Turbo Love

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Turbo Love

Postby Rob C » Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:24 pm

It's been bugging me for some time but I don't see the problem with turbos. I think mine is great, I enjoyed using it so much I bought another. I get to do a focused session where the only moisture I feel on my skin is self produced. I don't have to worry about mechanicals, punctures, being hit by another vehicle, a cyclist of even a bunch of kids throwing sticks. I have Coach Troy, Chris Carmichael and various recommended sessions to keep things interesting. I can control the session meticulously, there are no traffic lights, junctions and roundabout to stop for. I still like getting out on the road and trails but when time is short or the weather is bad I'm happy to go and sit in the garage for an hour. Just thought I share that with you.

Big up the Turbos!
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Postby Ian A4size » Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:26 pm

Coach Troy is great.

Awesome awesome, good job great job!
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Postby Rob C » Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:30 pm

I like his high trousers and clapping the best!
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Postby John the old'un » Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:49 pm

Love mine.
Wouldn't be without it. Best cycling related purchase I ever made. :D
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Postby Stu Merckx Man » Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:00 pm

thats good to hear rob....if the weather turns bad your going to be flying!
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Postby George » Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:18 pm

Yeah John and I did a good hour of intervals on the Turbo's together this morning.

We were fine tuning the time trial position as well getting nice and low at the front with skinsuit and aerolid.

I must say I am well impressed with John L's training schedule he's super motivated and improving each week!

Be afraid be very afraid!
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Postby Andrew G » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:02 pm

I don't like them but they do have uses. If injured they are good for recovery, and do help dodge really foul weather. I've only dug mine out lately so I can set up a TT position, and do some sessions so I know if something works as you can't tell without putting some proper effort in.

Sort of linked - Do any of the time trialists train on their TT bikes on the road, or is it all on a turbo? I'd have thought some road sessions would be very beneficial as the turbo is a bit antisceptic. Do any of you have any local recommended areas that are good for a blast as I wouldn't have thought a normal (bendy roads, hills etc) route would be as good for training on the bars.
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Postby John the old'un » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:09 pm

[quote="Andrew G"]
Do any of you have any local recommended areas that are good for a blast as I wouldn't have thought a normal (bendy roads, hills etc) route would be as good for training on the bars.


There is a good road I have used in the past. You would know it as part of the route back from Box Hill.
It is the undulating section from the top of Pebblecombe back to just short of the roundabout where it joins the A217.
It is almost dead straight and usually pretty quiet.
I used it with Sean when he was trying out YOUR HED VO4. :D :D
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Postby Toks » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:06 am

[quote="Andrew G"]I don't like them but they do have uses. If injured they are good for recovery, and do help dodge really foul weather. .
Cor blimey Andrew thats like saying a car is perhaps useful for transporting a few bags back home from the shops whilst allowing you to keep dry at the same time.

1. How about Turbo's allow you to get in focused amount of training in limited time
2. They allow you to carry out intervals precisely without getting caught out by traffic lights or watching out for other road traffic
3. The latest turbo's allow you to train at a specific intensity/power. If I know 400watt will get me into the top 10 in the surrey 3 dayer so I can train for that.
4. They are highly efficient form of training: no waiting for people to catch up, no sitting free pedalling on group rides,
5. They allow you to practise new bike set ups and change them continually
6. There's no need to spend 20mins getting ready with clothes, bottles etc before you go out.
7. You can absolutely ride as hard as you want get off and then going have a rest, check emails and get back on again
8. They're great for mental strength training
9. They are great for performing fitness tests.
10. You can stay at right training level without being controlled by the topography of the outdoor terrain
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Postby -Adam- » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:01 am

But when all is said and done, you race, you race on real roads, with real wind, and real gradients etc. etc.

So utlimately, surely on the road training is the best... No?

I would argue, that just because a rider can do 400w for 30mins on a turbo. That doesn't mean that he can necessarily average 400w on the road. Didn't you find life tough last year Toks when you got back on to the road after a winter on the turbo?
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Postby Stu Merckx Man » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:32 am

[quote]8. They're great for mental strength training
A'men to that!
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Postby Snoop Doug » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:40 am

I've grown to (almost) like mine. I'm in training for the TT season and without the turbo - I'd be screwed. I simply can't get many road miles in - I've got a full time job with flexible working so commuting is rarely practical. I've a young family (cept me of course) which I love to spend time with, and I want to make big improvements in my TT times this year. The turbo is the only way I can get the focussed training I need (eh coach?) :wink: .

