Cyclists, who's looking to step it up a gear?

markleeming
markleeming Posts: 65 Member
edited December 3 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm wanting to achieve a bit more on the bike. Anybody else fighting the weight battle and wanting to ride faster?

Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    edited August 2016
    If you want more of a challenge ... here ... :)

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10366563/ultradistance-cycling#latest


    And here ...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10436619/august-2016-biking-cycling-bicycling-challenge#latest
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    Riding faster is a power v weight issue. Watts per kilogram.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    markleeming wrote: »
    I'm wanting to achieve a bit more on the bike. Anybody else fighting the weight battle and wanting to ride faster?

    Losing the weight in the kitchen (you can use your calories burned with longer hours on the bike to help create a deficit) is the key to getting the weight battle under control. You have to eat less than you burn to drop weight.

    Unfortunately, during the weight loss phase and while dropping body weight due to the calorie deficit, performance on the bike will not be great - at least in terms of getting faster. It's after the weight has been shed and one achieves their ideal riding weight that you can fuel the body and bump up the performance (ride faster) through structured training.

    Riding faster is going to involve intervals, periodized training, and a disciplined plan. As I said, losing the weight first to help prepare for the training would be the phases I would suggest.

    How much do you have to lose, and how fast do you want to ride?

  • niblue
    niblue Posts: 339 Member
    Losing weight is a big factor, especially where hills are involved. A few years back I used to cycle a lot (mountain and road biking) but due to moving to London I've been concentrating on running of late. I've still a fair bit of weight to lose but am lighter than I used to be - and that's been noticeable when I've been doing some cycling in recent weeks. Despite not being in any way bike fit I've improved my PB on about 50 Strava segments in the last week or so, and have found I'm averaging about 2mph faster when out on the road bike. I'm also finding climbs much easier than they used to be.

    I think that's partly being lighter and partly that I've improved my cardio-vascular fitness.
  • markleeming
    markleeming Posts: 65 Member
    The aim is to lose another 20lbs or so. I do some track cycling and want to step up the TT next year. Aiming to get sub 24 on the 10miles. But being more rounded, I want to enjoy the hills more!

    I've lost some weight already, but there's no denying the fact that excess weight slows you down on either the climbs or exceleration. Plus it will look and feel better. I've just got to a Rapha size Xl!
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    Rapha? Someone has some money..... lol. I'm weird when it comes to cycling sizes. I wear a L/XL in my jersey but wear a medium in my bib shorts.
  • niblue
    niblue Posts: 339 Member
    Cycling clothes can be a bit weird sized - I used to be an XL in most everthing else, but an XXL in cycling gear. At the mometn I'm an L for most clothes but can still use the XL & even some XXL cycling stuff!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    I just want to do Slate Peak this year. And Angels Staircase.
  • Bocch
    Bocch Posts: 191 Member
    My 2 cents. First, you do your MFP caloric calculations making sure you select active. Once you have that as a base, then you can set up your ride. You will need those calories to have the energy to ride longer. Losing weight might help you ride faster. Losing weight might help with stamina. As far as hills...hills builds strength. To get faster on your climbs you might need to ride hill a minimum of 3 days a week. Then try the flats one or two days. If you eat less then your base cals and try to ride longer you might bonk.
  • markleeming
    markleeming Posts: 65 Member
    Rapha, not loaded, but the 'in-laws' live near the Rapha outlet in Shepton Mallet :)

    Just read am interesting article in Cycle Active mag re carbs. It was saying how all carbs are good for the right job but can be bad used at the wrong time.
    Ie low carb diet if you're riding low intensity no matter how far, but if you do high intensity session you need complex carbs. it you bonk, you can have simple refined sugar in a gel, but also you'll need some complex otherwise you'll bonk again. It makes so much sense to fuel according to exercise type. On going to try low carb unless I have a hard session planned. Then add a few carbs so i get the energy.
    That must help the balance to shed the pounds.
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Funny, was just reading this from Training Peaks earlier in the morning http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/why-you-should-focus-on-watts-per-kilogram. Also in complete agreement with Hunter Allen that there's a separate FTP for flats vs climbs, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vop0ahEpct4. (One of these days I'll actually do the test.)

