Transitioning to a TT bike from road

jen2012

Hi All:

Got me a fancy new 2011 Kestrel Airfoil last week.   Had a fitting and it's ready to go.  I, however, am slightly intimidated, it's fast.  My ride up till now has been a Giant Defy 3 road bike.  I did test ride it several times, along with many other bikes in my fit range, so it's not like I haven't ridden it before.  It's just so different a feel from the road bike.   Does anyone have any words of wisdom on braking, shifting (so hard for me that they are not both at my fingertips at once) or any other words of wisdom for riding a TT bike.

Thanks.

Jennifer

GMAN 19030

It's just practice... nothing more. I'd avoid any technical riding until you feel pretty comfortable.

Dino Sarti

Don't let it scare you. You own it. You are it's master. But, take your time. It can feel strange to have all your weight so far forward toward the front wheel. Spend a couple rides just up on the horns and get a feel for the geometry. Ease into the aero bars on flat straight aways. Avoid turning in the bars until you feel like you got it.

I have been on a TT bike for about a year. And, yes, I laid it down once on wet asphalt. I don't descend in the aero bars down anything steep or do any aggressive turns. The bike is rock solid, but it is bit twitchy. It is like a race horse that spooks easy. My roadie is much faster in the turns and like a bat out of hell going down hill, but over the course of a race, my TT bike is much faster because is has more aero advantage in the appropriate straight sections and gentle curves.

That's a lot typing when basically I am just saying what Bob said above - just practice and take it easy as confidence grows...

GMAN 19030

I'm nothing if not concise.  

ezellrh

I think Miguel Indurain said it best, "Just ride lots."

You'll get better at figuring out what works and what doesn't work as you get more comfortable on the bike. After many many years of riding roadie, I finally upgraded to a tri-bike last year. The first time I rode on my normal training route that has some very steep curves (up and down ) on my tri-bike , I thought that there was no possible way I would ever be able to ride the course as fast I could on my road bike. However, a few months later, I was slicing the downhills in the aerobars like no-one's business. It just took getting used to the new position and handling characteristics.

Good luck!

Keith Wick

The tendency is to tense up your shoulders and arms, which then makes one try to muscle the bike around turns. I find that the key is to relax your upper body and have loose hands on the aerobars. Most of the time, my hands are just resting on top of the aerobars, not really gripping them. Steering is mainly a slight lean to shift your weight. You'll also need to use your core more when you decide to take one arm off the aerobars for a drink, turn signal, etc If you don't, that larger shift in weight may get you turning/changing lines quicker than you'd like.

jen2012

Thanks everyone! I will take her out and let her know I'm the boss and that we'll go slow for a while.

Jennifer

dotcatlin

Wait until your next race when you cut off about 20' of your bike leg!!! Then you'll love your TT bike!!!