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8 min test yesterday. -1w really surprised given I have done very little (other than eat cheese) for a couple of months.
Sweet spot base mid2 for me. Got a sneaky lunch time in today as well.
How religious are people to following the plans?
I've dipped a bit since the summer peak.
I'm currently sitting at ~260 after a very morale destroying and badly done ftp test before Christmas. Just finishing up SS Base pt1 and hoping to at least be back at 275 or so.
How religious are people to following the plans?
I try to be fairly religious as sweamrs is also training and we have a 2 year old. So routine and planning are currently the main religion in our house. Having said that I think following the progression is more important than the days and I'm also fitting in 2 outdoor rides per week. I've given myself an extra week for each part of the plans to allow for skipped sessions and the like.
hi all, is a 60w fan with 35cm blades enough do you think?
http://www.tretti.se/hem-och-tradgard/klimatprodukter/flaktar/bionaire-bac15x
its in swedish but you get the idea
and I'm also fitting in 2 outdoor rides per week.
On top of the TR plan or instead of?
hi all, is a 60w fan with 35cm blades enough do you think?
Sounds a bit weedy. I've got two 120 watt ones, bit like [url= http://www.screwfix.com/p/fe45-h1-18-high-velocity-floor-fan-220-240v/54056 ]these[/url].
In other turbo news... got cold feet on the Neo, think I'll wait till version 2 and see how the firmware updates go. So just got this from eBay to tide me over...
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About to hop on and give it go. I guess that speed sensor is a bit redundant now!
I'm also fitting in 2 outdoor rides per week.
On top of the TR plan or instead of?
In my case it's on top of the TrainerRoad plan but I'm doing the LowVolume set for that reason. So it's 2 or 3 trainer rides on week nights and one night ride leaving the final weekday evening for yoga / core work. Then one outdoor ride at the weekend and one indoor turbo ride.
That's pretty much what I was doing, although nearly all early morning. My outside rides were mostly one lengthy commute (50 - 70 miles) in the week and one Sunday ride of about 30 - 40 miles.
Also combined with low volume sweet spot base. Seemed OK, though I think the intensity was set a bit low on the turbo for a few weeks.
In other turbo news... got cold feet on the Neo, think I'll wait till version 2 and see how the firmware updates go. So just got this from eBay to tide me over...
Boo / yay! I'd have been interested in some useful info on the Neo.
Hope the LeMond is good for you though.
(I suppose I should really be sending my Vortex back for replacement now that I have time to wait for it to do the trip.)
Did Adams tonight. Tough! I think having the turbo in the shed where it's pretty baltic, given it's a fluid model, made the workout harder, due to the fluid being colder. Does this make sense? Or maybe I was just having an off day.
Reckon the Neo will be one for next winter if they can do what they are promising for the firmware and sort out the hardware issues.
First ride done on the LeMond, a custom TR of 20 minutes of sweet spot then 4 X 3 min efforts, feels really smooth. I can see what folk are going on about with the "road feel" too, especially at higher power efforts, and why it seems to be the turbo of choice for time trialists. The noise though... I may need to get some better headphones!
What was wrong with the Vortex?
So... Jacks, 4x8min at 105% with 1 min rests or a sunny but cold outdoor ride on a 30k strava covered route with several hills of 4-5min ascent time and a 5k rolling heads down segment (think rouleur).
Which is more beneficial?
I'd say it'd depend on how much outdoors you've been doing. Not been for a while, outdoor ride. Though just took the dog out and there's a fair few icy patches on the footpaths already, be careful out there!
What was wrong with the Vortex?
Was fine for a few weeks, then started refusing to report any data. When I power it on, it just blinks a little red light at me. Tried various software upgrades. Tacx support says "hardware fault, send it back", but I found that if I leave it on for about 12 hours, then switch it off then on again, it works. So I decided to just leave it permanently switched on. Not sure exactly how much electricity it uses like that,but not much. Have switched it off now though! Will probably cost a bit to send it to Rose...
@sweaman/grey, I'm doing sweet spot mid vol, but on the weekend riding not trainerroad, not sure how I'll do it when it's light enough to ride in the week.
Donner for me this eve, brutal!
Well that was novel, never had cold feet on the turbo before.
Got mine set up on a sheltered veranda around the back of the house and just done an hour in 1degrees. Was nice and cooling for the most part but got a bit too cool in between intervals...
I've had cold fingers too. Not quite resorted to full finger gloves yet, but it's been 2C in the shed before now, and with windchill from the fan that's a touch chilly. Once wore tights, but was too warm.
