11/5/14 2:37 PM

Yes, a slippery slope in several respects, including that I can work much more easily from home.

But at my age, if I'm gonna slip, may as well get on with it...

12/6/14 1:15 PM

Got the new box set up so I moved the CT from standalone to PC Mode. Also finally got the HRM working ( the first receiver they sent was bad apparently, but they sent a replacement no problem).

Rode one of the included courses today, about an hour, all the numbers and the changing terrain/resistance tricked my simple mind into thinking I was having fun! I'll try one of Smelly's courses tomorrow. I think I'll be able to put in a good bit of time on this. My weight is also coming along pretty well so if I can stay at it I think I have a chance to show some improvement next year.

Now to figure out how to train to ride 14 hours...

12/8/14 8:40 AM

quote:

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Now to figure out how to train to ride 14 hours...

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12/8/14 1:12 PM

Au contraire, shortly I shall be ascending the Stelvio. Or at least trying...

12/8/14 2:33 PM

F'in ouch. At least the Erg vid is keyed to your ftp. I've done the Veloreality Stelvio a bunch, and its a damn long hard slog, almost 20 mi of 9%. It is truly beautiful above the power station, with the waterfalls and the switchbacks. But man, its a slog.

12/8/14 2:42 PM

I have no idea what my ftp is, which I guess may make it more or less of a slog depending....I do at least know what ftp stands for, as I googled it the other day.

I tried a CT interactive video yesterday, and it was a great workout, but I found the app a bit puzzling as it seemed that at the same cadence it required about the same power whether it was +5% grade or -5%. So I was not quite sure what the point of the elevation profile was, but maybe I was missing something.

It was interesting to ride fairly hard for a bit over an hour and see what the average cadence was, as I have never really looked at that (or if I did it was so long ago I can't remember)... Watts too, though I'm not sure if the CT watts is very accurate (yes I did calibrate it).

12/8/14 2:55 PM

If you set the metal man pacer at a certain wattage it is very interesting when you hit a downhill, unlike us "humans" the metal man maintains the same wattage output uphills AND downhills which means downhills are not a rest. You can set the metal man pacer to replicate your last wattage on that particular course which means you are a racing against your previous self so you have to work hard to beat yourself...maybe that is where the term beating yourself up came from :)

If you are a glutton for punishment there are some protocols you can undergo to get your FTP...fun times on the trainer....

12/8/14 3:11 PM

I didn't set anyone to anything AFAIK, just started the video and rode. It was a triathlon course.

I'll look at the protocols, I seem to recall something like a 20 minute max effort and reduce by 7%. 20 min max sounds nasty, think I'd rather do an hour... One of the hardest things I've done was 5 mile trainer tts, which I think took about 9 min.

12/8/14 5:22 PM

DP


I don't know what is up with all the site farts causing this. I know I am not the only one...

Seems like when folks post from the phone especially?? And I am tethered to my phone as my ISP.

Last edited by Sparky on 12/8/14 5:45 PM; edited 2 times in total

12/8/14 5:36 PM

Save your FTP course/performance to use as a Pacer and ride against it a few times a year.

I have not been on the CT for probably 2 weeks. Just got back from a 30 miler. Looks like it is going to rain, but I made it back to the house. Some MTN biking SAT, so still managing 3-4 times out a week between the rain so far.

Zipper polo due to undulations big time... Almost hit 50^, so no complaints...

12/8/14 8:23 PM

Dan- PLEASE do an FTP test- either an old fashioned Conconi (hurts, but is quick) or just go as hard as you can for an hour ( hurts like hell ). Its needed unless you have a bunch of data. Google Conconi if needed, its a ramp test where you look for hr/pwr deflection point, old school but still accurate imho. This stuff is necessary for serious trainer work.

The trainer without the above is great for not getting fat over winter. With the ftp data its a tool that can actually increase your fitness over otherwise dead time, because you can focus on training and recovery cycles and really get strong.

12/8/14 8:50 PM

Yeah I'll do something. I looked at what I read before, Doc Coggan's website, says go 20 minutes max and reduce by 7.5%. At least it's over in 20 minutes. In the meantime I guessed based on a sub maximal 70 minute effort (added 10%). That doesn't look too bad if you ignore the /kg ratio thing...:)

As to the dps, I get error messages that it didn't post, but it really did so if you try to put it through again you get multiples. I've also had a few from my iPad that just show up double.

12/8/14 9:05 PM

Have a look at the 20 week PIG. Look at the TEST SET tab. Alternative Threshold testing for FTP if you want to do less than an hours worth and multiply by appropriate % for FTP

http://www.racermateinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20Week-PIG-Program.zip

Additional pertinent Info:

The 20-minute Critical Power test is conducted as follows:

Start with a 40 minute easy effort warm up that includes some high cadence and intervals as well as one high output interval; The purpose of this is to open up the blood and oxygen flow and to increase the heart rate prior to the 20-minute effort, so don’t go too hard. Push a wattage you think you can sustain for 10 to 20 minutes.

Pedal easy for 5-minutes and prepare yourself mentally for the 20-minute test, as it’s going to hurt!

Start the 20-minute test by selecting a wattage you think you can sustain for the full-20 minutes. The cardinal rule of time trialing applies here: don’t start out too hard. Keep in mind that the best cyclists in the world can only sustain 400-500 watts over a 1-hour period of time, so if you find yourself starting out at 500 watts, you know you are likely going much too hard. It’s best to start out easy for the first two minutes, and then build progressively to a wattage level you think can sustain.

Hold that level for the first 15 minutes, and then give it your best effort during the final five minutes. (If you find yourself fading in the last five minutes instead of holding steady or building, then you may have gone out too hard. Keep this in mind for your next test).

Take your average wattage for the 20-minute period of time and multiply by .95.

12/9/14 9:45 AM

Also, Veloreality just released a 4 video set of a tour of Majorca

12/9/14 6:51 PM

OK I felt pretty good today so I figured I'd get it over with, warmed up and honked it for 20 minutes, then applied the Doc Coggan factor of .925. So now I have a number, not sure what it means if anything. The important thing is that without this game/ device, I'd never get a workout like this at this time of year. Don't think I could have done it much harder, but I enjoy this type of effort. Interestingly, the number was 1 watt above what I estimated after an easier weekend ride.

Actually the best number was read off the scale after the ride. Lighter than I've been in about 40 years (a little artificial due to water loss, but I'll take it).

While I'm an old heavy slow guy with no competitive ambition, this thing is still fun and good motivation.

A couple interesting things, my average cadence was about what I thought for a tt (85, I ain't no spinner), leg contribution was 50/50 (riding easier it's around 52/48), and it appears the spin scan number was 100 for each leg (not sure I'm interpreting that right or exactly what it means).

12/9/14 7:00 PM

It is that. Given that its low 30's here and driving rain, I'd have no real alternative today, so I did 2.5 hrs. Absolutely no way I can stand that without the diversionary tactics.

Interestingly enough, my non cycling s/o is now riding a windtrainer beside me using a hrm and wondering when I'm going to buy her a CT. Turns out she's just afraid of cars.

12/9/14 7:15 PM

"when I'm going to buy her a CT. Turns out she's just afraid of cars."

Same with Elaine. I am glad there are a few sweet and long paved bike paths in these parts. But she is totally a fair weather rider too. ;)

12/10/14 8:17 AM

Its been the longest race season for me ever this year I just can't get think of getting on my CT yet. My last race of the season was two weeks ago, been getting out riding in the dark some nights after work if it is warm and longer rides on the weekend (last Saturday 2+ hrs in 39 degrees and rain :(, but you guys are guilting me
I have Bill Black's 12 week HOP trainer program to look forward to (sure) but not now!!! and I am certainly not looking forward to the necessary FTP testing...I guess I will do that the first really lousy weekend weather day

Having said that Dan Emery is going to be a beast this season

12/10/14 6:13 PM

I find it hard to ride 20 minutes on the trainer these days, so going hard for an hour is beyond comprehension.

I wiki'd the Stelvio and it says 48 switchbacks and over 9000 feet. madness.

12/10/14 7:15 PM

What's madness is that almost all of the switchbacks are within the last 1/4 of the climb. whereas the rest is pretty much directly up. Also crazy, google Glandon from the east... .

12/13/14 4:45 PM

Well, Smelly's Stelvio Ergvideo anyway. I think it's great, I like it better than any of the courses I've done in the CT software. The video itself is cool, but I think the main thing is having the workout programmed so that the rider's only job is to keep the pedals turning above 70 or so. As long as you do that, you're riding the prescribed wattages

Now I see that I can download l'Alpe d'Huez!

12/13/14 5:29 PM

be very afraid this coming season if dangerman dan is on your ride !!!!!

12/13/14 5:44 PM

Dan- about how long did it take to climb that monster?

12/13/14 5:58 PM

It took 1:39, because that is the length of the video. I think it would also take Bradley Wiggins 1:39, he'd just be pushing twice as many watts. :)

I think it really doesn't simulate actually climbing the mountain, basically it's workout Smelly thinks is appropriate for a rider of your ability, based on the profile of the climb. Actually I don't understand that end of it very well.

12/13/14 6:46 PM

Dan has it...its scaled to your FTP so that the video moves at the same speed but your power varies based on your ability. There is some realism to the effort, but the speed is exaggerated.

This is why I also use the Veloreality stuff-the Ergvideo is a structured workout of one form or another, whereas the Veloreality is an actual simulation of the climb-the video speeds up and slows down based on cadence and the wattage produced, and you shift realistically. Yuo can scale the grades if you want, ie reduce everything above a chosen % grade by a selected amount (its actually pretty cool) which is more or less designed for folks that don't have compact gearing or a low enough gear on a given cassette.