three efforts will be as described below.

Alternatively, use the same gear for the 9 minutes and increase cadence so that the last 3 minutes of the three efforts will end as described below. The gear, heart rate and power percentages suggested below are approximate.

The actual values will depend upon your trainer set-up and your physiology. Not all riders will be able to spin at a cadence of rpm. Heart rate will not reach the suggested levels until near the end of each interval. The cadence suggestions below are for road time trialists. Mountain bikers: use a cadence about 10 rpm less. Use a gear or two easier than race-pace gearing.

Common error: Again, this is heart rate at the end of interval. If effort is constant heart rate will rise. If you try to get to target heart rate too quickly, this implies that your effort level is too great. Use race-pace gearing. Use a gear easier than race pace gearing. Pre-race warm-up may include a some caffeine about 1 hour before the start. Controlled studies evaluating the use of caffeine before time trials is lacking, but anecdotal evidence supports its use.

After warm-up, have a few ounces of fluid at the start line. Post-race preparation includes instructing your helper to be located several hundred meters beyond the finish line to hand you a warming jacket, sponge or face cloth, two bottles of fluids, and some low-fat carbohydrate food. With a full 40K effort, post—time-trial headache is common.

After cleaning up back in your room, have something more to eat and perhaps a few acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin. You may wish only to spin and ride briefly a day or two after a hard 40K time trial. It may take a week to recover completely from your effort.

After your time trial, evaluate your performance. Consider the contents of this section and see where you did well and were you might improve. By establishing a pre- and post-race ritual as just discussed, you will be more mentally focused and relaxed. Focus, without undue anxiety, improves performance. The mind is important. Riders of equal strength do not ride the same times. Some riders finish a time trial too fresh and able to ride more. Others are totally exhausted and need to recover.

The ability to go your hardest and know that you are pushing absolutely as hard as you can requires experience and the motivation to perform. Count odd numbers or half reps so that you alternate left and right leg emphasis with your counting. Counting each stroke of my left and right legs, I personally like counting in reps of 5, with slightly extra force on the 1st and 3rd counts.

Breathe just a little faster. Your pedal strokes will go a little faster to keep the rhythm. Think instead about how good it feels to be working hard, how regular your breathing is. See yourself posting your goal time, visualize yourself being patted on the back or getting your reward. The aero stuff matters most for those who are racing against others, not themselves.

Money need not be invested as much as time in training. For a year-old woman with that time, like Margaret Nolan, aero equipment is crucial to being the best in the country. The fact is most of the equipment is not much costlier than bicycling gear in general, and if you want to be competitive, you need the tools of the trade. Time-trial with and without equipment. See the difference. When you become competitive, it makes no sense to put considerable effort into training, expense into travel, and sacrifice in free time and income from work only to go several minutes slower than you would with the right equipment.

Riders frequently make the error of using new equipment for the first time in competition. Riders get excited about the possibility of going faster with the latest gizmo and purchase or borrow equipment just before a race. Since some equipment is specialized, riders often save it for race day, only to encounter small problems during the race. Although time-trial equipment is vital, leave time to test equipment thoroughly under race conditions before competition.

Use the aero stuff, yes, but rely on the tried- and-true and test your equipment well in advance. Before a time trial be sure to test your equipment with full power and speed. Problems such as chain-freewheel incompatibility or an insufficiently tightened skewer may not surface with less than full effort. You need a straight block. Choose your chain rings to match your ability. The standard big chain ring for the standard road bike has 53 teeth.