Which is more beneficial?
I think that's the wrong question.
The difference in benefit pales into insignificance compared to accurately assessing the risk from shaded ice and low but bright winter sun.
Which is more beneficial?
I think that's the wrong question.The difference in benefit pales into insignificance compared to accurately assessing the risk from shaded ice and low but bright winter sun.
Ordinarily, I'd say "Oh come on, don't be a wuss, get out there and make the most of an opportunity to ride outside when it's light!", but right now I'm not inclined to argue.
I've had cold feet the last couple of evenings too (French window open), quick half hour recovery dans at lunch today and I was roast in the sun 🙂
Quick one for turboists. Over ear headphones while turboing? Horribly sweaty or ok? Anyone recommend a good bluetooth set?
Been using the plantronics in ear ones but they are struggling with volume over turbo noise.
Dry wretched twice today after my eight minute test. That's an an increase of one dry wretch over the last test a month ago. Making progress and feels good to see my stats going up.
MrBlobby - Siennheiser (sp?) have got a new "Sport" range out, sweat resistant etc, they look pretty good.
Dry wretched twice today after my eight minute test
😯 I'm not sure I'm trying hard enough. My 4x8min @ 105% wasn't that bad once I got over the head-thing of convincing my legs they weren't aching.
MrBlobby - Siennheiser (sp?) have got a new "Sport" range out, sweat resistant etc, they look pretty good.
Not bluetooth 🙁
Dry wretched twice today after my eight minute test
Need a "Like" button 🙂
Was dreading today's session. A 2x20 with an all out effort for the second interval. Not done an effort like that since last race in September, and since then it's been a lot of base. Thought I'd use 20 min test pace as target but got a bit confused with the 8 min test and started it at 110% of the FTP I've been working to. Doh! Hard but doable, and I didn't retch either so could probably have gone harder 😉
I'm nearing the end of week 1 ss base. Not finding it that tough to be honest, I keep trying to push the last intervals harder and then remembering I've got a erg trainer, doh.
Turned down a perfectly good opportunity to ride outside to instead sit in the kitchen and beast myself. Quite enjoying it too. Keep daydreaming about how I'm going to smash around every where super fast on the plastic bike come summer, might be a bit deluded...
I think they have to plan the start of the ss base plans to take into account that for some users it might be first time training. Once the drills start they help but it's still not killer workouts as the peak is a long way away at that point.
The first week of SS isn't that hard, apart from the test it's well below FTP, it's more about getting used to the form and pedalling drills so that you are ready for the harder stuff to come. Says he just remembering that he's got the 20min FTP test tomorrow as the starter on the Sustained Power Build plan 😯
I keep trying to push the last intervals harder and then remembering I've got a erg trainer, doh.
Erg mode a good thing? I'd be keen to give it a try but it strikes me as being a further step away from real cycling and makes it all a bit more artificial. A hill doesn't automatically get steeper when your cadence drops so why is that a good thing for a turbo to do? Likewise if you want to push on a bit at the end of an interval.
Erg is a bit like taking your medicine. Dial in the prescription and just get on with it. Not sure it confers any huge advantage. Possibly stopping you going too hard is a benefit if you are following a plan. I have been doing some 'rolling' under/ over intervals that are definitely easier with the erg.
I'd like an erg trainer for trainerroad, some of the faster changes in power I get confused and end up getting it wrong, also with a nine speed cassette I find the ration jumps mean getting the right power and the right cadence can be a chore.
Did Haeckel earlier, first time I've done t.r. Before breakfast rather than after work, seems possibly a better way round.
Erg for someone like me who could quite easily give up and back off, no backbone, is perfect. Also don't have to think doing intervals. Not bothered if it feels artificial or not, I couldn't turbo without it.
Part way through short power build and just done Thimble, felt the last few intervals...
Doing short power build here too - complicated by my sporadic commute - which means I miss quite a few trainer sessions.
Did The Priest last night - felt easy. Might try Thimble tonight (Echo looks boring)
@ferrals That can be a problem even with 10/11 speed cassettes, I've found it depends on the target power and turbo resistance - some combinations just don't sit right and I'm at one end or the other of my cadence range. 5 or 10 Watts higher and it's all OK. It also takes a few sessions to work out just what gearing to use: some workouts I will just sit on the small chainring but sometimes with intervals I try to get the gearing so that all I have to do is move between chainrings for the efforts/rests.
