hoping for a bit of help, or just a good discussion point if nothing else. The various thoughts and ideas on here help me get out of my own head sometimes
Being new to Endurance riding (sports) and trying to get better from a pretty low bar, i’ve found myself questioning how best to proceed.
I’ve just started SSB LV1 although i have done a 5 weeks of just Z2 to get my legs going. I add a longer (2-3hrs) z2 to SSB LV which is ont he road bike regardless.
Generally, i just want to improve power on the bike across all aspects of my power curve to better enjoy everything from road riding, crits, bunch races on track. I’d also like to get better at the kilo and try pursuit as well as other track disciplines. Appreciate its a broad spread so if i had to pick a preferred area its Kilo and Pursuit. But general aerobic fitness is so poor i think i can leave anaerobic work until a later time.
My question is around TT position vs regular road position. I have a track bike (sprint and TT bar set ups) and a road bike. Road bike is used on rollers, track bike is used on a Lemond Revolution. Virtual Power on both.
As i start working through SSB and beyond, I’m stuck working out how to split time on the road bike between getting better at putting out power/being comfortable in a TT position.
Will doing it all in the TT position sacrifice some progress/gains or will it still carry over well to regular road riding better that the other way around. Will using the road bike too much leave power on the track bike lagging.
My initial thoughts were, do the threshold stuff on the track bike in aero position, and 1 SS session. The other SS session and z2 on the road bike?
I’m coming from such a low level of aerobic fitness that it may not matter lol.
I tend to over think things so your thoughts would be appreciated.
That’s my initial thoughts as well. Z2 on the road bike because of comfort and longer time in the saddle. Your key hard workouts on your pursuit bike as it is on that bike you want to perform.
My TT is fixed gear, as its my track bike but i think thats a good thing for specificity.
Is there any harm in doing all but z2 on the TT bike? (assuming i can handle the position etc).
Would it translate to improvements on the road bike to the same extent of using the road bike more or would i be holding myself back, especially given the low level of fitness already.
I tend to do most of my individual and team pursuit work on the track on the basis its a whole lot different to the road or a trainer. Last year i also did some key VO2 workouts in the final 8 week specialty phase in TT position on a Lemond trainer with track adaptor and that really worked well.
On the road I just tried to make sure I did at least one workout a week on on the TT bike - did these on the road as I couldn’t bear endurance/sweetspot/threshold in TT position on the trainer
Given the first point, I wouldn’t worry too much about how you split things up. We tend to get very myopic about which plan / strategy is “best”, when often the “best” thing is just to ride more across a variety of spectrums.
yes, there are differences between riding in a pursuit position vs. a road position and your numbers will be different…but if you are truly starting from a position of needing to build your aerobic base, the best thing you can do is just ride your bike, whichever one it may be.
Don’t overthink things…there will be plenty of time for that later!!
Track time is difficult at the moment due to life cirtcumastances but i’d like to do as much work as possible in the background.
That being said, i dont want to be hyper specialised yet as i dont want to lose the fun aspect and would like to improve all aspects of cycling fitness.
Sounds like as long as i get a single session a week on the trackbike/TT position i should be ok. More is ok too and it depends on how i feel.
I thought as much. Sometimes its as much a sense check as anything else.
I’d like to do a session or two on the track bike as i enjoy getting the lemond out etc. so i’ll play it by how i feel. Probably just the threshold session as i wont be watching netflix while i do that so dont need to worry about seeing the screen lol.
