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and then XC Olympic until May
Rio doesn't start till August 😉
Good to hear virus is out the way.
30 minutes on Zwift, followed by Carson 30 this lunchtime
the trainer road session seemed to go quicker, seem to have a mental block at the moment, i get into a session and I'm watching the clocks, the timer, the count down,
borrowed a Bionaire floor fan as well, only had it on the 1st setting, shifts some air!
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And what entertainment have you got lined up?
its easier for me to turbo in the kitchen, but there is no TV, don't know wether to go down the bluetooth speaker road, or bluetooth headphones as the volume on my Macbook is too quiet
I'm going to give trainer road a crack - I've been slack, then on holiday, then crazy busy at work, and am now trying to race cross with minimal fitness, meaning weekends are out and all training needs to be inside on the turbo.
Which bluetooth speed and cadence sensor do people recommend to use the virtual power meter thing? Or are they all much of a muchness?
seem to have a mental block at the moment, i get into a session and I'm watching the clocks, the timer, the count down,
Much the same here. Time seems to pass sooooo much slower than when outdoors at the moment.
borrowed a Bionaire floor fan as well, only had it on the 1st setting, shifts some air!
I have two of those running on their highest setting!
I have two of those running on their highest setting!
good fans! had to get a rubber based mat for it, as it was snaking backwards constantly
BCBR on 4th July 2016 is the goal for next year so I'm currently taking it very easy and haven't touched the trainer in about a month.
Starting with Sweetspots in November then short power build then XCM. Got planned in two one week training camps which will hopefully take place after the sweetspots and then after the power build (although I doubt it'll be quite that neat). 30 weeks out puts me at Dec 6th start. I did contemplate doing both General and short build to make it 38 weeks of training but that puts me starting Sweetspot next week and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for it just yet.
In terms of entertainment/disctraction not sure yet. Last year managed just listening to music so hoping that'll still work this year.
I've the Garmin combined speed/cadence sensor - GSC-10? - it's ANT+ so I needed an ANT+ dongle to link up the iPad.
There's info about what you need for any particular computer/tablet setup on the TrainerRoad site plus a list of the turbo trainers that they've generated power files for Virtual Power.
Good to hear virus is out the way.
Well im still sweaty, coughing and with headaches but slightly less than yesterday which is giving me hope...
Hope it clears quickly. Snotty nose season in full force here for my kids so it's only a matter of time before I come down with something. Also waiting on a date for the snip so that'll be an enforced bike break too 😕
@ dirtyrider
Have you kicked off your latest sessions at the lower (247w) FTP, left it high or started again somewhere in the middle?
Started it back up this evening - bit tired for a ftp test so did grassy ridge on the cx plan. Not too bad all in all - used the ipad app for the first time which was pretty good for the actual program, but I couldn't see how to minimise it and watch something else.
Does anyone have any tips for reducing turbo sound / vibration? I have it in my attic sitting on two carpet off-cuts and it is reverberating throughout the house. Was wondering if a rubber turbo mat would have better sound insulation.
Garry, I didn't think that was an option with the iPad app.
Getting back into it now. A couple of Galena (fairly basic 3x20 sweetspot) done. But... rather annoyingly picked up a couple of saddle sores. I'm usually meticulous about cleanliness down there and apply loads of sudocreme at the merest hint of soreness. However a weekend away riding with mates, including about 5 hours in a soaking wet pair of shorts riding around Penachno, some generally pretty poor campsite hygiene, and there they are 🙁 Thread useless without photos? 😉
Had a go at the 8 minute FTP test yesterday - my legs are still sore today.
I was quite surprised with my result at 168 FTP. When I had a proper lactate test with a coach in February I was at 320 and I feel stronger now.
I think I have listed the wrong trainer, on TR it is down as a Elite Crono Fluid elastogel and in actual fact my trainer is actually a Elite SuperCrono Power Fluid Elasto Gel.
Does anyone no if you can change the powercurve post testing? I really don't want to do another test for at least 4 weeks!
I think the resistance on the Power Fluid is a lot higher than the standard Fluid ones, so that would give a much lower wheel speed for a given power, and a lower virtual power reading. This seems to support that...
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You can change the power curve and your value for FTP (Profile tab) whenever you like.
Thanks for the info - just as I suspected.
