BIKE THREAD

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MudMeanderer Nov 2015 9:49am, 13 Nov 2015 1,648 posts	0 MudMeanderer I think the only thing speed told me was if the tyre was slipping a lot. Having now acquired a power meter that will be the focus when I start training properly again. Though I did find my perception of cadence was out when I first put one on.
JustDistracted (JD) Nov 2015 11:18am, 13 Nov 2015 2,000 posts	0 JustDistracted (JD) My turbo sessions are normally intervals and done by perceived effort. I do have the garmin to look at my speed - more to check that my interval pace isn't dropping over the efforts. I have had the odd cadence session too. (I say normally, I still haven't been on it since about March...!)
GordonG Nov 2015 1:24pm, 13 Nov 2015 6,791 posts	0 GordonG I've got a really basic turbo - no dials, displays, etc - and there are two ways of changing the resistance: a dial that is attached to the handlebars which goes from 1 (easy) to 5 (hard) like bike gears, and the adjuster for the roller to ensure adequate contact with the back wheel. Any recommendations as to what setting the adjuster should be on (for a turbo newbie) e.g. really firm against the wheel, lightly against the wheel or - i guess the obvious one - about in the middle? Again, bear in mind that there is no indicator with the adjuster so a setting of "the middle" would be a bit of a guess on my part. ta
MudMeanderer Nov 2015 5:02pm, 13 Nov 2015 1,649 posts	0 MudMeanderer Mine has an adjuster and a switch to move the roller onto or off of the tyre. It suggests set it about 2mm off the tyre and then the switch moves it so the tyre depresses about 1-2mm. Unless it's slipping significantly, or you can't move the pedals at all you should be able to find a reasonable resistance by changing the dial and the gears. Of turbos, can anyone recommend one with decent resistance, or a technique to add resistance to one. I've been trying to do Friel style force reps (about half a dozen max effort revolutions at about 60rpm). However trying mine (Minoura Hypermag) or YPs (Elite Chrono), in my max gear (50x11) the resistance tops out at about 350-370W. I'm weak, but not that much so! I've tried altering the setting distance (as described in the previous paragraph) and the tyre pressure, but to no significant effect. Or am I just going to have to head out onto the wintery roads to do these sessions.
eL Bee! Nov 2015 6:48pm, 13 Nov 2015 19,992 posts	0 eL Bee! MM - we have the Elite Chrono Fluid version and the resistance is MUCH greater than that! It's virtually impossible to push in 50x11! I use it for my top end 'sprints' which are in the 1100W range
Dai Bank Nov 2015 8:08pm, 13 Nov 2015 4,334 posts	0 Dai Bank My son has an Elite turbo that I just cannot pedal against at any level apart from 39x21. Suppose that happens when you are used to rollers when I start bouncing I know I,ve hit about 110 rpm and fear hits that I may fall off. I did when I stopped pedalling when that first happened and I managed to balance by gabbing both door jambs that I was pedalling between, my HR spiked at 185 or so and I went as red as the banner in the thread title. I,ve never pedalled at more than 100rpm on the rollers since.
eL Bee! Nov 2015 8:14pm, 13 Nov 2015 19,993 posts	0 eL Bee! I have rollers with relatively small drums and can use them up to about 350-400W Also use them for cadence specific drills of up to about 130 rpm in much lighter gears The small rollers offer more resistance, so I can use them for most sessions that are indoors. Just not eyeballs out top end work!!
Jambomo Nov 2015 10:15pm, 13 Nov 2015 5,487 posts	0 Jambomo I seem to have added my name to a 60 mile cycle next June. It isn't a competitive ride but I'll need to train for it as I use my bike mainly for a short commute to and from work ( about 1 1/2) miles each way though I have done some 15-20 mile rides. What is the best way to train to increase my speed and get my distance up? I was looking online for training plans but some either go with heart rate training (and I don't have a heart rate monitor or cash to buy one) or are a little too easy I.e the first eight weeks and they want you cycling 15-20 minutes all the time. I'd like something a bit in between.
MudMeanderer Nov 2015 10:44pm, 13 Nov 2015 1,650 posts	0 MudMeanderer Cheers EB and DB. I think I may just have access to two fairly week turbos. For most sessions it isn't an issue as the cadence is higher and the interval duration longer, so it's acceptable, but having recognised I'm limited by my ability to push the pedals hard I need the big force efforts. I've started doing 90s 115-120rpm low resistance efforts on the rollers without too much trouble, and found in the chaingang earlier in the year I has prolonged periods at 110rpm+. But even on sustained downhill drags on the TT bike I frequently struggled to get over 52-13/14. Sprint efforts for me have so far topped out at about 750w for a second or two. It's pretty evident where my weakness lies!
Winded Nov 2015 12:04pm, 14 Nov 2015 3,875 posts	0 Winded For my first 60 mile ride I added 5 miles to a weekly ride for a few weeks, then repeated 25 miles a few times, then 35, 45 etc. Next June is ages away, as long as you are comfortable riding 35 to 40 miles on the same kind of terrain you'll be able to do 60 but with so long to train you may as well get in the habit of 50 or 60 miles. When you can comfortably ride 60 or 70 you'll want to ride 100! A bit like 5k when a non runner contemplates it 60 miles is a distance that sounds quite long but once you are in the swing of it getting round isn't as much of a challenge as it seems (before you do any training). Especially as most organised 60 milers have a feed station half way round. It is far enough to want a comfy bike though so if yours doesn't fit quite right I'd tinker now, it doesn't have to be posh and it doesn't even have to have drop handlebars (though that makes it easier to hide from the wind or go fast).