Turbo Trainer Advice

Small ring/big ring. I think this has been shared previously, but GP Lama’s verdict seems to be: choose the ring that you’re more likely to be using in the riding your training for, because they recruit different muscles.

So if you want to crank along the flats, big ring; climber, small ring. At least that was my reading of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHUOhmG04M8

I did all SS last year and couldn't do fuck all VO2 and I did quite ok on the Ramp. There might be a few watts either way but it's not like most people are seeing 20W differences with properly done tests. Like I say, it was close enough for me.

Didn't we do this already?

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/15787600/

Thanks for reposting. I forgot to watch this last time.

I won’t be satisfied I’ve got an accurate FTP number until I’ve done:

• ramp test in big ring in erg mode
  
• Ramp test in small ring in erg mode
  
• Ramp test in big ring in normal mode
  
• Ramp test in small ring in normal mode
  
• 20 min test (normal mode)
  
• 2 x 8 min test (normal mode)
  
• Full hour test
  
• WKO4
  
  

Then I’ll take the median mode of the results and probably be so close to my ramp test result that it makes no difference.

FWIW, I tried an erg session in small ring and just didn’t like it as much. Wasn’t as fun. As I’m already riding indoors, I think I need to retain as much of the fun as I can. So I’m inclined to keep it in the big ring for the feeling of the momentum.

There seems to be a pretty standard relationship between the max 1 minute power in a ramp compared to your FTP (75% of max 1 minute power)
Similar to using 95% of your max 20 minutes as your FTP.

I think the ramp test appears to produce a higher FTP figure, because people then expect to be able to do that FTP figure for long intervals on the trainer, or in a TT.
At the end of a 1h FTP effort, you should be close to death.

You forgot the Sufferfest Full Monty and Half Monty tests.
Because 4DP > FTP apparently

What, no blood lactate testing?!

Only thinking on holding my FTP for an hour I'm dying a little. Ramp test every time, I'd rather quick sharp pain and a stroke than dull ever increasing pain and lack of breath.

Has anyone here has experience using a smart Roller trainer like the Elite Arion smart with swift or trainerroad? I like the idea of having a roller instead of a direct drive trainer, but have never used one. Is a roller trainer a good idea, if I want to try to get into structured indoor training?

Yes

Seriously though, if you are planning on using TrainerRoad then do a ramp test in erg mode and then do the plan in the same gear you tested in (erg mode).

They designed their ramp test to work with their software/workouts. If you really think the test is wrong, re do it or wait till the end of the plan and the next one will start with a test.

I use my TR ftp for indoor training but if I got a new turbo I would re test. I take it as a guide for time trials but I use real life race data (from a power meter) to understand what I can actually do for an hour, or 20 mins etc

Yeah that makes sense. I’m not new to training with power so I have a good feel of what my FTP is (within a range).

I’ll do a few sessions at my new suggested FTP and see how I go. I think it’s unlikely there’ll be any events worth getting too sharp for during 2021 so it’s pointless burning myself out, let alone in February. I don’t even own an outdoors bike at this moment in time.

I have been in touch with wahoo and been asked to do various things spin downs,factory spin downs, and other tests.

Most recently it was to forget the kickr, reinstall, factory spindown, and then three spin ups at 0 5 and 10 percent resistance. They asked me to note if I could turn the pedals (yes) if the green LED on the powerbank flickered (no), and did the resistance cut out and it did cut out around 50mph each time.

Should I be asking them to replace the unit? It’s brand new and I have now had to spend nearly two hours running diagnostics and resetting it.

don't understand why zwift don't put in more 'signature' climbs. it's pretty cool how the UI changes on alpe du zwift, with segments for each of the switchbacks etc. they should add more of these simulations of real life climbs...

Does anyone have any recommendations for turbo trainers that don't require a power source?

Tacx Neo if you want a proper ERG one that doesn't require power.

Stupid question but how does that work? Re-gen power?

Not sure... it cuts the power quickly if you stop pedalling so assume it's like a dynamo.

You don't get the pointless fake bumpy road effect or freewheel spinning on downhills using it non-powered, but worked fine on Zwift when I bought one with a non-working PSU.

I don't actually mind the ramp tests too much - once it gets above threshold it goes from "fine" to "fuck this shit" in the space of a few minutes so the pain is short lived, for my poxy efforts anyway.

Did the half monty at the weekend, did it previously mid-December (without heart rate as I couldn't get the ant+ connection to work) & this time I put on 14w - i've been getting ~50-90 miles per week done on the turbo with a fairly mixed bag of workouts & i'm wondering how all the numbers stack up compared to my "normal" riding as this is the first winter i've been on the turbo...

Between March-October I usually get in about 100-150 miles per week (a lot of which is flat commuting) which then tapers off to practically nothing over the worst of the winter - so, am I just starting to regain a bit of the fitness that had been lost between winding down between October - December when I started indoor training, or am I seeing actual improvement?

Either way i've done far more this winter than I usually would have, an improvement on nothing is still an improvement.

I make wattage gains far quicker on the turbo than I do outdoors.

That said, I’m fairly sure when I get outdoors I’ll have zero endurance and bonk hard until I get used to it.

How is the virtual power on TrainerRoad, or does one need to at least get a power meter to pair up with their dumb trainer to get any real benefit?

I used my Kinetic trainer with virtual power for a few years and haven't seen much disparity since swapping to a trainer with built in power meter

I think it depends quite a bit on your particular trainer and how consistent it stays when it heats up

I suspect this might be the case here too - a friend ventured out last week after a spending the last 2 months on the turbo & discovered his superhero-like powers had deserted him, it was -1 and a 17mph headwind which probably didn't help, but still

Septemberish I stopped riding as much and from end October to early Jan I only did a handful of rides outdoors. I've started training again and after about 4 weeks I "feel" like I'm sort of where I was in October before I went from lazy to "bloke who has some bikes in the garage he never rides". I think another month and I'll have a decent base level of fitness and endurance again.