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raising FT on road bike vs tri bike

ghernandghernand
in General Training Discussions

hello team and coaches,

i am entering the off season in 3 days (e.g. OS will be 17weeks total before transition week and race prep) and, thus, time to raise the FT.

My A-race is IMCdA 2011.

My cervelo P3C tri-bike is set up perfectly. 

I also have another P3C, frameset, same size, that i can either sell or keep.  If I sell it, I would get a pure road bike frame.  If I keep it, it will serve as my road bike, with road bars. 

Goal 1: i want to ride more hills this off-season to prepare for CdA and get my climbing FT as high as i can.

Goal 2: i want to get comfortable descending at solid speed to prepare for CdA. i currently suck at descending.

Questions:

should i set up the P3C road twin bike with the same measurements as the race bike (i.e. seat forward), only with road bars?

or should I set it up in a standard road position with seat back?

in other words, will training with power (quarq) in a standard road position, help me for IMCdA or am I just wasting time that could be used building FT with the actual position i will be riding on race day and throughout the race prep period?

depending on the advice of the team, i will either sell the frame and go pure road bike to complement the tri bike or keep the p3c twin frame and set it up just like the race bike only with road bars.

Thanks very much for your time and advice!!!!!!!!!  naturally, i will keep be working on body composition throughout...even today on thanksgiving!!!!!! rice cakes baby!!!!!

GH

 

 

Comments

  • x3ministryx3ministry

     This time of year I keep my race bike hooked up to the stationary trainer. I do all of my intervals and testing on the stationary bike. When I ride with friends I pull my powertap off the trainer and swap it to my road bike. I wouldn't give up either bike because they both serve a very specific purpose. If I was in your situation I would try and pick up a road bike for group rides and such. Put that race bike on a trainer and leave it for the serious work. I also feel the geometry of the P3C is not very compatible with road bars not to mention it would be a very stiff ride. 

  • Chris GChris G
    Sell the other p3 and get a real road bike. A p3 set up as a road bike is just silly. Ride both bikes as hard as you can. Do not worry too much about positional FTP. Wont matter much. You will do all the long stuff before the race on the tri bike. Til then rid whatever you want. I think that everyone should have a road bike, and a cross bike and a mountain bike and a cool retro ride to the bar bike, but for sure a tri bike and a road bike.
  • Jeff BraatenJeff Braaten

     @Chris, A man after my own heart, couldn't agree more! 

  • kjanracingkjanracing
    You need to add a tandem to the list! GIlberto, I train on my road bike and run clip-on bars so I can do the aero thang. I can get a lot of time in the bars, and climb and descend and enjoy it more than just riding the TT bike. That time will come later in the season. I'm currently working on a system on my road bike that will let me shift from the bar end as well as the brake/shifter so I don't have to take my hands off the aero bars to shift. I'll call it the KA1. I just can't afford Di2.
  • ghernandghernand

    anthony/chris/jeff/kurt:

    thanks very much for the input. i'll make the necessary moves (sales) to get a road bike on board. 

    any further advice or recommendations are most welcomed, but sounds like:

    if work-works (which we all know is true), then the goal is to ride according to the OS plan consistently and efficiently.  if you are lucky enough to have the options (credit cards in my case!) to have multiple bikes for optimal riding over various terrains, then the likelihood of riding consistently and efficiently over the OS increases, which all leads to the ultimate goal of a higher FT.

    correct?

    thanks again!

    GH

     

     

  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    Gilberto,

    At the end of it all, you want to raise your FTP. However you chose to do it is up to you. Assume that there's a 10% drop from road bike to tri bike.

    Starting road FTP= 300
    starting tri FTP =270

    After a 10% improvement, you would be at

    Ending road FTP =330
    Ending tri FTP= 297

    See that the difference between the two is still the same (10%). So it doesn't matter what bike you chose, just that you get the work done!
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