I take Adam's point, real roads is where the real action is for sure, but they're only any good if they are accessible.

It works for me.

Snoop

PS - Ian afraid coach wossname never came out of the box :oops: pm me yer address and I'll safely return him to you.
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Postby Robh » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:37 am

[quote="-Adam-"]But when all is said and done, you race, you race on real roads, with real wind, and real gradients etc. etc.

So utlimately, surely on the road training is the best... No?

I would argue, that just because a rider can do 400w for 30mins on a turbo. That doesn't mean that he can necessarily average 400w on the road. Didn't you find life tough last year Toks when you got back on to the road after a winter on the turbo?


On the road the reason you might not average a true 400W if still motivated because of independant factors like traffic, downhill sections etc.. Cyclingpeak's software uses Normalized power to account for this. For some people it's the opposite they can't average what they can on the road on the turbo. I't's been discussed it could be due to heat dissipation because of inadequate cooling, lack of inertia on the turbo, motivation etc..

Now if for say you ride a turbo @ an isopower (constant load) of 400W this is great for time trialling as your looking to learn how to pace your effort.

For road racing you know that one does not ride @ isopower, the effort is very stochastic in nature i.e power goes up and down because of attacks, rest periods, wind, downhill sections etc...

Now I don't know what Toks did last year on the turbo but maybe he didn't replicate riding in a road race on a turbo then he may found himself being a bit flat footed if his power for his sessions were fairly constant...Or maybe it had nothing to do with his training at all it could have been down to motivation, stress from life, nutrition, fatigue etc...Who knows but i do know are bodies are not like car motor.

You can replicate riding in a road race on the turbo by varying your power to get use to sudden surges etc.. One might do for example micorintervals consisting of 15sec on @ 150% of FTP/15secs 0ff @ 50% of FTP for 10mins rest then repeat again for 10mins.

As Doctor Andrew Coggan of Cyclingpeaks has said many times over "specificity, specificity".

Rob
Last edited by Robh on Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby huw williams » Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:53 am

Since I got the Cycleops I love mine too - takes all the guesswork and randomness out of training sessions.

I think I used to hate it because I was just sat there turning the pedals without any focus

Dare I say it, indoor sessions are even enjoyable and I'm comforatble doing over an hour wheras 20 minutes used to feel like an eternity.

A lifesaver when the weather is bad.

It doesn't replace riding/training on the road nor should it. But if used properly you'll enhance your ability on the road.

400w for half an hour??? I better quit now :( :( :( :(
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Postby Toks » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:46 pm

[quote="-Adam-"]But when all is said and done, you race, you race on real roads, with real wind, and real gradients etc. etc.

So utlimately, surely on the road training is the best... No?
Absolutely Sir? No one in there right mind would say turboing beats riding on the road. I only ride the turbo when its dark, the weather conditions arn't great, I've got a heavy cold or I've only got an hour to spare [quote]I would argue, that just because a rider can do 400w for 30mins on a turbo. ?
Er you're only talking about a minority of riders (Elite's) that could do that on a properly calibrated turbo. I'll settle for 5 minutes personally[quote]That doesn't mean that [they] can necessarily average 400w on the road.
On the contrary, the perceived excertion on the turbo (heat, monotony, lack of breeze, no change of scenery, motivation, etc) means most people can eek out even more watts on the road. Did you read how Mr Andrew "370watts FT" Bye was unable to replicate his road FT on the turbo and he quit after 20 minutes?[quote]Didn't you find life tough last year Toks when you got back on to the road after a winter on the turbo
Indeed, I had a low end tacx Turbo which was pretty hellish to ride. Its 'road feel' rating was zero and I had know idea what intensity of power output. The Perceived Exertion was high despite the fact I was probably only average 250 watts and I possibly was too reliant on what my HRM was telling me :x .

A lack of power feed back, my own high expectation, a lack of group rides and dissappointing performance in the first few races affected me psychologically. This time round I know my threshold power is decent but I know I lack anaerobic power + sprint power which this time round I hope yourself, George, Stu, Sylv, Paul, Marek and fast ACC guys will help me with :twisted:
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