11/3/23 3:29 PM

Cutting back my work hours, so need other stuff to fill up a few hours, and one is riding. I didn’t ride that much this year but my legs are still decent. The last time I rode really well I did a lot of winter riding on my CT. The CT could stand an upgrade at this point so I just bought a KICKR Bike Shift. Don’t have it yet but I’ll report!

The plan is bo build a good base so I can do hard rides next year,

11/3/23 4:24 PM

Upgrade CT? I still use mine. And I subscribe to ERG Vids over the winter, just reinstated subscription the other day til spring.

My plans are as yours. And I got a Bowflex given to me that was all gone over and a few of the resistance rods replaced.

So cross training for me. And plan to do similar weight reduction to what I did in 2018 where I lost just under 40 lbs. I only need to drop 20-25 this time.

Did you want a new platform, of was your CT acting up?

I currently have a streaming setup and the CT ERG Vids going to a 40" LCD and a 24" Monitor. The streaming technique I watch 2 episodes of mindless series that keep me on the CT for 1:45. Last year I started @ 140w FTP in the CT. I am starting 200 for this seasons off season. In better shape than last year's commencement of indoor riding.

11/3/23 5:19 PM

Dan i.m anxious to hear how you like the Shift. Looks like a great ride. My Tacx Neo is 8-9 years old and has been ridden 3-4 times a week, so i would not be surprised if it gives up. I.ve been thinking about what i would replace it with and the Shift is near the top of the list. I dont ride outside much anymore.

11/3/23 6:10 PM

I really did not think about that.. My computrainer are so old they pre-date built in obsolescence maybe.

I got two used when I got here having traded off my one for a Merckx Corsa I gave my step bro in TN.

I used the pair for a few seasons inviting friend in winter, but last 5-6 2nd one is backup. Shouldn't need a new one for a while. I did loose one controller and use the back up. Someone on Paceline could not give his CT away when he updated. We I saw his post saying going to toss, I asked for the controller and he sent it for shipping. Back to having a backup controller. ;)

For the CT familiar, I grafted a CT load generator onto a Kurt Rock and Roll frame. So I will rock and roll CT for the foreseeable future.

11/5/23 10:28 AM

As someone who swore off any form of trainer years ago, I pffffted at the thought of ever riding one again. Enter Raynaud's Syndrome/Disease and my cold weather riding days became painful and just not practical.

I bought a Wahoo Kickr Core from REI on a good sale (20% off) almost three years ago and figured I could either return it or sell it if I hated it.

One ride on it and I knew I was keeping it. Such a different and engaging experience. It has for sure maintained and increased my fitness through the winter and just terrible riding weather . I'd say I'm 95% a colder weather rider on Zwift but it is so worth it.

I hope you get the same fitness gain/holds and enjoyment out of your experience.

11/5/23 10:36 AM

I abhor zwift because of the animated world and the insane umber of other avatars around, the one time I tried it it was pure chaos.

I went to Rouvy for a while as it has real world video but the UI is at once obtrusive and lacking in information, as not even average power for the ride. Settled on Fulgaz. Fulgaz barely ran on a win10 PC stick I bought but based on reviews tried it on an apple tv and it's flawless now.

No gamification, no needless bits and bobs on the screen, just real world video and full smart trainer capabilities. It works for me, the suspension of disbelief is just enough that I get into a similar mental state of zen that i do on the road. I've done imperial centuries on the trainer happily spinning along to the road just passing by. YMMV, of course.

11/5/23 10:56 AM

"abhor zwift because of the animated world and the insane umber of other avatars around, the one time I tried it it was pure chaos. "

Same, one session and out for me. Way too much noise!

Back to mindless streaming old TV series and Looking at the CT stat screen back and forth. HR,Watts,Cadence,Zone pop out.


Things I really like about CT with ERG software/mode is on the fly FTP adjustments from handlebar controller. Dump to 80 watts for cool down. ERG mode so trainer bike is a SS with not brakes even, ie no mounting and unmounting. And really like the added dynamic since grafting CT load generator onto Kurt Rock&Roll frame.

