Indoor Trainer Gearing Question
I posted this in the December OS section and decided to move it over to here in the hopes of EN feedback.
I try to replicate my outdoor riding on my trainer - both in the normal weekly training sessions and the FTP tests. That means I work my way through all of the cassette gears and stand a couple of times as well (I do keep things in only the big front ring).
While doing this I do keep on eye on my watts to maintain as close to a 1.0 VI as possible, but just feel that keeping things in one gear during the entire indoor ride does not help me when I head back outside - I have never, ever ridden a perfectly flat outdoor course for any distance.
Plus this seems to help me practice at keeping watts steady during a variety of different cadences and gearing combinations.
What does everyone else do?
P.S. Except when I am standing or riding in the 50/12 I am always in the aero position. That is where I am most comfortable - both indoors and outside. And indoors even in the 50/12 I often ride in the aero position.
Comments
I move the cassette around and even play with big and little ring. I work different cadences to challenge different aspects. For instance I will use 50/12 and turn 45 rpms for 20-25 mins at the end of a workout at my 80-85% (220-240 watts ) wattage to challenge my muscles (I really work on all aspects of the pedal circle when moving this slow) but give my cardio/heart a break to build diesel-like torque. I will also try to hold 100-110 for timeframes.
I find when I'm really in a challenging situation with a group ride I have to work different rpm cycles to give certain aspects of my fitness a break and staying in only one rpm range/gear doesn't help me with that. Come Tri season...I'm sure I will work more on a certain rpm/gear range.
Vince
I typically do one set at higher (>95) cadence and one with lower (<85)...just to mix it up and see how HR responds differenty. I typically race at 95 rpm or so. <br /> B
I try to tkeep it pretty simple, push the watts at a cadence that feels right, use whatever gears I need
Doing my indoor training on a CT, with pre-programmed wattages, I have less opportunity for variation. No matter what gear I'm in, it's always the same power; lower gear just = lower speed. During FTP intervals, I just plug away, trying to maintain as close to 90 RPM as I can. When resting, or during WU and CD, I vary RPMs, and position. But I feel that I'm trying to build some very specific neuromuscular skills and strength, so during the sets, I hold it steady.
Remember, even though terrain is always variable, our coaches point out that our power output should be steady, no matter what the grade. So while there is a bit of logic in changing gears to replicate variable terrain, in the end, we are training to hold a constant wattage. The intervals are hard enough as it is; trying to "mix it up within them" just gets in my way of finishing the set.
This is my second OS. Last year I wondered about the same thing. I decided to just go after the wattages at a reasonable cadence and not worry about anything else. Near the end of the Os, I had great gains in my FTP, but I was riding at a low cadence (~75 rpm). But once outside, I found that it take long at all to reach the same power levels at higher rpms. Within a few weeks, it was all good, racing at ~90 rpm at higher wattages than ever before.
Has anybody else experienced this?
This season, I'm trying to hit the wattages first, whatever that takes, then work on adjusting my cadence and other details (staying aero, etc) when I get outside on the longer rides.
(that said, during the OS, my warmup and cool down sets are usually up at ~90rpm)
Kia Kaha
Philip