To get into racing
Time trialling – also known as ‘the race of truth’ – is the easiest way to get into racing; pretty much every British cycling legend past and present got their start against the clock: Chris Froome, Chris Boardman, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar, Graeme Obree… Time trials are cheap and easy to enter too, with lots of cycling clubs having evening TTs where you can enter on the night and ride for just a couple of quid or so.
To get the best out of yourself
Racing against the clock is racing against yourself. In a TT you’ll go as fast as you’re prepared to push yourself, and to get the very best out of your fitness, you’ll need a low pro bike.
To go the fastest you can
Your road bike will be pretty fast, but nothing compared to the speeds you can achieve from an aerodynamic bike on the flat. And what you’ll learn about getting aero from your TT bike will make you faster on your standard bike.
To get max return for your time
If you’re time and training poor from family or work commitments, a series of evening 10s won’t take much time out of your life and you’ll still get your racing fix.
To look as cool as
Well, time trial bikes just look so cool. The time trial bike is the cycling equivalent of a formula one race car: swift, slippery and very, very fast. We can’t think of a better excuse to get another bike.
Find your perfect time trial bike
Cycling Plus has been getting testing itself against the clock since 1992 – subscribe here! And our companion website Bikeradar is also a brilliant place to find all of the latest TT reviews. You can also find some of our excellent TT training tips here…
Sign up to the Cycling Plus Newsletter here