I’m fairly new to this forum, but I am impressed by the amount of "science" here. I’ve always just trained by whatever felt right at the time, but it seems several of you use are constantly experimenting on yourselves in your own little human performance laboratories--measuring, recording, evaluating, etc.
Maybe you can help me understand some of the things I’ve always wondered about my Computrainer. I’m pretty anal about recording my workouts in a training log even though I’ve never really done anything with the data other than to compare my progress in one year versus another.
I’ve got the old version Computrainer that uses a Nintendo game and a TV. I almost always ride the same old 13 mile Coors course--sometimes I draft, sometimes I don't. (I’ve noticed that this course is only 12.5 miles on my brother’s newer version of the Computrainer, but the hill profile appears the same. What’s up with that?) Anyway, here are my real questions.
1. I find it much easier to produce power when climbing since I’m at a slower cadence. I can maintain over 400 Watts during a sustained climb but cannot maintain 300 Watts on a descent of say over 3%. When I’m racing a pacer at a fixed power, I always wax him on the climbs then get passed on the descents. Also, my power tends to spike as a downhill transitions into a climb and I try to maintain my momentum. Is this consistent with your experiences?
2. On my best ride, I set the pacer at 380 Watts and beaten him even though I averaged only 365 Watts. I’ve always assumed that this was due to the fact that I try to get up to speed as quickly as possible when I begin to go downhill. (My power is well above my average until I get up to speed.) Then as I continue going downhill my power output is way below average, but it’s enough to allow me to maintain much of the initial speed I gained at the top--so I’m going nearly as fast as the pacer but with much less power. Is this the reason I win with less power?
3. There is a discrepancy between my average power and finishing times. For instance, I’ve been as slow as 34:20 and as fast as 33:07 at an average of 348 Watts. Does this discrepancy occur for the same reason I can beat a pacer with a lower power output? Would my pacing be considered more efficient for my faster effort since I had the same average power but covered the course more quickly? (I don’t really know what those pacing differences were, but I have an idea.)
4. One time after my Nintendo cartridge memory was cleared, I thought I was having the ride of my life because I was going so fast. Then I noticed that my software had reset to the default weight of 140 pounds. I usually keep it at 200 pounds (my estimate of my weight including the bike.) I was surprised by what a huge impact weight had on my speed. I’ve read on this forum that bike weight doesn't matter much unless you’re climbing. If that is true, than body weight shouldn’t matter that much either. I assume the difference I encountered is simply due to Computrainer’s formula for translating power into speed? Do they incorporate an assumption that as the mass increases the frontal area (and drag) does as well?
5. For the first several years that I owned my Computrainer, I hardly ever came out of the saddle. I just sat back and mashed. Recently, I've noticed that I come out the saddle a lot. (Well, not anymore since I got my PCs.) Perhaps I never used to because it "feels" so much different than the road since you're not rocking or anything. But occasionally I'll just do the entire course in 52x12 andstand for the climbs. Do you think this is because I've lost the power I use to be able to generate while in the saddle (I'm 43 now,) or have I just discovered something "new?" Do others ride their trainers out of the saddle much even though the form is so different than the road?
6. Why can’t I coast when going downhill? (Just kidding.)
Maybe you can help me understand some of the things I’ve always wondered about my Computrainer. I’m pretty anal about recording my workouts in a training log even though I’ve never really done anything with the data other than to compare my progress in one year versus another.
I’ve got the old version Computrainer that uses a Nintendo game and a TV. I almost always ride the same old 13 mile Coors course--sometimes I draft, sometimes I don't. (I’ve noticed that this course is only 12.5 miles on my brother’s newer version of the Computrainer, but the hill profile appears the same. What’s up with that?) Anyway, here are my real questions.
1. I find it much easier to produce power when climbing since I’m at a slower cadence. I can maintain over 400 Watts during a sustained climb but cannot maintain 300 Watts on a descent of say over 3%. When I’m racing a pacer at a fixed power, I always wax him on the climbs then get passed on the descents. Also, my power tends to spike as a downhill transitions into a climb and I try to maintain my momentum. Is this consistent with your experiences?
2. On my best ride, I set the pacer at 380 Watts and beaten him even though I averaged only 365 Watts. I’ve always assumed that this was due to the fact that I try to get up to speed as quickly as possible when I begin to go downhill. (My power is well above my average until I get up to speed.) Then as I continue going downhill my power output is way below average, but it’s enough to allow me to maintain much of the initial speed I gained at the top--so I’m going nearly as fast as the pacer but with much less power. Is this the reason I win with less power?
3. There is a discrepancy between my average power and finishing times. For instance, I’ve been as slow as 34:20 and as fast as 33:07 at an average of 348 Watts. Does this discrepancy occur for the same reason I can beat a pacer with a lower power output? Would my pacing be considered more efficient for my faster effort since I had the same average power but covered the course more quickly? (I don’t really know what those pacing differences were, but I have an idea.)
4. One time after my Nintendo cartridge memory was cleared, I thought I was having the ride of my life because I was going so fast. Then I noticed that my software had reset to the default weight of 140 pounds. I usually keep it at 200 pounds (my estimate of my weight including the bike.) I was surprised by what a huge impact weight had on my speed. I’ve read on this forum that bike weight doesn't matter much unless you’re climbing. If that is true, than body weight shouldn’t matter that much either. I assume the difference I encountered is simply due to Computrainer’s formula for translating power into speed? Do they incorporate an assumption that as the mass increases the frontal area (and drag) does as well?
5. For the first several years that I owned my Computrainer, I hardly ever came out of the saddle. I just sat back and mashed. Recently, I've noticed that I come out the saddle a lot. (Well, not anymore since I got my PCs.) Perhaps I never used to because it "feels" so much different than the road since you're not rocking or anything. But occasionally I'll just do the entire course in 52x12 andstand for the climbs. Do you think this is because I've lost the power I use to be able to generate while in the saddle (I'm 43 now,) or have I just discovered something "new?" Do others ride their trainers out of the saddle much even though the form is so different than the road?
6. Why can’t I coast when going downhill? (Just kidding.)