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THE FUCKING POWER METER THREAD

6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,418
14,907
Hadn't ridden since Saturday 3rd and with the wildfire smoke wife and I figured we'd ride indoors today. With zero warmup we decided to climb the Col du Tourmalet, 11.66miles and 4590ft of verticals...

She had an hour+ headstart due to work schedules and beat me up by 2 1/2 minutes on our overall times. I beat her by 5 seconds going back down though \o/.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945




Caught up with the Kamino Lost episode of Bad Batch, then did a ramp test. I figured I was due for the latter since I've dropped my on-bike volume in recent months. I tapped out after the nominally 375-399W ramp minute, the higher peak being spurious/off ramp. 387.5W being what I should have averaged that last minute x conservative factor of 72% = 279W.

279W is what I logged last time as well. I'm ok with being stagnant given the circumstances. (Makes sense that these are quantized since one naturally decides to call it on the minute intervals. One more minute would be 297W 1 hour FTP instead.)

Given this fairly stable FTP the astute reader of my Strava feed would note that I do most of my time far off peak: high or even mid zone 1, low zone 2 mostly, aiming for the high end of heart rate zones 1 and 2 for each, respectively. This is intentional, is sustainable, and doesn't seem to be hurting me (with some ~200% FTP short intervals thrown in!).
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
7,243
borcester rhymes
Is this your OG peloton or bike+?

I've found my assiomas and elite trainer to be remarkably similar...I think the assiomas were a few w higher than the trainer, but similar enough that I didn't really care. I'm going to treat them somewhat separately as the wattage I can put out outside will always be better than the fungeon. I am happy to know there's no 30w difference, just a few and I can live with that.

Also to note, I took a 20m FTP test and scored identically to the ramp test I also took. The ramp test was WAY easier/more convenient- the full FTP test sucks ass (although it's a good workout). I attempted another FTP test before but found that my trainer did not switch off ERG mode, and it was fighting me as I was trying to lay down more power, sabotaging my effort. Took 24h and did it again, which is where I matched my ramp test.

I'm currently doing the "4wk FTP booster" but stretching it more like 10 weeks as I'm interspersing Z2/weight lifting in between interval days. So, 3 interval days, two z2 or rowing days with lifting (upper body) then outdoor on the weekends. My goal is to put on 40w to my FTP, which I think is doable just by having a regimented training plan and being on the bike every day.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
Good to hear that the ramp test matched up for you. I'm 100% with you in the strategy of spacing out interval days with Z2.

My ramp above and everything of any intensity since late March have been on the Bike+. Up at altitude on the Bike- I basically only do easy spins. One feels 8,400' compared to 5,280' for sure.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
mah zones in yo face

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bailed on that last interval. Had another dune showing to make it to
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
Max. Ugh. Made my own intervals in last block. Bike+ power readings at very high levels (like 800-900W) are inaccurate, I feel. Seems to slip, if that makes sense.

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Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
oof

Tiring week. Modified last two blocks thusly

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CBJ

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
13,245
5,277
Copenhagen, Denmark
The spinning machine at the gym now have power meter and you can link and record on app on the phone. Not sure how accurate it is. Rode for an hour with 194 average and max at 308. I have no idea if that is good, bad or just wacky numbers.
 
Full Trucker

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,186
8,889
Exit, CO
I haven't power metered since last winter. I did take the trainer wheel off my gravel bike yesterday though, and rode it outside today. Which tells me I haven't ridden my gravel bike since it was on the trainer last winter.

I'm certain my FTP sucks a million ass at the moment.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
7,243
borcester rhymes
FTP tests still suck. Suck ass. I hate them. I am getting better at them but they suck no less. I am lucky that the ramp test is roughly equivalent for me. I wanted to start my next block with an accurate FTP number so I did the full shebang (the 45m version anyways). From here on out I will probably ramp test every 4 weeks (each block) to see how I'm doing.

