Shetland TTs

A few basics for all of the club TT events

General

You should make sure that your bike is roadworthy and properly adjusted. You must wear a cycling helmet You can't use any kind of headphones during a TT Lights are required between sunset and sunrise, and recommended at other times.

Sunday morning we prefer to do the 10 or 25 mile course. To make it official for the series, you must start between 9am -10am. But generally we aim for 9:30am

Tuesday evenings we prefer to do the Laxfirth double loop (11.6mile). To make it official for the series, you must start between 6pm-7pm. But generally we aim for 6:30pm at the Tingwall Hall.

You can however do any course on either day, just be aware that others may not know you’re out for putting signs back down.

TT courses

10 mile TT course (starting on the Tingwall straights)

https://www.strava.com/segments/7099260

25 mile TT course (starting on the Tingwall straights)

https://www.strava.com/segments/12249018

12 mile "hilly" course (2 laps of Laxfirth loop, starting at the Tingwall Hall)

https://www.strava.com/segments/7203814

Rider times

It's best if somebody can collect all times on the night/morning and post on the Facebook group, or email me. That makes sure we get times for all riders, and helps gives a bit of social aspect after the end of your ride. Sometimes people do have to leave early etc and that's OK, just try and post or email your own times as soon as you can in that case.

All rides are self timed and it’s up to you to make your best effort to record an accurate time. Best is to start/stop your own timer at the line.

Be aware that if you have any “auto stop” function switched on a bike computer then the time may not keep running if you have to stop at the turn or at a junction. The Strava segment start/end is not set to the exact TT start/finish and so is not the best choice for timing yourself.

Drafting is not allowed in TTs.

If you are overtaken it is up to you to let a gap of at least 20m open up to the rider in front. After the gap has opened you are free to try to close it and overtake, but if you can’t complete the overtake you have to drop back to a 20m gap again.

Hills can complicate things but generally in a TT, if you are overtaken and raise your pace to go back past, you are probably overdoing it and harming your finishing time in the end.

There are 6 signs to put up and take down each event.

All 6 signs will now be used for both Tuesday and Sunday events, as people may choose to ride either course on either day this year. If the signs are not up when you arrive, ride or drive the loop and put them all up. Don’t start until you know the signs are up.

All the signs need to be put down after the TTs. That will be a little more complicated, as people may be riding different courses on the same day. We're open to practical suggestions on how to help make that work, but to start us off it will need people to make the effort to see if they are the last person riding. Try to speak to each other and work together to make it easier.

Putting signs up - Make sure the sign face is square to the oncoming traffic, and that the weights are securely on the base. 2 weights if there are 2 there, trucks can easily blow signs over.

Putting signs down – move them back from the road edge, laid flat, with the weights on top to securely hold them down. Signs are at the places numbered in red on the map below.

In conclusion, have fun, be accurate with your time and most importantly stay safe.