Home› General Training Discussions

transitioning to outdoor riding....resources and questions for how to ride with steady power output

salzmadhsalzmadh
in General Training Discussions

Hoping that this discussion might not only be helpful for me, but also folks in a similar situation.  (I've been using a power meter for over a year, last summer more of an expensive toy and watching numbers but was still learning what everything meant)

So I think that I have finally gottent to the point where I will be able to consistently ride outdoors and can perhaps minimize the time spent on the computrainer.  That stated, I'm coming off of nearly 2 months of no running due to injury and 3 weeks of diminished riding due to travel and work.  I'm not focusing on the potential loss of FTP due to life/injury but rather how to maximize training outdoors.

Today I went out for a ride and while the first half was just me having fun with the wind at my back on a nice sunny day, the second half, I turned into the wind, realized that I had about 45 minutes to get home with minimal traffic, and thought that I might try an outdoor FTP test (note I've never done an outdoor FTP test before - all have been indoors on computrainer for a maximal FTP of 229 at the end of the outseason in mid march.

Here is what I learned - my FTP is 10 watts lower than when I left the outseason (calculated using outdoor FTP 20 x 2 + 2 and taking NP for all 42 mintues NP for 2 work segments individually was 212/223)  4 weeks ago.  That said, I felt as if I might have been able to ride a little harder , but it was really hard to focus on the garmin and hit/hold the watts as consistently as I could indoors on the trainer when I could just stare at numbers.  Also didn't want to completely blow up. The wind was howling in my face, but looking at the WKO+ file, the 20 minute intervals seem relatively flat and constant.  Also, not "typical" FTP test as I had ridden 40 minutes prior to deciding somewhat on a whim to do a test as I wanted to play with  FTP pacing and the 10 minute segment turned into 20 etc...

Question #1 - are there any good tricks to consistently hitting the power outdoors with all of the external factors - wind gusts, people, stop lights etcs?  I suppose simple answer is to find a road with no stop lights/signs, people, etc....but how about experiences from the city folk, any good solutions?  Today I the key fields that I was watching were HR/cadence/lap power/30 sec/3 sec/time...ignored speed.

Question #2 - training and life complications aside, is there a generally accepted/average gain/loss of watts when going from indoors to outdoors?

Quesiton #3- apart from using the "smoothing function" on WKO+ any suggestions on how to flaten out the power during an interval to be more consistent? or is it just a function of experience?

Question #4- if there is another good wiki/thread on this please point me in that direction, I looked around but might have missed something.

Thanks for your insight

Comments

  • tuckermtuckerm

    So you did an FTP test after already riding for a good amount of time? I'd most likely test again at another time. As for the questions:

    1. On the garmin I'd minimize the fields you display for intervals. I would only have time, 3s power, AP for lap. This way the power numbers are bigger and easier to see. You don't need the other things. As for hitting the numbers, I just get a number in my head and do what I need to get there.

    2. I would say no. Some people see a boost, some do not. Everyone will have a different story so it's not important what others do.

    3. I assume you are talking about having a low VI? It really takes practice. For the FTP intervals it is all about hitting the numbers. Who cares about riding steady. For the longer low IF rides and the Sunday ABP rides that is where you want to focus on using your gearing to ride steady. Again it's practice.

    4. There probably is. Will take a look.

    http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/108/Default.aspx?topic=Riding+Steady:+Training+vs+Racing

     

  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette

    @David - Good work on your spur-of-the-moment FTP test.  I would say you have not lost much fitness.  As to your questions:

    1 - The best bet is to find a stretch of road that will allow you to get the test done without any forced stops.  Also, the flatter the better, as hitting high watss on a descent is very difficult.  It took me a few iterations last year to find a decent testing venue

    2 - Some see gains.  Some don't.  Last year I was in the latter category; haven't tested outdoors yet so I don't know about this year.

    3 - Practice.

    4 - Yes there are, however my 'Search-Fu" is not up to the task.  I would start going through the 'Power and Pace' forum to find them.

  • salzmadhsalzmadh

    @ Tucker- re #3 - exactly, the VI for both intervals individually was 1.01.  The thoughts about differentiating the FTP rides vs ABP rides is helpful.  I was trying to stay steady at an estimated power output....I guess I was successful.

    @ Joe- I'll start looking deeper through the power arnd pace forum as well, great idea.

    -David

  • tuckermtuckerm
    @David, a VI of 1.01 is just about perfect. Not sure you need much help smoothing out your power on intervals!
Sign In or Register to comment.