Carbonfiberboy 

I only have power on one bike. Maybe 2/3 of my hours are no power, HRM instead. If I use a HRM, a hrTSS is calculated by TrainingPeaks. If I'm not on a bike but rather skiing or hiking or at the gym, I wear a HRM watch which uploads, thus all my activity is recorded. HR data works just fine for calculating TSS and thus CTL, TSB and etc. What power is really good for is allowing one to train when HR is depressed and thus getting an accurate record of TSS in that workout. Now whether or not that's even a good idea is another discussion.

You don't need a PC to use TrainingPeaks, they also have a phone app, though I've not used it, but if you're not using a PC, I think you have to record everything on the phone, which has drawbacks.

eagletree

What do you use to collect your HRM data when you are not riding. I was messing around with my fitbit and did a structure walk as a test to see if that would show on strava as part of training, and it did. But a fitbit is wildly inaccurate if used during any sort of daytime exercise other than mellow walking. Do you have a computer for other training besides the bike?

Carbonfiberboy 

My wife and I use a Polar V800 watch, one for each of us. I bought them on ebay because they're not made anymore, though they are supported. You'd have to look on the Polar website to see of the upload software, Polar FlowSync, is available for mac. Or you could get a lightweight Windows device specifically for bike software, and take it with you if you bike tour. Comes in real handy.

I just checked - still available on ebay. If you want one, make sure that the clothespin-like connector comes with it.. The other choice is any of a variety of Gamin watches. I like the Polar particularly because of its orthostatic HR test function, which also includes both supine and standing HRV. For the Polar, you need a Polar H10 transmitter and chest strap. That's Bluetooth, so it will work with your phone, too. Probably any Bluetooth transmitter would work. For a Garmin watch, you need an ANT+ transmitter and chest strap. Garmin brand are very good.

texaspandj

eagletree I did the same as you when I'm first started riding. Riding as much as I could as fast as I could. It's fun but uh I was 21 years old.
I say keep it going as long as it's fun and not a druge.
As the seasons/years progressed I kept going longer on daily rides til I found my sweet spot. Those were the days I was good.
Eventually you rely on your base fitness and see the least amount you can do and still maintain a high level of fitness or speed (depending on your goals). So kinda the opposite of what you do in the beginning of your cycling journey.
Now in my 50s my motto is "Consistency over Intensity".
Regardless of my athletic activity I try to maintain a 70% of maximum effort. Once a week or once every Two weeks I go
​​​​ 90% effort.
Keep it up.

eagletree

After this tax season is over and I'm sure I'm still flush, I'll look into the garmin watch. Right now, I've spent so much on the bike toys, that I feel like waiting. Looks like the garmin is compatible with everything I have now since it's all ANT+. It would be nice to track other fitness work accurately and for years I've been using a Fitbit (which isn't too good during actual exercise, good for sleep tracking though).

eagletree

Thanks for that. After this thread, and what some others have said about burning out in other threads, I'm actually taking it easy for a few days. I've been mapping out a few 30 mile rides and plan to start that. Possibly go to 4 days a week and always do longer rides. It's not only physically burning out that concerns me, but also how much time it's taking when I do a morning ride, afternoon ride, and then an evening trainer ride. Rain and toe blisters are helping me stay out of my road shoes for a few days, and I think it's healthy. I do get over zealous when I like something so this thread has made me take a more relaxed approach.

Carbonfiberboy 

Toe blisters? My road shoes are so short I can't walk far in them. Concentrate on pedaling with your heel cups, relax your ankles, let your heel drop naturally. You might have to lower your saddle to do this.

eagletree

I had resisted bringing that up. It was hitting me about the time I started this thread. I assumed I needed more of a heel down posture for part of it, and I removed the liners to the shoes aren't so cramped now, but the damage was already done. I almost couldn't walk a few days ago and moved to the MTB and my SPD shoes to keep riding (without power pedals, the MTB shoes don't have the triangular mount holes and the Powertaps require their proprietary cleats). They are almost healed now but it's pouring rain out today over here, and so I'm giving it just a bit more rest. The MTB shoes don't seem to exacerbate the issue. It was stupid to keep pushing when I knew I had a problem forming in my toes. More of the same in noob overzealousness.

I do think you are correct about the way I'm pedaling. I noticed I'm still using heel elevated even though I've read that is inefficient. I was looking at the Cycling Analytics output and it shows I have only a 19% efficiency in my stroke, so I guess I got a lot of work to do in that area.

Carbonfiberboy 

%I'm guessing that 19% thing is about how much pedal force is tangential to the pedal circle. Is that correct? You could try this. You'll need a trainer and a good-sized mirror. Put the mirror some distance away and so that you can see your feet as you pedal. Then put the bike in a very low gear and pedal very fast, hopefully over 110 and feeling that heel cup. If you do that a lot, it'll become natural to follow the circle with your feet. As you do this, look in the mirror and see what you have to do to get your feet level at the bottom of the stroke.

eagletree

I'll try that. I do have a large workout mirror I want to take down. So I should shoot for level rather than heel below? I wasn't aware of that.

110 is where I start bouncing a bit so it would have to be about 105. The seat on my Miyata 310/Trainer combo is up at the top of the post and still a bit low. I practice high cadence every evening for about 20 to 30 minutes.

I'm not sure, the Cycling Analytics was the first package that graphs out the L/R balance from the Powertaps (though it shows up in the Roam too, just not Strava). The figure for that is supposed to be normally between 10 and 40% with perfect application of force being 100%. I'll have to look at the description again. CA seems like a very nice package for $10 per month.

Carbonfiberboy 

If the bottom of your foot is level at the bottom of the stroke, then because of the angle of your lower leg there, you have dorsiflexion, so essentially heel down.

Bouncing is the result of applying down force at the bottom of the pedal stroke, thus shoving your butt off the saddle. You don't want to do that. At very high cadences, try to pedal with the shoe upper, imagining that you have a layer of air between the bottom of your foot and the insole. Concentrate on applying force only tangential to the pedal circle. Really concentrate. Rather than pushing down on the pedal, you move your foot in a circle and thus the foot naturally decelerates at the bottom, no longer pushing down, rather pulling back. Relax your foot, try to hold the bottom of your foot more or less level and wiggle your toes. It's not all that easy at first. It takes a while to imprint the proper patterns on your ganglia. It's all about what you tighten and what you relax and when, actually extremely complicated. Luckily, we have brains and ganglia to take care of that for us. Another thing to think about is relaxation. suppleness. I enjoy the meditation.

Track folks can pedal 200 without bouncing, I've seen it.

Fatter Frank

I'll have what Keith Richards is having.

eagletree

Thanks for all the input. You got me to studying this this morning and I found some charts showing the segments of the stroke. Since it's raining so much, I'll put the Emonda on the trainer tonight which has the right seat height, and that will let me practice this with the road shoes.

I just drove up to Sequim thinking about what you said concerning extending distance for the STP. It appears to me that the Center Rd to 104 is an exceptionally steep climb (looks like a couple of three miles straight up eastbound), that will let me put in 60 mile days. Thirty to Sequim and back. The hills have to be worse than what the STP would have.

Carbonfiberboy 

Good training route. 60 miles, 3000', just right. That hill's only a mile and nothing over 8%.

eagletree

Should have checked it out on the GPS, just felt very long even at 60 MPH. It's 900 short of what I normally get in elevation for a week so should be a good workout. Nice views of the Olympics along 104 too. When I ride it on a sunny day, I'll snap it for my photo.