It's killing me but..........

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Just tell your neighbors that you watch the movie "Top Gun" for inspiration -- daily.;)
LOL - ahem, 'you can be my wingman....' :rolleyes:

See what you are missing out on??? http://cyclingforums.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

http://i9.tinypic.com/2woll6h.jpgI think this is the one of the best posts on this thread !! I just love the sense of urgency to get the bike sorted and on to the trainer no matter that it's in the living room or that there are misceallaneous bits of bike strewn wildly all over the place. I really like the little stack of bits of wood under the front wheel - mostly as it reminds me of my own trainer set-up which is similarly haphazard (although mine is in the garage....)

Ken

I think this is the one of the best posts on this thread !! I just love the sense of urgency to get the bike sorted and on to the trainer no matter that it's in the living room or that there are misceallaneous bits of bike strewn wildly all over the place. I really like the little stack of bits of wood under the front wheel - mostly as it reminds me of my own trainer set-up which is similarly haphazard (although mine is in the garage....)

KenKen - Glad you enjoyed that and thanks for reading.

Even though it was late, there was no way I was going to wait to get started! A new adventure. Haphazard? Absolutely. Fun? Quite!

Cheers :)

I think this is the one of the best posts on this thread !! I just love the sense of urgency to get the bike sorted and on to the trainer no matter that it's in the living room or that there are misceallaneous bits of bike strewn wildly all over the place. I really like the little stack of bits of wood under the front wheel - mostly as it reminds me of my own trainer set-up which is similarly haphazard (although mine is in the garage....)
Agree, the picture really captures the moment. I can imagine someone dead-set on getting on that thing *tonight*, if even for a just few minutes. I really cringe seeing that cassette and hub perilously close to the carpet, though. I hope that thing's cleaner than any one that's ever been on my bike.

Lucy, phone books work pretty well for supporting the front wheel, if you find the 'pile of 2x4's' gets unstable.

Lucy, phone books work pretty well for supporting the front wheel, if you find the 'pile of 2x4's' gets unstable.Tonight! Oui Oui - that's what I was thinking, no waiting till tomorrow, no more wondering :)

I bet phone books would work better but I don't have any! Time to call up qwest http://cyclingforums.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

I bet phone books would work better but I don't have any! Time to call up qwest http://cyclingforums.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
Where is this Nirvana where they don't bury people with unsolicited phone books? :confused:

Where is this Nirvana where they don't bury people with unsolicited phone books? :confused:shhhhhh....I could tell you but only on the condition of you being part of the cult....;)

Besides, most people are under the impression that sending phone books to new mexico would mean they go to a foreign country! :p

Well you see, it all began about 5 years ago. That was the last time I had 'regular' phone service - I then switched to a mobile only and shazam....no more phone books.

Ironically, the nice thing about using my entirely amatuerish set-up (12" sections of 2"x4"s), is that they wiggle ever so slightly....somewhat mimicking the feel of the bike on the road while on the trainer.

Ohhhhhh and I got a fan!! Darn near called every store in town but finally got a nice 20" portable shop fan. So today I worked up a sweat rather than a pool of the stuff doing my 2 x 20 L4's...:cool:

Well you see, it all began about 5 years ago. That was the last time I had 'regular' phone service - I then switched to a mobile only and shazam....no more phone books.
Darn! That was my first guess, but I couldn't imagine that the people who deliver them out of vans actually know which houses have phone service or not. You are truly unattached -- like the wind. :)

Ironically, the nice thing about using my entirely amatuerish set-up (12" sections of 2"x4"s), is that they wiggle ever so slightly....somewhat mimicking the feel of the bike on the road while on the trainer.
I use 2 pieces of 2x12, myself, which is a bit larger than your setup and also attached together. When I get out of the saddle, the front wheel walks forward slightly over time, and I hate having to get off to adjust everything backwards again. Keep an eye that your wheel doesn't get out over that front block and tip the whole thing forward.

Darn! That was my first guess, but I couldn't imagine that the people who deliver them out of vans actually know which houses have phone service or not. You are truly unattached -- like the wind. :) Heh....unattached, yes, and in every sense of the word - much to my delight. Now about those van people, well call it a sixth sense, that or role call!