The other thing really useful with Datar's ERG software is the sliders on the power profile. It adjusts for watt zones for session. So if you do alpe d'huez you can slide zones to time spent in each for session. Or percent spent in each. Even limit to zone 2 or 3 max.

So as my life and fitness per time of year is good or suks I can finish rides I might not other wise.

But like a lot of us [assuming] here in mid 60s and beyond, I don't see benefit over detriment for high FTP/HRM stresses on body like I used to. Especially when I see how much better I ride now that I don't stack days like I used to.

Rob's mutli metric soiree as much as I like the romantic idea, at this age fond memory I am afraid.

Happy to roll into the sunset as a strong cyclist and ward off turning to stone. ;)

Last edited by Sparky on 11/5/23 11:45 AM; edited 1 time in total

11/5/23 11:44 AM

While on the subject, looking for suggestions for cross training. Now that I have the BowFlex set up, mixing on gym exercise into CT day. Zero experience on gym stuff beyond leg presses, lifts planking [while ago] and ball work.

So I know some here may have experience with it, thus I seek guidance. Else it will be google and deciphering good and bad data.

11/5/23 4:30 PM

quote:

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Rob's mutli metric soiree as much as I like the romantic idea, at this age fond memory I am afraid

---

11/5/23 4:49 PM

"I was legit surprised at how draining it was."

I bet, No surprise to me I can say. ;)

So the winter experiment begins. Got the Bowflex all set up. Rain and wind today, just in time for the yuk.

Sneaked in a 10 mile outside ride just before rain hit yesterday, high of 62^.

Bowflex is really easy to run thru changes and keep moving. I started with 10 different targets, legs and upper body. Then 10 minute easy spin on CT no power cool down. Just Some Steely Dan blaring...

11/13/23 10:00 AM

Well so far so good. I haven't ventured into the "ecoystem" of Wahoo workout resources yet, but otherwise the trainer is up and running.

The LBS had one set up and we were able to get it in my car and with another set of hands I got it in the house. It's a stand alone trainer, and you can adjust everything to fine tune fit - seat and stem height, reach, setback, even crank length. There's a video and app to help you do that, but so far I've relied on "feel."

Wahoo has a bunch of apps and not the clearest differentiations, so it took me awhile to figure out that the app needed to activate, register and connect the trainer only functions on mobile devices, but I got that done with my iPhone. I can do basic workouts with data showing on the phone now; to do video workouts with the laptop i need to do a little more setup but I think I see how to do that, and think I can use Ergvideo if I choose.

The bike has shift levers on the brake hoods, and you can program them to have Shimano, SRAM or Campy shift patterns, and you can set up the number and teeth of chainrings and cogs, to mimic your bike. You can even slow it down with the brakes. All that is hardly necessary, particularly at my level, but I think it's a bit cool. You can run it in several modes, including ergometer (which I haven't tried yet).

It's got a nice smooth feel with the flywheel.

So I'm just getting into it and it's got way more features than I need, but so far I like it. I'll report more when I get into the video stuff.

11/13/23 10:21 AM

Get it, work it! ;)

I only use erg mode FWIW. Ability to coast on a trainer makes a puff of smoke come outta my ears. ;O ;)

I can see how LapTop with stats straight in front of you be better than looking down an small phone screen... My old 14" lap top has only that stats screen, any ERG Vid I am using is out HDMI to 40" TV..

You'll dial it and get it all set up best for you I've no doubt.

That is cool though the lever setup flexibility, but brakes, really. :)

11/13/23 6:14 PM

Dan I suggest you take a look at Fulgaz. I prefer to use my iPad or a tablet to a computer, as the touch screen is more user friendly. I use a handlebar mount .

Fulgaz is similar to the obselete system I use. They have thousands of rides, and you can do paart of a ride and save the rest for next time. they do a ride and video it, and record the gradient. As you do the ride the trainer increses and decreases the resistance, just like an out side ride. Fulgaz has a free trial period so you can try it to see if you like it or not.

If my ipad dies or I lose the system I have I would switch to Fulgaz. I dont like hard training erg mode and just ride the way I feel like riding.

11/13/23 6:25 PM

Fulgaz is 15/mo.?

