Smart trainer users, question about gears
Discussion
Potentially a lot less than you do on the road.
You can operate in ergo mode, where you don't need to change gear at all, it maintains a constant load.
And when simulating terrain they can have a difficulty level, where it levels out the gradient and compensates by adjusting your speed. So 100% would be as per reality, 50% would be half reality, so a 10% gradient would become 5% from a gearing point of view but your speed for the power you are exerting would be as per a 10% gradient.
Different trainers will have limits on what they can recreate in terms of power and gradient.
You can operate in ergo mode, where you don't need to change gear at all, it maintains a constant load.
And when simulating terrain they can have a difficulty level, where it levels out the gradient and compensates by adjusting your speed. So 100% would be as per reality, 50% would be half reality, so a 10% gradient would become 5% from a gearing point of view but your speed for the power you are exerting would be as per a 10% gradient.
Different trainers will have limits on what they can recreate in terms of power and gradient.
Right, I have a wahoo kickr snap coming
The wheel in version suits me well as I have a 'turbo' bike that I will move over from my old tacx fluid trainer (I suspect both bike and trainer are older than some posters here)
Will be trying zwift, trainer road and, whilst I would prefer an iOS version but really like the look of the videos, bigringvr
I have a big fan, a Bluetooth hrm and the turbo bike has a basic cat eye computer on that will show cadence for now. Am I all set?
The wheel in version suits me well as I have a 'turbo' bike that I will move over from my old tacx fluid trainer (I suspect both bike and trainer are older than some posters here)
Will be trying zwift, trainer road and, whilst I would prefer an iOS version but really like the look of the videos, bigringvr
I have a big fan, a Bluetooth hrm and the turbo bike has a basic cat eye computer on that will show cadence for now. Am I all set?
Right, it is coming together
The wahoo kickr snap is up and running and I am set up on zwift. Did the spindown setup on the trainer, but as I did 71.5 miles / 4100ft climbing up around Dalby and the surrounds today, I didn't fancy anything more this evening
Tomorrow I plan to do a bit of zwift free riding to get used to the interface etc, then my first ever ftp
I am in two minds then whether to just do some rides or (I think my preference) to jump straight into the 4 week ftp booster training plan
Any thoughts?
The wahoo kickr snap is up and running and I am set up on zwift. Did the spindown setup on the trainer, but as I did 71.5 miles / 4100ft climbing up around Dalby and the surrounds today, I didn't fancy anything more this evening
Tomorrow I plan to do a bit of zwift free riding to get used to the interface etc, then my first ever ftp
I am in two minds then whether to just do some rides or (I think my preference) to jump straight into the 4 week ftp booster training plan
Any thoughts?
It's entirely up to you as to what you do.... Riding or sessions. I tend to use my Kickr for sessions as I feel they're more productive for the time, and I actually quite enjoy the structure. I have a shed load of old race videos which are on a portable hard drive..... Trainerroad on the laptop hooked up to a 32 inch TV in the garage with old races on.... Sorted!
Depends on what you want from the smart trainer really..... If you're using it alongside other riding and want to work specifically to improve fitness, I'd say do sessions. If you're using it to maintain fitness when the weather is bad, use things like zwift.... Although that kinda defeats the point of smart trainers in my opinion.
Depends on what you want from the smart trainer really..... If you're using it alongside other riding and want to work specifically to improve fitness, I'd say do sessions. If you're using it to maintain fitness when the weather is bad, use things like zwift.... Although that kinda defeats the point of smart trainers in my opinion.
I am pretty much decided that I am going to use Zwift
It does have quite a few specific training plans / sessions on there (that maybe it didn't have when it first launched).
The most recently added one (12 July) is a 4 week FTP booster https://community.zwift.com/news/1757-coach-kevin-...
I am starting this tomorrow
I expect that I will use it mostly to do such programmes / sessions but, if the weather is crap and I just want a pedal, or if there is a competition to win a nice jersey for my virtual rider (or even for me in real life https://community.zwift.com/mission/gll2017) then why not.
It does have quite a few specific training plans / sessions on there (that maybe it didn't have when it first launched).
The most recently added one (12 July) is a 4 week FTP booster https://community.zwift.com/news/1757-coach-kevin-...
I am starting this tomorrow
I expect that I will use it mostly to do such programmes / sessions but, if the weather is crap and I just want a pedal, or if there is a competition to win a nice jersey for my virtual rider (or even for me in real life https://community.zwift.com/mission/gll2017) then why not.
I prefer to do a TT race rather than an FTP test. Just make sure you warm up prior to the TT as you would normally. When doing the FTP test it gives you the instructions to warm up etc where as the TT's just plonk you in the starting pen prior to the start. You could always put the turbo in ERG mode as well if that is your preference.
Ride on
Ride on
I reckon I will soon get the hang of it. I like what I have seen so far.
I can, at least, get it working and actually ride already and I have done my first ftp, so I know where I am starting - once I am a bit more used to the trainer, I will do another
I am going to do a pack ride this evening to see what the 'social' side of it is like
I will also try a race and see what's what with that too
I can, at least, get it working and actually ride already and I have done my first ftp, so I know where I am starting - once I am a bit more used to the trainer, I will do another
I am going to do a pack ride this evening to see what the 'social' side of it is like
I will also try a race and see what's what with that too
Well I am increasingly impressed by the Kickr Snap and Zwift. It is very clever stuff all round.