I use 2 pieces of 2x12, myself, which is a bit larger than your setup and also attached together. When I get out of the saddle, the front wheel walks forward slightly over time, and I hate having to get off to adjust everything backwards again. Keep an eye that your wheel doesn't get out over that front block and tip the whole thing forward.Oh ok, that's an interesting set-up, but obviously it works for you. I bought some nails today to bind the pieces of wood together - I'm thinking of making a sort of cradle shape, like a mini-crate - that probably made no sense at all but then, this is the bike cafe...a place for friends :)

Fiddle around with the trainer, finally figuring out how to arrange it. Put the bike on then realize the back tire is flat. Oops, extra tubes don't fit deep-v wheel - settle for, gasp, patch! http://cyclingforums.com/images/smilies/redface.gifWhile you're out shopping next time to pick up some longneck valve tubes, pick up some spare batteries for the hub and the CPU. You just don't know how old the original supplied batteries are and it's always good to have 'em handy.

Now I'm waiting for the day when something goes wrong and you're riding naked (without a power meter I mean). We all go through it. It's quite an invigorating experience:D . Of course it happened to me in the three weeks leading up to my main championship goal event last year:eek: . Would really, really love to have had the data from that day.

......I bought some nails today to bind the pieces of wood together.....
Ah ha, so that explains the hammer :rolleyes:

Okay, so we agreed a few posts back that appetite certainly fits in with the "it's killing me but" theme.

I am typically very disciplined when it comes to eating, but this morning I am definately fighting the urge to keep my mind off of food.

Pizza buffet keeps popping in my head even at this early hour.
Hope that next bowl of oatmeal will curb the thought. The first serving of oatmeal didn't.

Darn! That was my first guess, but I couldn't imagine that the people who deliver them out of vans actually know which houses have phone service or not. You are truly unattached -- like the wind. :)


I use 2 pieces of 2x12, myself, which is a bit larger than your setup and also attached together. When I get out of the saddle, the front wheel walks forward slightly over time, and I hate having to get off to adjust everything backwards again. Keep an eye that your wheel doesn't get out over that front block and tip the whole thing forward.
I have noticed with my set up that although I make sure that the bike is level it feels as if the handle bars are too low and I can’t ride as comfortably on the “hoods” as I do on the road. I feel that the front end needs to be up higher but I am reluctant to do this, as perhaps I will be training different muscle groups. Anyone else found this or is it just me?
Wow… we are really going off topic now; SillyOldTwit's heart rate monitor will be going though the roof!

Ah ha, so that explains the hammer :rolleyes: Heh....well partly....the hammer is useful for oh so many things....pounding nails is but one of them ;)


While you're out shopping next time to pick up some longneck valve tubes, pick up some spare batteries for the hub and the CPU. You just don't know how old the original supplied batteries are and it's always good to have 'em handy.

Now I'm waiting for the day when something goes wrong and you're riding naked (without a power meter I mean). We all go through it. It's quite an invigorating experience:D . Of course it happened to me in the three weeks leading up to my main championship goal event last year:eek: . Would really, really love to have had the data from that day.Hi Alex - I'll keep that in mind about the extra battery. As I recall they included an extra battery for the computer but not for the hub - unless the hub and computer use the same battery. I'll have to see what battery the hub takes and where I can get them - suggestions always welcomed!

Heh...I know what you mean about riding with the blinders on (ie...sans PM). Right now it probably wouldn't be as big a deal - mainly as I am still adjusting to riding the trainer, the PM itself, L4's....so I tend to look at the display quite a bit. I've got a lot to learn in associating the physiological responses my body gives off/produces at a given power.

You though, would probably have a far better idea of what, say, X number of watts 'feels' like. Speaking of feel, I like the study you did about aero drag (CdA) w/power meters. Seems like a good way to find some 'free watts' in a sense. Doing it on a velodrome was the perfect method, short of a wind tunnel which is many things, but cheap isn't among them! Now if only we had a velodrome here :)

I have noticed with my set up that although I make sure that the bike is level it feels as if the handle bars are too low and I can’t ride as comfortably on the “hoods” as I do on the road. I feel that the front end needs to be up higher but I am reluctant to do this, as perhaps I will be training different muscle groups. Anyone else found this or is it just me?

Me too, despite having put a level on my top tube to convince myself otherwise. My front wheel is probably raised .5-1" now, and I'd doubt that affects the muscles significantly.

Wow… we are really going off topic now; SillyOldTwit's heart rate monitor will be going though the roof!
Well, we're just making small talk now waiting for Tyson to do his next workout so we can discuss it. Anybody seen the waiter? I'm ready for a refill.... :)

Do we need a topic? How about Floyd's powerpoint (http://www.floydlandis.com/blog/2006/10/12/188/) laying out his defense? Anybody read it yet?

