As above.
I bought a Garmin mostly to use maps.
I've got a super hilly sportive coming up in may and have been trying to use the Garmin cycling coach to train for it.
I have a hear rate monitor and no intention of forking out for a power monitor
When I set up the cycling coach it gives a bench make ride with power goals. I tried riding these without a power meter. It refused to accept the data.
The app is set to use heart rate in the plan. It is still asking for power on the benchmark ride.
Any suggestions?
Other than the obvious just ride a lot of hills before hand?
You can sort of trick it with one of the free extrapolated "power" fields on connect IQ (they estimate power based on your height/weight data plus HR and GPS data for speed and elevation).
It's not super accurate and only a maniac would believe the power figure on the screen (I pop it on a second screen not my primary one), but it does seem to average out to sensible overall numbers for a given ride and populates the relevant field in the GPX files.
As ever "crap in, crap out" applies and it is only estimating so if you lie about your weight and height to Garmin, that obviously skews the numbers further.
Failing that approach a smart trainer will measure power if connected to your Garmin, but that means riding indoors which I suspect was not your intention OP?
Do you get the same result if you try setting up the Coach program in the Web version on Connect? I just tried that and got the option to train by Heart Rate or Power Meter. Your screenshots haven't come through so I can't see what plan you have set up.
NB - none of the plans I set up to test this involved a benchmark ride either
I think if you ignore garmin plan and just ride many hills like you say, using rpe, you'll be absolutely fine. However, HR is very useful for an event like this for keeping a sustainable pace. I'd take a good look at HR during and after your training rides to get a feel for what it looks like on various grades, and how it changes the longer the ride goes on. So when you do the first couple of hills on the day you know what's sensible.
I am also doing a very hilly sportive in May so similar sort of riding for me atm - steep hills rocket my HR, so pacing can be hard to manage, sometimes you just need to get to the top, but others are more steady state where you can sit in a certain HR zone.
It's worth noting the Coaching programme should still take account of any rides logged as activity done (with or without power data), and advise you accordingly.
It will know if you did a flat 50 miler Vs a hilly 80 miles, etc and adjust it's input on setting rest days, recovery rides, tempo etc...
I don't ride with a Power meter but I do have that crappy power field running and I use a Smart trainer in the garage occasionally, the Garmin coach does seem to recognise when I've Beasted myself Vs when I have gentle trundle; HR, distance/speed and elevation are probably all it really needs for that TBH.
Thanks for the suggestions!
I tried on the website.
It didn't give me to option to set it up with a heart rate monitor. It said page not found when I tried to edit it to use a heart rate monitor.
How do I do this? Is connect iq in Garmin?
You can sort of trick it with one of the free extrapolated "power" fields on connect iq
I've tried riding indoors. Its not for me. I'd rather ride outside in the cold wet mud than on a turbo trainer 😄
I'll have a go at the power field. If that doesn't work I'll try a non smart plan.
I tried on the website.
It didn't give me to option to set it up with a heart rate monitor. It said page not found when I tried to edit it to use a heart rate monitor.
I managed it on the website earlier with no errors. Which Coaching plan are you trying to set up?
Ah.
It was a Garmin connect coach plan that adapt itself.
On trying on a computer instead of a mobile this plan requires a heart rate monitor AND a power meter.
Thanks for the help, looks like I need better glasses 🤓
I've tried the non adaptive plan. It has prescribed me an hour of interval training. If I can stick to it that will get me fit pretty fast