Kai Winters

Hi everyone,
I'm considering using TrainingPeaks as a method to improve my performance, track my progress, etc.
Does anyone in Bike Forums use TP? If so what are your thoughts about the program?
TIA
Kai

MoAlpha

The premium version is probably worth it, but the free one is not all that useful. I use intervals.icu and pay the voluntary fee.

force10

I use the free version to keep a log of activity but it seems like you have to be fairly knowledgeable about training to get much out of it. I keep toying wiht the idea of getting a coach to give me some training guidance and it seems like it is a good resource for a coach to refer to. For now it is just sort of data-logging for me.

GhostRider62

I use TP everyday.

I prefer Golden Cheetah myself.

Carbonfiberboy 

I also use TP every day. IMO the free version is not much good in terms of a training aid. The most important feature for me is to set the Dashboard (premium) to "Last 90 days and next 21". Then I design workouts for the next 1-3 weeks and hopefully, do them. If I design a new workout, I save it to my Workout Library. Right now I have 264 saved workouts to choose from. Premium also comes with a list of Training Plans which automatically paste into the Calendar view.

Google "trainingpeaks ctl atl tsb" to see what Trainingpeaks is all about. It probably takes a couple of months of using TP to figure it all out. Mine goes back to 2012.

Kai Winters

I should have been more specific. I currently use the free version of TP and agree it is more of a data accumulator and as a 'free' program I'm not complaining.
I'm referring to the subscription based system and would like to track and view my winter season training both for performance improvements and proper rest periods to avoid the "January Hero/July Zero" syndrome.
Again TIA

GhostRider62

I used XERT, TrainingPeaks, Garmin, Zwift, and Golder Cheetah each for more than a year.

What works for you may not work for me. I will say that they each would give me different FTP, CP, CTL, TSB values. Personally, I do not follow a prescribed training plan. I did that with a coach and feel there are more drawbacks than setting goals and monitoring how I feel, how I slept, my HRV, and only doing a hard workout when my body is ready to assimilate the load. Many of these online canned training plans would burn me out in 3 months.

The three metrics important to me

1 Increasing CTL
2. Increasing my power at 5 minutes (VO2 max proxy)
3. Most important to me is how much power I make at 120 bpm heart rate as sort of a proxy for using a lactate meter.

I used to be able to handle TSB excursions to -50 when younger but now, I realize that -20 is a warning area and back off at age 64. When I looked at most of these programs, they really did not fit my age or type of riding (endurance). So, the free Golden Cheteh works fine although some say it is complicated. XERT is the simpliest but wrongest for my physisiolgoy.

Carbonfiberboy 

I'm sorry about your transient iscemic attack. Hope you see a cardiologist soon. What more do you want to know?

GhostRider62

I often get free offers for some of these applications, that might make the most sense to figure out what is best for you. TP is 7 days. Xert is 30 days free trial but they don't give you full access to the workouts, just enough functionality to get a feel. I just got a 2 month free zwift offer.

Kai Winters

I've not been attacked by anything or anyone lately...why would you worry about my being attacked?
I don't play cards and don't see how learning how to play would help improve my riding performance.
Obviously far more that you are given credit for...yikes...surprised you were able to use the "quote" system...I'm impressed...meh, not really but thought it would make you feel a bit better.

PeteHski

I find TP a bit of a dog's dinner in terms of data presentation. I only used it (premium version) when I was following one of their training plans a few years ago for a specific event. The plan I followed was actually very good, but I was unimpressed with the TP data presentation.
So I don't see the value in paying for a premium TP account unless you are also taking up one of their training plans.

If you are simply looking for a way to track your training load and fatigue, then something like intervals.icu is just as good (if not better). If you are also looking for a structured training plan to follow, then TP is certainly an option to consider, although I now prefer using Wahoo SYSTM and PILLAR (UK based adaptive training plan) for my structured plan.

kcjc

I use TP mainly to push to other apps like Strava. I didn't find the paid version to be that useful and regret paying for WKO4. It doesn't play well with Windows and they dropped support for it suddenly 6 months after my purchase because apple doesn't play well with anyone.

Get Gold Cheetah. Plenty of analytics out of the box and sky's the limit if you have programming skills (python & R). If you're just concerned about basic stuff like the performance manager & TiZ, it might be a heavy lift since you have to curated each ride into the local data store. No sync from other apps but you could push.

caloso

I’ve been using the paid version of TP for years, but I’m not sure it’s worth it now that I’ve started using intervals.icu.

MoAlpha

intervals seems to add new features daily and David, the developer, is very responsive, particularly to paid subscribers.