Transitioning bike workouts from trainer to residential area

thaimai

I'm new to doing bike workouts with power and have enjoyed doing the early morning bike workouts on a trainer where it's tightly focus and free of distractions.  

But I'll have to eventually transition to do my workouts outdoors.  

How do Haus members do their main sets (i.e. 2x10@Z4) in residential neighborhoods where there are stop signs and lights that will interrupt the momentum of riding hard?  Is it OK to slow down at intersections and pickup the effort afterwards and do the total of 10 min even though it's not a full 10 min pushing at Z4?

 

Darren Freeman

I stay on my bike trainer for my FTP and VO2 workouts as much as I can where I'm looking to get very specific numbers.  Once the lower intensity workouts start to ramp up in volume and time duration I'll perform those workouts outside and go back to the trainer as needed depending on weather, how I feel, intensity, etc.

Al Truscott

Posted By Thai Mai on 18 Mar 2014 01:14 PM

How do Haus members do their main sets (i.e. 2x10@Z4) in residential neighborhoods where there are stop signs and lights that will interrupt the momentum of riding hard?  Is it OK to slow down at intersections and pickup the effort afterwards and do the total of 10 min even though it's not a full 10 min pushing at Z4?

I don't do FTP or VO2 workouts in "residential neighborhoods", nor in any area with significant traffic flow and/or course interruptions. I want to be able to keep my self working hard and not worry too much about traffic. I will ride or drive to a route which meets the safety and continuity requirements for a good workout. Luckily, for VO2 workouts, I have a nice hill within a little used park 3 miles from my house which is fairly steep, and long enough for 90 seconds strong efforts. For FTP work, I will either ride 30 minutes to another, larger park with a five mile drive with designated bike shoulders, and do laps there, each one serving up about 13 minutes of hard effort and 3-4 minutes of recovery. Or I will drive or ride 12 miles to a road which traverses a military base and offers wide shoulders, no lights, little traffic, and fairly flat terrain. An out and back there gives me 15-20 minutes over a 6-67 mile course.

For interval work, I stay off most bike paths, which are too risky with slower bikers, pedestrians, runners, etc. There is a 14 mile one which is about 30 miles away which is very lightly used, that I incorporate into longer rides for a good chunk of FTP work.

Phil Mills

Al - any chance you would PM me the location of the routes you listed?

tim cronk

If the wko assignment is something like 8' 12' and 20' @ FTP , that adds up to 40'..... I just let the terrain, lights, and traffic dictate the length of my intervals and recoveries .... Don't worry so much about sticking to the exact intervals or rests just aim to accumulate 40min @ FTP combined .... After time you will find, safe , convenient , favorite routes to ride to accomplish your goals.....

MattAaronson

Posted By Thai Mai on 18 Mar 2014 01:14 PM

How do Haus members do their main sets (i.e. 2x10@Z4) in residential neighborhoods where there are stop signs and lights that will interrupt the momentum of riding hard?

 

I don't. I live in downtown Chicago and on weekends will commonly drive an hour (occasionally more) to get in a quality workout. If I can't do that, and on weekdays, I do my workouts on the trainer so ensure I get the quality.

djames69

I've had the same question as I'm somewhat new to using the plan myself. I am sometimes on a spin bike and can be specific to the workout plan. However being in Southern California, I'm fortunate to be able to ride and have been getting out for example at night once a week throughout the winter. But for the interval sets that get into z4 or 5, due to stop signs, lights etc, I've done those intervals on extended climbs. They seems to easily bump up the effort level and the heart rate. Seems to work for me, might try that, but I'd also question others if this is the right thing to do?

Al Truscott

Posted By David James on 25 Mar 2014 10:35 PM


... for the interval sets that get into z4 or 5, due to stop signs, lights etc, I've done those intervals on extended climbs. They seems to easily bump up the effort level and the heart rate. Seems to work for me, might try that, but I'd also question others if this is the right thing to do?

That's how our Coach (Rich) does at least half of his training, up into the San Gabriels. The other half, he says he does on a closed dam road, just relating over and back. So you;re in good company.

Coach Patrick

x10 for safety and x2 for Tim's advice. Do the math on total z4 time and just get ^that^ done in your ride!!!

Mark Maurer

I don't do those types of workouts in residential neighborhoods. For the rides that are vo2 out FTP focused and less than 2 his I do those on the trainer. I'm lucky because I live at the edge of a growth management area and I can get out to rural roads with a 15-20 minute bike ride which is perfect for a warm up and cool down. I will incorporate Vo2 and FTP intervals in those rides but I rarely go out on the road for rides less than 2 hours except for commuting or errands. Even on rural roads though I find it's a little tricky to do the high intensity stuff especially as I get toward the end because it takes so much concentration to finish them.