squatchy

I just rode my very first test with power and thought I would have scored better. I did 2 x8 minute rides with a ten minute break in between. I wasn't sure how hard to start out , nor was I sure when to ramp up my last few mins to get best score out of each ride. Here are my stats. I'm a beginner, first year on a bike. 52 years old and haven't ridden since I was 15. I started riding a year ago. I am 6'2' and weigh 250.

Average HR was 158 max was 180
Average Pwr was 251 max was 403
Average cadence 90 max was 125

I feel like I lost a good bit of fitness over the winter. I have no idea how I should feel about the numbers**********

terrymorse 

How should you feel? Motivated to get stronger and ride more. If that's not what you're feeling, throw away the power meter.

Seriously.

DataJunkie

It's only relevant to yourself. You should feel that it is a starting point and you will refine your testing methods, pacing, etc while your fitness and skill level improves.

I also just started using power and completely fell apart on my first FTP test yesterday due to my allergies. I was gasping for air watching my lap wattage drop and drop and drop until I pulled the plug. It annoys me a bit but that is life.

squatchy

I feel like the only time riding is really fun is on the days I can ride super strong. All the other days are not as much fun and much more like work than play. I'm never going to be a racer so I'm not sure why I work so hard at it. I'm wanting more than anything just to loose 30 lbs. I feel like I train more seriously than my goals/intensions would ask for. After all it should be fun but it's work more often than fun. Seems like gains come slowly. My friends say the first years accomplishments get more than doubled in the second year and so forth. I'm also starting to think I need to rest more and work at higher intensties and not spend so much time riding junk miles as some would call them. Others call them base miles. Not sure when base miles turn into junk miles!

DataJunkie

Decide what you want out of cycling and go from there.
For the record I find slow rides and rest days to be of vital importance to my goal of optimizing my performance and enjoy them quite a bit. It took me a bit of time to learn this.

mr_pedro

Now you need to do some reading on how to use the power meter.
If you want to know how your numbers compare you can have a look at https://home.trainingpeaks.com/articl...profiling.aspx
It involves going all out for different time periods, like 10s, 5min and 1 hr. And you need to divide the avg power over those intervals by body weight in kg to be able to make some comparisons.

anotherbrian

At least in my experience, losing weight with a bike doesn't happen when you are focusing on working at higher intensities. Power meters can be a carrot that causes you to push harder, which results in more fatigue, and more rest, and more eating. Riding at a "slow" pace that you can maintain for hours at a time and not be exhausted at the end results in you burning calories for hours at a time and being able to do it the next day and the next day and the next day.

Last year I lost all my weight during my base miles. As soon as I got a power meter my weight loss stopped. I got way faster on the bike (not sure if I got stronger, or if I just started working up to my potential -- if the CP chart says I can ride at a particular watts for 2 hours, why have I always ridden at a pace that was only half that?), but I spent far fewer hours riding, which I didn't find to be nearly as much fun.

gregf83 

Your numbers are good for a first year rider. The easiest (easy to say anyways ) way for you to improve performance is to drop weight.

The best way I've found to lose weight is to ride every day as consistently as possible. Doing long 4+ hr rides will burn a lot of calories but they also get you in the habit of eating a lot and if you don't ride the next day it's not always easy to cut back on the food intake. I think it's probably better to ride 1-2 hrs but do it every day and vary the intensity as required. If you do a hard 2 hr ride then follow it with an easier 1 hr ride the next day. If you're feeling tired, stick with easy 1 hr rides until you feel strong.

Finding a faster group to ride with can be a great motivator to continue to improve.

valygrl

What test has you do 2 x 8 min and what do you do with that number? It sure isn't your LT.

valygrl

Oh and read the cog fan/Allen book.

gilaasepeda

my local area there is group who ride at night twice a week, when i first join i ride only 15-16 kph feeling dizzy, puke , cramping and my breath sound like horse. but after 2-3 month gradually i join my breath become steady, speed increasing to 18-19 kph. like greg saying follow people in group a bit faster then you ride and try keep same phase. finally now i can ride 28-30 kph with clam breath. so my point is try not give up, have fun and enjoy it. do in group so it will keep you motivated and not got bored.

ka0use

yer still breathin', ain'tcha?
didn't have to use the paddles on ya?