It is the coolest thing! I know this probably isn’t news to some of you, but I really was blown away by everything that it can do. We’ve used one in the shop for a couple of years for bike fits, but it’s on an old, slow crappy computer, so I’ve only ever experienced the spin scan(which in it’s own right is worth the money…imo). Running through the 3D program last night was incredible. It’s got virtually every Ironman course profile in existence, a bunch of olympic road race and world championship courses, plus little bits of famous rides. I think I could spend all winter on it and not get through all of them. The coolest feature I’ve found so far is the split screen capability, which allows me to ride the virtual 3D course but still keep tabs on my spin scan. Did the '98 road worlds course this morning. Found out my spin is wicked efficient at RPM’s below 90, but slowly starts to fall apart as I creep up towards 110. Guess I know what I’ll be working on for the next little while. I’m looking forward to going back to that course in a couple of weeks and riding agains myself to see how I’ve improved, now that real training has begun once again.
congratulations. i love my ct and use it all year long. when i first got it, i rode all of the courses but now i use it mostly in ergo mode. i just set it at 150watts or whatever and just keep a certain cadence.
it’s also great for testing. every 3 weeks or so, i ride the 5 mile flat course keeping my hr at 150 and see how long it takes me.
anyway good luck - you’re going to love riding this winter.
I love mine, too…funny I only use it in ergo now also. There’s just something so pure about that.
Would it just be better to get a power meter than the whole 3D set up?
I’m thinking of getting a Computrainer.
Adam
I’m jealous.
I use mine mostly by getting a flat course and trying to ride a certain wattage or heart rate, depending on the workout. I like to race against the pacer.
I have a computrainer. I love it but I would say if the budget is limited, you would be better off with a powermeter and a good trainer.
On another point, Andrew Coggan seems to suggest spinscan has little value (unless I misinterpreted his comments).
not the best way to measure increases in fitness and training form. Dehydration lowers blood volume, as a result, heart rate increases to compensate for lower stroke volume (Cardiac output = HR x SV). Also, increase in training volume can result in increases in blood volume. When I rode from LA to SF last december I rode the entire ride pretty much at the same perceived intensity. In the beginning, I would ride at 160bpm, then as the journey progressed, it declined, 150…145…130…115…I think that increase in bood volume can be made responsible for that change.
HR is also influenced by stimulants such as caffeine. So you would also have to regulate that. Your central NS is influenced by soo many factors, e.g stress.
Too many factors that influence HR. Thus, rather than using a set HR to keep track of your progress, I would suggest that you use a TT. TT the same course, with wind conditions being constant. Also keep track of your weight.
just my .02cents.
d
Enjoy! I have to poke hubby with sharp objects until he gets ours set back up again. We’ll need it this winter in Colorado for sure!
don’t poke him…just cut him off…
on another note, i’ve made badmonk jealous…my life is now complete.
In the beginning, I would ride at 160bpm, then as the journey progressed, it declined, 150…145…130…115…I think that increase in bood volume can be made responsible for that change.
Was your speed fairly constant, adjusting for hills, etc. That sounds like a muscular endurance/fatigue issue. I only say that because it is such a big fluctuation. Were you changing-up cadence to use different muscles? Do you mash? Just curious. I am learning. Don’t jump me.
I kept my effort fairly constant. It’s not like it was a short ride. Had a head wind the entire way, up north, and then down south again. Going with velocity numbers isn’t very accurate since the course profile and wind velocities aren’t constant. But my perceived level of efford was the same, all days. Rode most days 7-9hrs a day.
Although I don’t have a cadence sensor, I think my cadence was mostly constant. I didn’t try to change that during the ride. Like everybody, I have a happy cadence zone that I naturally ride. Didn’t try to change anything during the trip.
I don’t say that muscular fatigue doesn’t have contributed to the outcome. I just believe that changes in blood volume (increase in plasma volume) contributed lots to the change in HR.
if you’re interested, get physiology book and read up on total blood volume, plasma volume, and how hormone regulation during exercise influence them.
d
Rode most days 7-9hrs a day.
