Something I noticed yesterday at the Fix.
When I'm actually working, the Tacx unit is SUPER closer to the Powertap, if not a bit behind it. I DO need to set it to not read every second. That makes things SUPER hard to hold. I think a 3 second reading would be the way to go.
SO, at 60rpms and at threshold or just above, the Tacx would read about 320 (my supposed threshold) and the Powertap would read between 310 and 350 depending on fluidity of pedal stroke. If I slow the reading down I think I'd get a good average. Couple that with my earlier realization (that at 120% the powertap catches up and sometimes passes the Tacx) I think that the powertap is more accurate when you're working harder.
I'll continue to report my findings, even if no one else cares, it'll be handy to have this recorded later.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
training, cookies and rest.
Today was a good workout. I thought I wasn't going to make it through my intervals. I did. Could've gone a little more smoothly, though.
Rode in the cold with TC on Wednesday. It was cold and wet and windy. Rode outside with Aaron on Friday. It was cold, but not wet or windy. Dropped into Coldsprints adn said hi to the usual suspects. Rode indoors easy at the Fix for an hour and a half while watching Super Troopers.
Today was hard though. After the first interval I didn't think I was going to make all 5. I did. It was a struggle, though. 2 min @ 100% (320 watts) at 90rpm. 4 minutes @ 110% (352w)at 70rpm then 2 min @ 120% (384w) for 2 minutes at 90rpm. 3 minutes rest. Repeat x 5. That 110% @ 70rpms is a damn killer. To be honest, if I try to ride them at 70 on the nose I stall out. I don't think I can push that wattage that slowly. I tend to do them more to the tune of 72-74rpm. Makes it MUCH more manageable. Possible, even.
Got my Powertap the other day. WAY harder than the Tacx Flow trainers to hold your watts. The reading interval must be way shorter. That said, the readings are a lot different, too.
To elaborate on what Timmer said ( http://timmercentral.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/power-power-power/ ) The Tacx trainers read a lot higher. I don't know what the circumstances were for his readings, but I find that the powercurve is a lot different.
Seems like the Powertap shows lower numbers at lower watts, and then catches up the tacx at my upper limit. I've never gone more than 120% for any length of time with the Powertap, but when I'm at 100%, it's about 40 watts low. 60 watts at 90%...I suppose that's a big difference, but when I'm really working it's about +/- 10 either way. I can handle that. I wonder if I really gave it if the powertap would read out higher than the Tacx.
Also noticed that the Tacx is way more solid. It seems like the Tacx reads the watt spike first and displays that, and then works back down into the target, whereas the Powertap will read the target, the spike over, the dip back down below the goal, and then inch back up to the goal wattage. OR, It could be that I just need to be better about hitting the watts and not spiking/dipping. I'll get there. Practice!
That's about all. I made cookies today, and they're great.
By the way. The Tour of California radio broadcast is bringing me back to my days listening to the Cubs and Brewers games on the radio in my youth days...
Rode in the cold with TC on Wednesday. It was cold and wet and windy. Rode outside with Aaron on Friday. It was cold, but not wet or windy. Dropped into Coldsprints adn said hi to the usual suspects. Rode indoors easy at the Fix for an hour and a half while watching Super Troopers.
Today was hard though. After the first interval I didn't think I was going to make all 5. I did. It was a struggle, though. 2 min @ 100% (320 watts) at 90rpm. 4 minutes @ 110% (352w)at 70rpm then 2 min @ 120% (384w) for 2 minutes at 90rpm. 3 minutes rest. Repeat x 5. That 110% @ 70rpms is a damn killer. To be honest, if I try to ride them at 70 on the nose I stall out. I don't think I can push that wattage that slowly. I tend to do them more to the tune of 72-74rpm. Makes it MUCH more manageable. Possible, even.
Got my Powertap the other day. WAY harder than the Tacx Flow trainers to hold your watts. The reading interval must be way shorter. That said, the readings are a lot different, too.
To elaborate on what Timmer said ( http://timmercentral.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/power-power-power/ ) The Tacx trainers read a lot higher. I don't know what the circumstances were for his readings, but I find that the powercurve is a lot different.
Seems like the Powertap shows lower numbers at lower watts, and then catches up the tacx at my upper limit. I've never gone more than 120% for any length of time with the Powertap, but when I'm at 100%, it's about 40 watts low. 60 watts at 90%...I suppose that's a big difference, but when I'm really working it's about +/- 10 either way. I can handle that. I wonder if I really gave it if the powertap would read out higher than the Tacx.
Also noticed that the Tacx is way more solid. It seems like the Tacx reads the watt spike first and displays that, and then works back down into the target, whereas the Powertap will read the target, the spike over, the dip back down below the goal, and then inch back up to the goal wattage. OR, It could be that I just need to be better about hitting the watts and not spiking/dipping. I'll get there. Practice!
That's about all. I made cookies today, and they're great.
By the way. The Tour of California radio broadcast is bringing me back to my days listening to the Cubs and Brewers games on the radio in my youth days...
Sunday, February 8, 2009
High Five.
Wheels ordered. See a couple new fancy wheels about town in around 2.5 months. So, that's pretty neat. Thank you, to those of you that ordered things, I am as excited as you are.
