November Piru TT Comparison

I did the Piru TT yesterday.  I did it exactly three years ago as well.  The weather conditions were similar which was windy.  Three years ago I rode my Fogcom lowracer.  Yesterday I did a good job meting out power.  At no point did I ever push myself over the edge and I'm proud of myself for that.

The Piru TT is 20k with 471 feet of total climbing (130 out and 341 back).  Three years ago I did 28:52.  This time I knocked off 25 seconds doing 28:27.  I also got fastest time of the day while last time I was beat by one DFer by 15 seconds.  The next fastest yesterday was somewhere over 29 minutes.  

The most pleasing part of it all was the initial success of my new training plan.  Three years ago I built up my mileage for this race eventually ending up doing 245 miles per week for the last two weeks before my taper.  This time was vastly different.

My training for the last month has been:

Monday- 45 minutes easy on the trainer with a heartrate between 80-90bpm.

Wednesday- same as Monday

Saturday- 38 mile loop on the road at a steady pace.

I varied the intensity for the Saturday ride like this:

week one- 50-60% of aerobic capacity

week two- 70-80%

week three- ~90%

week four- race

I've tried abbreviated training twice before with mixed results; once with short-term success (28.28mph unfaired at the Fiesta Island TT in 2004) , the other was a complete disaster (HPRA Northbrook races in 2003).  Neither had long-term viability.  Prior to the 2004 Fiesta Island I trained only once every ten days but I kept the intensity at 90% or above.  After the TT I was cooked and I quit training altogether.

Hopefully, by reducing the intensity early in the cycle I can get away with the two harder efforts each month.  While my old plan of staying between 50-70% but with more volume worked okay it left me lacking in power I'm going to need to go 30mph and beyond unfaired;  I was only going to go so far pussy-footing my way around the track.

   

My first HPRA race from 2003

Then, and now.  Same wheels and rear derailleur.  No rake fork but drastically different headtube angle.  I was a much stronger person back then but I'm faster now.

Now I'm Aero!!!

After more chopping I think I finally have it how I want it.  I wasn't completely "feeling it" before so I cut back the upper back support a bit and raised the front of the seat .75".  Now, even though I'm more supine, my forward visibity has improved a great deal thanks to a more upright head angle even though the original neckrest position hasn't changed.

I got an aero helmet coming and when it does I plan on making a helmet tail support that attaches to the neckrest to keep it properly oriented to the air flow.

Position Comparison

It feels different, let's see if I can see the difference.

Now that I've posted these pictures side by side I can see the difference.  My chest is lower and concave in the new position.  That's great.  That curving of my spine will increase my power.

I'm gaining weight too.  I have to face the fact that I'm not meant to have a svelte, cyclist's body.  I feel much healthier and fitter and less stressed being heavier.  Keeping my weight down to an unnatural level for me meant living on fumes much of the time and nearly passing out from blood-pressure drops every time I stand up.  Not fun.  Oh well, I'll just try not to gain too much fat weight.  The battle between sexiness and function continues.    

Dialing and Profiling

I didn't like the bulbous tiller clamp so I Michael Jackson-ed the mofo.  I trimmed some off the top and the bottom.  More streamlined now.

I also chopped out some of the rear seat support to lower my chest more.  I wanted to use a more upright head angle but I didn't want to stick my monstrous melon into the passing air and suck up precious wattage.  Lowering my upper torso allowed my head to tilt up while maintaining the same height.  This will make wearing an aero helmet in an aerodynamic manner much easier.

I dumped the seat pad because I just don't need it.  I've got a lot more work to do. 

altered hand and head position

I lowered my handlebars by 1.25" and lowered my head position as well.  Feels more luge-like.  I could probably stand to lower my head a bit more.

A future project will be to cut off and shape the steerer tube handlerbar clamp.  I'll round over the front of the steerer tube as well.  This will require building an odd-shaped headset tension cap.

Look at my sneaky-snake heeler.  It looks like he's about to live up to his breed.  We've been there before and you can tell that he's learned to associate "heeling" with a blow to the head.  He's taken me down a couple of times.

To Groeneveld...

or not to Groeneveld, that is the question.

After looking at this picture how can there be any question?  I think I owe it to myself and my bike to make it the best unfaired cycle that it can be.  Splitters will be had.  I might wait until next spring for good carbon cooking weather though.