UT2 training on the bike

incog24

I'm coming into cycling from a pretty serious rowing background, and one of the most regular training sessions in rowing are 18km (3 x 6km) ergo's at UT2. From my experience this produces great results in terms of capilliarisation, and so I'm looking to replicate this (rightly or wrongly) in my cycling. I do a fair bit of training on rollers, so I can easily create these stable sessions, and I have access to lactate testing, but I don't really know what lactate levels UT2 on a bike produces...I know it is 2mol when rowing, but obviously rowing uses more muscle groups. My rowing coach said he had heard it was something like 1.5mol lactate for cycling, but he really wasn't sure. Does anyone have any idea here? Cheers

damage36

Hi incog, I too am an ex rower so I hope you're looking forward to losing your shoulder muscles! As for exact lactate levels, I can't be sure what the numbers are, not having worked with them before. Cyclists don't normally work on UT1/2 levels for their training but a 4 or 6 point system based on HR or power output. Here is a link to a 6 point system.

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/levels.asp

I reckon the UT2 stuff I used to do on the ergs is about level 3-4 (depending on what split you were holding etc). Of course cycling is more of a distance game than rowing so you won't be just doing equivalents to the 18km but some longer training at L2 aswell. Of course the higher levels are better aerobic adaption as you describe it, but you'll need to be able to go for a long while too.

Enjoy your new lycra!