bike pacing- trainer vs outdoor?

Naftali Presser

HI all, Query re: bike pacing
I just did my first long ride outside (all others were on trainer) this weekend and was surprised by a couple of things- 
1. the perceived exertion per HR was greatly reduced... (on the trainer, I feel like i'm really working if my HR is consistently in the 130s, and the 140s are like " I can only hold out for a few more minutes before dying"- yet on the outdoor ride my HR avg was 130 and towards the end was routinely in the 140s and couldn't get below 130 unles I literally was going 10 mph on a flat yet i didnt really feel the same way as these other heart rates have elicited? thoughts?
2. based on trainer tests 130's HR is my zone 3. after beginning of ride can't seem to get heart rate below 130s so worried about burning out on the bike if cant get this down...also only 5 weeks left until race so not a ton of time to build more fitness...?

thanks all for any help!

Al Truscott

As to the improvement in the RPE:HR...may be do to several factors. First, you are undoubtedly getting fitter. Second, outside, you have all these mini-recovery intervals that you don't have indoors - stop lights/signs slowing for traffic, downhills of varying lengths. So you get little rests which maybe aren't long enough to produce a significant HR drop, but are nonetheless making things *feel* easier.

Sounds like you are an HR athlete, and are basing your training paces and race day plans off of that. In which case it is probably a very good idea to do a test outdoors on your race bike. You can replace one of the interval/FTP workouts (usually Tuesday?) with a test just like the ones you probably already have done. This will give you a new baseline to use for training and more important for race day pacing.

Naftali Presser

thanks! this makes a lot of sense and is really hlepful (especially living in LA, think those endless traffic lights probably help more than I realize...)- will replace the FTP as suggested and will see!
np

Paul Curtin

Hi @Naftali Presser -- something is clearly out of sync between the measured indoor and outdoor heart rates.  I assume it's the exact same HR strap and measuring device?  Wind can be a factor outdoors and cause readings to be erroneously high

Definitely test outdoors and get new numbers.  Then stick to the new numbers, and try to do the remaining rides outdoors (at least the long rides)

If there are 5 weeks to race-day, there's definitely time to continue to build fitness

Katherine Chabot-Boucher

I also find I have different numbers outside. I actually have indoor and outdoor numbers whether I am inside or out my effort feels the same.