The official TrainerRoad thread

FELTZ95

Thanks for the suggestions to help so far

ChrisSA - The resistance on the elite volare fluid is fixed at one setting and you just use the bike gears to change resistance.

Mattshrops - Will try increasing the sensor a bit further away.

Trainerroad support seem to think it is just due to faulty data supplied to them by Elite and that I will just need to use the suggested FTP of 354 and accept that it doesn't provide a real world measurement of wattage.

sagalout

Just signed up and done my first TR session (sufferfest dark place). Impressed with it as a whole - seems a polished bit of software. Integration with my powertap was really simple.

Looking at some of the submitted rides there are some very high FTP figures flying around, and they are usually on non powermeter profiles, so I'd take the virtual power with a pinch of salt, but as long as you use the same number for setting and then training to, you should at least get consistent zones to work to, even if the actual numbers are wrong.

jgsi

sagalout wrote:

Just signed up and done my first TR session (sufferfest dark place). Impressed with it as a whole - seems a polished bit of software. Integration with my powertap was really simple.

Looking at some of the submitted rides there are some very high FTP figures flying around, and they are usually on non powermeter profiles, so I'd take the virtual power with a pinch of salt, but as long as you use the same number for setting and then training to, you should at least get consistent zones to work to, even if the actual numbers are wrong.

Aye... generally agree.. but just check if the ride IF values are also skewed being too 'in the land of fantasy'. .. but the biggest giveaway of false FTP numbers is the HR trace.
Personally I'll stick with mine... the T'road of hurt I feel, won't budge me.

markp80

mattshrops wrote:

Mark- I can't believe you haven't been out since Sept. wow. I guess you're looking forward to some lighter nights.

I know Matt, but I work away Mon-Fri and my bike is with me during the week, so no chance of doing anything during daylight hours. I don't fancy taking my life into my hands on these dark nights. Having said that, I really enjoy using the turbo.
Things have changed slightly for me now though. Just in time for the Tour I bought a second turbo for weekend use at home. I cleared a load of debris from the garage and found my old steel-framed Dawes (it must be 50 years old). Bought a couple of new tyres, hooked it up to the turbo and away we go for some old-skool 5-speed riding! I didn't think this would work out, but I bought the same type of turbo, and as far as I can see from my perceived effort it is giving me the same level of difficulty as my weekday setup.
So, if we have a bit of decent weather I might actually get out for a bit of fresh air before the light nights arrive in Aberdeen!

Cheers,
MarkP

jotko

As a reward for making it past the half way point of the ToS I just bought myself one of these - http://www.screwfix.com/p/18-high-veloc ... stid=82815



I had a crappy little fanheater thing set to blow cold before, hopefully 18" of spinning blades is going to help me limp home in the remaining stages.

ShutUpLegs

This is getting serious

t5nel

jotko wrote:

As a reward for making it past the half way point of the ToS I just bought myself one of these - http://www.screwfix.com/p/18-high-veloc ... stid=82815



I had a crappy little fanheater thing set to blow cold before, hopefully 18" of spinning blades is going to help me limp home in the remaining stages.

I've been going fan less so far. Sweat in my eyes last night so will get fan from loft.
Condensation everywhere though...

Jimboliana

Hi everyone,

Sorry nothimg to do with ToS but I was thinking of signing up to TrainerRoad but don't know if I would need any other equipment?
Currently I have a Tacx Fortius TT which runs Trainer 3.12 software and a Dell laptop running windows 7 with an icore5 processor
The Tacx Fortius has a power meter (of sort) on it and this is what i usually train with
I also have a Garmin Edge 800 with speed and candance sensor though I don't run this when i'm on the TT as well as a Garmin HR strap and a Polar heart rate strap that works with the Fortius

I can't seem to find the Tacx Fortius on their website and didn't want to sign up if I can't use it so a bit of help in the right direction would be much appreciated

Thanks

Jim

jgsi

Jimboliana wrote:

Hi everyone,

Sorry nothimg to do with ToS but I was thinking of signing up to TrainerRoad but don't know if I would need any other equipment?
Currently I have a Tacx Fortius TT which runs Trainer 3.12 software and a Dell laptop running windows 7 with an icore5 processor
The Tacx Fortius has a power meter (of sort) on it and this is what i usually train with
I also have a Garmin Edge 800 with speed and candance sensor though I don't run this when i'm on the TT as well as a Garmin HR strap and a Polar heart rate strap that works with the Fortius

I can't seem to find the Tacx Fortius on their website and didn't want to sign up if I can't use it so a bit of help in the right direction would be much appreciated

Thanks

Jim

You may be unlucky with the Fortius
http://support.trainerroad.com/entries/20963887
The TR guys need help on the IT side to make the Fortius a workeable TR machine , it seems.

