INTERESTED IN REDUCING YOUR 10 TIME BY 60 SECONDS?

[Alan M]

INTERESTED IN REDUCING YOUR 10 TIME BY 60 SECONDS?

Volunteers are sought to test a new time trial optimisation strategy based on phasing power in proportion to gradient over an undulating course. The investigation is part of a PhD thesis being conducted at the University of Brighton.

The optimum power profile for the first 2.5 miles of the G10/42 course (terminating prior to the first roundabout) has been predicted by a mathematical model and the prediction now needs to be tested with experienced time trialists riding the course under controlled conditions. You will be fitted with a small GPS/PDA and earpiece which plays sound files of the required power at the appropriate intervals and your bike will be fitted with a PowerTap rear wheel that shows current power on a handlebar monitor.

Five runs using different strategies will be completed in one session expected to last about 3 hours at a time to be mutually agreed but excluding rush hours and poor weather/light conditions. In the week prior to the test, an approximately one hour briefing, measurement and fitting session will have been conducted in Ashtead.

You will receive a detailed printed analysis of your own results and later receive a copy of the full findings of the study in respect of all the participants (without personal identification).

If you are currently doing 26 min or less, why not take advantage of this unique opportunity to improve your times using a method that requires no increase in physical effort? Sounds too good to be true but initial pilot tests have shown a 4% time saving. Contact Patrick Cangley on 01372 273163 or pcangley@function1.demon.co.uk to learn more.

[Dominic]

Cheers for that Alan. I have volunteered to do this, probably in the next couple of weeks.

I'll let you know of the outcome

[Marky Mark]

Be rude not to really, might do a runner with his Powertap

[Sylv]

I can reduce your time by 27 seconds easily Mark

[Marky Mark]

[quote="Sylv"]I can reduce your time by 27 seconds easily Mark

[Marky Mark]

Hi Mark,



Thank you for your response and I much appreciate your interest. Unfortunately the intensity level and duration for the trial is such that it is only likely to be achievable by time triallists who are currently doing 25 min or less. I am sure neither of us want to start something we could not complete so thank you again and all the best for improving your time trial performance in the future.



Regards



Patrick

Oh the rejection!

[Marky Mark]

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"]Oooooh, that must hurt

[HuwG]

I'm doing this Friday (weather permitting) is anyone else doing it soon?

cheers,

Huw

[Ivor]

yup, doing it next week.

[Ivor]

Well that was interesting.

Haven't built my new TT frame up yet (expect another thread ), so spent the evening re-TT-ing my road bike!

No car at the moment, so rode over to Dorking this morning nice and steady, bit of brekkie in dorking then down to the start of the G42 to meet up with Patrick.

Had quick run through of the plan. Two runs at fixed 255w power, Two runs at computer model power, and one free run at my normal pace. Fitted the powertap, and earpiece to relay the powers needed for the later runs.
I ran with my polar power meter at the same time so be able to compare the data over a cocoa one evening.
quick spin up on the turbo. 255 watts feels much harder than normal. uh oh is this going to be an embarassing disaster? Patrick reassures me it's much easier on the road so I go for a few runs up and down the road, ok 255w steady and feels fine. phew.

Righty ho, how hard can it be.
ok first run. hit the start buttons. er, 390, ok easy tiger, 280, 250, there. 230. pants. 270. and so on.
trying to keep the power down going uphill or into a headwind is tricky. keeping the power up going down, trickier.
up to the end and ferried back in the car to download the data. ok not too bad 256 av, a bit too much wobble around the average but I reckon I've got the hang of it now.
run 2. yay much better. apart from the head wind each time I crest a hill. but looking at the data it's pretty good. 254 average. and the profile's much flatter.
run 3. er. every 80 metres a number is shouted in my ear, and I'm supposed to match the power each time. I'd just got the hang of judging 255watts, this proved a little trickier, overshooting each time and overcompensating when the power dipped too low.
looking at the data, again the profile wasn't too bad, similar to the required but with a few under and overshoots.
run 4. hokay, got the hang of this, power spot on, got into a rhythm.... but then sound cut out 1/4 way through run. kept power constant and tapped the unit, and the voices in my head returned. mrrhghg. ok bit of a wobble and back into the groove and up to the line. damn, did the gap ruin that run?
back to base and checking the data, and the graph looks fine. if anything a little smoother on the bit I lost sound. but otherwise Patrick seems pleased with the numbers.

So. time for the "System Ivor" run. and off. No voices any more. Try and gauge what I'd do in a normal 10. Hmm, odd feels remarkably similar to the previous run, although I notice the points where I'm keeping the power on on descents where I'd been easing up on the computer run... but then really notice that I struggle to put the power down on the next climb... hmm interesting.

ok back and check the numbers.

Managed exactly the same time as last run. and Patrick confirms that my profile is pretty much the same as the model one I'd run before.

so I guess that's good and bad!
1. good - I'm doing it right.
2. bad - I get no free gain.

although it was interesting, that I felt my technique was harder where I wasn't recovering on the descents the same. perhaps I'll practice that a bit.

Finally intrigued to hear about Huw's budget TT bike build too! can't wait to see this, damn and I thought my new TT bike project was on a bargain budget too.