Answer: For most athletes, no. Depending on the familiarity and experience with an FTP value, athletes can realistically sustain the power level of FTP in a range from about 40-70 minutes. ** Our default testing format to estimate an athlete’s FTP was changed to the TrainerRoad Ramp Test since this post was published Why Your…
Working hard will only get you so far. There comes a point when you need to strategically plan how to best use your hard work to maximize fitness gains — that’s what training smarter is all about. By exploring our training plan process, we aim to clarify the purpose of each training block you’ll work…
We’re commonly asked, “Does bike geometry affect power output?” Or more specific questions like, “Does my saddle position affect my power output?” To get to the truth of the matter, we interviewed an expert. Overview Brian Gordon is a kinesiologist, certified Body Geometry Fit Specialist and Mountain Bike Product Developer for Specialized. Over the past…
We often preach how your cycling training plan should be based off the demands of your goal event. While this is true, how you decide on the training plan that’s right for you will differ if you have more than one goal event (aka A race) in a season. When you have a goal to…
It’s traditional thinking that during winter when you’re doing base training you should be doing as long of rides as you can and at a very low intensity. This is the correct intention if you have enough time to bring about the type of adaptations you want. But there’s a catch. The majority of cyclists…
Variables like your cycling experience level, schedule and type of event you’re training for determine the approach you should take to base training. Take a look at these three rider-type scenarios to help you decide which approach works best for you. Triathlete Experience: Moderate Availability: Minimal time to train (6 hours/week on the bike) Recommended base…
Prioritizing your races throughout the year is a necessary part of building an annual training plan. By strategically planning your events, you can build fitness, confidence and experience that will give you the best chance at success for your big race day. Why Prioritize Your Events? Cyclists and triathletes tend to be very competitive people who…