I have been reading up on the Erg video program etc. Wondering what peopleès experience has been and how difficult, or easy the program is to set up and get working…sounds pretty amazing and the gains one could make seem impressive…thanks
ok dont everyone answer all at once…
Next to the comptrainer, a great investment. Look for the long or short course packs. I had the funds and got the 9pack, its got everything you will ever need and now with V2 you can get a threshold testing so you can monitor your progress. Of course you can do it all on your own but its nice to have something set up to test on. I had problems with some installation, on my part and Paul was more than willing to help me fix it. As far as workouts go, if you set the programs to your FTP you WILL get one heck of a workout.
Walter
They kick ass. I would say that they make riding a Computrainer much more fun and motivational. I like the 4 man team time trial or the muskoka long course when i just want to ride (I do it at 85% of FTP), then crank it up with any kind of intervals twice a week. The endurance intervals are a killer.
I’m a fan. I just ordered the Threshold Test, Lake Placid and the Tirathlete Hilly Hammerfest.
Ken
Setup is easy, and Paul includes video tutorial, etc.
Once you’ve done it once, it will become a snap.
Lots of different choices in the library to choose from. And don’t forget to check out www.intellicoach.ca . This allows you in a breeze to customize a ride, and see right away the “work” you will be doing. And you can even preview the “work” of all the titles in the catalogue, to help you make a better purchase.
I got several titles, and a new order going out in a few weeks (winter is long up here)!
I said it once and I will say it again: ERGVideo is the best investment you can make once you have a CT.
Disclaimer: I am not paid by ERGVideo, just a satisfied user.
Hi fe-girl
just to be really clear:
sounds pretty amazing and the gains one could make seem impressive…
Oh, IE8 is having some trouble posting to ST…testing …okay better now…
What I had typed before the dog ate my homework, was that I want to make clear that we make no “claims for impressive gains”. That kind of thing has been controversial for others around here.
We’re pragmatic, sorta like this: You make gains: when you train…if you train…hard. ErgVideo helps you make gains only because if you use it, it: makes you train…hard…and ErgVideo makes it fun to train hard.
I can only guarantee that it will give you an awesome and enjoyable workout, one like you never expected. It is now easier to set your specific training goals with the new ride-designer & pre-analysis tools. Then you let the CompuTrainer take over to hold you to those targets. You participate in the session without having to watch your clock or count intervals etc. Just ride, sometime hard, sometimes not.
We also have fully automated the threshold testing protocol. Very handy to measure those “gains”, if any.
Paul Smeulders.
ErgVideo.com
Can you start a video in the middle of the ride or do you have to go end to end ?
Francois in Montreal
Great product. I highly recommend it. The only tough part for me was downloading the file to CyclingPeaks afterwards if you use MultiRider to run the ergvideo. You have to go to CS and then export the MR workout file and then it can be downloaded to CyclingPeaks. But as others have said, Paul is extremely customer oriented and his tutorials are very well done.
I like Version 2 as it is easier to hook in Itunes. Thanks Paul.
The videos are very realistic and make the time on the CompuTrainer go by much quicker than without the ErgVideo. Also after a long day I find the erg file easier to do than trying to motivate myself to ride a 3D course. With erg you either ride or get off the bike. There is no in between. So for me if I am scheduled to ride a hard ride as part of my training, doing it on ergvideo is mentally easier than doing it on a 3D course.
Good luck and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Andy
Can you start a video in the middle of the ride or do you have to go end to end ?
Francois in Montreal
The ride designer lets you start and end at any point and do repeats of various intervals as many or as little as you like. The only thing you can’t do is tag 2 different videos together. So for example the Base cool ride video is about 2:45 and if I only want to do a 1 hour recovery ride I can start and stop wherever I want to. And at whatever FTP% I want to as well so if I want it really easy I can lessen the pain level.
Très facile à faire François. Very easy to do.
You can either do it in the pre-ride designer, or do it all ahead of time (from anywhere) through www.intellicoach.ca
Can you start a video in the middle of the ride or do you have to go end to end ?
Francois in Montreal
ah, Francois, answer is yes you can…but soooo so much more. Visit the toolkit at www.intellicoach.ca. It’s free to poke around.
There you can see everything possible that you can “do” to an ergvideo ride. Change start and end points, and even a Repetition frame that you can do many times. So an ergvideo really can be any duration you need. With each change, you see the resulting Time in zones, as well as the TrainingPeaks metrics, presented with permission of the TrainingPeaks folks.
One feature that’s really cool, but I am sure is hardly used, is as follows: Suppose you have an ergvideo that you would like to ride, but it is mostly a Zone 3-4 when ridden in the standard configuration. Suppose you “need” a zone 3 ride where there is a limit on the amount of zone4 or higher you are “allowed” to do. Well, you just punch in the desired ride length, that you want a zone 3 ride, that you want, say, no more than 5% of ride is spent at intensities higher than that, and one last thing, what’s the shortest “repeat” you are willing to look at.
