You Should TIme Trial. Seriously

​Before I ever raced a bike, a criterium-racer buddy thoughtfully explained to me that "time trials are for fat old guys who still want to race." As a 30-something-year-old wannabe who outweighed him by 30 pounds, his assessment made me wonder. Years passed, I came to love time trialing, and I often remembered his comment with a smile. But I also realized just how wrong he was: time trials are for everyone, and pretty much any racer can learn and grow from the "race of truth."

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​Think of it this way: if you're not drafting behind someone, you're time trialing. Triathlete? By very definition you're time trialing. Cross country? Cyclocross? More often than not, you're time trialing. Even road racing, whether you're off the front or off the back, the minute your nose hits wind you're either sprinting (< 20 seconds) or you're time trialing. Embrace it, practice it, and get stronger in whatever racing you do.

Every time you do a time trial there will always be things you want to improve for the next one ... to get that hard effort locked in … to feel that rush … and to be done and savor the feeling.
– Joanna Hall, Iowa Heat/ICCC

crandic   TT  Series

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So what's the big deal? Just ride hard, right? True, in the sense that "anyone can ride a bike." But the trick is riding well – riding fast. Any time trial effort will depend on pace, position, and focus, and those skills transfer to other racing as well. If you're interested, next time around we'll look at those time trialing skills, and even briefly at training for time trials. 

One last thought for now: find a favorite route, a loop or an out-and-back; time yourself; and repeat. This is time trialing. This is racing at its most basic, without the hustle and bustle of the pack. It's all about your own performance. It's blissful. It's painful. It's fun. And I'm not only saying that because I'm a fat old guy who still loves to race.

John S

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photo by Kirschen Seah

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Go! 
The rules of time trialling are simple. Riders start at regular intervals and may not ride together.
Drafting or pacing another is forbidden side-to-side (2m) and front-to-back (25m). Passes must be made reasonably quickly (500m), or the caught rider must drop back behind the rider that caught them.
Over a set distance, there is no hiding in the pack and precious little in the way of tactics. The fastest time wins, making the individual time trial a grueling test, the "race of truth."
As in all USAC road races, helmets, jerseys with sleeves, and bikes with brakes are required. So too is a USAC license, with 1-day licenses available online beforehand and onsite the day of the race.