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Post by 54roadie on Jun 9, 2015 20:52:26 GMT
I took the Viscount out again, this time with 40mm risers on the aero extensions, and set a PB - 43:27 for 20.7mph. 33.3 kph. To my advantage, it was warmer this time, but to everyone's disadvantage, windier. Headwind home, as always. Despite this effort, I slipped somewhat in the finish position. Something to do with all these 20 and 30 something Cat 2 and 3 racer types blasting past on their disk wheeled CF wonder bikes. Annoying. Unfortunately, they are quite fast. Last night's speediest demon turned in 33:25!. That's 26.94 mph / 43.36 kph. Holy Cow! Here's the course Ada, MI TT courseOn the other hand, I'll be riding the National 24 Hour Challenge in two weeks, with the plan to ride the CF bike for the first 170 miles (with the most hills) then switch to the Viscount to carry me through until morning on the flatter night course. If you ride 400 miles (643 km) you get something like 8,000 or 9,000 feet (2,400 - 2,750 meters) of climbing. Pray for me. N24HC.orgHappy riding! Frank |
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Post by triitout on Jun 10, 2015 2:22:10 GMT
You (and Kevin) have my utmost respect for first doing a TT on a Viscount and taking on youth and CF! Excellent results. I'll say a prayer for you on the 24 hour race. I took in a small sample of a 24 hour deal in Central Park back in the early 80's on my Viscount and remember being regularly passed by the great Olympian bike racer John Howard and his entourage. God, that thought makes me feel like I've been riding forever. I guess drafting was legal.  GOOD LUCK! |
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Post by 54roadie on Jun 10, 2015 6:35:14 GMT
Drafting is legal in this one as well, mostly because there's no where near enough resources to run the event as a TT. 400+ riders at one minute intervals, can you imagine? And yes, getting passed, repeatedly, by the "freight trains" doing 20mph at 3am is, ummm, disturbing. Especially when the locomotives are usually about half my age. While I've never found John Howard's name on the finisher's list, even the older ones, several RAAM winners have been here, and a number of them, and potential qualifiers, will be here too. check it out, then sign up!
And Michael, we have been riding forever. Almost since Major (Marshall) Taylor and Arthur Zimmerman.
Thank you for the compliment. I like this bike so much that it would take quite a lot to get me to switch to a wonderbike. (winning the lottery, for starters) I look at the difference in head and seat tube diameters and think "skinny tubes rule. Keep your fairings, pal, you NEED them to compensate for your FAT bike." Especially when the wind kicks up, as it did yesterday.
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whippet
Viscount
Posts: 642 
Member is Online
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Post by whippet on Jun 10, 2015 7:11:51 GMT
Excellent time for the TT Roadie, like my 10 pace but going for 50% further! Good luck on your 24 hour as well, that's got to be brutal!
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Post by 54roadie on Jun 10, 2015 14:56:34 GMT
Thank you, Whippet, that's praise from the praise worthy! And perhaps I'm a bit delusional, but I believe there's still plenty of room for improvement. My Viscount is an amazing ride. I almost T-boned a rider who had passed before the turn-around, but not gotten away. Turns out he is not a very skilled turn-around artist, and I've been practicing. I can turn a tighter circle, faster, on that bike than any other I own.
The 24 hour is very taxing - my biggest problem last year was that my neck and with it my shoulders were giving me problems - by 4 am I was riding no hands for much of each lap, it was that bad. Those problems are largely resolved, so while I may not be in quite the fitness shape as last year, I expect my average speed to improve simply because I'll be able to keep hands on the bars, and rest some on the aero extensions. Correct position should help some to, right?
Happy riding!
Frank
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