Originally Posted by
Duke of Kent
Seeing as you live where you can ride outside year round, you've probably never experienced the impact of cardiac drift as it relates to riding a trainer.
Even with a nice fan going, I'm dying at 330w on the trainer after 10-15min. Outside, on the road or on the trails? Meh.
I'm a recent transplant from Canada, so I'm well versed in the awfulness that is an indoor trainer (and yeah, my 'indoor' FTP is still probably about another 10% or worse lower than even my 'flat' FTP, if I can even manage to stay on a trainer long enough). That doesn't change your FTP though (
Alex's Cycle Blog: Turbocharged Training).
I always ride to feel anyway, its only after a ride when I look at the power and notice its so much lower for the effort that I start turning to the 'flat' FTP excuse. It also means my TSS is lower for the workout which sucks because it makes it harder to brag on the internet.