Any recommendations?
What kind of benefit might they give over 112 miles?
How about ease of putting on/taking off?
Is the time saving greater than the added T1/T2 time?!
Thanks.
iirc, show covers may save 3-5 seconds in a 40k, so 14-22 seconds in an IM. But, they don’t always save time and may cost you time. In a 40k TT which is often decided by seconds, they may be worth it. For an IM, unless you have them on your shoes and can do a flying mount and just pull them up, probably not worth it.
I could easily be wrong either way.
The aerodynamics of shoes and lower legs is straight voodoo. The savings could be trivial or they could be quite large (>30 seconds over 40k). YMMV, the only way to know is to test.
The aerodynamics of shoes and lower legs is straight voodoo. The savings could be trivial or they could be (>30 seconds over 40k). YMMV, the only way to know is to test.
This!
Agreed, and I think GP knows as well as anyone.
If I were going to be lazy about it and not test, I’d either A.) pick the cleanest “looking” shoe I could get my foot in quickly (lace ups with stretch laces seem popular with the triathletes these days) or B.) Buy a pair of just the toe cover velotoze and hope for the best (technically you can do both I suppose)
If transitioning like in triathlon, I’d say no. Shoe covers worth a damn are super stretchy to get on and will take you at least a minute.
In the time trial world, yeah, most people and world tour teams use them.
The same person in a TT vs. an IM distance will average a lot higher speed, meaning more wattage savings.
Now…having a cycling skinsuit under your swim outfit I’d say it’s a yes. Worth it. Massive gains there. Mine in TT’s is worth probably 1/2 mph or more at 24mph+ over a tight team fit cycling kit.
Make it easy on yourself. Do the math… Savings is approx 22-44 seconds so see if you can get them on in less than 22 seconds. Either you can or you can’t. I personally cannot.
However, if you find yourself in a relay or a strait TT where transition might not count as much go for it.