Originally Posted by
ancker
There's two types of indoor vs outdoor power discrepancy:
1) PM wattage discrepancy (indoor PM higher/lower than outdoor PM)
2) RPE wattage discrepancy
For
#1 , just adjust accordingly. I have two quarqs and a P2M, all three read about 7-10% higher than my Tacx Neo reports. I don't know which are "accurate" and don't really care.
For
#2 , there is data to suggest that the fixed position (the bike needs to move under you), lack of adequate cooling (a nice fan still isn't enough), and mental issues (it sucks riding inside) all contribute to why you can't reach the same power indoors vs outdoors. I usually just crank up the fan and suffer away. I think with practice you get better at matching power. Doing a 10m interval indoors isn't as fun as on the road, but convincing yourself that it's making you stronger really helps dull the boredom. At least for me.
I have both issues, but not as bad as you. My Neo is about 3% lower than the Vectors, and even with my massive fan I still sweat like crazy. Even if its 110 outside I still sweat more indoors when its 70. [TMI ALERT] So much so I have to put on diaper rash cream after my trainer sessions [END TMI ALERT]
Originally Posted by
Hermes
[MENTION=45841]furiousferret[/MENTION]
https://cyclingtips.com/2013/09/clim...-are-affected/ is an article about climbing versus time trialing but I suggest that one can view the trainer through a similar lens. The muscle recruitment is different on the trainer and thus may make it harder for cyclists compared to the road. I find 7 to 10% as a good derating factor but at the same time if I do more trainer work, I will get adaptation and it will become easier.
I think you may be on to something; I have the power profile of a Kenyan. I'm not sure how much I can change this but on the trainer the effort level does seem to match more of a TT effort, especially if resistance is off.
Its something I
want need to fix because not having that fast twitch kills me in most races. I may have an FTP 20 watts higher than the guy next to me, but because that guy can do 100 more watts for a minute he's never detached from the pack. I've learned to cheese it a bit by going otf before 1 minute efforts (i.e. short hills) but that doesn't always work.