Anyways, ramp test sez 212 a month ago and FTP sez 214 yesterday, so I continue to be roughly equivalent. FTP dropped about 20w from October to now (march) but I continue to have a lower inside vs. outside FTP- wonder if that is down to pedal-measurement vs. trainer power (which includes all drivetrain loss). I need to find an outdoor locale to attempt an FTP test and attach my power pedals to the trainer for the next round.

Anyways, one block of weights down, one block of Z2 down, next month will be Z2 base plus sweet spot, then I need to figure out some fun HIIT and strength stuff for two more blocks before whatever I choose to do .
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,418
14,907
Todays indoor ride in Scotland had a 1.5 mile climb with 700ft of vert near the end of the 30 miles.

That hurt.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
7,243
borcester rhymes
6thElement said:
Todays indoor ride in Scotland had a 1.5 mile climb with 700ft of vert near the end of the 30 miles.

That hurt.
Click to expand...
are you on fulgaz or one of the other virtual ride things? I thought they were pretty neat, the most realistic "ride" experience compared to zwift for sure. Still, I like that there are other people on zwift and the workouts harmonize well with the virtual environment.
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,418
14,907
Sandwich said:
are you on fulgaz or one of the other virtual ride things? I thought they were pretty neat, the most realistic "ride" experience compared to zwift for sure. Still, I like that there are other people on zwift and the workouts harmonize well with the virtual environment.
Click to expand...
Rouvy, love being able to ride all over the world. It costs a single subscription for my wife and I to ride versus individual subscriptions for any of the other platforms when I looked and we're normally riding together so I'm not fussed about the "social" aspect zwift has.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
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borcester rhymes
thinking about signing up for 1 mo of trainerroad to see what it's like, then bail if I can get 4 months of workouts planned...

if not then I keep my fingers crossed that strava will release their premium plan with training built in
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
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borcester rhymes
huh, so apparently my smart trainer uses an algorithm to measure power like a shitty peloton and not a real power meter. Does anybody know if there's a way to link my power pedal measurement to the trainer so that the measurement is correct? Or do I need to keep the power pedals on the trainer to know?
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
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How do you know your power pedals are actually accurate?

I'd just pick one and go by relative gainz and shimz
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
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borcester rhymes
I don't know shit. You can quote me on that.

I know that it doesn't matter- all power meters vary and it's only important the differences I make on the same power meter, not anything else... but still I feel the need to compare myself to other riders virtually and bigger number=more better. Especially for racing, where my RPE on the recent TT was probably like 30% higher than the crit I did last year, but my average power was 40 watts lower.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
I’m back at it with the current Power Zone Pack challenge. I have no patience for zone 3 still so make it 1 or 2. I also shortened and intensified the last zone 4 interval here because ain’t nobody got time to do someone else’s prescribed ride if one’s not getting paid to adhere to it.

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Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
jonKranked said:
Now available as a monthly subscription for your primary AND second house
Click to expand...
They share the same account. Log one in and it logs the other out. Easy enough to do.

anyway, did another non-zone 2 ride today. Was challenging. Lactate testing at a physiology lab in two weeks so getting in the volume is good.

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Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
7,243
borcester rhymes
did a 20mi zwift race the other day and my HR hit 196BPM, so I guess that's my max. Thought I might die, but sadly for you guys I didn't.

40 minutes of sweet spot this morning. Tough but doable. I think I may have figured out my fit issue with my right leg- the new shoes do not have enough cant to them. The left side doesn't seem to have an issue. I bet it's a pelvis tilt issue that could be resolved with stretching and conscious balancing, but fuck that noise I'll just jam plastic under my cleat until it rides moar good.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
40,032
8,945
I’m actually super psyched for the lactate testing. Will come up with a curve like this. But lower.

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Defining zones 2 and 4 via the inflection in the lactate curve and the line above is the most accurate-for-oneself way. Moar data!

I’ll also get carb and fat oxidation rates at each power point, I believe, and VO2 data, the max of which will be low since I remain fat and weight is in the denominator.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
22,002
7,243
borcester rhymes
how do you go about LT testing? My understanding is you can only do it in a lab. Would love to get my measurement but not willing to pay for it at this point. "doing the work" is as important as making sure I'm in the correct zone at this point for me.
 
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