Time Trials
Time trials are road cycle races, often over set distances, where you ride alone and unaided in an effort to record the fastest time possible.
Peter Cookson
Many club members ride TTs throughout the season, either as their main activity, or as an occasional alternative to their core activity. They are excellent races for gauging your fitness and getting a serious work out. The most popular distances are 10 and 25 miles, but courses range from 250 metre hill climbs to 24 hour marathons.
The club is affiliated to Cycling Time Trials (CTT), the national governing body for road time trials in England and Wales. There are hundreds of open events every year and hundreds more club events that can be entered on the line. We are in the London West District – follow the links for lists of local open and club events.
Locally, we are part of the West London Combine. The Combine runs a series of events for members only. Entries are made via the club TT Secretary – contact them to make sure that you’re on the TT email circulation list. WLC events count for several club trophies awarded for fastest on time, handicap and/or veterans standard.
We are also affiliated to the West London Cycling Association who run a series of open events that give preference to members of local clubs. They run a season long sporting courses (SPOCO) league as well as awarding many other trophies.
It’s easy to get involved in time trialling. You’ll see a lot of
Peter Dixon riding the WLC 50m TT
specialist kit at events, but it’s not compulsory. Turn up at a local club event, pay a small entry fee and sign on. You’ll be given a number, a countdown and an encouraging push as you start. Just pedal like hell until you reach the finish. Congregate to get your time, compare your performance with your team mates and try to get your excuses in first. Make a record of your performance because you may need it to enter future open events.
There are local club events at Hillingdon Circuit, run by the Westerley CC, and at Black Park, run by the Bath Road Club.
As you ride more events you’ll get a better idea of how to pace a race and what you need to do to improve. Don’t buy too much aero kit too soon though!
For help and advice on getting started, please do contact the club TT Secretary. There are also some useful articles on the CTT site under the ‘Beginners’ tab.
Club records (to be confirmed)
| Category | Event | Year | Name(s) | Time/dist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | Bicycle | 10 | 1971 | G. Blackall | 00:23:37 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 10 | 2009 | Meurig James | 00:19:56 |
| Mens | Tandem Trike | 10 | 1987 | Mark Brooking and J. Jennings | 00:20:30 |
| Mens | Team | 10 | 1994 | Mike Fagg, D. Jackson, G. Why | 01:05:11 |
| Mixed | Tandem | 10 | 1993 | Mike Fagg and Gail Cheatle | 00:20:56 |
| Mixed | Tandem Trike | 10 | 1996 | Mark Brooking and J. Swallow | 00:22:43 |
| Womens | Bicycle | 10 | 1994 | Gail Cheatle | 00:22:50 |
| Womens | Team | 10 | 1994 | Gail Cheatle, Gill Reynolds, J. Swallow | 01:10:26 |
| Womens | Tricycle | 10 | 1996 | A. J. Brooking | 00:33:51 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 25 | 2009 | Meurig James | 00:50:37 |
| Mens | Tandem | 25 | 1988 | Mark Brooking and Simon Doughty | 00:53:00 |
| Mens | Tandem Trike | 25 | 1988 | Mark Brooking and Simon Doughty | 00:55:41 |
| Mens | Team | 25 | 1992 | Peter Cookson, M. Docker, S. Lowe | 02:47:24 |
| Mens | Tricycle | 25 | 1996 | R. Hull | 01:06:39 |
| Mixed | Tandem | 25 | 1994 | Mike Fagg and Gail Cheatle | 00:54:09 |
| Mixed | Tandem Trike | 25 | 1995 | Mark Brooking and J. Swallow | 00:59:50 |
| Womens | Bicycle | 25 | 1991 | Gill Reynolds | 01:02:26 |
| Womens | Tricycle | 25 | 1996 | A. J. Brooking | 01:32:34 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 30 | 1991 | Peter Cookson | 01:04:08 |
| Mens | Tandem | 30 | 1956 | Paul Baulch and John Blunsdon | 01:02:33 |
| Mens | Team | 30 | 1954 | Paul Baulch, John Blunsdon, Jim Love | 03:32:54 |
| Mixed | Tandem | 30 | 1987 | Simon Doughty and J. Swallow | 01:06:49 |
| Mixed | Tandem Trike | 30 | 1995 | Mark Brooking and A. J. Brooking | 01:25:53 |
| Womens | Bicycle | 30 | 1987 | Gill Reynolds | 01:14:15 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 50 | 1995 | Peter Cookson | 01:50:13 |
| Mens | Tandem | 50 | 1956 | Paul Baulch and John Blunsdon | 01:48:41 |
| Mens | Tandem Trike | 50 | 1988 | Mark Brooking and Simon Doughty | 01:58:30 |
| Mens | Team | 50 | 1995 | Simon Doughty, Peter Cookson, D. Jackson | 05:58:41 |
| Mens | Tricycle | 50 | 1991 | Mark Brooking | 02:18:54 |
| Mixed | Tandem | 50 | 1994 | Mike Fagg and Gail Cheatle | 01:53:20 |
| Mixed | Tandem Trike | 50 | 1995 | Mark Brooking and J. Swallow | 02:07:27 |
| Womens | Bicycle | 50 | 1995 | Gail Cheatle | 02:08:22 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 100 | 2009 | Meurig James | 03:45:48 |
| Mens | Tandem | 100 | 1986 | Mark Brooking and J. Jennings | 04:00:17 |
| Mens | Tandem Trike | 100 | 1987 | Mark Brooking and Simon Doughty | 04:08:28 |
| Mens | Team | 100 | 1958 | Paul Baulch, John Blunsdon, D. Bryant | 12:57:31 |
| Womens | Bicycle | 100 | 1995 | Gail Cheatle | 04:31:35 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 12 hrs | 2009 | Meurig James | 272.716 |
| Mens | Tandem | 12 hrs | 1986 | Mark Brooking and J. Jennings | 253.890 |
| Mens | Team | 12 hrs | 1957 | D. Attwood, B. Saunders, J. Heard | 697.748 |
| Womens | Bicycle | 12 hrs | 1934 | M. Cobb | 189.500 |
| Mens | Bicycle | 24 hrs | 1995 | Simon Doughty | 459.070 |
| Mens | Tandem | 24 hrs | 1986 | Mark Brooking and J. Jennings | 421.250 |
| Mens | Team | 24 hrs | 1977 | R. Usher, K. Usher, P. Ambrose | 1192.944 |
| Mens | Tricycle | 24 hrs | 1996 | Mark Brooking | 318.260 |
