Road Cycling

[Jobe]

We had also wondered which "side" the pub locals would be cheering for. England score - quite a few cheers. Croatia score - pub was on fire. Question answered.

Also, can confirm, all proper Scots took the form of Colombian's, Croats, Belgians at various points through July. It is how it is.

North Wales is just the same. Shame really as most English footy fans always want the home nations to do well

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

Guys in the know... Would it be possible to raise my FTP over winter by 20% to over 300w?
Got in in my head as a target FTP and now can't shake the idea... Realistic or not?

 

[Jobe]

How would you measure your ftp?

 

[Saytan]

With a power meter.

 

[BennyC]

60w jump in 5 months is unrealistic wishful thinking, unless you're currently deconditioned, unfamiliar to structured training, are able to prioritise training & recovery within your lifestyle or possibly have some access to 'assistance' - or all of these

Can definitely see improvements for sure and that end goal is more likely than not achievable but in that timeframe it is, in my opinion, overly ambitious.

Improving capability to ride near or at threshold for greater periods is another short term goal to consider and as a byproduct should yield some increase in FTP.

 

[UTmaniac]

My best 20mins of power on the turbo was ~290W back around Feb. Admittedly, I've not had a great year, health and the heatwave have given me a few setbacks as regards trying to improve my best 20mins of power outdoors while I become more middle aged... I finally improved to ~294W nine days ago iirc!

Had to have the two teeth between my 2013 rta-removed ones pulled out this afternoon, due to major root resorption, yet they were both swines to come out... No cycling for me of note until Sunday, but that looks completely rained off, thank goodness I'm off all next week.

 

[Jobe]

With a power meter.

What about a trainer only? Or would it be a trainer with a power meter fitted still?

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

How would you measure your ftp?

Quarq power meter

60w jump in 5 months is unrealistic wishful thinking, unless you're currently deconditioned, unfamiliar to structured training, are able to prioritise training & recovery within your lifestyle or possibly have some access to 'assistance' - or all of these

Can definitely see improvements for sure and that end goal is more likely than not achievable but in that timeframe it is, in my opinion, overly ambitious.

Improving capability to ride near or at threshold for greater periods is another short term goal to consider and as a byproduct should yield some increase in FTP.

My current FTP is 247w. Although I haven't done one recently. I don't have any FTP based structure in in my riding really, most of the focus this year has been getting comfortable staying aero on the TT bike for an ironman. I also swim and run a lot.
Since having got my ironman medal last weekend I'm kind of finding myself at a loose end, with no goals in sight hence the 300w FTP...

Am I right in thinking that to increase FTP I have two main options. Sweet spot mileage at 87-93% FTP and also over/under interval would provide best bang for buck?

 

[BennyC]

Am I right in thinking that to increase FTP I have two main options. Sweet spot mileage at 87-93% FTP and also over/under interval would provide best bang for buck?

Yes/no. Periodisation or Polarisation. If you want to periodise with sweetspot & over-unders you can. Your available training time, recovery time and HOW you respond (and more importantly) enjoy each style of training is important too. Regardless of how focused you are on the end goal if that particular type of interval/training style makes you miserable it's not sustainable.

We all respond differently so it's about finding what works for you.

Baring in mind FTP, much like strength, vary's day to day. Poor sleep, underlying sickness, fatigue or just an off day can see watts drop from your FTP but it doesn't mean you're regressing necessarily.

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

Ok brilliant, thanks for your feedback. I enjoy intervals, I used to go off piste a little with one of the spin instructors for a double session on Friday nights... Basically over and unders for 1.5 hours with 20 minute sweet spot TT at the change over halfway through when people are doing their warm downs or warm ups. Felt great
That mixed with some longer sweetspot sessions feels awesome to me and suites my riding style I think. Maybe I should go back to more of that now I don't need the big mileage.

 

[BennyC]

I frequently see users on the UKTTF commenting that their FTP peak doesn't correlate with training volume.

Less can be more.

 

[One More Solo]

I frequently see users on the UKTTF commenting that their FTP peak doesn't correlate with training volume.

Less can be more.

Depends hugely on your training composition I reckon. If you’re riding loads of audaxes you’ll probably have big CTL but not see similar gains in FTP. If your training is loads of threshold intervals then I reckon you’ll see stronger correlation.

Having said that, I set short distance power PBs at the end of last year after a few months of doing nothing but riding around slowly a lot, so maybe I’m talking nonsense.

 

[BennyC]

Having said that, I set short distance power PBs at the end of last year after a few months of doing nothing but riding around slowly a lot, so maybe I’m talking nonsense.

