question re: club rules on TT bikes on club runs

Can anybody please advise if there is a rule that prohibits the riding of TT bikes on the Sunday morning club runs?

Thanks


Phil

Hi Phil,

We don't have an official rule that says no, but generally clubs don't welcome TT bikes in group rides. They are banned from road racing for good reason and personally I think the same reasoning should apply for club runs - perhaps more so as you have often have less experienced riders on a club run.

The basic problem with TT bikes on group rides is safety. On a road bike or mtb, in a group you should always be covering your brakes and gear shifters. In a group this allows you to react quickly - the riding position and set-up of TT bikes means you are not doing this, so you can't react in the same way. Neither do TT bikes give you the same degree of control. Finally if you are in a bunch crash you've got to pointy bits of carbon on the front of your bike.

Just like track bikes, TT bikes are designed for a very specific purpose and that isn't group riding. During the winter I usually ride a single speed on club runs, but always on the freewheel, never fixed. The safety of the group is paramount and I know I cannot react in the same way to other riders around me if I'm on a fixed gear, so I don't ride it.

I understand that we all have different opinions on TT bikes

I have ridden them in groups many times, keeping on the handle bars with quick access to brake levers when required but yes I do appreciate that you do ned to be careful and that in draft legal races there are restrictions etc

My question was whether there is a set of club rules thas specifically make reference to TT bikes on club runs rather than to enter into a debate

What motivated the question was the fact that several members of NiceTri (St Neots Triathlon club - of which several CC club members are members) have been told that they are not allowed to ride / are not welcome to ride with the club when if they are on TT bikes. Some of the Tri Club members only have TT bikes but do take part in long distance races such as ironman (112 mile bike) and half ironman (56 miles bike) etc so they like to do the longer bike rides. They also join in with the club TT races.

Having received this feedback that they cannot ride with the club then Nicetri has now started a Sunday morning long distance cycling training session. It seems crazy that we have two groups going off from St Neots on a Sunday morning both doing distances of between 40 and 60 miles.

Can we ascertain whether TT bikes are allowed / not allowed on club runs?

Can someone on the committee make contact with Nicetri (I can help) to clarify the situation?

Thanks


Phil

Like I said we don't have an official rule against them, but like most clubs we have an unwritten rule against them, especially if the rider is an unknown quantity (are they going to drop into an aero position in the middle of a bunch?).

I will raise this at the next committee meeting as it is clearly something we need an official position on.

As an aside, do you really want to take expensive TT bikes on mucky, salted winter roads? If you're just looking to build up good base miles might a cheap winter training hack be better alternative?

thanks

Richard

Thanks Richard, I look forward to hearing about the results of the discussion

I hasten to add it is not me that wants to ride a TT bike during the winter months for that very reason but not everybody has got more than one bike.

Riders of TT bikes need to train over long distances to get used to the different ridng position which they may need to maintain for 6/7 hours during an ironman and whilct not ideal for a race in the Spring . . . the winter months are all they there is to work with

At the risk of adding fuel to the fire, I don't think we should allow TT bikes out on a club run. There have been too many accidents recently, without the added risk of having TT bikes in the group as well.
Why anyone only has just a TT bike is beyond me, its a bike you buy once you can actually ride a road bike and not your first purchase - they are designed for one thing only and thats TTs.
End of.....
Tim

FWIW ... here here Alec.
Perhaps this is evidence enough to suggest that tt bikes shouldn't be allowed on clubruns?

Bang on.... Thought he almost made it. Avoided with not using TT bars

For what's it's worth...... I have no problem with people coming out on TT bikes or clip on areo bars. But at no point do I ever want to see anyone in the tuck position in the group. Arguably the the same reasons for not letting someone ride a TT bike / areo bars can be apllied to a rider who chooses to hold the bars on the top "climping grip" as the controls are not covered either in this position.

I would like to have a few names. As you know Phil I am a keen triathlete, spending most the summer with these guys and girls I have always encourage them all to come out with SNCC on their bikes regardless of what they are riding. Joss has been on a number of chaingangs and on a TT bike, which he has riden with great maturity and I have never felt endangered. If some of them who have been out on a chaing gang felt that being dropped is us not wanting them riding with us then that is ridiculous as it was the same for me when I started and will be the same every time. That's the chain gang for ya. I was sat in duncans hot tub on a wed spin try to get a few more out, but there has never seemed to be that desire. I hope that has and will change. I know most have road bikes so don't see what the issue is

Wayne, I suggest that we continue this discussion off the forum

try me on 07912 367656 or phil dot laycock at laycockwilliams dot com


Phil