That would wipe anybody out.
if you’re interested, get physiology book and read up on total blood volume, plasma volume, and how hormone regulation during exercise influence them.
I will. I love to understand what is going on. Thanks.
7-9 hours a day of base and you pull this off?!?!?:
http://www.sportstats.ca/res2004/croixh.htm
St.Croix 1/2 Ironman
432 7:23:19 Daniel De Carolis USA 18/21 M18-24 109 2 39 31:56 1:36 10 109 2:59:39 18.7 19 495 3:51:45 17:42 1:47:08
I guess you blew up? I would think with a 7-9 hour a day base that a 1/2 could be done in your sleep.
damn a 3:51:45 1/2 marry? I would have hoped that some of that bike time would have helped with your run endurance.
I guess I am wondering if there are those out there who think that the CT is perhaps not worth money?
I am considering getting one, but I am trying to figure out how worth it the CT is? are there things that people don’t like about the product? things that don’t work well? is it hard/easy to use etc?
Just want to know the downsides before potentially taking the plunge.
Thanks for any thoughts
I’ll sell you mine with probably less than 8 hours on it for $300 less than retail.
Living in california, I never should have bought one.
It’s a good tool. A great tool hmmmm? I don’t like the fact that I can barley manage to do a 10mile TT at anything over 23.8 or about 240 watts avg. My 20k TT’s outside are faster than my CT 10 mile times. Good for muscular endurance/strength, not so good to mimic normal ride times in my case. Hills are much harder than real life as well. My cadence is lower on the CT. I like ergo mode. Set it at whatever watts and hold it for an hour or increase watts every 5 -10min. Great for replicating the same parameters for testing.
yeah, i can see your point about fluctuating hr due to dehydration. etc. but i would think that repeating the same test indoors based on hr where all other variables are the same is more accurate than a test outside that would have to take into account, wind, temperature, rain, traffic, etc.
also, if i did a tt instead, wouldn’t my hydration (or lack of) still be an issue?
Hi Hid,
during the swim I got stung by a jellyfish which explains the slow swim time. It stung me in the face and those things are really itchy. Then during the bike I crashed (the roads were really shitty). Lost about 5min from the crash and had a hard time riding afterwards. This happened about 50km into the ride if I remember correctly. My head hurt like a bitch and I felt like my reaction time got much slower. Did I want to quit? Yes. But I couldn’t. I don’t want this I-have-the-ability-to-quit-option to be on my mind during future races. And yes, it sucks to walk for almost 4hrs with a small concussion, believe me. Especially if friendly islander people are cheering for you to go faster.
Sucks to have a shitty year, plagued with bad luck. But there is nothing you can do about it but to keep going. FYI, I also did IM Oceanside in prep for this race. Raced it but didn’t taper. There I blew up during the second half of the bike. It cost me a couple minutes for a better bike split and plenty of minutes for the run.
And in case you look up World’s Thoughest Half results. That was my second out of three half IMs between April 3rd and May 2nd. I did that as my last long training before St. Croix where I wanted to qualify for Hawaii… Took about 15min in the transitions to warm myself up and get properly dressed. Was one cold day, the purpose was to get one last good training in before my A race. So please, don’t tell me that I sucked that day.
In the meantime, I finished my undergrad studies and focused training for some fall races. Unfortunately I got sick. Thrombophlebitis in my left leg. Couldn’t walk for a couple days this summer and was forced to bedrest. No training for 2months. Right now I’m getting back into it. Slowly building a base and if the weather is right I plan on riding LA-SF-LA again in January. I’ll post a thread next week inviting people to join me.
In summary, 2004 sucked. Training went well, so did some VO2 max (79.6ml/kg*min) and TT (avg. 374W for 47:45min) testings in the lab. Hope 2005 will work out better for me.
peace 
d