Eddy Merckx TT option - August 31
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peter.tregunno
Aug 21, 2017, 6:02:13 PM8/21/17
to Ottawa Bicycle Club Forum
The August 31st open TT will have an optional Eddy Merckx category.
What's an Eddy Merckx TT, you ask? The rule of thumb is don't use anything that wasn't around in 1972. But that's too strict... we all don't have classic steel road bikes with 5 speed corncobs and silk tubulars on polished aluminium rims. And I don't really want to do a 15km TT in a pair of wool shorts with a genuine chamois.
The spirit of a Merckx TT is to see how fast you can go on your standard road setup.
Here's what I'll consider an acceptable setup for the Merckx category:
* Road bike that would pass the UCI rules (I'm not going to look for the sticker or get out the rule book)
* shallow wheels (if all that you have are deep - i.e. >45mm carbon wheels, well then ride what you have)
* road helmets (i.e. a helmet you'd wear on a group ride)
* put your power meter/gps/computer in your back pocket (or cover them up). Ride on feel.
There may be 15 second time bonuses, given at the organizer's discretion, for particularly fine examples of a Merckx TT setup. I'm thinking about 5 speed freewheels, friction shifting, toe clips, wool jerseys.
Please note that a leather hairnet is not a helmet. That's the one piece of retro gear that has to stay in the parking lot - as per our TT rules, modern certified helmets must be worn while riding the TT.
If you want to go "full aero", don't fret - we'll seed and score the full aero category too.
What's an Eddy Merckx TT, you ask? The rule of thumb is don't use anything that wasn't around in 1972. But that's too strict... we all don't have classic steel road bikes with 5 speed corncobs and silk tubulars on polished aluminium rims. And I don't really want to do a 15km TT in a pair of wool shorts with a genuine chamois.
The spirit of a Merckx TT is to see how fast you can go on your standard road setup.
Here's what I'll consider an acceptable setup for the Merckx category:
* Road bike that would pass the UCI rules (I'm not going to look for the sticker or get out the rule book)
* shallow wheels (if all that you have are deep - i.e. >45mm carbon wheels, well then ride what you have)
* road helmets (i.e. a helmet you'd wear on a group ride)
* put your power meter/gps/computer in your back pocket (or cover them up). Ride on feel.
There may be 15 second time bonuses, given at the organizer's discretion, for particularly fine examples of a Merckx TT setup. I'm thinking about 5 speed freewheels, friction shifting, toe clips, wool jerseys.
Please note that a leather hairnet is not a helmet. That's the one piece of retro gear that has to stay in the parking lot - as per our TT rules, modern certified helmets must be worn while riding the TT.
If you want to go "full aero", don't fret - we'll seed and score the full aero category too.
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