snoboard2

doode, i looked around on their website for a phone #, but no dice. try https://www.trainingpeaks.com/support

Psimet2001 

Honestly every time I mess with sporttracks I just get frustrated. I just can't get the charts to do anything I think they should do...I looked under their import function and I didn't see any powermeters listed so I am not sure how I'd import that....I guess I should just play with it, but I intend on getting WKO+ just think I should wait a bit before doing it.

For the "training" and testing I am going to be doing for a month or so the Poweragent software should be just fine. Besides I'd rather pick up the bits I still need for my latest build....

TideCrazy3193

When it changed weeks it started working. Magic I tell you.

ridethecliche

The coggan allen elves did it!

TideCrazy3193

What is a good warmup for the MAP test?

kudude

can i strap this around my boobies to add the bumpy red line to my WKO+ plots?

https://www.trinowfitness.com/en/pola...ed.html?Src=sh

Psimet2001 

I have used that with success on my PT pro wired.

waterrockets 

I just spin easy (200-250W) for 5 minutes. I throw in 15s at my goal MAP, and maybe 30s at FTP.

That's just me though. You tailor the warmup to your usual needs -- I never need much warmup if I get some jumps in.

eskimo85

Also if you throw in a quick sprint or two it will make your RPE lower.

tyrade

2008 was my first season of racing and my first with a PowerTap. Here are lessons that I learned as a noob power user:

1. Race data will tell you what you need to know. The best you'll be able to do with all the numbers and calculations from test results and training data is an estimate of your FTP. Probably an erroneous estimate at that. This is not a bad thing, as you have to have SOME number as a starting point. But don't put much stock in these premature numbers. You'll be surprised at the power you put out in race situations, when the adrenaline is pumping. My 'best guess' FTP before racing this year was 270w. But after just my second race, I found it was more like 288w. That race was just two weeks after my test results produced the 270 number. A lot of the power data I collected in 2008 was useless. But I learned something from EVERY race file.

2. Use the power meter to improve your weaknesses. Let's say you're not watterrockets and you get dropped in a few races or fast group rides. The resulting power files contain premium data. Focus on the data leading up to you getting dropped and design workouts that reproduce those conditions. DO the workouts.

3. Don't put the cart before the horse. Your abilities define your power output, not the other way around. Don't fall victim to the numbers, especially in races. "Oh no, I'm producing 350w, I'd better back off." I started racing much better after I started covering the PT computer with a piece of blue painters tape (leaves no residue) during races.

4. Using the power meter effectively WILL produce results. My FTP was around 315w at the end of race season (up from 288 at the beginning), and I owe the improvement to interval after interval after interval with my PT.

ridethecliche

^^ Awesome Post ^^

I would like to add that for your #2, you should also look at what you were doing that dropped you.

If you attacking the pack by riding in the wind, then you should address that as well

Great post though!

AlexTaylor

Good post, will be useful to me when my PT comes

Apus^2

Have a question for yall concerning training. I generally get in about 3 rides in the work week, for a total TSS of 250-270 for those rides. I'm trying to keep my weekly TSS at around 550-600 right now. Is it wise to make up that last 300-350 TSS in one ride on Sunday? Normally I try and get two weekend rides in, but can't do it for this week. I'm not stacking workouts and I know I will need a little more time to recover (which may impact next week's riding...).

Should that more strenuous Sunday ride be toned down a little?

waterrockets 

I think an extra-tough Saturday ride would be fine, since it sounds like you'd only be riding 4x this week. That's enough recovery for some overstress. Nothing wrong with just missing a day either though.

umd

I think it's going to be hard, physicially and mentally, to get in over half of your weekly TSS in one ride. I'm usually wiped after a 350 TT ride and I carry a weekly TSS over 1000, althoguh I can do up to about 250 (a quarter of my weekly TSS) in one ride without too much burden. You should have plenty of time to recover for your workouts, just be prepared to want to die by the end of the ride.

TideCrazy3193

How do you change the power display on my PT to average 5 seconds instead of 3?

waterrockets 

RTFM (pp 16 and 19), or look at hidden text below:

2. To enter the set up main menu hold down
both buttons until the main menu is displayed
Press select to choose the desired set up and
press mode to begin set up.
E = exit, return to ride mode
d = restore default settings
T= Test Mode
Setup modes 1-4 see <=== You want number 2 to set rolling Watts average

Press select button to
set rate of display for
watts. (rolling average)
Press mode button to
save.

Press mode three more times to skip the next settings, then press mode to "go do it"

To confirm that you got it right, go back in and make sure it's set to 5.

TideCrazy3193

I don't have a manual, so thank you sir.

waterrockets 

https://www.saris.com/pdfManuals/308.pdf
edit: or maybe
https://www.saris.com/pdfManuals/308.pdf

TideCrazy3193

Perfect. Thanks.

TideCrazy3193

I did a 30 min TT to come up with a rough estimate of my FTP since I am new to this whole power game. I got 267 watts for the 30 mins. A friend and I set a rough estimate at around 260. I guess I'll take this and start training with the zones and see how it feels.

What do ya'll think?

ridethecliche

Use that number to start doing SST or such at 90% and use it as a guide to see how it feels. You can adjust it in the future based on how you do.

Psimet2001 

Well....I was going to actually do a "power test" today, but the thought of a 20 minute all out interval on a trainer in my basement was a bit, shall we say, not thrilling.

So, MJH2 sent over a link to an indoor TT that Vision Quest (Robbie Ventura's coaching company) was putting on today in their new facility.

First off let me say OMFG! The facility was awesome. I walked in ealy as an early group was finishing. Who's there but Ventura. Cool.

I go into the locker room - yes...locker room - and there right by the door is an autographed posted of Hampsten climbing the Gavia in the snow. Dig into the place and there is just tons of signed Lance yellow jerseys, old team Postal/Disco bikes (Hincapie, Ventura, Armstrong), as well as some Landis podium presentation yellow jerseys signed. .....in a corner....out of the way....

Anyway. It's a 1/2 hour USAC/computrainer based TT. Full competition. Long story but my Garmin wasn't charged so I had to use an ear clip pulse/ox to get HR data. It was off the charts. Caffiene I believe combined with dehydration from the Bike Forums party 2 nights before.

I hit it on the TT, I don't do great. I started well, but was over my LTHR (170) instantly and stayed in the 185-187 bpm range the whole time. I still don't know how I did because technically they are still doing it (1 group/hr).

But I did get a plot of data from them. They list these as "Personalized Training Zones Based on Indoor TT performance"

Weight: 79.5kg (f'n lying POS scale...)
HR at lactate threshold: 186 (no way in hell)
Lactate Threshold Power (LTP): 259 Watts (was this just Average power for the 1/2 hr TT? If so my powertap says 266 Watts)
Lactate Threshold Power to Weight: 3.3 w/kg


It then goes on to list my "zones" for power and HR.

So....they didn't list any of the file info for me. No max, avg, etc. Just what they have here. I don't know if they put calculated out based on a 1/2 hr to compensate for it being an hour. I don't know if their Threshold Power is FTP...etc.

What do you guys think? I have my own power file to use if needed.

FWIW, MJH2 weighs a bit more and had higher power numbers, but we were both 3.3 W/Kg. Makes sense because we seem to always be riding right with each other whether racing or just riding. We were both surprised at the 3.3. We both thought we would be lower.

Should I calculate stuff based on my numbers? If so how do I do that? It was an all out 1/2hr TT. I don't want to say I did it totally all out, but I would have been hard pressed to have done better.

umd

Who is MJH2?

fuzzthebee

I'd go with 260 w for your FTP