Aerobic base gains

For the majority increasing volume (generally) and moderating intensity so that you don't end up in a hole as a result, training a little intuitively if you will, pushing yourself at times but not the extent of being unable to recover, should yield a gain.

As you know it's a bit subjective to simply say increase volume linearly and periodically deload as you would in the weights room, even then it's not black & white but it is at least simpler.

 

[Jonny ///M]

https://www.strava.com/activities/1796101706/overview

Tough morning today! Roadworks meant the usual route was off the cards so we took a right instead of a left towards a more hilly route.

An attack went here on a steep climb, never been up it but went and got myself and one other skinny ******* onto the two other skinny ********
https://www.strava.com/activities/1796101706/segments/45078908287

Just missed out a KOM but managed to get the other one which is basically the same thing.

Another attack went on a drag but stuck with the bunch and tried to pull it back but they kept it at 6-8 seconds as no one was willing to dig deep and work together.

Pulled off at the cut off for home to wait on my mate(punctured)and it took about 8 minutes for the last guy to pass me. Carnage in the wind!

 

[Saytan]

What about a trainer only? Or would it be a trainer with a power meter fitted still?

Any device that measures power and is consistent with itself will do the job.

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

Potential noob FTP question...
Should you be looking at power to pace it better whilst riding or do it all on perceived effort of 'balls out'

 

[UTmaniac]

Potential noob FTP question...
Should you be looking at power to pace it better whilst riding or do it all on perceived effort of 'balls out'

I'm going to presume you are talking about giving yourself a 20min FTP test and it is not your first test i.e. you have at least one previous 20min hard effort where you came away thinking you gave it pretty close to everything you had...

I think there is a danger of setting off too hard if you just go with how it feels, rather than looking at your power readings at the time and trying not to go too much above your previous recent test result. That way, you can always try to go a bit harder if you still feel good when you have ~5mins or so to go, if you blast out a power bazooka early on your legs could be absolutely shot in the final minutes of your 20min test.

For me, I know from from hill climbing on Zwift early this year, that I'm capable of 290W average over 20mins on a good day. The consensus seems to be that you should get better results outdoors, but one issue for me is that we have no steady climbs that take over 20mins for me to climb, I will end up with some flat or even downhill sections in that 20min period (which you can try to keep the power up on, but in my experience it's far harder to put out ~300W on flat or downhill compared to uphill). I try to not go too much above ~330W early on, but it's not easy, if you feel particularly good on a ride.

On Wednesday 15th, I felt unexpectedly good in the legs, so I simply went with feel for the ~10.7 mile loop https://www.strava.com/activities/1774397290/overview

Last Saturday I got an accidental new best 20min result, while trying to keep to similar power I had done several times up Ashton and Salt, but all the way to Beacon Hill. Even more surprising was I was able to knock out some similar power levels for shorter durations a bit later in the ride too on multiple occasions. https://www.strava.com/activities/1781297772/overview

I'm still very new to the power meter business, so hopefully more experienced member s will chip in with their 2 pence worth!

Feeling so frustrated about being told by dentist that I should not go out today, even for a recovery ride, when it's almost perfect for me out there in the mid teens and fir bit of sunshine and I've not bit up in the South Downs since Monday... I was very naughty and cycle commuted to work and back today, no way was I going to entertain the bus on a Saints home match day and there being a Pride event in the city centre too!

... Seriously debating going out for a super gentle ride for an hour or so, unless the weather forecast has improved for tomorrow's predictions of heavy rain from ~1000.

 

[Berger]

Depends how long you have been riding at 290w level for and if it was just a one off and how well you are physically, obviously some people take training a lot harder or get more benefit quicker than others.

Fwiw my best 10 mile TT power came after riding the turbo and a few metric 100s at the start of the season having done almost no TT work in the lead up. My power numbers were great but the position and panache wasn’t quite there

I’m riding a few watts less now but a lot quicker due to working on position and setup. I also can push more watts on the road than on the trainer, not sure why, but that’s how it is, perhaps able to use core strength or sit slightly different.

I probably had around a 340-360w FTP in May 2016, after a few years of working at it to get to that level. I had pretty much a year off last year, got on the trainer start of this year. I’m only doing 5-8hrs a week now but must have had some muscle memory, around 300w ftp now and enjoying my riding and TTs, striking a fairly happy medium between training and life.

 

[sHo0sH]

Cycled my first real cool yesterday, was tougher than I thought, but managed to get up slowly in the end!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1794523430?

Now tomorrow is the big one, cormet des Roseland 23km climb with 1200 m of ascent, hopefully I'll manage it!

Alps life as a 90kg rider is tough!!

 

[Saytan]

I've been reading 'bicycling science' recently and supposedly the heat transfer in moving air is a real contributor to increased power development outdoors.