Do we need a topic? How about Floyd's powerpoint (http://www.floydlandis.com/blog/2006/10/12/188/) laying out his defense? Anybody read it yet?Er, I'll skip commenting on that as my views are rather well-known.

On a trivial, entirely small-talk note....after analyzing last night's L4 power files, I did my first quadrant analysis. 2 x 20 isn't exactly a lot to go off, but it was a neat little graph. Pedal velocity is good but pedal force is low, yet another thing to work on http://cyclingforums.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Er, I'll skip commenting on that as my views are rather well-known.

On a trivial, entirely small-talk note....after analyzing last night's L4 power files, I did my first quadrant analysis. 2 x 20 isn't exactly a lot to go off, but it was a neat little graph. Pedal velocity is good but pedal force is low, yet another thing to work on http://cyclingforums.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
They are? :confused: (I'm not trying to bait you to restate them, I just wasn't aware that they were well known.)

Was you QA file a trainer file? I think you'll find that a road ride QA is going to naturally look different than a trainer QA, so I'm not sure it's really something to 'work on.' Does WKO+ do QA automatically, or are you using a separate spreadsheet? I ride naked on the tandem (;) ), so I haven't had a lot of new power files since WKO+ came out. Admittedly, I haven't explored all its new bells and whistles.

They are? :confused: (I'm not trying to bait you to restate them, I just wasn't aware that they were well known.)
Finds a rapier to fend off the looming hook....away! back I say :D

Was you QA file a trainer file? I think you'll find that a road ride QA is going to naturally look different than a trainer QA, so I'm not sure it's really something to 'work on.' Does WKO+ do QA automatically, or are you using a separate spreadsheet? I ride naked on the tandem (;) ), so I haven't had a lot of new power files since WKO+ came out. Admittedly, I haven't explored all its new bells and whistles.
I don't know if WKO+ will do QA automatically - I can tell you I looked/searched the help files and found nothing on it. Possibly I missed it or am looking in the wrong place. By all means shed light, well, if there is any to shed!

I took my data from the csv file....(watts, cadence, etc)....put it in a blank, new spreadsheet in excel....created the forumlas per what I read and learned here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~acoggan/quadrantanalysis/index.html

Then just made the chart.....

Yes btw, it was on a trainer - in fact, this is ironic as I know we newbies whine about power fluctuations on the road - all my rides since I got the power meter (all of 36 hours ago!!!) have been on the trainer. A road ride will reveal quite a bit - a nice, long mountain ride this weekend should get me plenty of data :)

Yes btw, it was on a trainer - in fact, this is ironic as I know we newbies whine about power fluctuations on the road - all my rides since I got the power meter (all of 36 hours ago!!!) have been on the trainer. A road ride will reveal quite a bit - a nice, long mountain ride this weekend should get me plenty of data :)Finds a rapier to fend off the impending whining... ;)

One thing that few newbies are aware of is that the way PowerTaps calculate power actually contributes to (or even causes) the fluctuations in displayed power. An SRM averages torque for each crank revolution and then multiplies by wheel speed to compute power. As long as pedalling is constant, power is constant. By contrast, a PT averages torque for 1.26 seconds (or longer, depending on settings) and then multiplies by wheel speed to compute power. The problem is that, depending on cadence, some 1.26sec periods include portions of an additional downstroke, or maybe 3 downstrokes instead of 2, etc. which means that even though pedalling is constant, computed/displayed power will jump around depending on how the periods fall. You can observe it on your trainer by pedalling around 60-80 rpm as smoothly as you can and watching power jump around drastically. Then, raise cadence to 95 rpm and watch it magically smooth out. At 95.2 rpm cadence, the crank makes exactly 2 revs every 1.26 seconds, so each 1.26sec window looks the same as the others. When you download the file, you'll see a big difference in the smoothness as well.

Just some PT trivia for you. Some people see this as a fault in their pedalling style, even though it's largely a function of the PM.

Tyson, you have served a useful purpose in my club. Last night I gave my second "Training Chalk Talk" (really more of a PowerPoint presentation) and when I got to the part about one's potential improvement by targeting specific adaptations I used you as my example. The room was filled with people in their 20s to 40s and you should have seen the look on their faces when I shared your FTP progress in less than a year. It served its purpose. I think every one of them went home thinking, "Hell, if he can do it, I can do it." It'll be interesting to see their progress over the next several months. So, thanks for being my role model.:D