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May 2020
9:30am, 19 May 2020
4,598 posts
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Windsor Wool
lark - I would have thought this it is very similar to running. Plenty of time at low intensity with a sprinkling of harder stuff. I'm sure there's a way to be far more scientific but unless you're planning to target becoming an age group duathlon contender I'm sure you know enough. Enjoy it though, please...
I tried 3 times to go up the Alpe last evening as part of the stage 4 race. 1st time tech issue half way up. Gah. Jumped in to the next race. Tech issue 1/4 way up. Gah. did some fiddling, jumped on the next race. Got to the start of the climb and my legs just gave up completely. 3 attempts in an hour is perhaps not optimal. You have to laugh really!
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May 2020
9:33am, 19 May 2020
69,634 posts
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Gobi
LOL WW , yes you do .......
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May 2020
9:35am, 19 May 2020
18,119 posts
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Angus Clydesdale
My young lad did the Alpe yesterday in a shade under the hour. Very impressed with his pacing, he’s maturing and learning really quickly.
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May 2020
9:36am, 19 May 2020
18,120 posts
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Angus Clydesdale
I am very slightly envious! 
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May 2020
9:39am, 19 May 2020
8,657 posts
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simbil
Bad luck WW - I did a group ride up the Alpe yesterday and nearly bailed as power kept dropping off but it eventually stabilised.
Larks, similar to running but you can get away with a bit more without getting injured
What's your overall aim?
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May 2020
9:59am, 19 May 2020
11,088 posts
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larkim
Good question simbil. Maybe just not be rubbish! Obviously equipment is one thing, but my bike weighs 10.6kg and I've no appetite for spending money on it just for performance sake, so it's down to me.
When riding with anyone half decent, I just run out of oomph on climbs quite quickly with quads filled with lactic (it seems). Making some progress on that would be a decent place to start.
According to zwift my FTP is about 218W, so last night on Jon's mix I did 3x60s at about 330W, 5x10s bursts at c. 500W and 2x10mins at 195W. The final 10mins were tough though! So I'm not completely incapable, maybe it's more that if any of my friends / relatives who can ride with me came out for a run with me they'd struggle at my easy pace, and I'm just being a bit unrealistic to expect that my running fitness translates easily into cycling.
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May 2020
10:22am, 19 May 2020
8,658 posts
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simbil
Counter intuitively, increasing your time in the saddle per session and frequency of sessions will probably give you good gains across the board including shorter efforts.
Could also be a strength issue - dropping to 60rpm for moderate efforts up to several mins can help develop strength assuming your pedalling mechanics are ok (bit of an injury risk with these).
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May 2020
11:02am, 19 May 2020
363 posts
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Maccathecracker
Thanks for posting the link on the last page Simbil. I think I folllowed it correctly and last night climbed something (2,000ft) in a Stage 4 Tour for all. Completely bizarre experience but really enjoyed it.
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May 2020
11:13am, 19 May 2020
11,089 posts
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larkim
Thanks simbil, makes sense just to build strength if that's what i'm lacking!
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May 2020
9:55am, 20 May 2020
11,097 posts
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larkim
Had a go at using the iOS app "bike fit fast" to give me some pointers on areas where the bike fit might be hampering me. Even with the small raise to the saddle from last week, the knee angle at the foot of the stroke might be too narrow (first go yesterday was 125deg, whereas I've read closer to 140 is more "normal" - I can't touch my toes though, so that might be short hamstrings) and ditto at the top of the stroke it's less than 70deg, so there's definitely scope for playing around with saddle height and forward / backwards saddle position, whilst recognising that some of these benchmarks are "averages". More playing time tonight I hope!
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