Today the temperature in my training room was 5 degrees C. A cold snap this week. It was a scheduled FTP day. My previous FTP was 285 when the room was ~ 15 degrees C. After my test today, it was suggested I go to 290. 5 watts higher, but my overall fitness feels less than when I last tested.
How much of an impact do you think there is in an FTP test based on room temperature? I've never paid attention to it before.
I thought I'd be around 280 to be honest. I wonder if we should also have a spot to record room temperature for test day.
I think I'll repeat it in 2 weeks and see what results I get.
Marty

Temperature has a HUGE impact on performance. And it's not just the temperature of the room either. The major way you cool yourself is by evaporation, not by air temperature.


Even though you're in a very cold room, put a fan on you (if you can stand it).


Read this too:
http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/...harged-training.html

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

This is why I really wish there was an ANT+ thermometer and humidity sensor. I'd love to have this data. I'm really surprised sites like TrainingPeaks and Strava haven't added the ability to use the GPS data to look up weather almanac information from wunderground or something, too. Garmin has temperature in some of the cycling units, and that's nice, but they don't put it in the watches because your body temp would affect it too much. I get that. But I could see uses for indoor ANT+ "weather", as well as outdoor stuff. If you are like me and run and bike a lot right out of your front door, having the Garmin be able to log the outdoor temp/humidity as you leave and maybe as you return would be pretty useful. *shrug*


--Donnie

How does one upload their trainerroad.com activity to Strava?

Thanks!

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Real People. Real Coaching. Real Results. http://www.ts2coaching.com

You go to your ride on the website and click "download" in the upper left corner. That gives you a .tcx file you can upload to other sites.

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/16234

We want to push workouts to other sites in the future and add download from the desktop. Just so much stuff to do! :)

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Just wanted to give you a quick update and let you know that I'm absolutely loving the software. Thanks for the quick mac fullscreen fix - huge!

I know multiplayer is on your list - but the multiple users on one computer would get you 7 more accounts from the guys I just showed my setup to. They want to bring their trainers in and all battle it out. Can't wait to see all the features you guys are coming up with, just wanted to say thanks and keep it up.

Thanks man :).

The whole reason why I started TR was so that I could kick people's ass in the comfort of my own home :).

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Wow, that was a lot better than the way I did it. Plus I have to put the little monsters through college. ;)


--Donnie

You need to add more recovery type workouts for us weak folks on the off days!

If you want just do an easy spin without a target, I recommend doing one of the free rides.

For something more interesting, I would do baxter and turn it down a bunch.

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Yeah, that's what I usually do, but it's borrrrrring. :)

Definitely. Just wanted to share an observation today. I already use an industrial fan right in front of my aero bars and it's fantastic for getting my power to around 95% of outdoor power... however, today was colder than yesterday (10ish degrees F vs. 25 yesterday) and my fan was sucking it all in. The difference that 15 degrees makes in cooling with the fan is incredible and it was just so freaking easy, both mentally and physically, to spin at my normal outdoor numbers. I had to wear my winter gloves during the wu/cd and take them off for the main intervals.

Trainer Road is now operational in my cave. Did an FTP test earlier in the week and my first workout tonight. I'm looking forward to some real cycling improvement this winter.

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What I do: http://app.strava.com/athletes/345699

I agree! :)

I'll tell our coach to make some recovery workouts.

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Awesome! Nice setup!

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

That would be fantastic! Frankly, your workouts and plans are what I like best about the site, and are potentially a very powerful tool (much to the dismay of many coaches out there, I'm sure).

Great to hear that it helped. I'd like to see some studies that put people in super cold rooms like this and fans and track performance. Some people say after you workout in the heat for a while you get acclimated to it and your performance doesn't suffer as much. I don't know where the cut offs are though, I'd like to see some data!

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CEO at TrainerRoad
Co-host of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast

Just signed up! Looks like a cool program. Got it set up and will do my first ride tomorrow on my back porch with a laptop. Should be nice and cool, in the 30's.

I'm still recovering from Sunday's marathon (PR and BQ- thank you very much :) ), so I'm looking for a recovery workout. I guess I can do one of the 'free' ones, but it seems that nearly all the workouts have a lot of intense intervals. I'm not sure I understand how to select workouts yet? Any tips on where to start? I'm not ready to do an FTP test yet.

Most of my cycling is long (2-4hr), steady 90-100%LT level stuff. Looks like these are very interval intense. Is that the secret to cycling training? I'm a swimmer and a runner- and really need to build my cycling base at this point.

Just fire up the app and scroll through the "workouts" list. You can get an idea of what the intervals are like from the thumbnail and the time. The "free" ones still let you do custom intervals, they are just manually driven instead the app telling you what to do next. Or you can just spin.

As for cycling specific training advice, that's probably for a different thread (or search threads already here). Or go Google for some training plans and/or talk to professional coaches. Trainer Road is really just a VERY nice way to help you get the interval training piece of cycle training done. As you seem to be aware, there's more to it than that...

Me, I do one long ride per week and try to stay Z2. Then I do one short interval workout per week that gets into Z3 and Z4 some. And then one longer interval workout that's mostly Z3. But that's mixed in with running, too...


--Donnie

While you're at it, I would love to see some more 2 hour and 2 1/2 hour workouts...

In an earlier message, you said you can "turn it down" a bit - do you just adjust your FTP, or is that what that little 100% thingy at the bottom of the screen does? I thought it was just a graph zoom...

Thanks again for a great product - you don't realize it, but you've been totally kicking my ass a few days a week... lol!

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

Well, that was fun.
http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/16922
my first Trainer Road workout. I love data, and it's the first time I've been able to see power info.

Was having a bit of a time trying to get my Garmin ANT agent to recognize the stick. Finally just restarted the laptop and it worked. But, that's not Nate's fault. Cut my workout a little short tho'.

Was unable to upload the tcx file from my mac... but it worked just fine from my PC. Garmin didn't like the file type on the mac. ???? This may be more of a Garmin issue. hmmmm

Worked flawlessy with my CT and Garmin HR strap!

2 big things that stand out on 1st ride
1) Auto-Pause
2) Having a full workout graph AND a near-realtime graph

Once i convert SF vids i will try some SF workouts.

Q: I assume if we want to lower the IF on a SF workout we just need to lower our FTP profile before the ride

Q: Any chance there will be an ergvideo interface? That the only thing holding me back from moving this all to a Mac OS

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2016:
IMFL #12
http://www.bestbikesplit.com

Nate I just did the 20 minute test for the first time and love the s/w. Is there a way to show averages during the workout or am I missing how to do so. I am using as SRM with a Garmin 800 so I guess I can just get it off the Garmin. Just curious.

On the bottom left of the trainerroad screen is a percentage box. change that to whatever you need to meet the IF you want/need for the workout.

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2014 --> IMFL 70.3 / IM Augusta 70.3 / IMFL

Received my ant+ stick last week and have been enjoying the program. I use my iPad with the Splashtop app so I can have the iPad in front of me with Trainer Road and a movie, works great.