Nickel

If you are doing squats, I suppose I don't think you would need to do the leg extensions or adductors but curls (or even better deadlifts) for your hamstrings. I weightlifted while it is colder out but once it starts getting warmer, I will probably only do 1 day a week of lifting and it won't be super heavy but maintenance. I guess I don't see the problem with doing weight-bearing exercise weekly, particularly being a woman.

But if you are lifting that heavy that frequently, it could be interfering with your on the bike training as it takes a good 1-2 days to recover from tearing the muscle fibers.

wolfpack 

i've taken the bike to 2 shops and they adjusted teh FD limit screws. i don't know much about the mechanics...can you lower teh FD if it's a braze-on?

i do the adductors (or whatever the one's called that works inner thigh) to help strengthen those as i've had trouble with bursitis/tendonitis and my physical therapist suggested that i do those.

Snuffleupagus

I'm not a master mechanic, but I've found that fine tuning FDs can be a pain - one that I've yet to have any shop to do my satisfaction. They get it set up to work "pretty well" but won't spend the hour obsessing on it that I'm likely to. This is of course understandable, but it seems to be one of those if you want it done right situations.

Yes, you can lower the FD if it's a braze on - but you don't need to if when it's in the big ring it's already no more than 1-2mm above the chainring. Just release all the cable tension, use an allen wrench to release the cable from the derailleur, loosen up the bolt in the derailleur body - and scoot it down.

Check out: https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=75

Duke of Kent

Not gonna lie...

If your FTP is 180w, I very much doubt that frame flex is what's causing you to throw your chain.

wolfpack 

yep. i understand that's low as hell. no matter, it is what it is.

but, i can put my foot on the right pedal at 6 o'clock position and check as i was told how to do in the mechanic forum and i can see the frame/bb area move...

Enthalpic

+2 Don't worry about your FTP for now. Use 180W to set your zones and see if you can do the prescribed intervals based on those zones. I'm thinking your 8' intervals more closely resemble threshold intervals, not VO2max intervals - especially for those who have poorly developed pain tolerance. A peek at your HR plot for these efforts can help confirm or deny this; does your HR essentially stabilize, or does it continue to rise for the whole effort reaching a value of >90% of MaxHR?

You can also use incremental testing (eg MAP) to set zones; I find these tests are mentally easier than a TT type test - although your legs will hurt and you will become breathless. The test also really helps increase your body awareness and will show you how much harder you can go after the pain begins.


PS

I am impressed with your dedication; it appears you respect the tenants of continuous improvement and progressive overload.

seppomadness

Yep spot on. You are more likely to puke closing a gap (responding to attacks repeatedly), sprinting on the track or anything that will put you temporarily deep into the red. LT efforts flirt with the red zone but arent ideal if puking is your goal? (why I have no idea).

There is no real correlation between puking and progression. Having said that I am partial to tasting the contents of my gutz from time to time.

You sound a little 'desperate' to me. Chill out. Or you will burn out. Vomiting is for the guys (and girls) at the top of their game.

GuitarWizard

Climb some really hard, steep and extended climbs........I've never puked, but have really felt like I've wanted to at times.

Brian Ratliff

Every bike does this. Even my Madone. It still shouldn't be enough to throw the chain. Have you tried simply replacing your chain and/or your outside chainring? The only time you might throw a chain on any bike which is well maintained and working properly is when there is fairly severe crosschaining. This sometimes happens on one of my bikes that has a triple and I am in a 52/21 or 23 gear - it might derail to the inside if I apply significant force to the pedals.

If the solution isn't obvious, I'd go with a triple antibiotic:

1) check the chainline. With a double, the space between the chainrings is aligned with the center of the cogset. With a triple, the middle chainring is aligned with the middle of the cogset.

2) replace the chain. There might be a bent link which isn't obvious. Or it might be severely worn. If the latter, you should replace the cogset as well.

3) replace the outer chainring. One of the teeth might be missing or worn down to a stub causing the chain to derail with only minor crosschaining.

wolfpack 

Well, I’ve got my FTP set at 185w right now and feel OK about that. I can do the intervals in LT for sure. And, I’m just now really learning how to pace myself, though, I still don’t do that good of a job. Yet. I do wish it (FTP) was something higher, but you have to remember that I started riding in the fall of ’05 and rode to just get miles in - no real “training plan”. This way of riding didn’t get me anywhere. This is, as I said earlier, my first time riding with a purpose and I now have someone to sort of coach me. I try very hard to do everything that he tells me to do and then ask for more. Structure & Organization FTW (for me).

I did some 10min intervals about two weeks ago and after the 3rd one, I felt like I might be able to do another one. So I did. Point being, he (mentor/coach) tells me that I must not have been doing them correctly, as if I were, I shouldn’t have felt like I could do another one. He sent me back down to 4x6min LT’s, high cadence drills, and 3x3min VO2max’s for last week and told me that he wanted to see me nail them. I aim to please, so I nailed those bad boys and it was really nice to tell him how I did.

Anyways, if he didn’t tell me what I should be doing for the next week or two, I’d go out and do this all wrong. I’d come here and read all the stuff I could, but I’m not very good at self-coaching and I’d ride hard (or try to) every day and just fall back into the old habits. (Sayin’ it again) – I like structure and organization very much. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. And I have been.

As far as the 8min intervals, I don’t think I said they were VO2max intervals. I think they are LT’s. My HR pretty much stabilizes when I do the LT intervals. I’ve done more of those than the VO2max intervals (only once) and my HR is usually very stable. It is high, I suppose, but usually in the low 170’s and not sure if it’s more than 90% of MHR. Guesstimating MHR based on max values seen when riding (187, 189, 190, 195, 197).

As for pain tolerance…my threshold for pain is quite low. I’ll be the first one to say Wussy when it comes to pain. Don’t like it. Pain tolerance has always been low, but I’m not against developing that aspect so that I can get better. I think I’m getting a little better with it…just have to remember what another riding friend told me when I was working out on the stair machine with him at the gym and was dying…had about 2.5min left…”you can do anything for 2min” and that got me through the pain and I finished my workout. I think about that when I’m ready to throw the towel in. Now, I’ll think about that PLUS embrace the pain!

You guys rock! You know that?