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

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RD, I've decided to sell my car in order to buy a new indoor trainer.

It's a fantastic runner - any offers?

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Now that makes sense. It seems to me if I've understood things correctly, the only sacifice I shall be making is the more natural feel of the Velodyne.Right. The Velodyne has a higher max power but I don't think that would be a constraint for either of us. The CT can be used in ergo mode up to 995W and I know that would handle anything I would want to do. The CT may be slightly faster to set up because you clamp down the rear wheel for both Velodyne and CT but you have to remove the front wheel for the Velodyne only. The heavier flywheel would make for a nice road feel on the Velodyne but I think your portability requirement moves the CT to the top of the ladder. I don't have the portability requirement at home, but I plan to get a CT to take on the road. You're looking at ~30lbs, including the travel case. Not bad at all. And, if you're into that stuff, there's a ton of neat graphic options such as simulated rides on real courses. I view the Velodyne as the primo ergometer but not for portability.

Tyson, you done any of the races listed under "bikenavi.net"?

http://www.bikenavi.net/gp_2006/shinshiro/course.html
http://www.bikenavi.net/gp_2006/fuji/course.html
http://www.bikenavi.net/gp_2006/yokohama/course.html
http://www.bikenavi.net/gp_2006/shimofusa/course.html
http://www.bikenavi.net/gp_2006/ashigara/course.html

They're all up in the Tokyo area from what I can tell - which is a 10-12 hour drive for me. But it's pretty tempting to head up there for at least the Fuji "hill" climb event. The The Yokohama course looks interesting too. (in/around Nissan Stadium)
Sorry Nomad, somehow I missed your post. I agree with you that the Fuji one looks good. Funny enough, last week my English cycling buddy and I were talking about cycling up to station 5 on Mt.Fuji sometime. Will have a chat to him about the above and see what he says for this year. Maybe we can all get together and head up to Fuji San.

YES! Today I received my CycleOps Pro 300PT indoor trainer! A spinning bike with a powertap powermeter. After 2 months of totally inactivity I am going to train and to train with power. Tomorrow I will try to cycle 40 minutes. On wednesday I will do a 5 minute max effort and on friday I try to do a 20 minute full effort to calculate my FTP.

I hope I will stay very motivated the comming months and have the same increase in FTP as Tyson did in 2006.

Just want to send out a thank you to RD and Tyson and all the others who have contributed to this monster thread. I now have more confidence in my (your) training program than at any other time, and that is no small thing. In fact that is a huge thing. When motivation is low and it's time to swing a leg over the top tube, it is a big plus to know that the workout I am about to do is spot on in terms of creating the kind of stress that will push the body to adapt in the ways that I intend. And then to see measurable progress (I bought the Kurt Kinetic) just keeps me going. Thanks guys.

Just want to send out a thank you to RD and Tyson and all the others who have contributed to this monster thread. I now have more confidence in my (your) training program than at any other time, and that is no small thing. In fact that is a huge thing. When motivation is low and it's time to swing a leg over the top tube, it is a big plus to know that the workout I am about to do is spot on in terms of creating the kind of stress that will push the body to adapt in the ways that I intend. And then to see measurable progress (I bought the Kurt Kinetic) just keeps me going. Thanks guys.
Glad you derived some benefit from this thread BB. I expect to see you declaring that you have an FTP of 300Watts plus in the near future. ;) TYSON

YES! Today I received my CycleOps Pro 300PT indoor trainer! A spinning bike with a powertap powermeter. After 2 months of totally inactivity I am going to train and to train with power. Tomorrow I will try to cycle 40 minutes. On wednesday I will do a 5 minute max effort and on friday I try to do a 20 minute full effort to calculate my FTP.

