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

Originally Posted by swampy1970

But you can be about 99% as accurate with predicting your effort with a $70 Polar HRM than you would be with a $1500 PM. There are some advantages to training with a power measuring device rather than a HRM but from my experience (Kingcycle and a Polar Sportstester) of training indoors with both then it's as near as damnit that it's not a deal breaker if you want to save a grand or so....

Now, if you want to have some numbers to share with the folks on here and that inspires you to higher goals then that in itself is a motivational point which may help you in your goal for increased performance.

Either way - happy pedalling.

Originally Posted by grahamspringett

I humbly beg to differ. Using a HRM I found I was fumbling in the dark far more than now with a PowerTap. I don't share my numbers here, I use them as a carrot to see how far I can take this fitness thing. Can I get higher than xxx watts as my FTP? If I ride at xxx watts then I should be able to do well in such and such a race.

It's a concrete benchmark for you to chart as you progress. You can't do that with a HRM.

That said, a HRM is better than nothing.

Originally Posted by grahamspringett

It's a concrete benchmark for you to chart as you progress. You can't do that with a HRM.

Originally Posted by swampy1970

But you can be about 99% as accurate with predicting your effort with a $70 Polar HRM than you would be with a $1500 PM. There are some advantages to training with a power measuring device rather than a HRM but from my experience (Kingcycle and a Polar Sportstester) of training indoors with both then it's as near as damnit that it's not a deal breaker if you want to save a grand or so....

Now, if you want to have some numbers to share with the folks on here and that inspires you to higher goals then that in itself is a motivational point which may help you in your goal for increased performance.

Either way - happy pedalling.

Originally Posted by Pendejo

OK, I don't use either HR or powermeter. My training (for 5 and 10K TTs) consists primarily of 16-mile rides at sweet spot, and one- and two-mile intervals as hard as I can go. What am I missing by not using the instruments? (I can roughly judge progress, or lack of, over time by comparing average speeds for my various workouts.)

Originally Posted by Pendejo

OK, I don't use either HR or powermeter. My training (for 5 and 10K TTs) consists primarily of 16-mile rides at sweet spot, and one- and two-mile intervals as hard as I can go. What am I missing by not using the instruments? (I can roughly judge progress, or lack of, over time by comparing average speeds for my various workouts.)

Originally Posted by Felt_Rider

For the time being I have to continue use perception, but someday hope to track this type of data.

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

+ 1 except for the last sentence. It's possible that you are limiting yourself by worrying about your HR. If RapDaddyo and I at 65 years of age take no notice of HR except to see how fast it drops after an interval or any sustained effort (good measure of fitness), then why are young guys so concerned with their HR. If you train using a HRM and in the middle of an interval say, your HR is for the sake of argument 180bpm and you say to yourself, "I'd better back off", then you're better off without an HRM. As RD famously said, "Your heart will take anything you throw at it." In other words, other things will give up the ghost before your heart. When I'm out on the bike with no HRM, sometimes on a climb my heart is pounding in my mouth - so what - pound away I say, dear heart you're not going to limit me! Tyson

Originally Posted by Jono L

Dude, why so quick to assume that because someone is looking at the HR they are gonna back off at a certain number? What someone 'might' do with the information does not discredit the usefulness of the info....

HR is useful. It is certainly better than nothing and gives a decent gauge on how hard one is going.

Originally Posted by Sillyoldtwit

Jono if you read my post more carefully, you will see that I said, it's possible etc. And later I said, if you back off. In other words using a HRM for some might mean they are not getting the full benefit of the workout. As has been articulated many, many times in these forums, HRMs do not give you the full picture of what's going on in the old ticker.
Please yourself if you wish to use one - for me personally it's a definite NO, NO! And well done on your 60 minute effort. What was the wattage, or is that confidential? Tyson

Originally Posted by Alex Simmons

OK - I raced today.

Local crit - D Grade. Third ride outdoors since I first tried to turn a crank 4 weeks back.

I lasted 5km before getting dropped, just not enough horsepower to cope with the changes in pace. So after being dropped (I wasn't the first to go either!) I just did a solo training run on the circuit while the various grades lapped me. I pulled out in the lap before all the sprints finishes were due (it was enough) and ended up with a 47 min workout with AP 196 watts and NP 205 watts. Peak power was 748W.

With my warm up, I got a total of 1:15 in and 138 TSS although it looks as though my FTP could go up 5-10W.

Feeling a bit body sore now but happy to have got out there. I'm not actually that far off the pace to hang onto that grade, so some regular racing is certainly possible. I was also able to pedal while out of the saddle for short periods. It's a little awkward but that will come with practice.

Back to riding on the velodrome is the next trick.