OK, I gotta come clean here. I have ridden the IM-WI course more times than I can count these last few years…1 loop, 2 loops, the string and a loop and a string, the WHOLE thing, etc. etc. and then finished the race last September.
In all of those dozens of rides I have ALWAYS used my road bike, as that course needs so much shifting and technique with uphills and curving downhills, etc. that I felt, maybe stubbornly, that a slack road bike was the best bet for me. Well, this AM I took the Saber and the 404’s and gave the loop a shot…it was tricky and a little twitchy, even a little scary at times…mainly because it was so dang FAST.
I will be 51 in a few days and I rode the loop faster this AM than ever before. Now, I am fairly fit from frequent racing this summer and maybe I was pushing it because of the “placebo” (?) effect, but this was 11 minutes faster over the loop than any previous time. I have to admit that should I do the race again, I would use the tri-bike. Still wouldn’t use a disc, and I’d keep that 27 tooth rear cog, but I would work on the proper timing on shifting from the bar ends and then work the flats pretty solidly where and when you can stay aero.
So…stubborn old dog learns new trick! Good luck to everyone who is racing this year.
that’s interesting, there are a lot of variable that could account for that, but there are plenty of sections where riding aero will be faster. I am sure those sections more than compensate for slightly slower climbing.
please humor us and ride it with the disk and tell us what happens!
congrats on your breakthrough–that’s really awesome.
and FWIW, me and my group of roadie friends all decided that no matter our “real age” is, all of us feel like we’re in our 20’s. I’m 26 and plan to stay there for a long time to come.
Perhaps you are a 28 year old trapped in a 51 year old body?
KC,
I’ll see if I can find a day and give it a shot. The course is pretty technical though and while it might be a good thing to use for one 40 mile loop, I’m not sure about 112…and I don’t think I can quite do that test right now. My 51 year old body has stuck to sprint racing this summer (but the 28 yr old within HAS been 1st or 2nd in the AG in 6 of 7 races so far!).
Best,
MM
Glad you realized it. Last year, I did 3 loops with my tri (Softride) and road bike, here were the findings:
Loop 1 - Tri Bike - felt fine
Loop 2 - Road bike, much slower, felt like crap towards end of loop
Loop 3 - Tri Bike - Faster than loop 2, and with less downtime
Another fact worth mentioning, road bike is 3 lbs lighter than tri bike.
Give it a few more rides and you’ll be able to handle all of the turns on your aerobars just fine.
Ah the question remains…good disc or 404’s for this course. I’ve been told disc, looked at the photos and see a mixed bag of riders using both. The fast dudes (pros) seem to favor a disc, but again they’re rolling close to 30 mph on the flats, so there is a greater benefit than an AG who may be pushing in the 25 mph range, where the disc is less beneficial. I’m leaning disc, but wonder what accelerating a disc repeatedly for 112 miles may leave me with for the mary.
any feedback from Dave Harju or Dan Empfield, or anyone who knows much more about this that I is welcomed!
