Anyone have experience with doing a long course tri with Best Bike Split and another tri with a single watts target to compare it to?? I did 70.3 Chattanooga in 2019 with BBS on my Garmin and found it interesting and helpful, but am now contemplating a 70.3 with just a single watts target (% of FTP.) I didn’t see much chatter about BBS on the forum.
Triathlon Forum
Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
Re: 70.3 bike leg: Best Bike Split or a single watt target? [tedtri]
[ In reply to ]
This is a great question. One I’m interested in hearing peep’s perspectives on...
However, I have a slightly different take on the higher level question which is how should I ride to yield the fastest bike/run split? To me, you do the work and see what your ftp is and how it feels at various %s of that for different periods of time. You get a sense of how heat, wind and hills impact you. You learn what cadence and HR limits make sense...lots of mindful experimentation during your training...
Then on race day, it’s humid and very windy and you’re having trouble staying hydrated...what do you do? Single watt target? (nope). BBS? (Nope). What you do is to use your training and the results of your training experiments to decide what makes sense then...in other words you make a game time decision, many times during the game...
Now, I think it’s fine to have a plan based on a set of assumptions (weather, how you feel, etc.) but more important is that you plan to adjust as things change and even more important you train, think and build that ability long before you get to the start line...
Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com
Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.
However, I have a slightly different take on the higher level question which is how should I ride to yield the fastest bike/run split? To me, you do the work and see what your ftp is and how it feels at various %s of that for different periods of time. You get a sense of how heat, wind and hills impact you. You learn what cadence and HR limits make sense...lots of mindful experimentation during your training...
Then on race day, it’s humid and very windy and you’re having trouble staying hydrated...what do you do? Single watt target? (nope). BBS? (Nope). What you do is to use your training and the results of your training experiments to decide what makes sense then...in other words you make a game time decision, many times during the game...
Now, I think it’s fine to have a plan based on a set of assumptions (weather, how you feel, etc.) but more important is that you plan to adjust as things change and even more important you train, think and build that ability long before you get to the start line...
Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com
Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.
Re: 70.3 bike leg: Best Bike Split or a single watt target? [tedtri]
[ In reply to ]
Generally I use BBS to look at various IF / TSS combos and ultimately go with what I'm feeling is the best option as race day approaches. From there I take that NP and then just try and ride pretty much a constant wattage on race day. If it's a rolling course I'll try to keep 5 mile NP splits at target overall NP.
Re: 70.3 bike leg: Best Bike Split or a single watt target? [wcb]
[ In reply to ]
wcb wrote:
Generally I use BBS to look at various IF / TSS combos and ultimately go with what I'm feeling is the best option as race day approaches. From there I take that NP and then just try and ride pretty much a constant wattage on race day. If it's a rolling course I'll try to keep 5 mile NP splits at target overall NP.That’s what I do as well
the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning
Re: 70.3 bike leg: Best Bike Split or a single watt target? [tedtri]
[ In reply to ]
I've used Best Bike split for 70.3 Muskoka, but I reduced my ftp from the Trainer road ramp test to make sure I wasn't overestimating everything.
I'm a huge fan of BBS myself. Some of it I'm sure is that it appeals to the Engineer in me and my analytical nature but I've also found the data and projections to be really accurate. You need to use it a few times, I've had some hiccups getting things all set up and ready to go, but once you're dialed in, it's tough to beat.
For me, it for the most part keeps me in check and keeps me from bigger power spikes, pushing too many watts in areas I shouldn't, etc. I may not necessarily target the exact listed target power numbers but I keep it nearby for the most part
For me, it for the most part keeps me in check and keeps me from bigger power spikes, pushing too many watts in areas I shouldn't, etc. I may not necessarily target the exact listed target power numbers but I keep it nearby for the most part