How often are you using the turbo in a week?

vs

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

As my original post says I ride the roads most weekends at least once - just not last weekend (or the snowy dec ones)

All turbo (although most weeks one or both weekend rides would be road).

SBezza

amaferanga wrote:

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

Do you think the same about 10 hours on the road at lower intensities? There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road, apart from the sheer boredom of being on the turbo for that duration.

vs

There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road

Except you can regulate your heart rate completely which is absolutely impossible on the road if you happen to live on Exmoor.

sheer boredom of being on the turbo

Only as boring as sitting on the couch watching TV for 5 hours.

SBezza

vs wrote:

There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road

Except you can regulate your heart rate completely which is absolutely impossible on the road if you happen to live on Exmoor.

That is true, but essentially the same

vs wrote:

sheer boredom of being on the turbo

Only as boring as sitting on the couch watching TV for 5 hours.

Not for me it isn't, 5 hours in the garage listening to my MP3 player is alot more boring than sitting in front of the TV, and even more boring than spending 5 hours on the road

amaferanga

vs wrote:

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

As my original post says I ride the roads most weekends at least once - just not last weekend (or the snowy dec ones)

All turbo (although most weeks one or both weekend rides would be road).

Ah ok - missed the last bit. Thought you were doing 10 hours on the turbo EVERY weekend. As a one off or once a month or so then I guess its not that bad, though I wouldn't do it.

amaferanga

SBezza wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

Do you think the same about 10 hours on the road at lower intensities? There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road, apart from the sheer boredom of being on the turbo for that duration.

Unless you're training for long TTs or very long rides (not just the odd sportive) then no I can't see how 2x5 hours of L2 riding every weekend is going to be the best use of training time.

vs

Not for me it isn't, 5 hours in the garage listening to my MP3 player is alot more boring than sitting in front of the TV, and even more boring than spending 5 hours on the road

I guess I am lucky enough to have an en-suite gym with cinema display surround sound in the house.

SBezza

amaferanga wrote:

SBezza wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

Do you think the same about 10 hours on the road at lower intensities? There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road, apart from the sheer boredom of being on the turbo for that duration.

Unless you're training for long TTs or very long rides (not just the odd sportive) then no I can't see how 2x5 hours of L2 riding every weekend is going to be the best use of training time.

If you have 10 hours spare over a weekend, and want to ride, what do you suggest, 10 hours of FTP work, apart from being impossible, it would probably take you all week to recover.

Some of us have the free time (or make free time) to do these sorts of ride, and then do the more intense stuff during the week. If you think 10 hours of L2 over a weekend has not benefit to any cyclist, then you are misguided to say the least.

If you don't have the time or the inclination to do L2 rides then fair enough, but don't criticise those of us that do have the time.

I would say vs has a very tough training programme, but if he can manage this week to week, good luck to him. I would do the 1.5 hour rides at L3/4 however.

amaferanga

SBezza wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

SBezza wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

Do you think the same about 10 hours on the road at lower intensities? There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road, apart from the sheer boredom of being on the turbo for that duration.

Unless you're training for long TTs or very long rides (not just the odd sportive) then no I can't see how 2x5 hours of L2 riding every weekend is going to be the best use of training time.

If you have 10 hours spare over a weekend, and want to ride, what do you suggest, 10 hours of FTP work, apart from being impossible, it would probably take you all week to recover.

Some of us have the free time (or make free time) to do these sorts of ride, and then do the more intense stuff during the week. If you think 10 hours of L2 over a weekend has not benefit to any cyclist, then you are misguided to say the least.

If you don't have the time or the inclination to do L2 rides then fair enough, but don't criticise those of us that do have the time.

I would say vs has a very tough training programme, but if he can manage this week to week, good luck to him. I would do the 1.5 hour rides at L3/4 however.

I didn't say or at least didn't mean to say that 5 hour rides are pointless. I guess it depends on what vs is training for, but IMHO 10 hours L2 riding in a weekend is not the best use of time. Of course if he just likes going out in all weathers through the winter and riding for 5 hours then that's great, good for him. But if he's training to race or do sportives then IMHO its not the best use of training time. That's just my opinion and I'm sure vs and everyone else will happily ignore it if they disagree.

SBezza

amaferanga wrote:

SBezza wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

SBezza wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

I still don't think 10 hours every weekend at a low intensity on a turbo is a productive use of training time.

