Alias530

The rides I've been on with others have been worse for training my experience. I'm not saying they can't be good training, I'm saying that in my experience they haven't been. Why can't you accept that different things work for different people?

I'm simply looking for a training program to gain power, that's it. I'm not willing to lose weight and I have thus far had worse experiences with group rides. If I have the drive and motivation to push myself by myself, why is that a problem? It has worked for me so far, now I just want to do it with a power meter, that's all

FLvector

Unless you've done several group rides with the right group, I don't know how you could come to this conclusion. Finding a group that will push your limits will make you stronger. Mixing in both group and solo rides is an ideal way to train. Solo rides for doing intervals and your own thing.

I understood what you said. There are cyclist out there at or just above your level, you just need to look for them. I would suggest groups of 5 - 10 riders, which is ideal to allow you to recover after a hard pull until its your turn again. Not sure where you came up with 50, but I'd stay far away from these large groups.

If you want to take small steps then continue doing it on your own. It just depends on your goals and when your ready to get more serious. You won't be wasting the coaches time, you'll just be wasting your own if you jump in before your ready. Most people that invest in a power meter are ready to take things to the next level. You're sending mixed signals regarding your desire of getting stronger and how to get there. It takes a serious commitment.

therhodeo

Already been given to you.

Alias530

Yep, and I like to have options and pick the one that works best for me. I already thanked Merlin and saved his suggestion.

Alias530

I don't want to ride with strangers, so let's move past that ok? Nothing you can say will convince me to do this with other people. My schedule varies drastically from others and this is just what works for me.

I'm not making small steps... I'm constantly setting PR's and getting much faster. I'm just saying at this point I'm unwilling to pay for a coach at this time. Nothing you can say short of "I'll pay for it for you" is going to convince me otherwise so let's just move past that.

RJM

I also don't see the value in group riding other than the social aspect and possibly motivation to just get out and ride. If you have the will, motivation, and determination, you can push yourself just as hard or harder during solo rides. The one thing you can do during solo rides is determine your training regime and focus on what you have to do during that ride....like do 2x20 intervals, pyramid intervals, hill repeats, sprint training. These things aren't possible if you are riding a rotating paceline with a group.

The fastest riders I know are strictly solo riders and are following training plans given to them by coaches. Most are triathaletes or TT riders.

therhodeo

Complete opposite experience but either way I'm glad anytime a triathlete chooses to not ride near me or anyone else.

RJM

ha...I know what you mean.

It sucks when you are out killing it on some flat route and they blow by you like a car.

I like group rides for the social aspect....and that's about it. For training purposes it has limited appeal. Now, if I can find one, two, maybe three people who share the same training regime it might work great to ride as a group.

caloso

The problem with group rides for most people is that's all they do. If you just sit in and do a few pulls, it's really not causing enough training stress to make you stronger but it's too much training stress for recovery, and you end up in the mushy middle. Believe me, it's really easy to fall into this trap.

If you are smart about it and understand the dynamic of the particular ride, you can incorporate the occasional group ride into any training plan. If your plan calls for FTP work: go on the front and pull. If it calls for VO2max work: attack, get caught, counter attack. Bury yourself to the point of getting dropped and then claw back on. If it calls for tempo work, just sit in. The important thing is to have a plan and then stick with it.

K.Katso

Funny you mention that. I've gotten a ton faster since I hired a coach and started following a training plan. My "fun days" (supposed to be easy recovery-type rides) are when I take out my TT bike. I wouldn't call myself super-fast but I'm stronger than a lot of my riding buddies these days. I agree with you for the most part on the group rides - they aren't really an opportunity for improvement(at least for me anyway), but serve mostly as some extra motivation. You can use them for training, but it's a lot harder to stick to unless you're leading the group. Still, good for fitness if nothing else.

Alias530

Been doing various intervals... 6-8x3mins, 4x8mins, 2x20mins, 3x10mins, etc... here was yesterday:

Yesterday I did 7x3mins... Went pretty deep on my 4th set before my rest break.

caloso

Nice job. Is that PM data or are those estimated watts by Strava?

Alias530

Power meter.

I think my goal for each interval was 363 watts but that came too easily so I overshot each of them. Then I KOM'd a sprint on the way home after intervals, that felt good haha

caloso

That's solid work.

Alias530

Thanks! I felt relatively fresh afterwards, enough to do at least 2 more, but I had to get back to work... might have to start doing 9-10 three min intervals.

bruce19

Cyclo-core.........https://www.youtube.com/user/cyclocore