I was just hoping I would be able to edit yesterdays workout to give some meaningful data to benchmark all further training.
Looks like a re-test may be on the cards.
You possibly could do. You'd know the avg wheel speed for your 8 min efforts. If you can find the right setting for your trainer and work out what power that wheel speed equates to, then assuming a fairly constant effort, you could estimate the avg power. Virtual power is a PITA though, it's why I use a proper PM.
Might just be easier to re-test 🙂
email trainerroad. their support is pretty good. I had a problem with a workout and they fixed it from their end.
Email sent.
Any idea where I can find the power curve?
Does anyone have any tips for reducing turbo sound / vibration? I have it in my attic sitting on two carpet off-cuts and it is reverberating throughout the house. Was wondering if a rubber turbo mat would have better sound insulation.
i used to use a rubber weight lifting mat - better value than a branded turbo specific version
http://www.floormats.co.uk/rubber-gym-flooring-mat
Carson yesterday for me
If you go to their web site and log in you'll get a "Chat" box where you can IM them directly - assuming it's in their office hours. They were on the ball yesterday afternoon - I accidentally clicked it and got a response in about 30 seconds!
They do seem pretty good in responding to requests in general.
Workout changed, FTP and LTHR both updated. What good customer service!
Ericsson today, seemed harder than Carson,
tried 15s all out after the session, the Elite Turbo Muin, seemed a bit like riding through treacle
Interesting, what do you think of the direct drive style of turbo? Quite fancy one, even if it would mean the end of my powertap.
direct drive is perfect, takes 30 seconds to switch over, my main reason for switching was that i got rid of the powertap
Tinker tonight. Struggled with the last effort, mainly due to the short recovery periods of 50 seconds. Getting ready to start a Sweet Base training plan next week.
I did Tinker last night Whitestone - was hanging on during the las interval, found it really tough.
Tinker looks quite hard!
dirtyrider, if my powertap ever dies I'll be getting a dd turbo... the bloody thing just keeps on going though!
Have you kicked off your latest sessions at the lower (247w) FTP, left it high or started again somewhere in the middle?
sorry missed this,
I've put it down to 260W i guess I'm around there somewhere, i did 244W outdoors for 60 minutes last week, 260W is a decent guess, without doing a test again, I've certainly not struggled (apart from a concentration issue) with the 3 sessions i did last week (Sweetspot stuff) whereas there was no way i could have done rubber glove at 330W for 20 minutes
would have been daft not to reduce it, was 14+ weeks since i turned a pedal, plus the addition of some metalwork in my leg, at a guess 240-260W is probably where I'm at as a genetic base maybe
heres my power curve from Strava, dark lower line is everything after my injury, lighter from earlier in the year,
the drop of has almost followed a similar pattern throughout the curve,
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http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y394/dansipods2/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-17%20at%2009.36.10_zpsvll2wvyd.pn g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Thanks.
The reason I asked is that I'm hoping to start winter with Sweet Spot on Tuesday after a 4 week layoff due to these virus's. My ego doesnt want to reduce my FTP, but I should follow the rules and complete the FTP test and Tuesday and start my SS/Build/Special as I build toward starting competitve in March.
I guess not doing so is just knackering my body into resignation with practically no gain.
I'm still a bit Chesty and am attempting a 4hr social mtb tomorrow hopefully it won't comprimise my plan as I'm already a week late.
I'm relatively new to all of this - aside from about 5 goes on a dumb trainer about 15 years ago, I've only been turboing for a few weeks.
I decided that the best chance of being able to 'enjoy' (at least tolerate) it would be if I had some data-gubbins to stare at, so went for a Tacx Vortex Smart. I got it from Rose Bikes for about £220. For those who don't know, this is kind of an entry point into the world of electronic trainers, i.e. those that can transmit power data, but also electrically control the power output (so you or your software tells the trainer a target power, and the trainer controls the resistance to hit the target power regardless of cadence, gear selection etc.).
It's good, though not perfect. Which is kind of the point of this post: if anyone is considering getting one and wants to know more about how it works in practice, please drop me a line (posting here will do) and I'll answer questions / write a detailed review!
Kryton, same old story. If you aren't well you need to rest and chill out. If you are well after a layoff then it the same as any other time- regular FTP testing is key
Dumb newbie question, and playing catch up. I thought FTP was power over an hour? If I read some of the above posts people are referring to 20minute power?