11/13/23 6:33 PM

Im not sure how much it is, but ill probably end up with it after my old ipad dies. I have about 25 rides stored on it using the no longer supported tacx cycling app, back from when you could own your rides, so im riding that for free at this time. I cant update my ipad or ill lose functionality.

11/13/23 7:46 PM

Well I got the trainer paired to my laptop (don’t ask me how long it took me to turn on Bluetooth in the laptop….). Downloaded the Wahoo SYSTM app with lots of rides, workouts, etc. I’m getting a stand so I’ll have the laptop, which has a touchscreen, right in front of me.

Figured I’d just ride a couple minutes to make sure it worked, but of course I did the 50 minute video ride around Lake Lugano. It was in erg mode like Ergvideo, and the plan was to alternate low and high cadence over a hilly route.

It set a low FTP for me as the only info it had was my age - at first I thought the power was too low, but I didn’t feel that way at the end…:). It wants you to do an hour test to set FTP and other characteristics, but I think I’ll stick with the age appropriate values for awhile….

About the only glitch was that the seat post slipped, but that’s just a matter of tightening the quick release I think.

Overall I like it and I think it will succeed in getting me to ride, which is the main thing.

11/18/23 2:01 PM

Got it set up with accessories - the bike desk (stand for laptop), headwind (fan), even the floor mat and tickr (hrm). Took a ride this morning up Ghisallo - everything worked well. A 13” laptop right in front of me on the desk is all the screen I need. The fan is awesome - I sweated considerably less than I’m used to. It supposedly shoots a “shaped” stream of air at you, as on the road. I don’t know about that, but as I said it seems to work great.

The video workout was good, intervals over and under FTP. I know the (really) low FTP it set based on my age is too low because they did not require an FTP level effort. But as I said, I’ll leave it there a while at least.

I like this thing a lot.

11/18/23 3:04 PM

Just curious, what FTP are you other old farts using for your trainers?

My default is 190, but I lower for cool downs via bar controller. And up for when I want to tear myself up.
But anything over 300 is a very short event. Obviously above my actual FTP anymore, such as that may be..

Have no intent to test for it, unlike days of old.

My 'trainer' activity is less training and more to abate snooze/loose over the off season.

11/18/23 5:31 PM

Dunno what Fulgaz is a mo. I buy the whole year because you never know. Glad I had it this summer as there were a couple weeks I couldn't ride outside due to Canadian wildfire smoke.

I've got a cheap, smallish (maybe 27", not sure) tv set up in front of my bike with an apple tv to run the app. Pairs with the smart trainer and hrm fast and easy.

Dude, your FTP is your FTP. Do some tasty 20min all out, balls to the wall tests to sort that out. ;) Most folks are doing 20min all out power * .95 = 1hr FTP. It's really only a benchmark but it's something to work from.

11/18/23 6:59 PM

I know how to test for it. I have not done so for over 10 years.

Not worried about working from anything honestly. @ this age I have no intention to train, only abate as said..

11/24/23 2:12 PM

Still messing around with workouts on the Wahoo SYSTM app. Today I rode a workout called “Cash Register” where you were riding in the Tour of Sufferlandria and needed to win a bunch of primes to make enough $ that the team wouldn’t fold. It was fun and a bit hokey I thought until it ended and the real Cash Register, Davis Phinney, came on and talked about his Parkinson’s Foundation, which is associated with this workout. He spoke slowly and haltingly. A theme is “every victory counts” and in some situations you need to redefine what a victory is. Living well with Parkinson’s is a victory. At the end he raised his hands over his head and smiled. I was in tears.

I met him maybe 11 years ago at a Dempsey Challenge event and couldn’t have been more impressed. That continues.

12/15/23 8:59 AM

After some more use I really like the Bike Shift trainer. You can get a perfect positional setup, and very smooth pedaling action with the flywheel, The Wahoo video workouts are a little goofy but fun (they are structured, but have amusing video themes and pretty good music). They would presumably be pretty hard if I had a realistic FTP put in (I don't know what mine is, but it's higher than the low default in there now). I guess I'll gradually up it (no FTP tests in my future),

The only mechanical issue was a slipping seatpost, remedied with a little Park assembly compound.