Going long on tt bike

noc231073

Decided this year it's about time to at least do a couple of 1/2 distance this year with the possibility of looking at a full next year ..

So I am in for dublin and the lost sheep .

The question is how do the rest of ye guys deal with 3 hours in the saddle on the tt bike ..?

I am no stranger to 140km or eneven 160km on the road bike but after been out on the tt bike 3 times now with over 100km done each time .. but getting of the bike stiff as a board after the 100

Do I need a bike fit ? Will it help?

pgibbo

Get a bike fit. You shouldn't be stiff as a board after a 3 hour spin.

How often do you use the TT bike and ride in the aero position? Does it bother you for Olympic races?

noc231073

pgibbo wrote: »

Get a bike fit. You shouldn't be stiff as a board after a 3 hour spin.

How often do you use the TT bike and ride in the aero position? Does it bother you for Olympic races?

I never had any issue during an Olympic ..
It's really the back of my neck and shoulders

boysinblack

noc231073 wrote: »

Decided this year it's about time to at least do a couple of 1/2 distance this year with the possibility of looking at a full next year ..

So I am in for dublin and the lost sheep .

The question is how do the rest of ye guys deal with 3 hours in the saddle on the tt bike ..?

I am no stranger to 140km or eneven 160km on the road bike but after been out on the tt bike 3 times now with over 100km done each time .. but getting of the bike stiff as a board after the 100

Do I need a bike fit ? Will it help?

Definitely get a bike fit. If you are near Naas Brendan Whelan in the Bicycle Design Centre is far and away the best around

joey100

How long have you spent on the TT bike when your training for Olympic distance? Could just some general stretching in the evening help with flexibility?

noc231073

joey100 wrote: »

How long have you spent on the TT bike when your training for Olympic distance? Could just some general stretching in the evening help with flexibility?

Very little tbh .. did most my training on the road bike .. the tt bike just came out for races ..

Your probably right .. I am probably as flexible as a plank ..

mossym

you'll need to change that. half and IM you'll need to be putting in the hours on the TT bike. you won't be able to switch over just for races. you'll need to get used to 3 hours first, given you'll be 5 and more for IM training.

pgibbo

noc231073 wrote: »

Very little tbh .. did most my training on the road bike .. the tt bike just came out for races ..

Your probably right .. I am probably as flexible as a plank ..

I'm like a plank too but can do over 5 hours on a TT bike and run off it without any discomfort. I put this down to training on it regularly over the winter and summer coupled with a bike fit. I leave it on the turbo over the winter. Train on what you plan to race on. I know not everyone agrees with this but just using a TT bike for races isn't enough IMO.

Start by spending more time on the TT bike and build up the hours. If you can, get a fit too.

joey100

I'd agree with what the other lads said. I'm not the most flexible either, at my last bike fitting the fitter couldn't understand how I could hold my position with my limited flexibility. Its just from using the TT the majority of the time. I use the road bike for long spins during winter but once the weather gets a bit better the TT bike gets used more and is always used on the turbo.

If you have used for up to Olympic only might be that you are in too aggressive a position to hold for longer but I'd try just using it for a bit first and then a fit.

pgibbo

Following on from what Joey said, try rising your pads by 10mm or so and see if that makes a difference. You can experiment with this on the turbo before committing to a height. Use a folded towel and different thicknesses to determine what feels most comfortable.

peter kern

noc231073 wrote: »

Decided this year it's about time to at least do a couple of 1/2 distance this year with the possibility of looking at a full next year ..

So I am in for dublin and the lost sheep .

The question is how do the rest of ye guys deal with 3 hours in the saddle on the tt bike ..?

I am no stranger to 140km or eneven 160km on the road bike but after been out on the tt bike 3 times now with over 100km done each time .. but getting of the bike stiff as a board after the 100

Do I need a bike fit ? Will it help?

i guess first get pads wider
make sure the saddle is confortable ie because saddle is not confy you might put more weight on front than needed. ( also see if tilting up bars a bit makes it more confi)
maybe bring aero bar a bit up until you get better used to it
and flexibility is of v little concern if oyu can ride a road bike you can ride a tt bike
and yes it takes time to adapt neck and shoulders .
( so i prescribe a bit of HTFU)