At the minute, I only really use it for two reasons – A long, high cadence, low resistance recovery ride and a shorter sprint interval type routine (Sprint 30 seconds, rest three minutes x 5-10)

What routines does everyone else do?

I’ve seen those Sufferfest videos, but they’re not really for me.

Do you have an HRM that allows you to build programs?
I have various programs set up for different results.
choose the relevant one fire up Iplayer on the laptop and get going while watching something interesting on the TV.

You could try spinnervals: http://www.spinervals.com/public/department80.cfm

Personally I like the Sufferfest videos, they have a nice variety of workouts, including short intervals, long climbs, etc. If you’ve only checked out 1 or 2 of them, they could still be worth looking at. (Of course, if your objection is more that you prefer to listen to your own music, and hate road racing…)

Tabatta.

Ten minute warm up

4 mins of hell

Ten minute warm down.

Painful but over mercifully quickly.

Just use mine for HIIT.

I do two sessions a week with a mix of Tabata, 10 x 1min/1m recovery – 20 x 5 sec sprint/ 25sec recovery followed by 6 x 1min/ 1 min recovery and sometimes 4 x 4min Z4 but prefer to do them outside when weather is nice.

My current favourite below, It’s varied enough that I can do it without getting bored and although written down it looks a bit complicated I’ve an app on my phone (seconds pro) that I use to take care of the timing and efforts for me.

effort 1-7 based on one gear change, 1 being the easiest and 7 being the hardest.

5 min warmup (effort 1)
30 sec (effort 2) cadence around 70 although it normally starts a little higher and peaks a little lower
30 sec – (change up – effort 3)
30 sec – (change up – effort 4)
30 sec – (change up – effort 5)
30 sec – (change up – effort 6)
30 sec – (change up – effort 7)
30 sec – (change down – effort 6)
30 sec – (change down – effort 5)
30 sec – (change down – effort 4)
30 sec – (change down – effort 3)
30 sec – (change down – effort 2)
2 minute recovery – (effort 1)
30 second sprint – (effort 4, 110-120 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
30 second sprint – (effort 4, 110-120 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
30 second sprint – (effort 4, 110-120 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
30 second sprint – (effort 4, 110-120 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
2 minute recovery – (effort 1)
1 minute – (effort 3-4, >80 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
2 minute – (effort 3-4, >80 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
3 minute – (effort 3-4, >80 rpm)
1 minute recovery – (effort 2)
2 minute – (effort 3-4, >80 rpm)
1 minute recovery (effort 2)
1 minute (effort 3-4, >80 rpm)
5 minute cool down – (effort 1)

i quite like sufferfest vids – they’re structured and i enjoy the racing. particularly like the spring classics footage.

basestuff – over winter – either listen to a whole album or try and watch a film 😥

2 x 20 min threshold stuff, have made several ipod playlists which are 10 mins warmup then 20 minutes fast, 10 minutes chillout twice.

I don’t really love it but enjoy the riding – hate the faff. it’s all about working out what you can tolerate/ enjoy the most.

When you say threshold stuff, what do you mean?

threshold is basically where you can just sustain the pace you’re going, like Time Trial pace…

personally the sufferfest videos have everything I need in a turbo workout, and can pick which one you want depending on what you want to get out of it