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Home > Forum > Triathlon Forum > Speed/cadence or just time indoors?

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Speed/cadence or just time indoors?
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OtterJohn
Oct 1, 14 22:09
Post #1 of 14 (1879 views)
We're getting to that time of year again, and I'm in the market for a new GPS anyway. I'm debating the Edge 200 vs the 500. I know that the major difference is the ANT+ sensor support in the 500, whereas the 200 is just distance, speed and location (albeit outdoors only).

I don't train by cadence anyway (I'm a casual athlete, not that concerned about it), and I keep hearing that "speed and 'distance' are worthless indoors".

So...what do you all do? Bother with the sensors, or just plug in and spin for a set time and to hell with the numbers?
- John
"Have courage, and be kind."
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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IamSpartacus
Oct 1, 14 22:13
Post #2 of 14 (1872 views)
i have an edge 500, but yes, outdoors for it only

I use trainerroad inside. Get a garmin ant stick if you dont have one, and a gsc10 (which will measure your speed and cadence although they might not mean much to you) and then use virtual power. Its as budget as your going to get. Otherwise, as you said, its all perceived rate of exertion or heart rate your going off.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Hussman
Oct 1, 14 22:41
Post #3 of 14 (1858 views)
I use a 910xt with cadence and heart rate for trainer indoors. I find cadence to be very helpful, it allows me to find my natural pace (cadence of 90 rpm) and I adjust the gears until my heart rate is at zone 2. Then the speed (with some calibration of the tightness of the trainer on the wheel) kind of lets me know where I am compared to earlier workouts.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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HH
Oct 2, 14 3:41
Post #4 of 14 (1806 views)
how fast the flywheel rotates is not in itself useful. But it could become useful if you convert it to virtual power.

if you aren't interested in cadence, then that's the answer. There is value in doing low-cadence high force, high cadence spinning, and all other combinations for different training purposes. I find it useful to quantify that. But as I say if you are not interested then there's otherwise no need.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Donzo98
Oct 2, 14 3:51
Post #5 of 14 (1790 views)
Power... HR.... cadence...

Speed is useless inside.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [Donzo98] [ In reply to ]
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lightheir
Oct 2, 14 4:54
Post #6 of 14 (1746 views)
Donzo98 wrote:
Power... HR.... cadence...

Speed is useless inside.

Speed is a surrogate of power on most fluid trainers. A la trainerroad virtualpower.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [Donzo98] [ In reply to ]
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DFW_Tri
Oct 2, 14 5:23
Post #7 of 14 (1719 views)
Useless? I never understand this.

Maybe I'm alone but when I'm inside, I find the same ( or similar) correlation between my speed and cadence/ gearing as outside. Pedal faster in same gear and my speed increases. When I'm more fit, my overall speed is faster inside just like outside. I use same tire pressure and rotation on trainer wheel to maintain as much consistency as possible.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Munq E. Wrench
Oct 2, 14 5:36
Post #8 of 14 (1700 views)
I do the same as outside - time and effort. I have an 800 with Vector pedals, sometimes watching heart rate as well (but I never do much with it when I have power).
Munq
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Wylde06
Oct 2, 14 5:41
Post #9 of 14 (1694 views)
I wouldn't say speed is completely useless. Distance maybe, but knowing wheelspeed can be helpful if you dont have power
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [Donzo98] [ In reply to ]
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g_lev
Oct 2, 14 5:43
Post #10 of 14 (1692 views)
Donzo98 wrote:
Power... HR.... cadence...

Speed is useless inside.

This, and add time.

I would argue that speed/distance is useless outside as well as a measure of your training quality. Hills, wind, road surface all play a part in how "fast" you go, but your power meter will tell you every time exactly how hard you worked.
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Travis R
Oct 2, 14 7:23
Post #11 of 14 (1630 views)
"Plug in and spin" is better than nothing, but with options like PerfPro, TrainerRoad, and others that can utilize your speed/cadence, you can really take your training to a new level. It becomes more measurable and meaningful, and while not 100% accurate regarding the speed and distance, it will still give you some predictors for your gains when you get back out on the road in the spring. Throw in Sufferfest or Epic Rides or something, and it can also be much more fun!
Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [Travis R] [ In reply to ]
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Munq E. Wrench
Oct 2, 14 8:14
Post #12 of 14 (1586 views)
+1 on the Sufferfest workouts. I followed their intermediate road plan last winter - more interesting than watching Netflix, and I hit the road stronger this year. It takes a bit of experience to correlate the RPE in their videos to power zones, but I eventually found a mapping that worked for me. I'd prefer that SF gave power zone and cadence, but... meh. I'm a big boy, I can figure it out.

Time and effort are all that matter - indoors or out. OK, maybe form is important too.

Cheers!
Munq
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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ZenTriBrett
Oct 2, 14 8:15
Post #13 of 14 (1585 views)
Cadence, HR, Time, Watts. If no watts, speed can make do... just not comparable to outside rides. Time on a trainer has a little more worth than outside as well, since there's very little coasting and stopping for intersections. Depends, but you hear things like 1 hour on the trainer is like 1:15 on the road.
----------------------------------------------------------
Zen and the Art of Triathlon. Strava Workout Log
Interviews with Chris McCormack, Helle Frederikson, Angela Naeth, and many more.
http://www.zentriathlon.com
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Re: Speed/cadence or just time indoors? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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OtterJohn
Oct 2, 14 8:30
Post #14 of 14 (1566 views)
Thanks for all the input! I'm a big fan of RPE, so I think I'm gonna just stick with time for now and look into the Sufferfest videos to keep things interesting.
- John
"Have courage, and be kind."
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