Discussion
My daughter is 13 and doing quite well with her cycling. She came second in her age group in a national 10 mile TT competition last year, only beaten by a girl on a pukka TT bike - she and all the other girls she was competing against were on road bikes. So, to be competitive, it looks like she needs one too. Bearing in mind that we live on a small rock and use the LBS (so maybe not the Planet X default option!), the choices are between a Cube Aerium HPA (aluminium, Ultegra, albeit with proper TT bars fitted) or a Giant Trinity Composite 2 (more expensive,carbon, 105/Tiagra). My daughter is about 5'5" but has very long legs and she had a sit on the Cube which seemed to fit OK. Any thoughts on the merits of either bike?
So what time did she get? Which course and how close to the first place girl? Was it the GHS 10 (does that still exist?)
I held the South Eastern Road TT record for under 13's in 1985. 10 mile on the Q10 19, (Sean Yates favourite) did it in 24 min 33 seconds on a 531 Harry Quinn with shimano 600.
I would probably put the money into a carbon bike at the moment, she'll outgrow it quick enough and will be so much easier to sell on.
I held the South Eastern Road TT record for under 13's in 1985. 10 mile on the Q10 19, (Sean Yates favourite) did it in 24 min 33 seconds on a 531 Harry Quinn with shimano 600.
I would probably put the money into a carbon bike at the moment, she'll outgrow it quick enough and will be so much easier to sell on.
ro55a said:
So what time did she get? Which course and how close to the first place girl? Was it the GHS 10 (does that still exist?)
I held the South Eastern Road TT record for under 13's in 1985. 10 mile on the Q10 19, (Sean Yates favourite) did it in 24 min 33 seconds on a 531 Harry Quinn with shimano 600.
I would probably put the money into a carbon bike at the moment, she'll outgrow it quick enough and will be so much easier to sell on.
Hey good stuff! Did you keep competing for long? Many a young talent is lost in the teenage years to the distractions of cars and girls/boys. A lad in my old club was on the national junior track squad but had stopped riding by about 20.I held the South Eastern Road TT record for under 13's in 1985. 10 mile on the Q10 19, (Sean Yates favourite) did it in 24 min 33 seconds on a 531 Harry Quinn with shimano 600.
I would probably put the money into a carbon bike at the moment, she'll outgrow it quick enough and will be so much easier to sell on.
Stopped at 19/20 because of the things you listed above;)
Got to a national level and raced with and against a number of names who went onto bigger and better things. It was much harder back then to get any kind of sponsorship or help of any kind and as such a number of good riders left the sport.
Started riding again about 10 years ago and got back into track riding. Just really enjoy it now and don't miss the pressure. At one point my brother and I were racing 2-3 times a week , every week during the season!
Got to a national level and raced with and against a number of names who went onto bigger and better things. It was much harder back then to get any kind of sponsorship or help of any kind and as such a number of good riders left the sport.
Started riding again about 10 years ago and got back into track riding. Just really enjoy it now and don't miss the pressure. At one point my brother and I were racing 2-3 times a week , every week during the season!
Good to hear you got back on. 
I stopped at 30 because of work/money needs and I've always missed it, but I know what training is needed to have self respect in the pack, I could never fit it with the long work hours (until the 40 hour day comes in anyway). Good on yer bloke. Sorry OP for the post derail.
I stopped at 30 because of work/money needs and I've always missed it, but I know what training is needed to have self respect in the pack, I could never fit it with the long work hours (until the 40 hour day comes in anyway). Good on yer bloke. Sorry OP for the post derail.
ro55a said:
So what time did she get? Which course and how close to the first place girl? Was it the GHS 10 (does that still exist?)
I held the South Eastern Road TT record for under 13's in 1985. 10 mile on the Q10 19, (Sean Yates favourite) did it in 24 min 33 seconds on a 531 Harry Quinn with shimano 600.
I would probably put the money into a carbon bike at the moment, she'll outgrow it quick enough and will be so much easier to sell on.
Yes, it was the GHS. The course was at Husbands Bosworth in Leicestershire, pretty much triangular and into the wind on two sides of it on the day. My daughter did it in 30 mins (cant find the result sheet anywhere for the exact time) and the girl that beat her was a whole 3 minutes quicker. I understand that a TT bike will not bridge that sort of time on its own and there's no substitute for hard work but interested to hear your comments.I held the South Eastern Road TT record for under 13's in 1985. 10 mile on the Q10 19, (Sean Yates favourite) did it in 24 min 33 seconds on a 531 Harry Quinn with shimano 600.
I would probably put the money into a carbon bike at the moment, she'll outgrow it quick enough and will be so much easier to sell on.
Disco You said:
Why not buy from somewhere other than the LBS?
