What's the meaning of 'tempo'?

Spaniard

Over the past few weeks I've been trying to organise a regular chaingang style evening ride for riders in my club to maintain some fitness over winter. During the discussions on our forum the term 'tempo' has come up a few times. Having done a few of these rides now, it seems that we all have a differing opinion of what a tempo ride is. I always thought it meant riding at a slightly slower than race pace (around 75% effort). On the flattish route that we've chosen this equates to around 21-22mph average.
However, last night a guy joined me on the ride and raised concerns that we were going far too fast for a tempo ride and suggested it should be more like 17-18mph av - (very comfortable - easily able to hold a conversation). In fact we rode at his suggested pace and didn't even bother coming through and off - we just rode along chatting.
These rides are fine, but my main concern is that I want to hang on to as much fitness as possible over winter and therefore feel I need to do at least a couple of 'harder' rides during the week.

Can anyone clarify exactly what is meant by the term 'tempo'?

SBezza

Well it can't be described as a speed, your tempo speed might well be different to another riders tempo speed, this will depend on how fit and powerful a rider each of you are.

I use the term tempo to describe a zone which is above long ride endurance pace, but below 1 hour threshold pace, for me this would be in the region of 80-90% of FTP, other people might class it as musclular endurance. I would suggest it should be done at an effort where having a conversation is not really possible, at least not easily.

From what you have described it sounds like you were on a steady endurance pace ride. Others might have a different view of tempo, that is why it is better to speak about percentages of FTP, RPE and the like.

ddraver

"Sustainable discomfort"

...so I ve heard

danowat

I've heard it also described at "comfortably uncomfortable", it's certainly a pace that takes concentration to maintain during training (for me at least)

FTR, pre-powermeter, I found tempo pace quite hard to nail........

SBezza

It is only really uncomfortable towards the end of a session though (depends on how long you do them for 3 hour session can be really uncomfortable after about the 1.5 to 2 hour mark), if you made it comfortably uncomfortable at the beginning you would probably be going too hard at first. If you only have HR, then it is still quite easy to get in an approximate zone (don't forget zones merge into each other, there is no cutoff between zones), as Danowat has said maintaining it requires concentration (it is so easy to back off and for the HR to take a while to dip).

jgsi

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/ ... oggan.aspx

Some will have 'sweetspot' riding added into the mix as well.

Sounds like the last ride you described was more akin to 'endurance pace'.
Getting everyone to agree ... well... you may have to chuck a few toys out of the pram
You dont really want to waste good training opportunity on easy mileage... so you were correct in your original thinking.

Spaniard

SBezza wrote:

Well it can't be described as a speed, your tempo speed might well be different to another riders tempo speed, this will depend on how fit and powerful a rider each of you are.

I use the term tempo to describe a zone which is above long ride endurance pace, but below 1 hour threshold pace, for me this would be in the region of 80-90% of FTP, other people might class it as musclular endurance. I would suggest it should be done at an effort where having a conversation is not really possible, at least not easily.

From what you have described it sounds like you were on a steady endurance pace ride. Others might have a different view of tempo, that is why it is better to speak about percentages of FTP, RPE and the like.

So, a chaingang style ride isn't really the place for 'tempo' riding - or at least, some riders may be at tempo speed, whereas others may be below / above that level.

It's been an uphill struggle to generate interest in these rides within my club, and I'm reluctant to put any one off - we only have half a dozen who've said they'll go!

MarkAshton

Whats everyone's goals?

I have been on chain-gangs were its basically "work as a group but dropping people is part of the fun" (everyone knows this before we start), to the other end of the spectrum where is almost frustratingly slow (for me). You need a chain-gang with a very well balanced group with similar attitudes. Consider splitting the group if its of mixed opinion...

Alex_Simmons/RST

Spaniard wrote:

It's been an uphill struggle to generate interest in these rides within my club, and I'm reluctant to put any one off - we only have half a dozen who've said they'll go!

6-8 is perfect.

Any more than 10-12 riders and it's a social function, not a training ride.

Eyorerox

I thought the purpose of a chain gang was that you worked harder up front say FTP second wheel is tempo and 3rd wheel is endurance or something like that, so depending what you want just take different turns at the front or back. Otherwise ride on your own at what ever pace you require?

Slack

You cannot effectively 'tempo' train in a chaingang, as your intensity will fluctuate as you switch from being on the front to following a wheel. And as pointed out before, there will always be mixture of differing abilities within a chaingang ride, so some will be working hard, others will be cruising.

Solo training ftw.