One click, and you get the “best fit” ride built to that spec. The tool shows all the start/stop/repeat info, as well as the “threshold setting” you should use to achieve all the targets. ErgVideo 2 can do a one-click Load of all this, and you go and ride.
So this tool goes way way way beyond simple things like setting a mid-ride start point. 
Try it out, it’s a free tool.
Paul
So this tool goes way way way beyond simple things like setting a mid-ride start point.
Very impressive indeed. Can’t wait to try it out.
Francois in Montreal
Thanks for all your comments…had time off over holidays and did some reading on the Erg web site…ok, all you people out there using this product…how easy is it once you are set up…I am not very tech oriented, and using the custom design features to come up with rides which are less then riding the whole DVD seems overwhelming…overall, I find what I read pretty impressive, especially if someone wants to become a better rider…thanks…Pam.
I have been using Lake Placid with a champ and Long endurance intervals.
They are both great. I use the Lake Placid video as more of a Z2 type of workout, just as Paul said, it allows you to structure the time in different power zones.
The long Endurance intervals kick your a$$ big time. I will buy a few more soon. Highly recommend this product!!!
Set up is pretty easy and Paul is great at both answering emails as well as calling (if you give him a number). I ordered two videos and had some trouble getting them to download off the disk. I sent paul an email on New Year’s Eve and he responded with help, still didn’t fix the issues and I send him another email with a phone number and he called me back 10 minutes later. It was an issue with my DVD drive, not the disk and eventually we got it figured out. I got both Titles downloaded and road for an hour right after. Once on your computer, they are incredibly simply to use, and enjoyable as well.
Tim
Once you got the title of choice installed the first time, it’s a snap. Don’t let the “tech talk” of some of us Erg Video junkies fool you
The one essential thing you need is an honest FTP setting and then just load and pedal away.
Essentially, loading an ErgVideo title is a less than 5 minute drill after you are done with your CT calibration.
- Open ERGVideo
- Load your title
- Click on the ride designer and build the file then press OK
- Click on “start Computrainer CS sofware”
- Done… ERGVideo software will take care of the rest
- Once ready, click on play, get back in saddle… and feel it.
First thing you will know, you’ll become another junkie, and will start fooling with the profile tool on intellicoach.ca, and playing with the wattage settings.
How easy is it to use the coaching/course planning function if you don’t want to ride the whole course. Do you have th threshold test video, it sounds pretty cool…thanks.
you are waaaay too worried.
Quote How easy is it to use the coaching/course planning function if you don’t want to ride the whole course. Do you have th threshold test video, it sounds pretty cool…thanks.
- Open ERGVideo
- Load your title
- Click on the ride designer .
- Position slider to place in video you want to start. Video scrolls and pointer shows corresponding position in power profile. Click “start”
- Position slider to place in video you want to stop. Video scrolls and pointer shows corresponding position in power profile. Click “Ride End”
ride stats such as final ride time etc. are displayed. - Click “build it”.
- Click on “start Computrainer CS sofware”
- Done… ERGVideo software will take care of the rest
- Once ready, click on play, get back in saddle… and feel it.
Very complete instructional videos for everything you are asking about are on the Support page: http://www.ergvideo.com/Support.aspx
(these are actually way more complete than you are asking for, since they show several basic steps you will only ever have to do once…for each ride after initial setup, the above steps are only needed)
Basic Ergvideo operation part 1 Click me for direct low res video on Youtube. You get hi res version with your product.
this is Part 2
Watch others too, there is this cool one on using a trainingplan to set-up a ride, and it really shows, at the end, the speed of the experienced user and just how fast a ride can be set-up. If it takes me more than 30 seconds, I feel like I’m taking too long, and I look at my fingers to see if they are just getting too fat.
You do not NEED the threshold test video but it is a good tool so that you don’t have to estimate your threshold and can measure your fitness progress. Of course you can measure threshold using any of the established methods…the threshold test video follows a specific protocol to be sure you and your tire/ct is always warmed-up the same way and calibrated the same way. It runs the numbers for you and gives you a nice result file for future reference. It also provides a cool and “occupying” experience, with a top notch rider to watch and “take rhythm” from, it is awesome motivation…silky smooth riderboy.
I also made it impossible to get to the test without the warm-up, specifically to remove the prospect of cold calibration and “cold, hasty athlete” as a variable on your results. I would be inundated with “why is my last test so different from my first” emails…at least I won’t have to ask people about their warm-up and calibration routines, and then give “pointed” advice on the importance of consistent calibration and warm-up of tire, ct and you. It’s all wrapped up in a nice package. Very handy. Those who have it, like it a lot.
Well…they like to HAVE it and the results it provides. Some tell me they don’t like **DOING **it, but that’s just HTFU-territory.
Paul Smeulders
www.ergvideo.com
It’s really easy to use the custom function so you don’t have to ride the whole course. I am not good at tech stuff at all. I use Intellicoach for ideas on good ways to custom build courses. I have a notebook right next to my CT and I have copied some of my favorite rides there. I have them arranged by course and time.