Do you think the same about 10 hours on the road at lower intensities? There is nothing different from doing 5 hours at L2 on the turbo compared to on the road, apart from the sheer boredom of being on the turbo for that duration.

Unless you're training for long TTs or very long rides (not just the odd sportive) then no I can't see how 2x5 hours of L2 riding every weekend is going to be the best use of training time.

If you have 10 hours spare over a weekend, and want to ride, what do you suggest, 10 hours of FTP work, apart from being impossible, it would probably take you all week to recover.

Some of us have the free time (or make free time) to do these sorts of ride, and then do the more intense stuff during the week. If you think 10 hours of L2 over a weekend has not benefit to any cyclist, then you are misguided to say the least.

If you don't have the time or the inclination to do L2 rides then fair enough, but don't criticise those of us that do have the time.

I would say vs has a very tough training programme, but if he can manage this week to week, good luck to him. I would do the 1.5 hour rides at L3/4 however.

I didn't say or at least didn't mean to say that 5 hour rides are pointless. I guess it depends on what vs is training for, but IMHO 10 hours L2 riding in a weekend is not the best use of time. Of course if he just likes going out in all weathers through the winter and riding for 5 hours then that's great, good for him. But if he's training to race or do sportives then IMHO its not the best use of training time. That's just my opinion and I'm sure vs and everyone else will happily ignore it if they disagree.

Well it has never slowed me down at all distances, sorry to say 5 hours on a weekend day is the time to do these rides, as with a normal 9-5 job, it is pretty difficult to do them during the week. You can quite easily get the intensity you need during the week. Riding in all weathers is not that hard with the correct kit, surely you race in all weathers.

I would like to know if you have 5 hours to train what would you do for the 5 hours?

P_Tucker

SBezza wrote:

I would like to know if you have 5 hours to train what would you do for the 5 hours?

Dunno about you, but my training plan is based on what I need to do to be ready to race in March, as opposed to randomly filling in the time I happen to have available. If my training plan says I need to do 2 hours and I have 5 hours to train then great - 3 hours of free time.

SBezza

P_Tucker wrote:

SBezza wrote:

I would like to know if you have 5 hours to train what would you do for the 5 hours?

Dunno about you, but my training plan is based on what I need to do to be ready to race in March, as opposed to randomly filling in the time I happen to have available. If my training plan says I need to do 2 hours and I have 5 hours to train then great - 3 hours of free time.

I wasn't asking you

My training plan will say do a 5 hour ride, and mine is based on what my coach thinks I need. I train more than most on here will though. My training plan allows me to be race fit from Jan to Oct. My training is my free time the more I do the more free time I get.

With regards to vs, he is training for quite a few hours a week, it has been said in many studies the more cycling you can do the better you will become. Obviously if you can train for 16 hours + a week, you will have to do the majority of this at a lower intensity. If you only have 6-8 hours a week, obviously doing a higher percentage of intensity is probably the better thing to do. But I bet the actual amount of hours spent doing higher intensity stuff between the 2 riders would be similar, the only difference is the lower intensity, as you just can't do a high volume of intensity and recover for future sessions.

Anyhow back to the OP's question, how many hours do you spend on the turbo

mrlobber

Currently doing some base work since November, now building up to 9 hrs per week of riding, and all of that on a turbo (4...5 sessions of 1.5-2 hours) since the weather conditions on street are pretty dreadful for any outside bike riding.

Just watch some news or other analytical stuff... or sports, whatever. Endurance / tempo sessions then pass pretty quickly

sheffsimon

vs wrote:

10 hours of your life you will never get back.

How many hours do you spend watching TV?

OMG how can you manage 5 hours in one go? That seems like sheer torture!!

Actually I find it a great way to relax, just find a rhythm, watch a movie, listen to a few albums - just as if I was sitting on the couch.

And it works, at a recent test I was still burning mostly fat at over 90% of Max Heart rate

Not 5hrs, or anywhere near.

As others have said, good for you if you have the time. Personally if I disappeared for 5hrs on a Sat and Sunday, my missus wouldnt be very happy, and rightly so. I wouldnt want to anyway

I personally couldnt be arsed to do five hour sessions week-in week out, and for the races I will be riding this year, I dont feel its necessary. You are obviously doing it cos you enjoy it.

vs

You are obviously doing it cos you enjoy it

Yes I do, and for those who have questioned my motives for riding this much, that is the answer.

