How to plan your offseason, fixing power imbalances, optimal timing for workout fuel and more will be covered in Episode 234 of The Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast.
Really looking forward to this one, as something I’m really working on. N=1, it really helps RPE, so I’m going to be reluctant to move from my new regime!
I’ve been doing a deep dive into beard impact on aero. I haven’t found any negative impact on the trainer. On the fat bike the beard is warmer, even more so when covered by a Buff in sub zero temps so my power output is up due to not shivering. When your bike speed or the outside wind speed goes high enough to pull on your chin the loss is 2.1 watts per inch of hair measured with my beer powered go fast meter. Ok, just grow a great beard and train more.
Re: reading on the bike.
I’m in grad school right now, so I look for reading time anywhere I can find it. Like Chad, I get a lot of that during trainer sessions, up to sweet spot work. For people who want to read hard copies, this book stand has been awesome for me:
And here are some pictures of my setup, with just a regular desk:
I can’t highlight or take notes, but my workaround has been to just take pictures of the pages I want to go back to on my phone, and that’s usually enough to jog my memory about what it was I wanted to write down.
You say to not worry about power imbalances. Well at 52-48, it is within the power meter uncertainty so no big deal. At what point should we be concerned? For example, at 57-43 it means left leg pushes 30% more than the right one. That’s a lot and indicate there’s something to investigate : muscle imbalance? , bad pedal stroke? , too much float? , too big a shoe for that right foot ?, …
After using a left only crankarm stages pwr meter, I think it’s neuromuscular and I’ve trained for ~ 5yrs reinforcing that pushing harder on right side didn’t change the displayed watts but pushing harder on the left did. Trainer road probably has the dataset to confirm/infirm my theory (years with left side pm results in a pwr imbalance)
Alcohol wipes before and after rides. One of the most effective disinfectants you can find. $2 for a 16 oz bottle, and use the tissue of your choice. Will last a season.
What is everyone using as their carb drink whilst working out (only at Sweetspot and below). I am usually reasonably fuelled going in but sometimes my timings get thrown off and on a longer but lower intensity workout I think it may be preferable to drink something during rather than trying to cram in just before. I’m drinking anyway so could add in carbs.
Working from home tomorrow.
