In the Zone

[Marky Mark]

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"]

Avg speed: 12:3
Avg cadence: 62

From what todat seemed to suggest is that trying to keep to the LBP-20 and I'll be spending a lot more time with the 15s and lower Can this be right?

I'm confused...

S

[Marky Mark]

Sean what was your AVG HR

[Marky Mark]

Are you out for the CR because I really want to see if this is possible. I walked up a hill with Marco last week and the HR was 175+.

I'll give anything a go. I think the A23 from CSS would push me over the limit.

It's a must try

Don't be Sean.

Speaking from a background of profound ignorance I don't think commuting will be the best "test". Although not a HRM I tested my Garmin watch on a commute and the figures were mad. There is so much electronic interference riding in to the city that things tend to get a bit confused. I've heard, although it may have been on older models, that HRM and/or wireless cycle computers get thrown by certain signals and blackspots. For example I had a HRM for a couple of weeks ages ago and riding back from a CR towards Selsdon (a signal blackspot) it always went to zero for about half a mile, I was also told that a lot of sliding doors (shops. offices etc) throw out interference that causes blips. In to and out of London I dread to think how many signals are flying about with the potential to cause problems.

[quote]is it cycling on city roads that make the heart beat that little bit faster?

[Andrew G]

Try spinning a lower gear than you normally do at about 80rpm on your next couple of commutes and see how you feel. Can't do any harm to try and I find spinning lighter gears helps me feel fresher during the day at work.

[Robh]

[quote="Andrew G"]Try spinning a lower gear than you normally do at about 80rpm on your next couple of commutes and see how you feel. Can't do any harm to try and I find spinning lighter gears helps me feel fresher during the day at work.

[Juerg FaCT]

Hallo Sean , here some thoughs . Based on your test your LBP wattage was just below 200 watt. So your possible FTP would be around 200 watt. If you use the zoning from the Power school and you train Zone 2 ( aerobic capacity ) you would go by 55 - 75 % or 110 - 150 watts.
In Robs idea you would go with a HR of 130 +- which is based on his test 150 watts ( in ideal outside conditions )
So very little difference, with the exception , that certain different outside conditions will make it easier to stay on 150 watts than others, but if you use the fixed HR +- you can maintain always the same physiological effort.
The part you pushed 170 HR was for sure way out of the wattage zone as well.
So next time ride with 135 watt ( middle of zone 2) to work and compare the time with the ride to work by 130 +- 5 HR. And compare the body feeling . Cheers Juerg

[Dominic]

I know this may be heresy to some BUT, have any of you thought about fitting lower gears. I have a triple on my everyday bike with a 13-23. I am currently considering changing to a 13-26 or 28.

In the past when I have tried to ride at a restricted heart rate (142) I found that dependant on the conditions etc I was sometimes using 30 X 19/21 to keep at the right level and that wasn't even on hills of the magnitude of Anerley or Gypsy.

I note you high candences Rob and was wondering what gearing you have?

[Keith]

I currently ride a triple, and without it, it would be very difficult to ride regular routes in Surrey and still keep my heart rate down to a relatively low level. I have to cross Tilburstow and White Hill to get to the Saturday Club Run, and this gearing (something like 30x25 ) lets me get there without my heart going ballistic.

Alternatively, avoid all hills.

[Robh]

[quote="Dominic"]I know this may be heresy to some BUT, have any of you thought about fitting lower gears. I have a triple on my everyday bike with a 13-23. I am currently considering changing to a 13-26 or 28.

In the past when I have tried to ride at a restricted heart rate (142) I found that dependant on the conditions etc I was sometimes using 30 X 19/21 to keep at the right level and that wasn't even on hills of the magnitude of Anerley or Gypsy.

I note you high candences Rob and was wondering what gearing you have?

[Andrew G]

For normal riding Dominic I use a 13-26 cassette so a 39 inner ring still allows a reasonable amount of spinning unless I'm going up steeper hills, and the amount of time bigger than a 53/13 is wanted is rare. I had a triple for a few months and didn't get on with it at all, and more recently tried a compact but found that whatever cassette I used I didn't really have the gears I wanted where I wanted them. For example on the commute I found I was at either extreme of the cassette most of the time trying to find a nice spinning in and out gear, which was always somewhere in between the two chainrings crossover. On my new winter build I've gone back to a 53/39 but fitted a 13-29 cassette so I get gears I like and they're more mid-cassette, and then a very low one for easier riding (particularly on a heavier bike) on the steeper hills. I tend to prefer to get out the saddle and use a fairly low gear to spin a very low one seated on the short vicious climbs anyway - even Anerley isn't that long or that steep. Just what suits me and my little legs best .

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"][quote="Robh"]

Sean does have a compact but can't remember rear cassette.

[Sylv]

I wore my HRM at the dentist the other day
Unfortunately there was very little drilling involved (filling replacement)
AV HR 66
MAX HR 84!

[Michelle]

Marky Mark and Sean.

Having tried and got popped out the back of the 17's last week, I am really and truly going to try the 15's this week. So if you are up for it I will see you there.

Last week, I could just see John C following up the Reigate steps, so the 15's nearly caught me. Still, although things may be fine with the 15's in theory I think it would be better to have a group of LBP riders as you need to power down the hills in order to keep your HR up.

The last 3 lbp rides have been 14.4 mph, 14.8 mph and 13.5mph respectively (yesterday, very windy and also doing isolated leg intervals leg so that slowed me down even more

We could also try nose breathing/diaphramatic breathing for a spell as well, as long as everyone promises not to look at each other in the duration, and we all bring lots of tissues.

On the question of gearing, I too have a triple, which is great for going up the hills, but it's like I almost need 4 rings at the front, because I am finding I am nearly running out of gears to push on the way down.

Now that's something for Shimano to sort out

[Robh]

[quote="Michelle"]Marky Mark and Sean.

On the question of gearing, I too have a triple, which is great for going up the hills, but it's like I almost need 4 rings at the front, because I am finding I am nearly running out of gears to push on the way down.