There’s an old adage in triathlon that says don’t try any kit for the first time in a race but when I received a brand new Planet X Exocet time trial bike the day before an event, I couldn’t resist.

Not only was this a new bike, it was the first time I’d ridden with a time trial set up. Following a bike fitting session with Andy Sexton of Bike Science, the riding position was radically different to anything I’d ever tried before. The saddle was about 4cm higher than my road bike and so far forward I thought I would fall over the front. The absence of drop handlebars left me feeling dangerously exposed with far too little to hold on to.

My first impression on leaving transition was, “help! I’m a long way off the ground.” I struggled to slip my feet into my shoes and managed to trap my toes between the pedals and the road and removed a good portion of a toe nail. Obviously I should have practised the running mount technique in advance but I’d had no time. I hadn’t expected it to be so different to the road bike.