Q: Getting outside now, new tri bike, FTP test?
Hello,
I have a few questions about my riding. I just dropped into HIM training week #10 (from 20 week OS + Transition) and wondering how to transition my bike workouts.
Up until now, I've been doing all my riding on the trainer and on a road bike. I'll be doing some of my rides, probably the longer ones outside now. I've heard on some podcasts that outside the watts number that I can sustain might be higher? How would I figure this out? Is it just a matter of riding and feeling it or do I need to plan to do an outside FTP test?
Another question I have is this. I just got a Tri bike. Should I start using that instead of the roadie for all my rides, some of my rides??
I guess related to the above two questions is, should I do an FTP test on the Tri bike. I mean, will the watts be different than on my road bike?? If I should do an FTP test, I suppose it should be outside?
Thanks in advance for any help here.
Enrique
Comments
Short version: Yes. Yes - ALL. Maybe. Yes. (assuming you will be racing outside and on your tri bike)
Longer version. For some folks, they test higher outdoors than they do indoors. Me, not so much. My numbers are pretty much *identical* (cue scene from the courtroom in My Cousin Vinny).
Since you will be racing, I assume, on your tri bike, it is pretty imperitive that you get used to it over the next 10 weeks. Anecdotal evidence from others indicates that you can expect a drop (unfortunately!) in FTP on a tri vs. road bike. However, YMMV.
My turn for questions -- have you been fit on the tri bike? If so, by whom? If not, you need to get that done like yesterday.
You're welcome.
2x what Joe said. A couple of builds. 1st - ease into the rides on the tri bike. You will need to get use to be in the aero position, navigating the road, dealing with wind gusts. Your neck muscles and upper back muscles need to get use to the position as well so I suggest that you do some stretches before and after the ride for you neck. Also, your hip flexor muscle can get tight since you are at a different angle than on a rode back. So i suggest that you do shorter but frequent rides the first couple of weeks on the tribike. 2nd - do a FTP test outside. I've found them to be much harder to do than on a trainer simple because you have to actually ride the bike, look for cars and potholes, stop at lights etc - just more variables to deal with. If you can't find a long stretch of flat stratight rode for the test, just do your best and see how it compares to the trainer. I've never really been able to get a great outdoor test do to the other variables , so I just pretty much use my indoor FTP as a benchmark and then just see how I feel every day. Some days the FTP is really hard and other days it feels EZ. Then I just adjust my IF. Hope that helps.
I would go 2x on everything Bruce and Joe said. When I first got outside on my first tri bike, it literally took me 4-6 weeks before my neck wouldn't be sore after riding. Now that I have put so many miles on it, I actually find it way more comfortable than my road bike.