    Same boat but need to loss around 15#; was 10 shy at start of the season but had a few bouts of the cold and regained around 5#. I only get one day out of the week to hit the slopes but found VO2Max (7x3 and 5x5) and threshold OU (2x20 OU, 1O2U) intervals helps. I haven't had much luck with sweet spot and can't seem to push my FTP from work on the lower end. YMMV.
  • Carolina_trail_rider
    Carolina_trail_rider Posts: 13 Member
    Nothing better than trail riding.
  • markleeming
    markleeming Posts: 65 Member
    kcjchang wrote: »
    Funny, was just reading this from Training Peaks earlier in the morning http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/why-you-should-focus-on-watts-per-kilogram. Also in complete agreement with Hunter Allen that there's a separate FTP for flats vs climbs, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vop0ahEpct4. (One of these days I'll actually do the test.)

    Same boat but need to loss around 15#; was 10 shy at start of the season but had a few bouts of the cold and regained around 5#. I only get one day out of the week to hit the slopes but found VO2Max (7x3 and 5x5) and threshold OU (2x20 OU, 1O2U) intervals helps. I haven't had much luck with sweet spot and can't seem to push my FTP from work on the lower end. YMMV.

    That's a useful article. So definitely the right thing to be on mfp to be losing weight in the first instance, but more I think a power meter is going to be beneficial to see where i need to focus my training. See where the biggest holes are.

    Anybody have any experience point the different power meters? I'm thinking Garmin vectors are good value and can be used on more than one bike.
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Been using Stages since end of June 15. It's pretty easy to install and pretty consistent. Battery life is ok but not as advertised of 200 hours. I'm getting around 160 hours but changing is easy and replacement cheap. Power drops occur fairly frequently but only a few seconds at a time every hour or so. Not sure if I trust the peak power stats but I really haven't worked/trained for peak yet. I got it on closeout at $460 so not expecting to be on par as SRM. Left only but I don't have a balance problem as far as I know but suspect I favorite my left near exhaustion (at least I tend to concentrate on the left down stroke; go figure I'm right-handed). It's been a good training aid. Still haven't gotten used to it as a pacing tool during group rides except on climbs after giving up on staying the leaders and while pulling on flats as function of my anaerobic work capacity but not recently after switching to Garmin 520. (Was using IpBike app and Sony Xperia Active phone but battery life is limited to 5+ hours.) Don't have a second bike that can use it but hope to pickup an n+1for winter/trainer riding soon.

    If you decide to go with power, check out Golden Cheetah. It's not as feature rich as WKO but free. It have more than enough analytics (default) and customizable. Documentation is not that great though but support is available on the Google group. Check out the Wattage, golden-cheetah-users, and Cycling Physiology Google Groups.
  • markleeming
    markleeming Posts: 65 Member
    Thanks, I will check them out. Being able to use on more than one bike is key for me as I'll mostly use my road bike but will also use when I'm on the track. Also looking to TT next year although don't have a TT bike at the moment.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    markleeming wrote: »
    Anybody have any experience point the different power meters? I'm thinking Garmin vectors are good value and can be used on more than one bike.

    You'll need a torque wrench that can do 40 Nm to move Vectors from one bike to another. PowerTap's pedals aren't as finicky.
  • markleeming
    markleeming Posts: 65 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    markleeming wrote: »
    Anybody have any experience point the different power meters? I'm thinking Garmin vectors are good value and can be used on more than one bike.

    You'll need a torque wrench that can do 40 Nm to move Vectors from one bike to another. PowerTap's pedals aren't as finicky.

    Thanks! Useful to know! Simple is easier, I'll read some reviews.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    markleeming wrote: »
    Anybody have any experience point the different power meters? I'm thinking Garmin vectors are good value and can be used on more than one bike.

    You'll need a torque wrench that can do 40 Nm to move Vectors from one bike to another. PowerTap's pedals aren't as finicky.

    +1
    I would suggest the PowerTap P1 over the Vectors to everyone.

    Also look at Power2Max. Crank Spider based unit that's actually pretty cheap (starts at $6xx), and goes on sale often. Even cheaper if the dollar is strong vs. the Euro ;)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories