2023 Road'n'Gravel Biking

[Tom K.]

All these posts remind me what a fecking cruel mistress cycling can be.

Spend two or three months riding 4 times a week, finally getting to the sharp end of the spear.

Take one week off for whatever.

Start over from (nearly) the beginning!

 

[martyg]

What do I do to improve fitness for cycling, aside from actually getting out and riding?

There are far too many variables to even begin to answer your question. Among them: your baseline fitness now, your goals in granular fashion, how much time do you have to devote to this, your recovery protocols, etc.

The only way to dial it in is with performance metabolic testing, and working with a knowledgeable coach.

In my case, I am all fast twitch. My body almost doesn’t know how to burn fat. My jam are a lot of long, slow miles, punctuated with super-maximal effort at max HR to maintain my sprinting ability. We are all a study of One, so training is never “one size fits all”.

The minimum equipment requirements, once trading protocols are set, is a chest wrap HRM. I also have Garmin’s dual sided power meter pedals, and am blown away by the feedback that that provide.

Good luck!

 

[martyg]

All these posts remind me what a fecking cruel mistress cycling can be.

Spend two or three months riding 4 times a week, finally getting to the sharp end of the spear.

Take one week off for whatever.

Start over from (nearly) the beginning!

That time off and training can also be strategically positioned for recovery. Not only does your musculature need recovery time, but your nervous system does as well.

 

[wooglin]

Groadie. Groadie to the max.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

There are far too many variables to even begin to answer your question. Among them: your baseline fitness now, your goals in granular fashion, how much time do you have to devote to this, your recovery protocols, etc.

The only way to dial it in is with performance metabolic testing, and working with a knowledgeable coach.

In my case, I am all fast twitch. My body almost doesn’t know how to burn fat. My jam are a lot of long, slow miles, punctuated with super-maximal effort at max HR to maintain my sprinting ability. We are all a study of One, so training is never “one size fits all”.

The minimum equipment requirements, once trading protocols are set, is a chest wrap HRM. I also have Garmin’s dual sided power meter pedals, and am blown away by the feedback that that provide.

Good luck!

Let me give you some ideas based on the work I do with my cycling coach - I ride road and gravel but it applies to both. To develop endurance (aerobic endurance) you need to ride at a moderate pace (easy conversational) - say maybe 2 - 3 hours or longer at least 1 ride a week. To develop aerobic endurance - think of mixing in 20 minutes where you are breathing hard (conversation is difficult) - again this can be combined with a regular ride or as part of a workout on a trainer. For anaerobic capacity - think of repeated 5 minute maximum efforts - heart rate at top of your zone - conversation not possible. For me I do hill repeats - climb a hill that takes 5 or 6 minutes to climb many times with a short rest (5 minutes in between).
These are the basics - you can work on developing fast twitch and slow twitch muscle response and leg speed with specific cadence drills. Heart rate monitor is ok, but power meter like the aforementioned garmin power pedals (on sale now by the way) are great.

 

[luliski]

garmin power pedals (on sale now by the way

Where are they on sale?

 

[Wannabeskibum]

Where are they on sale?

Biketiresdirect and I believe Garmin has a rebate

 

[firebanex]

Just a little adventure onto the flood control project in North Pole. Never anyone back on these gravel roads and trails.

 

[Tom K.]

That time off and training can also be strategically positioned for recovery. Not only does your musculature need recovery time, but your nervous system does as well.

True, but for me personally -- and n = 1 and all that -- 4 days off the bike when I'm in true race shape has always been an ideal reset, with a couple 7 day experiences not giving a good result. At all.

 

[martyg]

Let me give you some ideas based on the work I do with my cycling coach - I ride road and gravel but it applies to both. To develop endurance (aerobic endurance) you need to ride at a moderate pace (easy conversational) - say maybe 2 - 3 hours or longer at least 1 ride a week. To develop aerobic endurance - think of mixing in 20 minutes where you are breathing hard (conversation is difficult) - again this can be combined with a regular ride or as part of a workout on a trainer. For anaerobic capacity - think of repeated 5 minute maximum efforts - heart rate at top of your zone - conversation not possible. For me I do hill repeats - climb a hill that takes 5 or 6 minutes to climb many times with a short rest (5 minutes in between).
These are the basics - you can work on developing fast twitch and slow twitch muscle response and leg speed with specific cadence drills. Heart rate monitor is ok, but power meter like the aforementioned garmin power pedals (on sale now by the way) are

True, but for me personally -- and n = 1 and all that -- 4 days off the bike when I'm in true race shape has always been an ideal reset, with a couple 7 day experiences not giving a good result. At all.

Yeah, 7 days is a lot. On my active recovery weeks I am usually doing a lot of hiking and backcountry fly fishing with my puppy, so I still have very active days - not on planes and sitting in meeting. A hour of mobility work also does wonders for the way that I feel. Enjoy.

 

[martyg]

Heart rate monitor is ok, but power meter like the aforementioned garmin power pedals (on sale now by the way) are great.

The effects of cardiac drift tend to make HR a more reliable metric on Zone 1 and 2 rides. Hard, short efforts are better suited for power.

Of course, without baseline testing (an FTP on your basement provides the bare minimum of data) and a coach they are nothing more than paperweights.

 

[ilovepugs]

But with your history of skiing and treadmill use, I suspect you are trying to 'walk' the bike uphill by pushing gears you can't spin, and the gravel is torque-limited, i.e. simply not letting you do that.

Thanks all for the feedback and input. I’m especially interested in @cantunamunch’s comment above. Can you elaborate or point me to a website/video that explains this?

I’ll have someone look at my bike fit too and see if I can make any adjustment there too.

Bottom line is that my baseline fitness is pretty mediocre and sustained effort on the uphill sucks for me. I mentioned the treadmill as a zero barrier option for cardio conditioning (it’s in my basement) on those days when I just can’t get out (spending at least half the summer working on closing an acquisition by my company in addition to my normal responsibilities).

Ultimately I’m ok with the limitations of being a desk jockey and just chipping away on improving my uphill aerobic fitness. Getting way into metrics and detailed training plans is not on the agenda for me. All I want to do is be able ramble around my beautiful, hilly town in the heart of the Green Mountains and get a jump on conditioning for some more serious climbs and touring during ski season.

 

[martyg]

Getting way into metrics and detailed training plans is not on the agenda for me.

Keep in mind… if your time is limited, the more accurate and granular the information that you have on a chosen path - be it athletics, personal finance, etc. - the better you can utilize your time and the greater gains you will experience.

A lot of people think that hiring people smarter than them in a particular domain is for pros only. I 100% disagree. If I only have 8 hours to train in a week I want to make sure that when I hit that 90 minute block of “me time”, I use it as wisely as possible.

Best to you.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

Thanks all for the feedback and input. I’m especially interested in @cantunamunch’s comment above. Can you elaborate or point me to a website/video that explains this?

I’ll have someone look at my bike fit too and see if I can make any adjustment there too.

Bottom line is that my baseline fitness is pretty mediocre and sustained effort on the uphill sucks for me. I mentioned the treadmill as a zero barrier option for cardio conditioning (it’s in my basement) on those days when I just can’t get out (spending at least half the summer working on closing an acquisition by my company in addition to my normal responsibilities).

Ultimately I’m ok with the limitations of being a desk jockey and just chipping away on improving my uphill aerobic fitness. Getting way into metrics and detailed training plans is not on the agenda for me. All I want to do is be able ramble around my beautiful, hilly town in the heart of the Green Mountains and get a jump on conditioning for some more serious climbs and touring during ski season.

Then take @cantunamunch advice repeatedly ride your local hills and use a gear that enables you to spin the pedals rather than mash the pedals

 

[ilovepugs]

Keep in mind… if your time is limited, the more accurate and granular the information that you have on a chosen path - be it athletics, personal finance, etc. - the better you can utilize your time and the greater gains you will experience.

A lot of people think that hiring people smarter than them in a particular domain is for pros only. I 100% disagree. If I only have 8 hours to train in a week I want to make sure that when I hit that 90 minute block of “me time”, I use it as wisely as possible.

Best to you.

This is a philosophical difference about how leisure time is best utilized. Some people find it most refreshing or satisfying to “optimize” (according to whatever metrics they deem important) the use of limited time. That’s you.

I don’t like adding that element to my leisure time since so many other areas of my life are tightly coordinated, planned and scheduled, so I don’t.

 

[ilovepugs]

Then take @cantunamunch advice repeatedly ride your local hills and use a gear that enables you to spin the pedals rather than mash the pedals

that’s…what I’m doing? Yeesh, I don’t think your tone came across in the way you intended.

 

[scott43]

This is a philosophical difference about how leisure time is best utilized. Some people find it most refreshing or satisfying to “optimize” (according to whatever metrics they deem important) the use of limited time. That’s you.

I don’t like adding that element to my leisure time since so many other areas of my life are tightly coordinated, planned and scheduled, so I don’t.

Sometimes a nice ride with a bit of a grind hill mixed in a few times is all you need..

 

[scott43]

My other mantra is:

If your legs hurt pick an easier gear
If your heart and lungs hurt pick a harder gear
If they all hurt slow down!

 

[Wannabeskibum]

that’s…what I’m doing? Yeesh, I don’t think your tone came across in the way you intended.

Sorry, no sarcasm intended, basically was trying to say try to keep it simple and focus on your perceived weakness which is aerobic conditioning for climbing. It won’t happen overnight but you will get there.

 

[Tom K.]

This is a philosophical difference about how leisure time is best utilized. Some people find it most refreshing or satisfying to “optimize” (according to whatever metrics they deem important) the use of limited time. That’s you.

I don’t like adding that element to my leisure time since so many other areas of my life are tightly coordinated, planned and scheduled, so I don’t.

Agree 100%. For me, this was true even during my most focussed racing years. Two years of data stuff and I quit that and went to RPE and what my mind/body feedback was dictating. Results were excellent. Plenty of successful pros around today that also eschew metrics (though most are locked at the hip with data).

If your legs hurt pick an easier gear
If your heart and lungs hurt pick a harder gear

+1