On a bigger and better note...Guess who got onto plusonelap's lightweight bike gallery? I DID! well, I didn't. Shawn Small of Ruckus Components did. BUT, It was his High Five bike that make the cut.
http://plusonelap.blogspot.com/
http://plusonelap.blogspot.com/2009/02/lightweight-cyclocross-shawns-high-five.html
Right on the top of the first page! sweet jams. This has me happy. Keep riding Shawn, and thanks for helping get the good word out there!
OH, and that's sitting on a pair of High Five wheels, as well. Good man!
On a bigger and better note...Guess who got onto plusonelap's lightweight bike gallery? I DID! well, I didn't. Shawn Small of Ruckus Components did. BUT, It was his High Five bike that make the cut.
http://plusonelap.blogspot.com/
http://plusonelap.blogspot.com/2009/02/lightweight-cyclocross-shawns-high-five.html
Right on the top of the first page! sweet jams. This has me happy. Keep riding Shawn, and thanks for helping get the good word out there!
OH, and that's sitting on a pair of High Five wheels, as well. Good man!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Worked.
It's been a common theme this week. At the Fix, we've started doing some muscle endurance training. Basically, high watts @ low cadences for 3-5 minute invervals and 1 or 2 minutes rest between. They get hard in a hurry. Especially for people (me) who like to spin faster and not mash on pedals. BUT, I imagine it will help me come springtime. The issue is, when pedal mashing, I tend to get side stitches. I got a REAL bad one today... Had to cut an interval short and then get off and try not to black out after the last one. Didn't cool down at all. I couldn't stay hunched over a bike anymore. It was awful. BUT, I did ok. Wasn't a total fail. Margaret BREEZED through it. I don't even get it. I wish I could have paid more attention to her than me. It was probably pretty inspiring to watch her ease through this hard of a workout. Darn it. Someday I'll have one of those days. You know. Those good days. Good enough to make you forget about a ton of the bad ones. I'm almost due. Maybe not. Just a rough week.
Bike swap on sunday. Besides that, increasing temperatures should get me out on my bike a bit. I'm super excited about that. First LGR team ride is on Saturday. A full MONTH later than last years early season rides. Time to get started. Season starts soon.
Bike swap on sunday. Besides that, increasing temperatures should get me out on my bike a bit. I'm super excited about that. First LGR team ride is on Saturday. A full MONTH later than last years early season rides. Time to get started. Season starts soon.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
It's been a while...
But, I might be back at this thing again soon. I've been busy, what with school now and training and work.
Still at The Fix. I can't enough good about these folks over there. If you'd like some smart interval workouts or some advice I suggest coming down to the Fix and talking to Larry and Sophie. They're seriously some of the best people I've met in this city. Bike fits, lactic and threshold testing, massage, yoga classes, training classes. It's all here and it's all good. Seriously. Come to ONE session. Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. Very much worth the price of admission. Just honest no cheating workouts. And Coach Troy isn't half as charismatic. (or effective, but I'm biased...) besides, he's boring! Here, you can suffer WITH other people!
So yeah, that's been going fantastically. Sure, they're hard, and sometimes I can't do what I'm supposed to do in the class, but, it's all making me better. And THAT is what I'm after. I'm feeling good one the bike, and I'm ready to start racing.
On that note, I've got my calendar marked with the races and where I'd like to peak. Pretty exciting stuff. I've got my goals. I think that I can get them. Hard, but not impossible. Just how I like it.
What else? SCHOOL! I started in January. Machining degree. So far so good. I remember quite a bit of what I learned in High School, and pick new things up pretty quick. It's working for me.
Other than that, life is good. 09 is WAY the hell better than 08. I never want to go back there again! (funny thing about time, even if I did want to go back, I couldn't)
High Five order is being placed this week. Look for more fast wheels and fast riders going around the local racecourses. EXCITING!
That's it for now. Better to keep it short.
Thanks for bearing with me during my blog hiatus. Twitter had me occupied for a bit.
See you at the bike swap.
Still at The Fix. I can't enough good about these folks over there. If you'd like some smart interval workouts or some advice I suggest coming down to the Fix and talking to Larry and Sophie. They're seriously some of the best people I've met in this city. Bike fits, lactic and threshold testing, massage, yoga classes, training classes. It's all here and it's all good. Seriously. Come to ONE session. Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. Very much worth the price of admission. Just honest no cheating workouts. And Coach Troy isn't half as charismatic. (or effective, but I'm biased...) besides, he's boring! Here, you can suffer WITH other people!
So yeah, that's been going fantastically. Sure, they're hard, and sometimes I can't do what I'm supposed to do in the class, but, it's all making me better. And THAT is what I'm after. I'm feeling good one the bike, and I'm ready to start racing.
On that note, I've got my calendar marked with the races and where I'd like to peak. Pretty exciting stuff. I've got my goals. I think that I can get them. Hard, but not impossible. Just how I like it.
What else? SCHOOL! I started in January. Machining degree. So far so good. I remember quite a bit of what I learned in High School, and pick new things up pretty quick. It's working for me.
Other than that, life is good. 09 is WAY the hell better than 08. I never want to go back there again! (funny thing about time, even if I did want to go back, I couldn't)
High Five order is being placed this week. Look for more fast wheels and fast riders going around the local racecourses. EXCITING!
That's it for now. Better to keep it short.
Thanks for bearing with me during my blog hiatus. Twitter had me occupied for a bit.
See you at the bike swap.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