Apart from getting a cheaper supported trainer, I don't know what to suggest.

rinko

Hi all,

Grateful for any advice on how much kit I need to make Trainerroad worthwhile for me.

I've currently got a Cyclops Mag Classic, but my hr monitor and cycle comp aren't ANT+ or Bluetooth, so I would need to buy something suitable. I don't have much to spend at the moment (so Garmin etc are out of the ballpark), so looking for advice for the best "bang for my buck". I also use Strava on my iPhone, so something which works with that would be a bonus.

Currently looking at the Wahoo cadence and possibly HR bits - but I am aware that TR doesn't currently support the Bluetooth kit on Windows due to driver issues - however I would prefer that to the ANT+ kit to try and make the iPhone battery last as long as possible.

Any info very gratefully received!

Paul.

jgsi

Rinko wrote:

Hi all,

Grateful for any advice on how much kit I need to make Trainerroad worthwhile for me.

I've currently got a Cyclops Mag Classic, but my hr monitor and cycle comp aren't ANT+ or Bluetooth, so I would need to buy something suitable. I don't have much to spend at the moment (so Garmin etc are out of the ballpark), so looking for advice for the best "bang for my buck". I also use Strava on my iPhone, so something which works with that would be a bonus.

Currently looking at the Wahoo cadence and possibly HR bits - but I am aware that TR doesn't currently support the Bluetooth kit on Windows due to driver issues - however I would prefer that to the ANT+ kit to try and make the iPhone battery last as long as possible.

Any info very gratefully received!

Paul.

You havent mentioned if you have access to a laptop to run the Tr software on?
ANT+ is the current way to go on TR, but can change.
A usb stick and GSC10 will set you back about £40 if you shop clever.
I use Strava on my android phone for road miles but just use the gps functionality.

fukawitribe

I learnt a very valuable lesson this afternoon - at least for me - about the cursor position when using TR. I've been doing the Tour and, due to a number of reasons, the idea was start easy, ramp up and do the 2 workout days at 90% (but honour the spirit of the Tour and do them back-to-back).

Started The Wretched and about half way through the warm up, needed a natural break. Came back, jumped on and off I went. About three-quarters of the way through the first climb I thought "this feels like real work" - by half way through the third climb i'd convinced myself that if this was how it felt at 90%, and with The Long Scream to follow, I might be bailing out of the Tour sooner than I thought.... bugger.

Right at the end of the third climb I finally noticed it.... i'd been doing everything after the break at 111%

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/189756

..perhaps i'd knocked something climbing back on, vibrations from the wooden floor spoofed the track-pad, or something else, but the cursor was over the 'up' arrow on the % effort box.

Needless to say I turned the effort down for the run-in to the finish and did do the Long Scream after, but turned down to 95%. That said, after the climbs it felt quite refreshing (well, not too refreshing, but much, much nicer).

Ah well - you live and learn ! I wonder if there's a daily prize for idiots ?

Garryboy

t5nel wrote:

jotko wrote:

As a reward for making it past the half way point of the ToS I just bought myself one of these - http://www.screwfix.com/p/18-high-veloc ... stid=82815



I had a crappy little fanheater thing set to blow cold before, hopefully 18" of spinning blades is going to help me limp home in the remaining stages.

I've been going fan less so far. Sweat in my eyes last night so will get fan from loft.
Condensation everywhere though...

Having fan on makes a big difference for me esp on longer intervals. Doesnt matter ambient emp, ive had mine on full blast even when its -3 outside and im in conservatory (so basically outside!). Might be placebo, but seems to help me.

mattshrops

I've got one of the floorstanding fans, but i've turned it upside down and screwed it to the roof.
When i'm down in tt postion it hangs~12" from my face 8)

springtide9

Re: Cooling
Anyone know where to get a cheap 24" -32" Drum Fan?

Seem a few on Ebay s'hand, but shipping costs a fortune. Just keeping looking to see if one comes up locally?

t5nel

Garryboy wrote:

t5nel wrote:

jotko wrote:

As a reward for making it past the half way point of the ToS I just bought myself one of these - http://www.screwfix.com/p/18-high-veloc ... stid=82815



I had a crappy little fanheater thing set to blow cold before, hopefully 18" of spinning blades is going to help me limp home in the remaining stages.

I've been going fan less so far. Sweat in my eyes last night so will get fan from loft.
Condensation everywhere though...

Having fan on makes a big difference for me esp on longer intervals. Doesnt matter ambient emp, ive had mine on full blast even when its -3 outside and im in conservatory (so basically outside!). Might be placebo, but seems to help me.

You were right. Fan made the world of difference.

CRAIGO5000

Is anyone doing this challenge at a consistent FTP %? I ask as during the past two sessions I've not found them as difficult!? I've had a days break and planned to catch up before the timer ran out and so tackled Angels last night which I really enjoyed. Tonight I've just done The Wretched and had enough in the tank to belt off on a sprint for that last 20 sec zone and I'd been out commuting to and from work previously. (I'll do The Long Scream in the morning)

I started to analyse my HR traces over the workouts and noticed my HR seems to be lower for the past few sessions in zones which I used to feel quite uncomfortable in? If you look at tonights workout here http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/190592 at 38mins, I'm in the VO2Max power zone and had been there for a good 3 mins where my HR is stabilized at 160BPM. (My Max is 195BPM)

Compare that to Stewart which I did on the 20th Jan http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/168236 and although the profile of the workout is actually easier than tonights run, if you look at 34mins, my HR is at 175BPM and I'd had a steadier build up and not been in VO2Max for as long? I just don't get how all of a sudden during this challenge that my HR has dropped off so drastically?

sagalout

Just spent a couple of hours creating a profile for the 3LC Road Race video. Going to give it a try in the morning, then hopefully TR will publish it

jgsi

CRAIGO5000 wrote:

Is anyone doing this challenge at a consistent FTP %? I ask as during the past two sessions I've not found them as difficult!? I've had a days break and planned to catch up before the timer ran out and so tackled Angels last night which I really enjoyed. Tonight I've just done The Wretched and had enough in the tank to belt off on a sprint for that last 20 sec zone and I'd been out commuting to and from work previously. (I'll do The Long Scream in the morning)

I started to analyse my HR traces over the workouts and noticed my HR seems to be lower for the past few sessions in zones which I used to feel quite uncomfortable in? If you look at tonights workout here http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/190592 at 38mins, I'm in the VO2Max power zone and had been there for a good 3 mins where my HR is stabilized at 160BPM. (My Max is 195BPM)

Compare that to Stewart which I did on the 20th Jan http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/168236 and although the profile of the workout is actually easier than tonights run, if you look at 34mins, my HR is at 175BPM and I'd had a steadier build up and not been in VO2Max for as long? I just don't get how all of a sudden during this challenge that my HR has dropped off so drastically?

If you compare my Wretched ride http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/186939 which is an apt name for it... and go to to the HR zones tab, you will see me in vo2 max for over 40% of the ride whilst you were in tempo mode...hence you feeling comfortable.
Why so.. ? you just having a burst of simply 'getting fitter' and so you need to up the ante?

sagalout

so, I gave my newly created 3LC Road Race workout a go this morning, and I think I may have made it a bit too hard!

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/191981

Started dying towards the end and had to drop it down from 100% to 90% and 80% by the end, but it could just be that my FTP is a lot lower than I think it is though...haven't trained much in the last 3 months. Last summer my FTP was at 285, so I've reduced it to 250, but I really should do a test to see where I am.

I'd be interested to know from others what they think a good percentage FTP > RPE works out to?

At the moment I have it as:

7/10 = 100% FTP
8/10 = 120% FTP
9/10 = 140% FTP

Having done this workout I'm starting to think it should be:

7/10 = 95% FTP
8/10 = 105%
9/10 = 115%

...but I may just be being too soft!

I also need to adjust the recover FTP% as I've made those a bit too low.

The video syncing was pretty much spot on though, so thats good

jotko

How does TR determine your heart zones, is this in the 8/20 min test, or just worked back from your max? Mine have not changed since I did the test anyway.

I think buying a massive fan has skewed things - apparently I did the Long Scream entirely in 'tempo' heart zone despite being over my FTP for most of it (http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/192013)

Confused.

I guess once I get to the end of the tour I will redo the FTP test with the fan and see where I am.

bobones

There's a spreadsheet that maps Sufferfest RPE to %age FTP and watts here http://viewsoftheroad.com/. See tab 2.
These are the default values it gives based on an FTP of 250w and a recovery power of 50% and a maximum power of 140%.

springtide9

sagalout wrote:

so, I gave my newly created 3LC Road Race workout a go this morning, and I think I may have made it a bit too hard!

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/191981

Started dying towards the end and had to drop it down from 100% to 90% and 80% by the end, but it could just be that my FTP is a lot lower than I think it is though...haven't trained much in the last 3 months. Last summer my FTP was at 285, so I've reduced it to 250, but I really should do a test to see where I am.

I'd be interested to know from others what they think a good percentage FTP > RPE works out to?

At the moment I have it as:

7/10 = 100% FTP
8/10 = 120% FTP
9/10 = 140% FTP

Having done this workout I'm starting to think it should be:

7/10 = 95% FTP
8/10 = 105%
9/10 = 115%

...but I may just be being too soft!

I also need to adjust the recover FTP% as I've made those a bit too low.

The video syncing was pretty much spot on though, so thats good

That looks doable IMO... what is it giving the (calculated) IF value as? An IF of 1.0 is the NP as your FTP value for one hour (so very tough!); an IF of around ~0.9 is common for Sufferfest type (1hr) rides.

bobones

Rinko wrote:

Hi all,

Grateful for any advice on how much kit I need to make Trainerroad worthwhile for me.

I've currently got a Cyclops Mag Classic, but my hr monitor and cycle comp aren't ANT+ or Bluetooth, so I would need to buy something suitable. I don't have much to spend at the moment (so Garmin etc are out of the ballpark), so looking for advice for the best "bang for my buck". I also use Strava on my iPhone, so something which works with that would be a bonus.

Currently looking at the Wahoo cadence and possibly HR bits - but I am aware that TR doesn't currently support the Bluetooth kit on Windows due to driver issues - however I would prefer that to the ANT+ kit to try and make the iPhone battery last as long as possible.

Any info very gratefully received!

Paul.

You don't actually need a cycle computer for TR, just the sensors. At a bare minimum you need a PC/laptop for TR, a supported trainer, a USB ANT+ key for PC and an ANT+ speed/cadence sensor. An ANT+ HR strap would also be useful.

Evans are currently doing the Motorola speed/cad sensor for £19.99. This is better than the Garmin GSC10 IMO.
Decathlon have a speed cadence sensor for £16.49 and an HR strap for £29.99

You should be able to pickup a Suunto Movestick USB ANT+ receiver for around £25 so basically you could be up and running for about £40-£45 and add an HR strap when funds permit.

If you want to include your iPhone/Strava as a receiver for your sensors then you need an ANT+ receiver for that too, but this is entirely separate from TR. There's a Garmin one available or you can buy the Wahoo case with builtin receiver if you're going to mount the phone on the bars (which I would not recommend!). To save battery, just switch off the display and keep it in your pocket. Cyclemeter is another great iPhone app that can record rides and upload to Strava.

sagalout

Yeah, I think I just need to toughen up and regain some fitness haha. Looking at the sufferfest scale its pretty much what I've used, but the recovery is a bit too low on mine.

fukawitribe

bobones wrote:

Rinko wrote:

Hi all,
...
Decathlon have a speed cadence sensor for £16.49 and an HR strap for £29.99

These seem to be a bit of a regular on eBay, if you don't mind using that

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Garmin-Heart-Rate-Monitor-HRM-for-Forunner-50-F60-305-405-410-610-Edge-305-310XT-/390521970234?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Activity_Monitoring_MJ&hash=item5aecec5e3a

..I ordered one (from the same dealer as it happens - no, not on commission ), turned up in about 3 days, works grand with TR + Sunnto Movestick Mini (highly recommended).

bobones

sagalout wrote:

Yeah, I think I just need to toughen up and regain some fitness haha. Looking at the sufferfest scale its pretty much what I've used, but the recovery is a bit too low on mine.

I don't have TR (yet), but I use the same power/speed analogue for my turbo and base workouts on that. I find the Sufferfest RPE levels a bit too hard with max power at 140%. Lowering it on the spreadsheet to 125-130% seems to give RPE levels that are a bit more achievable for me, but maybe I just need to MTFU and suffer!

Wrath Rob

I had a good couple of days on the trainer on Friday and Saturday, the later despite the good weather as I only had an hour to train. Friday was Angels, I've been feeling pretty good recently and can definitely see the benefits from the training I've been doing so I upped the FTP% to 105% and let rip. I set Trainerroad PB's from 1 through to 60 minutes, happy days!

Saturday I did Gray, so 2 x 20min threshold intervals. I upped the FTP to 105% again and then got 15 and 20 min PBs. What this really shows is that the training is working and my FTP has increased. I remember the first session I did Angels after upping my FTP, I barely got through it and certainly couldn't do the sprint at the end of the 3rd hill. Time for the FTP test me thinks.

jgsi

This may or may not apply to you.
I sometimes use another Garmin speed sensor , but when it is in normal use with hrm and GSC10, that other sensor sometimes stays 'live' and in searching mode and this impacts on the other sensors you are actually using - i.e. reducing their signal strength. Cancelling the unwanted sensor search brings the signal strength of the others back up.

StuRichT

Hi guys

I'm considering trying out TR mainly as a way to gauge improevenmts in my fitness and to hopefully try and bring some structure to my current training.

I have two main questions.

Firstly I only have rollers, so is there anyone else with experience using rollers with TR? I know I'm never going to be able to do huge efforts on the rollers, and according to TR website they have the speed/power data for my rollers, but do you think this will be a major problem?

Secondly, does the software itself help you structure a training program? I want to train for crits, but I don't know where to start really. I 've entered a few and can stay with the bunch no problem, but I know to move up to 3rd cat I'm going to need to improve both my fitness and tactical ability.

Cheers.