Useful to see the strava power curve, mine is similar (after 5 whole rides!) I was quite surprised there isn't more difference between 'times' and the power on my chart.
It is hour power. People commonly use 95% of 20 min power as an approximation. More manageable as a regular test than a full hour effort.
It's bloody hard and takes a lot out of your to ride your true maximum 60 minute power. 20 minutes (or 2x8) is used to estimate your 60 min power usually as it is a more feasible and repeatable. There were some good links earlier in the thread- I'll try and find them. At the end of the day you are trying to quantify "fitness". Your 60 minute max power (FTP) is just an accepted metric of "fitness"
There are a few reasons why estimating FTP from shorter efforts is useful. Plenty of books / resources will explain why, but here's a short version:
1. For relatively untrained people, the definition of FTP as "most you can sustain for an hour" isn't actually terribly useful, compared with something more akin to a "most that you can sustain for a decent length of time, i.e. not loading up your muscles because you're over the threshold". So estimating an FTP from a shorter effort is better in this context, since the training plan is very unlikely to sustain high intensity for anything like an hour.
2. Burying yourself for an hour doing giving absolutely everything is quite a big deal. It's not actually that easy to do (e.g. newbies will not know how hard to push for the first 20 minutes), so it would take quite a few goes to get an accurate measure.
3. Doing it properly will take a lot out of you, and interfere with training.
So instead, the tendency is to use 8 minute or 20 minute tests, and apply a scaling factor to account for the fact that most people can sustain a higher output for 8 (or 20) minutes than they can for an hour.
HTH..
FTP is your predicted average output for an hour but the test recognises that you might not want to actually do that so there's a 20 minute version and an 8 minute version. The average power for these tests is then adjusted to get your FTP.
Phew. Completed Carter last night as my way of easing back in - 45 mins of z2/3. No coughing fits and actually felt quite good after.
I'll do it again Thursday, hope to complete the easy Club ride (50/60k) on Saturday and perhaps start Sweet Spot next week.
Still got a touch of cough, / bronchial irration/phlegm though, so it needs to clear by Friday for that plan to work!
Nice work. Good to hear it's clearing up. When you due to be racing next? Still doing brass monkeys? I've signed up for the first two rounds at 2hrs. I suspect it'll be a very painful reminder of how hard xc racing is!
A few more go's on Galena here. Quite like it as a getting back into it session. Steady, not too long, but still a good 100 TSS.
Was due to start Sweet Spot mid volume last night (the 8 minute FTP test was the first session!) but I've a strained Achilles tendon so need to let that sort itself out. Hopefully by next week I'll be good to go.
When you due to be racing next? Still doing brass monkeys?
Yes - although I accidentally agreed to a Welsh Weekend away on the 15th Nov so December will be the first one.
These aren't target events* for me just fun / training so I'm still not sure whether to go 2 or 4hr - the latter is my thought to extend the event into hard-paced endurance training as I really need distance on the bike this winter.
*Until the red mist descends, obvs. 😀
Until the red mist descends, obvs.
Absolutely! If you've pinned on a number then it's always full gas 🙂
Had my first go on TrainerRoad last night. I haven't done the FTP test yet so left FTP at the default 200 and did mount road at 90% (still tired from cx on Sunday. Overall really impressed. Minor niggle that you can't do the 'along the bottom' display on an ipad so i had the ipad on one side and the laptop with the replay of sundays UCI cross race on the other. Also I couldnt get my HR monitor to connect and couldnt find a button to get it to look for it, seemed it found the speed and cadence thing and then stopped looking for HR.
How brutal is the 8 min FTP test? I've got club training tomorrow, racing sunday and my knee is giving me a bit of jip, wondering if i should leave it till next week when I have more time or man up and do it tonight? If I leave it is the default 200 low or fairly average. I'm not that powerful anyway, think climber over sprinter.
Also I couldnt get my HR monitor to connect and couldnt find a button to get it to look for it, seemed it found the speed and cadence thing and then stopped looking for HR.
This ANT+ with the dongle or bluetooth?
How brutal is the 8 min FTP test?
Ride as hard as you possibly can for 8 minutes, twice. It's sick bucket stuff but it's not that fatiguing. Best to do it when you're relatively fresh though.