Small community here and we do need to support local trade. The LBS puts a lot of work into the cycling community and they do excellent work with the kids. They are also not unreasonably priced, they know their stuff and service is good. I am not sure but think I rode that course. I remember it not being an out and back and almost following a more rounded route, bit up and down as well, country lanes and B roads. Got knocked off my bike, infact my Dads which I was borrowing, in warm up. Had an 18 yr old on a cross bike coming down the lanes before the start, came round a left hand bend and hit me head on. Smashed the bike to pieces, but I only had a few cuts luckily. Borrowed a bike from another competitor when returned and still rode the course. Came second overall to my mate, he did that course approx 25 mins but we were both 15/16 at the time, so it wasn't a quick course at all.
Think you are right about the 3 min time gap, over ten miles and on that type of course no bike would get that back, 30 seconds maybe. I suppose the thing is what does she mostly ride? Is she a trialler or likes crits or track. I suppose where you live dictates the type of racing? If it were me I'd spend the money on the best roadbike I could get hold of and go for clip on tri bars and an aero helmet for time trailing. She's probably not big enough or wide enough to take full advantage of a TT bike? Is she riding 25s yet?
Think you are right about the 3 min time gap, over ten miles and on that type of course no bike would get that back, 30 seconds maybe. I suppose the thing is what does she mostly ride? Is she a trialler or likes crits or track. I suppose where you live dictates the type of racing? If it were me I'd spend the money on the best roadbike I could get hold of and go for clip on tri bars and an aero helmet for time trailing. She's probably not big enough or wide enough to take full advantage of a TT bike? Is she riding 25s yet?
I think you are rembering the right course. It was certainly up and down and I reckon the locals' driving/riding hasn't changed too much, seeing some of the overtaking into blind bends that was going on. HQ was a glider airfield so wind was a factor.
We live in Guernsey and competition for the kids here is pretty much limited to time trialling (but no 25s yet). There are occasional crits which she does enjoy more than TTing
We live in Guernsey and competition for the kids here is pretty much limited to time trialling (but no 25s yet). There are occasional crits which she does enjoy more than TTing
Ahhh there you go, see prefers crits.
So a decent groupset, sram, shimano or Campag but high end. Then wheels, carbon with even carbon spokes, 50 mm deep rim, so very light, great for crits and TTs but not as affected by side wind, Mavic Cosmic SLRs, strong clinchers which true up easy. Great finishing kit, carbon bars etc. All these parts will be great for the next 3 or so years of racing, she won't grow out of the parts, the frame she will. So while its important the frame will be updated and old one sold on and just transfer the parts.
Why go brand new by the way? I bought a Colnago Extreme Power with full carbon Campag record, cinelli carbon bars and stem with a carbon /titanium finishing kit. Fitted with the mentioned Carbon Mavic SLRs. Got the bike off eBay for £2000! No one bidded, didn't think they could afford it. Took the bike apart and rebuilt it, spot on.
All that said, if you still decide to go the Cube or Giant route, then it would have to be the Giant, the cube is not that far removed from a road bike with tri bars on. The giant has the same aggressive geometry as a Cervelo. I assume she's still on restricted gearing, does the set up on each bike allow you to lock off the front mech and still get the ratios?
It's funny, I had access to a low pro later on and never went as quick as when on my track bike, riding fixed with just a front brake, I kept it spinning and suited the fact that I was riding a 42 tooth chainring all week. Good luck with your decision and remember to keep it all fun, sometimes it can all get a bit too serious and then no one enjoys it.
Cheers
So a decent groupset, sram, shimano or Campag but high end. Then wheels, carbon with even carbon spokes, 50 mm deep rim, so very light, great for crits and TTs but not as affected by side wind, Mavic Cosmic SLRs, strong clinchers which true up easy. Great finishing kit, carbon bars etc. All these parts will be great for the next 3 or so years of racing, she won't grow out of the parts, the frame she will. So while its important the frame will be updated and old one sold on and just transfer the parts.
Why go brand new by the way? I bought a Colnago Extreme Power with full carbon Campag record, cinelli carbon bars and stem with a carbon /titanium finishing kit. Fitted with the mentioned Carbon Mavic SLRs. Got the bike off eBay for £2000! No one bidded, didn't think they could afford it. Took the bike apart and rebuilt it, spot on.
All that said, if you still decide to go the Cube or Giant route, then it would have to be the Giant, the cube is not that far removed from a road bike with tri bars on. The giant has the same aggressive geometry as a Cervelo. I assume she's still on restricted gearing, does the set up on each bike allow you to lock off the front mech and still get the ratios?
It's funny, I had access to a low pro later on and never went as quick as when on my track bike, riding fixed with just a front brake, I kept it spinning and suited the fact that I was riding a 42 tooth chainring all week. Good luck with your decision and remember to keep it all fun, sometimes it can all get a bit too serious and then no one enjoys it.
Cheers
Edited by ro55a on Saturday 4th January 23:34
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