Home› General Training Discussions

Random silly power question

trigirl1203trigirl1203
in General Training Discussions

 So I am doing my first test this afternoon with my powertap.  Unfortunately, this will be my first time on the bike with power, too.  So this is a dumb question- but do I just hop on and start the timer?  I want to make sure I correctly figure out my functional threshold...So how do you handle this on the Joule with the warm up, cool down, etc.?  Can anyone break this down for me?

Thanks...additional dumb power questions to follow, Im sure image

Comments

  • Tom GlynnTom Glynn
    jump on the bike, turn the Joule on, warm up for 15 minutes, hit the interval button and pedal like mad for 20 minutes, hit the interval button, recover for 2 minutes, hit the interval button, pedal like crazy for 20 more minutes, hit the interval button. Either get off the bike or cool down for a while. Connect the Joule to your computer and download the data into WKO or other software. Select all 3 intervals (20 min, 2 min, 20 min) and look at the Normalized power for the 42 minutes. That's your new FT. For analysis, also compare the 1st and 2nd intervals. How close are they? If yu faded really badly, practice pacing!

    Good luck and ask away!
  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons

    Lauren, Tom is the master on this stuff.  

    Pace it a little the first 6 minutes into the first 20.  If you are in a nightmare scenario at the 5-6 minute mark, you know you went out too hard.  It takes time and practice to test effectively.

    Hitting the interval button as Tom mentions let's you see the break information of the two intervals and is helpful.

    I just do one, 42 minute interval, makes it simpler for me.

    Good luck with the Power meter and welcom to bike hell and getting faster!

    SS

  • trigirl1203trigirl1203
    Thank you both--So I finished the workout, with intervals as suggested. Now I connected my joule and have my info in TP...but am unsure how to "select the 3 intervals" to determine my FTP. Advice? Sorry for the noob question....

    And totally went out too hard...faded pretty bad. Will work on that image
  • Dave CampbellDave Campbell
    Lauren, if you are using TP WKO, on the graph, put your pointer on the left side of the first interval, left click and paint to the right to cover the entire 42 minutes. That will creat a custom interval. You can change the name of it also. But that is hiw you can get a 42 minute FTP interval. Make sense? If you are using another version of TP, maybe someone else can chime in if this technique doesn't work.
  • trigirl1203trigirl1203
    Ah yes....got it. Thank you for responding so quickly! And I forget from the power webinar...Do I use the average watts for those 42 min or the norm power number? Thanks again...
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott
    Normalized Power FOR THE 42 MINUTES = your FTP. But they (NP and avg power) should be very close (your are aiming for a VI of 1.00!)
  • Dave CampbellDave Campbell
    Its NP, but usually mine are pretty close. Pacing these is critical to getting good results. Also during the warm up, make sure you go for some short intervals, like 1 min on, 1 off with the on part at least as high as you plan to ride. During the first 20 min interval, I've had better success sitting at about 90% for the first 10 minutes, then up to 95% for the second 10. Then after the 2 minute break, I come back at 95% of 5, 100% for 10, then give it whatever I have left for the last 5. Everybody is different and you have to figure out your method. A BIG FAN and some motivating tunes can also make a difference.
  • trigirl1203trigirl1203
    My normalized power and avg watts for those 42 min were a difference of 7...with a VI of 1.03. Does this sound right or am I all over the place? Starting with power is like learning to ride a bike all over again.... image
  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    Sounds right. 1.00 doesn't happen because of the 2' rest. Nice job!
  • Tom GlynnTom Glynn
    What was the watt difference between interval 1 and 2? How much work on pacing do you have ahead image
  • DanielaDaniela
    My Avg Watt and Norm Watts are only different by 1 over the 42 minutes (VI of 1.01). 7 seems high to me. My watts for the 3 segments is 182, 118, 188, so there is somewhat large difference between the "on" and "off" parts. I took a look through the Nov OS Bike test thread, and other VI's of 1.01, and differences between Avg Watts and Norm Watts of 0-1 watt.
  • trigirl1203trigirl1203
    It was a difference of 15 watts for the 2 intervals...would that be what attributed for the VI of 1.03? Because my pacing was so bad? I definitely have lots of work to do with pacing... image
  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons

    You did great for the first time to ever do an FTP test!  Be patient with yourself, like anything, these things take time and experience to improve.

    SS

  • DanielaDaniela
    Which was higher the first or second 20'? Seems like most people blow up on their first test, so if you were the other way around, you're ahead of the curve on that one. I typically have 1-2 bad test each year where I go out way too hard and can't come close to holding it for the second half. It'll take some time, but the next test should be much better if you learn to pace the workout intervals as well. I try to keep mine within a few watts of each other, with each one slightly higher then the previous.
  • trigirl1203trigirl1203
    The first one was much higher...Eh...Lots of time to work with these numbers ahead...I can already tell this will be much harder than Ive ever worked on the trainer...image
  • DanielaDaniela
    I found a VI of 1.03 in the test thread...Kai's results. Looks similar to what you described for yours. btw, as I looked through, I noticed a LOT of people had lower second half's then first half. It'll get better with practice. The test will still suck to do, though image

    Total 42': NP 252W (3.1 W/kg), HR 170bpm, VI 1.03, Cad 93
    1st 20': NP 265W, HR 166bpm, VI 1.01, Cad 91
    2nd 20': NP 245W, HR 177bpm, VI 1.01, Cad 95
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    All,

    Thanks for helping Lauren out! Lots of new-to-power peeps in here...and I'm hope they're all watching!

  • gilliattgilliatt
    The first one was much higher...Eh...Lots of time to work with these numbers ahead...I can already tell this will be much harder than Ive ever worked on the trainer...

    Hard focused work in the OS plus your considerable amount of expeience in long course stuff = fast lauren.
Sign In or Register to comment.