Edit: should have done the FTP test at the start of Sustained Build Mid Volume last night but just CBA, will do it tomorrow night - honest!
also with a nine speed cassette I find the ration jumps mean getting the right power and the right cadence can be a chore.
I've got a 12-21 9 speed ultegra cassette on the turbo bike, it's usually not a problem 🙂
Erg for someone like me who could quite easily give up and back off, no backbone, is perfect.
This I understand! Though sometimes I do need to back off for a few seconds, have a word with myself, then get back on it. Would an erg mode just whack up the resistance as soon as I back off?
In other turbo news... got some new gadgetry. Old plantronics backbeat wireless headphones weren't loud enough to hear over the new turbo so picked up one of [url= http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/in-ear-headphones/sbh20 ]these Sony SBH20 bluetooth things[/url] off amazon for 15 quid. Lets me plug in some wired sound isolating headphones but still connect wirelessly to the computer. Plan is to clip it to the HR arm strap.
mrblobby, my erg does follow cadence quite quickly, if you slow down it does increase resistance but not in a sudden ramp up there is a soft edge to it. However you wouldn't be able to back off for any time mid interval unless you can pick it back up from a low cadence.
Which is why it's perfect for me, I have no issues with hitting a certain power over a time period but hitting that same power with no variation is what is hard. Certainly helping with mental game for next season.
Does anyone else feel like they can't maintain the same 'perceived' power in the real world compared to on the turbo? Been largely turbo-img because of the dark and cold/wet and feeling reasonable. Went for a real world ride today and just didn't feel like I could maintain a verging on painful level of exertion for as long as I could on the trainer. Not sure if it's because of the cold (and associated mega layering), the wind effect, having to steer etc or simply a factor of not having a set line to follow. Any thoughts? Find it slightly hard to assess how 'race fit' I am at the moment!
Pretty common if you've been doing a lot of turbo. Have a read of [url= http://alex-cycle.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/turbocharged-training.html ]this guys blog[/url] for reasons. Could well be layers and the cold too, takes me ages to properly get going on an outdoor ride when it's this cold.
Turbo for me today, a pretty hard modified Kennedy Peak with everything pushed up a bit to make it 2+ hrs of tempo and bottom end of sweetspot. Legs were going a bit at the end 😕 Not too surprised to see a 2hr medal, but the 90 min one was a little unexpected.
I've noticed that it takes a couple of days to get my 'road legs' back after a week on the turbo. My legs feel 'blocked' initially.
I think it's tough to go as hard outside as inside and there's a lot of factors. Number one being if I'm all out indoors I'm pretty confident I couldn't steer etc like I'd need to outside. I also think you'd need to find the right stretch of road. If the hill was the perfect length and there was no traffic etc then maybe it'd make the perfect target but otherwise probably not.
On the turbo I also know that if I over do it all I need to do is stagger to the couch but outside I'm aware I need to be able to ride home so (perhaps subconsciously) keep a bit in reserve.
Mines the other way around - with a power meter I'm clocking about 215np at 95% FTP intervals in TR currently. I did a Z2 outside today which came out at 185NP. Last time I did a crit - about a year ago - Strava estimated 280np.
Glad to hear it's not just me, looking forward to better light and weather to get out in the real world more! I guess you also use micro stabilising muscles more in the real world.
Did the 20min FTP test tonight, I really wasn't looking forward to it. FTP dropped by 7, I suppose the 8min test played better to my strengths. I've just started the Sustained Build Mid Vol plan so the 20min test is better suited to the longer efforts in that plan.
Strava estimated
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😉
Erg now I am used to it like it a lot, did end up death spiralling a couple of times, but now know I can't back off. If you want to do that you have to change the intensity on the app. It was good for the ramps I was doing last night.
First diversion from the training plan, did a track taster session at cal shot. Great laugh. More adrenaline, but definitely not enough pain!
On the outdoor vs indoor, I seem to be able to push harder, but generally when I have some motivation like racing, and it tends to be in nice weather / good roads. Shit icy cold conditions, I can't push as hard.
I do find it amusing that every Winter there are the dudes on Strava bashing out so called 'calibrated' TrainerRoad efforts of 34-40kmh ave and as soon as they get outside riding their bikes proper they'll struggle to maintain 29-30kmh averages! What's that all about?
It all seems like a big Winter ego boost - akin to a Premierleague footy team playing non-league opposition in the preseason and feeling good about 4-0 wins yet when it comes to real season they're surprised they're not winning games...