Also I'm lucky to live on a beautiful moor where scenery is glorious and ever changing, the traffic is light and the riding is hard enough to keep it constantly interesting.

As for the hours, I have actually cut back entirely from what I was doing a couple of years back.

I took a three year sabbatical from work and was riding 4 - 6 hours daily. I have ridden over 100,000 miles and it is almost always hard but never dull.

amaferanga

SBezza wrote:

Well it has never slowed me down at all distances, sorry to say 5 hours on a weekend day is the time to do these rides, as with a normal 9-5 job, it is pretty difficult to do them during the week. You can quite easily get the intensity you need during the week. Riding in all weathers is not that hard with the correct kit, surely you race in all weathers.

I would like to know if you have 5 hours to train what would you do for the 5 hours?

That would obviously depend what I was training for. Since I'm currently training to do road races up to about 2.5 hours in duration I wouldn't force myself to do two 5 hour rides every weekend. In 2009 when I was training to do a 4 and 1/2 day LEJOG then I was doing a 6-8 hour ride most weekends at this time of year, slowly upping that to 12-14 hour rides by June (so I'm well aware of what I need to ride in all weathers and also know that I probably won't ride when the weather's shitty just for the hell of it).

So if I had 10 hours available every weekend I'd probably do a 3-4 hour ride on one day and an L4 or SS session the other day.

SBezza

Some people don't have to force themselves to ride for 10 hours in a weekend. Given that amongst coaches and scientists, there is a given that the more cycling you can do the better a cyclist you will be, if you have 10 hours free, why only cycle for 4-5 hours of it, why not use this time to get a good endurance base which will help you even if you only do 10m TT's.

You can do the high intensity stuff during the week, when you don't have the daylight hours (not that the dark stops me training on the roads).

This notion of 'because I only do short events I don't need L2/3 rides' is a little silly, even track riders the likes of Chris Hoy will do endurance rides.

If you can't find/manage 10 hours + to train, then I agree doing all of this at L2/3 is not the best idea, but if you can cycle for 16 hours a week, using 10-12 hours of L2/3 and the rest at higher intensities, seems like a pretty balanced training plan. Especially in the winter, as you come into spring I would suggest vs cuts down the hours and concentrates on more intensity.

amaferanga

SBezza wrote:

Some people don't have to force themselves to ride for 10 hours in a weekend. Given that amongst coaches and scientists, there is a given that the more cycling you can do the better a cyclist you will be, if you have 10 hours free, why only cycle for 4-5 hours of it, why not use this time to get a good endurance base which will help you even if you only do 10m TT's.

While I could make 10 hours available most weekends (I did in 2009 and in previous years when I was single) I like to have a life outside of cycling.

If you can do two 5 hour rides every weekend as well as 3-4 sessions in the evening during the week throughout the year, year after year then I'd hazard a guess that either you're single or you don't like spending time with your partner/family.

SBezza wrote:

This notion of 'because I only do short events I don't need L2/3 rides' is a little silly, even track riders the likes of Chris Hoy will do endurance rides.

I didn't say that I don't do L2/L3 rides.

SBezza

amaferanga wrote:

If you can do two 5 hour rides every weekend as well as 3-4 sessions in the evening during the week throughout the year, year after year then I'd hazard a guess that either you're single or you don't like spending time with your partner/family.

From my perspective, 13+ hours a week is small in comparison to the actual hours in the week. I can quite happily do 2 hours training after work, and still get home the same time as my wife does. As for weekends I generally ride both weekend days, but not to the same volume as vs, (although I could quite happily do it). I do these early in the morning and get home at a reasonable time to do stuff around the house.

The only real change in my life is I watch far less TV, so for me although I have to make sacrifices, they are not that great.

My wife probably sees more of me now than before I took up cycling, as I was away from home most weekends at car shows before I started cycling.

CarleyB

I like the theory of endurance helping short events like the 10m TT,

One of the fastest blokes in our club, does 3 x 4 hour commutes and 3 x 1 hour sessions on the turbo in big gears.

For me it's not an issue of time on the bike, on the turbo, but mentally being able to do it for such a long period of time.

Not quite the same for me with 4 kids to look after but I am currently doing 2 lots of intervals and then just spinning for an hour twice a week when the kids are in bed.