Blog – Billy Oliver Saving Time in the TT

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Testing bike bitz to go faster and training hard as well as Billy Oliver looks for the smallest saving and plans his targets

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Blog – Billy Oliver Saving Time in the TT
(Go to Billy’s Blog Here)

NOTE: Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Billy writes … This is going to be a long one this month so grab a coffee and get comfy! Been super busy since the last blog that just about to hit 1000 views which I’m pretty proud of.

I don’t think il need to start carrying around a special pen just for autographs any time soon :) had some good support from the likes of VeloUK as well and plenty of positive feedback.

Was really hoping to have the results from the Boardman TTE bike fit but its had to be put back a week so I will include it in the next blog. I was really looking forward to it and spent a good bit of time looking over it. It’s so slick you can play the game of try to spot the cable that’s sticking out in the wind causing drag.

It’s hard as its pretty much just the one for the front brake! #superslick

Over the last few weeks, winter has started to kick in and for anyone who knows me, I hate the turbo so its been out in it weathers smashing away at the constant headwind up and down the A38. It’s a tough and very open road but I always remember my legend dad getting me out in my younger days for runs when I was boxing training. No matter what the weather, he would be bumbling along behind me on the bike motivating me along and getting dropped on the steep hills LoL .

I’ve been putting my new Phew early winter gloves to the test. I’ve got baby hands and really feel the cold so these are great and a good fit. Not like a lot of winter gloves that seem to increase the size of your hands tenfold and are really clumsy on the bike. With the added bonus of a second lobster glove that fits over the top for when it’s really cold (or mild in my case ), they are really grippy even in the wet and I can still use the touch screen on the Garmin with them on.

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The long cuff is ideal as well as it stops the draft around your wrist so all in a very recommended glove and I’ve tried a ton of them trying to find the right ones.

Also, this month, I got my hands on the very bling (and razor sharp) Rotor q rings. A moment that was best described at Charlie finding the golden ticket when I opened the box. Andy advised that I set them at position 4. This is the position that allows you to get the most torque and a good starting point for us to test. I’ve got as far as fitting them but haven’t ridden on them yet but will before the next blog. I love my SRAM red ring so will take some solid convincing to change.

A few weeks back my (the wife’s but I pretty much claimed it as my own) Mac decided it no longer wanted to upload from my Garmin 500. I was first mad, then gutted. The Garmin was a lovely red and carbon combo that looked class especially with the pancake design custom cover. Luckily its gone to a very good home and I’ve now got a Garmin 510.

The main reason is it has Bluetooth and this is great as before it was a case of get back, find the laptop, then find the Garmin lead, then open Garminconnect, upload file, export file, open training peaks and find the session and upload file which was always about a 15-20 minute process most of which was finding the Garmin lead.

Not now. I come home, my phone finds the Garmin and loads it straight on no messing. It’s the best thing ever and still have a smile on my face three weeks on when it does it all instantly.

I have been training bloody hard as well mind! It hasn’t been all about testing stuff, making master plans but I will go onto that in a bit. I had a very interesting email conversation with ‘Blakepond’. Most will know he’s a super-fast fellow Devonboy who is aero crazy and one of the people behind nopinz.

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Nopinz used by Nick Craig at the National Trophy on Sunday where the number is inserted from inside the skinsuit.

Nopinz is basically what everyone has been crying out for, apart from the people that make pins of course. A way of attaching numbers without pins and nopinz have got it pinned! This all came around as my very kind sponsor at Bike Science got me a Smart drag2zero skinsuit. The great thing about the sponsorship with bike science is that they want me to be in the best kit not just advertising what sells and to me this skinsuit is the best so I don’t want it to get destroyed with pins. Anyone who has rode with me at a Dursley club event on the mighty U7b would agree my old assos skinsuit with the giant hole around the bum area was not a pretty sight!

I’ve seen ‘nopinz’ advertised but wasn’t sure if I was convinced until I saw the retro fit speed wallet and arm bands. My fingers were fumbling all over the keyboard trying to find out how I could get hold of that set up for my nice new skinsuit.

Long story short, My skinsuit is now making its way to Blake to get retro fitted up so next blog I should have it back and can give a honest view on it. We really are looking at every angle here so if it saves a watt I will take it. Plus, if it saves me from the pain of getting my number on only for the pins to fly off when I move it will be totally worth it and the arm numbers are even harder so will look a lot better than some of the crazy DIY versions I’veseen before a race.

TRAINING
So training! Since starting with Matt Bottrill Performance Coaching, it’s been unreal. Matt looked at what I was doing before and told me he thought I had massive scope for improvement. Basically, if I do as I’m told and put the work in, I could be where I wanted to be. This was great for me and just what I needed.

I had great support behind me from bike science and the use of the retul bike fitting has been worth its weight in gold. I also had Matt who I could put total faith in and a mind set that if something wasn’t right, we could make it right and that left me exactly where I wanted to be; in a position where it all comes down to how much I want it and how much I’m willing to push.

We had a good chat about targets at the start. I thought I was doing pretty well as I was getting good results and getting close to the really fast guys in events then Matt said he thought I had at least another 40 odd watts in me from training which to be honest at the start I wasn’t so sure about as it’s a big chunk but hell I was going to go for it.

All has started great. Two ftp test and two power pbs, the last by a massive 17 watts so now I’m thinking Matt might of under estimated with the 40w ;)

So we have some big targets. The nationals are something I would like a good showing in next year. I rode terrible in the 50. Paced it wrong and left pretty angry with it. Missed the 25 and the national 10 was a disaster. Nearly missed my start time, missed my warm up and made a change that meant I rode with 7 watts less power than I did for a 25 miler, so a lot to prove.

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10 Champs.

Time wise, I’ve set an 18 min for a 10 Time Trial. I think this is something that will motivate me and make me really have to step up. A 48 min 25 – again, I know I can do it but I’ve got to want it bad and a 1:40:00 minute 50. I might do a 100 but will see how things look it will be late in the season probably.

So, I’ve got a lot coming up. Boardman TTE fit next week and the set-up of the road bike to try and replicate the TT position as much as possible. I have the saddle height/position the same as the TT bike but need to sort the front end and get the zipp vuka clip ons set up. Will be trying to do a lot of rides in the TT position over winter as there is no point improving your power if you cant get it down on the TT bike and hold your position you’ve worked all winter on.

Also, testing the rotor rings, work on the nutrition more. Just discovered muscle foods and that has really helped in making good eating more affordable so well worth a check out. Plus, it’s pretty cool getting 5kg of chicken breast turn up at the door ( can really recommend the chicken and chilli sausages).

I’ve got a target to get below 75kgs. I’m currently 79-81kg so I think 75 or below is a good target and then its finding the weight lose vs power lose limit.

Winter training is in full swing now and we are smashing it all the way though to next season. Andy and I have found a good spot for aero testing so that will be up and running soon as well. Busy busy but bloody exciting at the same time!

(Go to Billy’s Blog Here)

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