For those of you that have been unfortunate enough...

[Jashue]

...to require a trainer to stay fit this past winter, in what gear did you most often ride?

Last season I spent the winter spinning on my trainer at a pretty high cadence in a lower gear (wish I could say what cadence exactly, but my Shimano Flight Deck gives only simulated cadence from a front wheel reading). The ensuing spring and summer left me with disappointing times in my club's weekly time trials.

I concluded from this (perhaps rightly, perhaps wrongly) that although I was in decent aerobic shape from my winter regimen, I failed to develop the leg power necessary for a good ten mile time trial.

This time around, I tried to ride in a taller gear. It makes for a really unpleasant experience-- but that's what it takes to improve, right? For the past month or so I've been ridding in 52-15 for about an hour each day. After 30 minutes, I need to downshift to 52-17 for a few until my heart rate gets back into the zone and I might have to do this two or three more times until the hour is over.

Am I right in thinking that this is what is necessary to give me the bigger engine needed to TT better?

For the record, I am 39 and this is my third year into cycling

[Carbonfiberboy]

Good for you. I've got a 500w unit on my rollers and this time of year I try to ride a 52X12 at about 92% LT until I'm cooked, ideally 70 cadence, though since I'm geared out it winds up more like 76. I don't shift, just quit when I'm done. I do this only once a week. I find no more improvement after 4 weeks of this, so I switch to doing LT intervals at high cadence for 3 weeks. I think this makes a huge difference in my power.

[DannoXYZ]

This time around, I tried to ride in a taller gear. It makes for a really unpleasant experience-- but that's what it takes to improve, right? For the past month or so I've been ridding in 52-15 for about an hour each day. After 30 minutes, I need to downshift to 52-17 for a few until my heart rate gets back into the zone and I might have to do this two or three more times until the hour is over.
That time-interval is way too long and intensity way too low. You're still developing your aerobic system with this tempo workout. What you really need are sprints and intervals. One day a week, do 10-15 sprints in your 52x15t as hard and as fast as you can. If you last more than 30-seconds, you didn't give it your all. Your legs should be screaming in searing pain!

Same with intervals, these are 1-minute to 5-minute efforts at 90-98% of an all-out sprint. Go at a steady pace that you can hold just barely for that time period. You should be completely spent at the end of the interval. Rest to recover and repeat. Pyramids are great to get your speed up: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 with rest in between.

[merlinman]

+1
DannoXYZ you are the bomb!
I also used Carmichale Training Systems (CTSS) lance's coach iPod downloads available on his website (actually it was iTunes and I just left it on my Mac). You can download small segements of workloads (fast pedals, powerstarts, various intervals). Nice way to stay on track.

[Jashue]

Thanks for the advice, Danno.

I'll definitely try to incorporate the means that you suggested into what I've got going on now. It never occurred to me to try sprinting on my trainer.... hell, I actually do very little sprinting when outdoors.

I figured that the key to training for a time trial was to ride on very edge of your anaerobic threshold for as long as you can-- and that is what I was doing. I used to train that way as a runner and it seemed to work pretty well, but I'll try anything-- so thanks very much!

[ericgu]

I think for TT, not only would you want to be doing intervals but also be doing some over/under work - a few minutes just over your LT, and then a few minutes just under your LT.

[DannoXYZ]

One of the ways to beat boredom for me is to see how high the RPM counters can go on the bikes at the gym... 199rpms is max... heh, heh... I love the smell of those things burning up! :)