I hope I will stay very motivated the comming months and have the same increase in FTP as Tyson did in 2006.
I am sooo jealous! Keep us posted on your progress Paul. Perhaps more importantly; how do you find training on your new acquisition? TYSON

Right. The Velodyne has a higher max power but I don't think that would be a constraint for either of us. The CT can be used in ergo mode up to 995W and I know that would handle anything I would want to do. The CT may be slightly faster to set up because you clamp down the rear wheel for both Velodyne and CT but you have to remove the front wheel for the Velodyne only. The heavier flywheel would make for a nice road feel on the Velodyne but I think your portability requirement moves the CT to the top of the ladder. I don't have the portability requirement at home, but I plan to get a CT to take on the road. You're looking at ~30lbs, including the travel case. Not bad at all. And, if you're into that stuff, there's a ton of neat graphic options such as simulated rides on real courses. I view the Velodyne as the primo ergometer but not for portability.
After my post to Nomad last night, I tried 3 times to respond to your post - no joy. Had to give up in the end. Maybe the forums were too busy.

Anyway,you have almost convinced me on the CycleOps Pro 300PT .
I shall see how it goes in the gym tomorrow. If it is like cycling in a boilerhouse, then sod it, I'll order the above.:D

Just want to send out a thank you to RD and Tyson and all the others who have contributed to this monster thread. I now have more confidence in my (your) training program than at any other time, and that is no small thing. In fact that is a huge thing. When motivation is low and it's time to swing a leg over the top tube, it is a big plus to know that the workout I am about to do is spot on in terms of creating the kind of stress that will push the body to adapt in the ways that I intend. And then to see measurable progress (I bought the Kurt Kinetic) just keeps me going. Thanks guys.Great!:D How about some numbers? Keep us posted on your progress.

After my post to Nomad last night, I tried 3 times to respond to your post - no joy. Had to give up in the end. Maybe the forums were too busy.

Anyway,you have almost convinced me on the CycleOps Pro 300PT .
I shall see how it goes in the gym tomorrow. If it is like cycling in a boilerhouse, then sod it, I'll order the above.:DWhat?:confused: I'm sure the CycleOps 300PT is a great machine, but it doesn't seem a very good fit with your needs and constraints. One, it is not an ergometer. Two, it doesn't look very portable to me. I was recommending the CompuTrainer Pro http://www.racermateinc.com/computrainer.asp. I'm not putting down the 300PT at all. It's a different type of device, not in the same category as the CT or Velodyne.

All this trainer talk makes me sick. I hate riding trainers. But alas, tonight I ordered my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. While our winter has been mild so far, I expect the rest of it may not comply with my wishes. We also get typhoon season and that means torrential (non-rideable) rain in the summer.

So, considering that and the fact that I'll be in the DC area next winter, a trainer is in the plans. I also want to get something I can do stable power tests on - which aren't nearly as easy on the rollers - especially tests/workouts to exhaustion.

All that said... my kurt kinetic should be here sometime in the next couple weeks. Love hunting for people that ship to FPO.

I hate riding trainers. But alas, tonight I ordered my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine.LOL:D

What?:confused: I'm sure the CycleOps 300PT is a great machine, but it doesn't seem a very good fit with your needs and constraints. One, it is not an ergometer. Two, it doesn't look very portable to me. I was recommending the CompuTrainer Pro http://www.racermateinc.com/computrainer.asp. I'm not putting down the 300PT at all. It's a different type of device, not in the same category as the CT or Velodyne.Got it wrong again - so embarrassing.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d150/tinkletinkle_/embarrassed-chimpanzee1.jpg

With your reccommendation, I will have to use my own bike. (preferably the spare bike with the cheap tires). But then I won't be able to use the power meter on my good bike, http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d150/tinkletinkle_/0101.gif or will I?

With your reccommendation, I will have to use my own bike. (preferably the spare bike with the cheap tires). But then I won't be able to use the power meter on my good bike. http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d150/tinkletinkle_/0101.gifYou seem to be assuming that you get a separate power meter with the 300PT, one that you can use on your road bike as well as on the trainer. I don't think that's correct. If I understand the 300PT correctly, the power meter is a permanent part of the device. So, you get power when you're riding the 300PT, but you can't use the power meter on other devices or bikes. As to using your own bike with the CT, why would you use your spare bike with the cheap tires? Why not ride your good road bike and simply replace tires when they wear out? A trainer is a bit hard on tires, but unless they cost a lot more there than they do here it's not a huge deal (e.g., Michelin Pro2 Race ~$36 each). With the number of hours you ride per week, I don't think you'll be emptying your bank account buying tires.

The Pro 300PT is first a spinning bike and second it is a trainer with a quality powermeter. The powertap is in the flywheel and can only be used with the spinning bike.

Today I did my first work out. Ouch, that was heavy. Didn't cycle for a long period. BUT I amazed myself. My guess was that my untrained FTP was around 220-230 watt. I calculated (http://www.cyclingforums.com/t359688.html) it from a Mont Ventoux clim this summer with 300km of training (aprox. AP of 250 watt during 100minutes).

I did 2x15minutes. For some reason I only have recorded 13 minutes of the last session.Week 1, training 1, interval 1.
Time 15:02, AP 221, NP 221, HR 171, Cadance 113

Interval 2.
Time 12:57,AP 259, NP 259, HR 184, Cadance 110
The first session was below my FTP and the second one was above it, I think. With a FTP of 230 I had a TSS of 67.6 and an IF of 0.958.

It's so cool a Pro 300PT with WKO+ :D:D:D To be continued!

Paul, if I had the cash I would have gone that route. I really enjoy the spin bikes and tourtured myself this morning and plan to all week, but you have the added benefit of the PM. Sweet!!!

A bunch of people are commenting on my progress and the only thing I have done differently is doing interval training through the week on a spin bike. I tried using my KK trainer yesterday, but I was too saddle sore to get back the Fizik saddle after a 60 mile ride on Saturday and could only handle 10 minutes. Today I found it a bit more comfortable to use the spin bike with a little more forgiving saddle and I raised the bars up a little because I have my bars on my bike down low for a more agressive posture while riding on the road and I am finding that was tough as well.

I bet you will begin to see some big improvement on the Pro 300PT

You seem to be assuming that you get a separate power meter with the 300PT, one that you can use on your road bike as well as on the trainer. I don't think that's correct. If I understand the 300PT correctly, the power meter is a permanent part of the device. So, you get power when you're riding the 300PT, but you can't use the power meter on other devices or bikes. As to using your own bike with the CT, why would you use your spare bike with the cheap tires? Why not ride your good road bike and simply replace tires when they wear out? A trainer is a bit hard on tires, but unless they cost a lot more there than they do here it's not a huge deal (e.g., Michelin Pro2 Race ~$36 each). With the number of hours you ride per week, I don't think you'll be emptying your bank account buying tires.
I guess I misinterpreted the following:


I vote for CT + PT SL. Cost is the same as the Velodyne and you have the best of both worlds: ergometer + PM for your bike.

With 'CT' RapDaddyo meant the CompuTrainer. All those abbreviations on this board! I also have to do my best to understand every message here. :D

A computrainer with a Powertap SL would be a very good combination! My problem with the cycleops indoortraienr is now that I can't buy a powermeter for my racebike. Hmmz.

Ooh, at the moment it's to wet and dark outside when I have the time to cycle. ;)

Right, now I've found a better website. It looks like you have a choice of using a bike with the display and all the wiring attached to it, or there is a stand with ditto attached. To my mind, this seems the better option as the bike can be removed from the frame in seconds and you're ready to head off into the wilds.


http://www.hscycle.com/Pages/computrainer.html

Great!:D How about some numbers? Keep us posted on your progress.
According to the KK my FTP is around 260W, that is the wattage at which I do my 20 min ints. The way I figure it is by measuring the distance traveled during each interval w/a cyclometer that has a rear wheel pick up, and multiply that number by 3. Then using the formula from the KK website wattage can be calculated. Not too high tech I know but it's repeatable. I think the 260 figure is high by about 10% though. I sometimes get on a computrainer at a LBS and my numbers there are lower by about 12%. So I pick a figure somewhere in between that is weighted toward the CT numbers. I guess my FTP is closer to 240W. The actual number isn't that important to me. As long as I set up my bike on the KK the same way each time I use it, progress can be observed, as you have pointed out RD. My training has been inconsistent the past few months. Volume dropped off in Oct and Nov cause of the weather and then in Dec I traumatized some ribs with a spectacular high speed dismount. Getting back in the groove these past few weeks tho. Been doing L4 ints. Next week I'll start including 2 L5 sessions/week also. I am as strong on the bike as I have ever been, and it's only January! I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season.