The group ride was OK. I just about hung on, only getting dropped in the last couple of km. I am in the lowest / slowest group just now and my first objective is to nudge up my w/kg to move up a level before the end of September
With that in mind, and having worked out what I am doing and got the set up something like - in terms of where the ipad is, where the fan is, where the drinks are etc. - I commenced the 4 week FTP boost programme yesterday.
Day 1 was, as you would expect, a quite gentle introduction, but with some work elements in there
Day 2 looks a little bit more testing: a 57 minute session with half a dozen 45 second anaerobic intervals and then a 5 minute effort at just under ftp
Having looked at some of the later sessions in the plan, it is still breaking in me in very gently. But it looks to ramp up nicely in the coming sessions
Out on the club run tomorrow, so day 3 will be on Monday
If you haven't tried a smart trainer on something like Zwift and you can find an opportunity to have a go on one, do give it a spin.
It definitely isn't something that everyone who rides a bike will like / need / want. But I think they will continue to become increasingly popular.
The group ride was OK. I just about hung on, only getting dropped in the last couple of km. I am in the lowest / slowest group just now and my first objective is to nudge up my w/kg to move up a level before the end of September
With that in mind, and having worked out what I am doing and got the set up something like - in terms of where the ipad is, where the fan is, where the drinks are etc. - I commenced the 4 week FTP boost programme yesterday.
Day 1 was, as you would expect, a quite gentle introduction, but with some work elements in there
Day 2 looks a little bit more testing: a 57 minute session with half a dozen 45 second anaerobic intervals and then a 5 minute effort at just under ftp
Having looked at some of the later sessions in the plan, it is still breaking in me in very gently. But it looks to ramp up nicely in the coming sessions
Out on the club run tomorrow, so day 3 will be on Monday
If you haven't tried a smart trainer on something like Zwift and you can find an opportunity to have a go on one, do give it a spin.
It definitely isn't something that everyone who rides a bike will like / need / want. But I think they will continue to become increasingly popular.
Right, time for an update following today's FTP test
I chose to go through the "4 week FTP Booster" https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/4wk-ftp-booster
Keep in mind that before I started on this, I was doing only a Sunday club ride and 2 (3 tops) 1 - 1.5 hour rides in the week. All at a social pace.
I had done no structured cycling training for over 20 years and had never done an FTP test before.
I have strictly followed the Zwift plan and thrown in a couple of extra group rides and sweet spot rides as well
Today's FTP test result is 14% higher than the first one I did. I am almost 2kg lighter as well.
Given lots of caveats, including that maybe I didn't gauge the effort on the 1st one as well as I can now; that Zwift has upped my FTP twice during the 4 week period based on 20 minute power readings from group rides; that I was starting from a very, very low base etc. I am pleased with the result.
The results are very noticeable on the road already too.
I don't expect another run through of the 4wk plan to delivery the same percentage improvement, but I do expect to see further gains
I was a bit concerned that the novelty of Zwift might wear off. It still might I suppose, but I find it very engaging, even in the tougher sessions in the plan (the 40/20s were the ones I found toughest).
Still a very long way to go before I am what anyone would describe as fit, but definitely fitter and relishing the prospect of further improvements.
If you are wondering about the effectiveness of a smart trainer when coupled with something like zwift / trainer road / sufferfest, don't. It works.
I chose to go through the "4 week FTP Booster" https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/4wk-ftp-booster
Keep in mind that before I started on this, I was doing only a Sunday club ride and 2 (3 tops) 1 - 1.5 hour rides in the week. All at a social pace.
I had done no structured cycling training for over 20 years and had never done an FTP test before.
I have strictly followed the Zwift plan and thrown in a couple of extra group rides and sweet spot rides as well
Today's FTP test result is 14% higher than the first one I did. I am almost 2kg lighter as well.
Given lots of caveats, including that maybe I didn't gauge the effort on the 1st one as well as I can now; that Zwift has upped my FTP twice during the 4 week period based on 20 minute power readings from group rides; that I was starting from a very, very low base etc. I am pleased with the result.
The results are very noticeable on the road already too.
I don't expect another run through of the 4wk plan to delivery the same percentage improvement, but I do expect to see further gains
I was a bit concerned that the novelty of Zwift might wear off. It still might I suppose, but I find it very engaging, even in the tougher sessions in the plan (the 40/20s were the ones I found toughest).
Still a very long way to go before I am what anyone would describe as fit, but definitely fitter and relishing the prospect of further improvements.
If you are wondering about the effectiveness of a smart trainer when coupled with something like zwift / trainer road / sufferfest, don't. It works.
Dannbodge said:
Zwift shouldn't wear off as it's got loads of workouts plus you can make your own
I've signed up for the Dimension Data Academy which is a 6 week training plan starting in Sept.
I looked at the academy, but I am not fit enough to do it proper justice at this timeI've signed up for the Dimension Data Academy which is a 6 week training plan starting in Sept.
As you say, there are plenty of other workouts to keep me busy for the foreseeable
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