Equipment Time Savings
Equipment Time Savings
1 watt is 30 sec of time lost
Rolling Resistance
1. Tires – 10 min over 100k ( Recommended Grand Prix TT 4000 , now 5000)
2. Tire Pressure – 1 min over 90k – Lower for rough roads – 90-95psi or 2watts
If psi is lost in tires over night then you are putting the wrong amount of air in tires.
3. Latex Tube – 1 min or 2-4 watts power saving ( 1 min over 90k )
Factors that Affect Aerodynamic Drag
2 Main Factors to look at:
- Front Area of bike
- Turbulence on your body or bike ( no parachute on bike )
Those Items cover:
- Aero bars or Time Trial Bike compared to road bike without Aero bars – 15-20 min over 70.3 – Because in Aero position
- Bottles on the frame – 2-3 min lost in a 70.3
Vertical bottle is best behind seat and and on frame if you do put one on frame. Aero bottles on frame save time vs regular bottle.
- Time Trial helmet depends on your head position
- Head is inline with body and you look down while riding – short helmet Head above body – long helmet
- Bike Fit and position on bike – most important thing – 10 – 20 min
- Skin Suit vs baggy Triathlon kit – approx.5 min
- Weight of rider and bike depends on a course – 30 sec per kg lost for flat course, hilly course is 1kg is 2 min over a length of an Ironman.
- Race wheels – up to 5-10 min
- CeramicSpeed Components - Upgrading your bike with a standard CeramicSpeed Bearing upgrade (includes Hub Bearings, Bottom Bracket and 11-tooth Pulley Wheels and results in 6-9 watts energy savings), or add the CeramicSpeed UFO Chain to the standard upgrade and save a total of 8-14 watts.
Instead of thinking you need to train more to get faster, look at your bike set up and you can save tons of time. More than you can gain in a year of hard training.
In Summary – What is the Biggest Bang For Your Buck?
- Using aerobarsthat allow you to get into a tuck position will be the cheapest thing you can do for the aerodynamic benefit.
- Getting a skinsuitwill provide massive benefits. Testing is done on the best cycling speed suits vs your regular jersey and cycling shorts.
- Upgrading from a regular helmet to an aero helmetcould save you 2-3 minutes in a 70.3
- Time Trial Wheels– 2:30-4 min over a 70.3 when switching from a regular spoke wheel to a disc wheel. Gains can be found for both the slower and faster riders.
