Power Meters / Powermeters (SRM, Powertap, Quarq, Ergomo, Vector, Stages, power2max, P2M, 4iii, InPower, Cinch)

Snap.

Although I like to use extra virin olive oil as I fear trans fats.

FWIW.

I do a couple roughly 1 minute blasts.

Recover a bit.

Then smash it up a 20 minute climb.

Why the fuck would I want to test myself indoors, bolted to a turbo trainer.

Why the fuck would I want to test myself indoors, bolted to a turbo trainer.

Snow? Ice? Norway?

I dont race, or do my best intervals on the Turbo. Its a suppliment. I want my FTP to reflect what I can do during proper intervals and while racing.

Also. Thick clothes, studded tyres, good lights.

I came back from a 3 hour ride through an insane hale storm a week ago. Saw other local riders had been doing Sunday turbo sessions, when I uploaded to Strava. And instantly thought 'poor bastards'.

Yeah, this was my point exactly. Like @Smallfurry I do 1 minute efforts to try and flush the legs out - if I did a 20 min test straight off the result be way too high to be useful for pacing a 25'.

Although saying that, pacing off an FTP only isn't a great strategy.

Ohh.. That's what it's for. Weird

What's wrong with 6 mins progressive effort, and a couple of activation sprints?

Beats me! Or a MAP test and just take a % off the end of it - much easier as there's no pacing involved, you can do it blind if you've got someone to help you and it's not as affected by residual fatigue.

Having said that when you get enough data and a better feel for things you don't even need to do them - NP over a ~20min duration will get you most of the way there if you're doing intervals on the turbo or something, or a 25 mile TT, 1hr chaingang, etc.

LOLage :)

I should get cleverer and actually program my CT for ramps and specific intervals.

#lazy

Why the fuck would I want to test myself indoors, bolted to a turbo trainer

Fewer external variables. Apart from that, turbos suck.

I did an hour nearly all out on the turbo the other day.
Was fun.

I used to like it.
Mainly because it was less faff. And very focused.
But grinding chain, lack of fan, glitchy laptop, etc etc. Just pisses me off.

I need to sort out the niggles.

It's weird. Because all the crap that can happen outside just spurs me on. When stuff goes wrong inside I just want to beat the turbo with my lap top. So frustrating.

I've been taking to turbo more because the fact it's so shit... means it's actually harder mentally than doing the same shit out on the road. Since long TTs are a mental game that I've been failing at the last couple of years I thought it was smart. Turns out, I just don't like any of it.

Shoulda done a Wilko and come back to race and Comp Record after 16 years... ha!

Sounds like a good way to burn out and hate cycling!

That's why I like sprinting and track - it's fast, over quickly.. then you go to the pub.
All this riding bikes for hours and hours day after day— it's overrated.

then you go to the pub

IN!

Ah, glad to hear you say this. I don't really test much anymore (only when coach tells me to, which is rare) - I know where I am and clearing enough time to be fresh for them seems like a good way of wasting half a week of training.

I am seriously considering this and funnily enough for the reasons you mentioned plus the fact that I am not too far from HH now and mix it up innit .. wont powermeter tho

You're too fucked to train properly after too.

IMHO.

• you need to know the correct targets for intervals of various lengths.
  
• you need to know pacing figures for your chosen event.
  
• you need to know the fatigue effect of your training.
  
  

If I feel I have the above knowledge. I'd definitely drop testing on a 'fresh day' in exchange for training.

This was mentioned in the Slow Twitch long term review of the BSX insight as one of it's biggest attractions - you can test, then train the same day, as it's measuring SmO2 in real time and only needs a standard ramp test to spot the inflection point where you move out of your aerobic zone.

i.e. test more often, no impact on training.

If you could post a video of you rubbing your legs with "hot butter", I'd find that most useful.

Many thanks in advance!

I fear for what purpose my videos would be used for.

Yep. Welcome to my world.

I go to the pub like I race my bikes - for hours and hours until I can't walk properly.

Whatever they are having, I want.