What is a Time Trial?
Time trials are a fantastic way to get into competitive cycling and a great way to challenge yourself and measure your own progress as a cyclist. Time trials are the purest form of cycling racing, you simply ride a set distance as quickly as possible. Riders are started at intervals and must not assist each other, so it’s just you versus the clock!
All you need to enter a time trial is a bike, a helmet, plus front and rear lights.
If you get the bug you may soon find yourself lusting after a specialist time trial bike, skin suit and pointy helmet, but there’s absolutely no need for anything like that, with most events now having separate TT and Road Bike categories. You may even find yourself hanging your time trial bike on your living room wall like one of the other Condors…
Condors Club Time Trials
It couldn’t be easier to try your first time trial. The Condors has it’s own TT secretary with regular events during the spring and summer, along with the end of season hill climb competition! All riders are welcome to join though trophies and prizes are reserved for club members. Find out more here:
League Information
League Results
Sign up
Other Local and National Events
Time trials in the UK are mostly governed by Cycling Time Trials (CTT). The Condors are a fully CTT affiliated club, meaning Condors members can participate in all CTT events.
There are a huge number of events throughout the UK and we are particularly fortunate to have a thriving local time trialling scene, including the Oxfordshire Time Trial League organised by our friends at Oxonians. Some events particularly Open TT’s will require online sign up in advance of the event. Online sign up together with a full list of events for the year can be found here.
Team Time Trials (TTTs)
If you prefer to share your pain then team time trials may be the discipline for you. Riding nose to tail at speed takes a bit of practice, but once you have the knack it’s enormously satisfying to take on a time trial as part of a team. Teams can be two, three, four or even nine people depending on the event.
Here are video highlights of a Condors “A team” practising at Weston on the Green, 24 May 2016 ahead of a 9-up TTT held at Silverstone: