The official TrainerRoad thread

DaveL

ExigeR wrote:

I have seen around 198 a few times on the odd hill this year but did worry a little when i still had a few mins to go and was over 190 lol. Breathing was a little out of control at the end but I'm still here....

ND that Cycleops VT looks good let us know how you get on with that.

When I got mine upto 198, I couldn't take a breath (which was very worrying), went dizzy and nearly threw up so if you were that high and didn't feel like you were going to die, looks like you have a little more to go

ExigeR

lol don't think the heart rate is the number i want to try pushing the limits all the time.

napoleond

Holy carp! 20 seconds to get the profile uploaded for the Beacon Little Mountain TT route!!

Garryboy

ND are you using it with your jet fluid pro? If so, how do you fing the power curve / accuracy compared to TrainerRoad?

napoleond

Garryboy wrote:

ND are you using it with your jet fluid pro? If so, how do you fing the power curve / accuracy compared to TrainerRoad?

It's closer to the powertap (trainer road read consistently higher) in terms of numbers but consistent too. The route uploading is PHENOMENAL!

Here's a chopped (I missed all the data in the left) screen shot of me trying out the Little Mountain Time Trial route-



And a short clip of me trying Alpe d'Huez. I've put the (dreadful) spec of my machine in the comment section. It runs perfectly. Speed of video adjusts accordingly. Need to get a Powerbeam now!!

http://youtu.be/bIALz6u2UHM

markp80

dw300 wrote:

the max I'd set an FTP Test workout to is 103 - 105%. I'm fairly sure the tests are designed that if you ride them perfectly you'll improve your FTP by 2-3%.

- I feel a bit stupid now. In the past, whenever I've done a new FTP test I've worked out in my head the power I need to hold to get the result a bit higher than the present one.
And all I had to do was set the workout scale to 105% and follow the line.
Doh! :oops:

napoleond

MarkP80 wrote:

dw300 wrote:

the max I'd set an FTP Test workout to is 103 - 105%. I'm fairly sure the tests are designed that if you ride them perfectly you'll improve your FTP by 2-3%.

- I feel a bit stupid now. In the past, whenever I've done a new FTP test I've worked out in my head the power I need to hold to get the result a bit higher than the present one.
And all I had to do was set the workout scale to 105% and follow the line.
Doh! :oops:

Heh heh

markp80

NapoleonD wrote:

Well, having just tried cycleops virtual training I'm afraid I'll be leaving the trainer road camp.

Go on, get off this thread, saying things like that!

napoleond

I've signed up for a month of CVT and suspended my TR account.

One thing I prefer however is the TR training zones / FTP. CVT just has power or w/kg. Something that Cycleops are hopefully working on.

tim_wand

Nap, I ve got Cyclops fluid 2 trainer , and all the necessary Ant + gear to run TR.
What would I need different to run CVT. or is it not doable with my gear.

Never really been happy with the FTP on TR the Polar setting gives me an FTP of 148 and the recommended beta curve for my trainer gives me nearly 300 on the 20 min test with the same set up.

napoleond

You have what you need to run CVT

cerv50

Last FTP test on Tuesday saw a decrease of 13, it bothered me a little but as the number wasn't too high I stuck at my original 268 FTP. Last nights session (baring in mind I have had a week off) saw this disasterous attempt. I was OK for the first interval which I tried out in the large ring, second interval in the small ring which seemed to go a lot smoother. Third one, bombed out big time and had to keep dropping the % until I felt I could complete the hour! Popped in a 30 second sprint at the end to cheer myself up as I had regained enough leg strength and got a couple of medals for my efforts

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/553010-Goethe

Should I stick with my previous FTP figure of 268 or lower it in my profile to the recommended 255 and build from there?

ExigeR

Is that an FTP test??

DaveL

cerv50 wrote:

Last FTP test on Tuesday saw a decrease of 13, it bothered me a little but as the number wasn't too high I stuck at my original 268 FTP. Last nights session (baring in mind I have had a week off) saw this disasterous attempt. I was OK for the first interval which I tried out in the large ring, second interval in the small ring which seemed to go a lot smoother. Third one, bombed out big time and had to keep dropping the % until I felt I could complete the hour! Popped in a 30 second sprint at the end to cheer myself up as I had regained enough leg strength and got a couple of medals for my efforts

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/553010-Goethe

Should I stick with my previous FTP figure of 268 or lower it in my profile to the recommended 255 and build from there?

Having had a look through your career, you have completed nearly all your rides at 268, so I would tend to stick with it for now and revalueate in a week or two, and just put it down to a bad ride. That said if you are giving everything you can to complete the rides you have already done (didn't check your career that closely) then dropping it might be an option.

chaffordred

Did my second FTP test last night and there is a 4% increase in my FTP from my initial test a few weeks back so definitely going in the right direction:

FTP 348 to 362
LTHR 152 to 155
FTP/kg 4.51 to 4.69

17 December 8 minute test: http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/ride ... inute-Test

19 October 20 minute test: http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/ride ... inute-Test

At the moment there are to many variables to say whether this was as a result of Trainer road. I have not followed any specific program, but just done my own thing with a few sufferfest workouts thrown in to the mix and these were two different (8 & 20min) FTP tests.

I will probably go back and do the 8 min FTP in a month or so and if it's up again then it's all good

The only downside of raising your FTP is having to raise the intensity in the workouts and knowing the workouts are going to be that much harder

napoleond

Amazing as CVT is, it won't bloody open! Has to be reinstalled each time I want to use it. I've lodged a request from support but not holding out much hope. Glad I only signed up for one month!... Fingers crossed it gets sorted. Otherwise it's back to TR

moscowflyer

How does it actually work? The 'Tour' isn't too comprehensive, it says that it automatically adjusts the resistance based on the course profile or something like that, but I can't see how it could do that with a Road Machine?

Doesn't look like it's Mac compatible anyway.

napoleond

You need a powerbeam for that function, that automatically adjusts the resistance. Without the powerbeam (I'm using a jet fluid pro) the speed adjusts based on the slope. So as it gets steeper if you are putting the same power out you'll just go slower on the screen.

Garryboy

I see there is also an APP version of CVT, but doesn't look like it has the same functionality of the desktop version.

I've installed the desktop version and will give it a try soon, although the trial version is pretty limited in what you can do - guess if you can try it for a month at $10 it's worth a punt.

Pretty sure it will kill my netbook though!

napoleond

Well, top marks from me for CVT customer service!
They remote connected to my computer and sorted it, it was to do with the outdated security settings on my pooter. I'm a very happy man.

dw300

cerv50 wrote:

Last FTP test on Tuesday saw a decrease of 13, it bothered me a little but as the number wasn't too high I stuck at my original 268 FTP. Last nights session (baring in mind I have had a week off) saw this disasterous attempt. I was OK for the first interval which I tried out in the large ring, second interval in the small ring which seemed to go a lot smoother. Third one, bombed out big time and had to keep dropping the % until I felt I could complete the hour! Popped in a 30 second sprint at the end to cheer myself up as I had regained enough leg strength and got a couple of medals for my efforts

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/553010-Goethe

Should I stick with my previous FTP figure of 268 or lower it in my profile to the recommended 255 and build from there?

Your FTP dropped 5%. So you could stick with it at 268 and ride you next 10 workouts at 95%-96%-97%-98% 99% raising it 1% every couple of rides.

cerv50

ExigeR wrote:

Is that an FTP test??

Not an FTP test, first session on my next plan

cerv50

DaveL wrote:

cerv50 wrote:

Last FTP test on Tuesday saw a decrease of 13, it bothered me a little but as the number wasn't too high I stuck at my original 268 FTP. Last nights session (baring in mind I have had a week off) saw this disasterous attempt. I was OK for the first interval which I tried out in the large ring, second interval in the small ring which seemed to go a lot smoother. Third one, bombed out big time and had to keep dropping the % until I felt I could complete the hour! Popped in a 30 second sprint at the end to cheer myself up as I had regained enough leg strength and got a couple of medals for my efforts

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/553010-Goethe

Should I stick with my previous FTP figure of 268 or lower it in my profile to the recommended 255 and build from there?

Having had a look through your career, you have completed nearly all your rides at 268, so I would tend to stick with it for now and revalueate in a week or two, and just put it down to a bad ride. That said if you are giving everything you can to complete the rides you have already done (didn't check your career that closely) then dropping it might be an option.

Was thinking that too DaveL, if I drop to 255 and then work back up again. Funnily enough during today I have the on set of a possible cold (man flu lol) so that could be the answer to my problems...

cerv50

dw300 wrote:

cerv50 wrote:

Last FTP test on Tuesday saw a decrease of 13, it bothered me a little but as the number wasn't too high I stuck at my original 268 FTP. Last nights session (baring in mind I have had a week off) saw this disasterous attempt. I was OK for the first interval which I tried out in the large ring, second interval in the small ring which seemed to go a lot smoother. Third one, bombed out big time and had to keep dropping the % until I felt I could complete the hour! Popped in a 30 second sprint at the end to cheer myself up as I had regained enough leg strength and got a couple of medals for my efforts

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/553010-Goethe

Should I stick with my previous FTP figure of 268 or lower it in my profile to the recommended 255 and build from there?

Your FTP dropped 5%. So you could stick with it at 268 and ride you next 10 workouts at 95%-96%-97%-98% 99% raising it 1% every couple of rides.

Good idea, track session tomorrow night so will see how well I do. Next TR session is due Saturday so may give your idea a go if I feel OK. If problems still exist I will probably drop to 255 and then work back up.

amaferanga

dw300 wrote:

Your FTP dropped 5%. So you could stick with it at 268 and ride you next 10 workouts at 95%-96%-97%-98% 99% raising it 1% every couple of rides.

His FTP didn't drop 5% in a week! Either the data from one of the sessions was wrong (maybe his power meter wasn't properly calibrated/zeroed for one of them) or he just had a bad day. If it's guesstimated power then all bets are off anyway....

dw300

amaferanga wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Your FTP dropped 5%. So you could stick with it at 268 and ride you next 10 workouts at 95%-96%-97%-98% 99% raising it 1% every couple of rides.

His FTP didn't drop 5% in a week! Either the data from one of the sessions was wrong (maybe his power meter wasn't properly calibrated/zeroed for one of them) or he just had a bad day. If it's guesstimated power then all bets are off anyway....

I didn't say it dropped 5% in a week. Who knows when his last test was. It seemed fairly obvious he'd had a week off and dived straight into another test. That's why I said leave the 'FTP' and knock down the workouts if he's out of form temporarily while he gets back up to speed.

I think a lot of what is typed is done knowing the limitations of the system .. it's taken as read after 100+ pages .. and the advice we give is with that in mind. We are all well aware that Virtual Power ≠ Actual Power. You don't have to get mad brah.

cerv50

I don't have a power meter and only go by what TR suggests. Turbo is a KK Rock n Roll so have no idea how accurate the virtual power readings are.

Here are my FTP results thus far

Aug 13th 268
Oct 9th 266
Oct 15th 268
Dec 10th 255

After my last test I thought I would stick to the 268 but due to unknown reasons failed to keep the pace. Work stress has not helped and the inclement weather may have something to do with it, who knows. I am now working through my first BUILD plan after completing both BASE plans. I will do another session at 268 and knock the % down as DW suggests and see how I get on. If all goes wrong I will go to 255 and build from there :roll:

amaferanga

dw300 wrote:

I didn't say it dropped 5% in a week. Who knows when his last test was. It seemed fairly obvious he'd had a week off and dived straight into another test. That's why I said leave the 'FTP' and knock down the workouts if he's out of form temporarily while he gets back up to speed.

I think a lot of what is typed is done knowing the limitations of the system .. it's taken as read after 100+ pages .. and the advice we give is with that in mind. We are all well aware that Virtual Power ≠ Actual Power. You don't have to get mad brah.

Sorry, I just read your first sentence and that sort of what you said (but now I realise that it wasn't a drop in just a week).

As for the virtual power thing - every time I look at this thread I see people getting bogged down by apparently fluctuating FTPs and struggling with sessions at (virtual) powers that they should be comfortable with. So it seems that there are plenty of folk making way too much out of their numbers, instead of just using them as a rough guide.

dw300

Cant quote properly on my phone Amaferanga, but yeh its easy to get caught up with numbers even if theyre not absolute.

I have a question that you could maybe answer ..

Lets assume I had a PM and used it with TR. Wouldnt I see higher numbers on the trainer than on the road anyway? I would assume the muscles recruited to balance the bike and absorb road vibration would add a some load to your system meaning the power reaching the rear wheel is slightly less, for the same level of effort than the ideal conditions on the trainer?

amaferanga

I think most folk struggle to produce as high numbers on the turbo compared to the road. I'm probably about 5% down on the turbo (with proper cooling) compared to the road.