Time trialling is not exactly the most social sport. You turn up, sign on and race.
A Two up time trial adds an extra mix of tactics and bike handling skills to the usual – put your head down and cycle as fast as you can.
The ideal two up time trial team would be two people of similar ability who are able to spend a long time practising together.
Eddie Atkins and Phil Griffiths doing a 2 up Time Trial in the rain
I asked Andy Sherwood to come out of his semi retirement to join me in a two up time trial team. Our practise involved riding 50 metres to the start line and hoping for the best.
Tejvan and Andy Sherwood
I think Andy had a pretty good work out, riding on my back wheel. He seemed to be suffering at the end. We managed to stay together (more or less) for the whole of the 10 miles. Some teams looked a bit raggedy.
I know what it’s like to be with a partner who is going much faster than you it happened to me a few years ago. Not only are you exhausted but there is the mental stress of trying not to get dropped. Once you lose the wheel it can be very difficult to get back on. If you sprint to get the wheel you go into the red and really build up lactic acid. This makes the rest of the race really painful and slows you down.
So the main challenge is sometimes just to stay together even if the strongest rider just does most of the riding at the front.
In the end we did 23.15 I think. I enjoyed it alot, I hope Andy did too.
BW: The Team Time trial in this year’s Giro D’Italia was won with an average speed of 56kmph! by Mark Cavendish’s team – Columbia High
I’d love to try this. I guess it’s important to find a rider of similar pace to you.
really enjoyed this post. I’ve never rode a 2up before but think i might do so in the fututre
I am still trying to think of some sort of words of gratitude for all the pain you caused me lol.