Plan suggestions/modifications for endurance MTB single speed

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Looking for thoughts/suggestions on training for endurance mtb events (50-100 mile) on a single speed with Trainer Road. I’ve used TR for a couple years now, but wondering if there are better plans I could use that would translate more to single speed. I’ve generally just used the marathon mtb plans.

I recently put a power meter on my single speed and noticed a significant amount of anaerobic efforts during rides, and the marathon mtb training plans have no anaerobic rides built in. So far I have a relatively small sampling of outdoor rides, but it just got me thinking that maybe I should work in more anaerobic work on the trainer.

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Back in another lifetime when I raced singlespeeds I was a firm believer in doing a lot of my training on the SS, that was enough for the specificity. Those were done on feel but intentional i.e. attacking climbs, keeping momentum, riding smooth and efficiently. The rest was training as usual. Now if you’ll be indoors a lot during base season I would certainly recommend you sprinkle some SS elements to your normal training (torque intervals/fast cadence alternates, standing up…) your April legs will thank you.

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I have no experience racing single speeds, but have commuted on one for many years. Two things I would emphasize:

  1. Build your FTP so the necessary bursts up hills are less taxing
  2. Work a wide range of cadences at a wide range of powers
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I have done a fair bit of SS marathon racing. I just always followed a regular program but did my longer endurace weekend rides on the SS, and that gave me the stimulus needed (even if those rides were not strict endurance due to riding a SS).

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Thanks all! Appreciate the feedback. I’ve ridden the SS MTB almost exclusively for the last 8-9 years so I’m pretty used to the demands of riding SS, but I was a little surprised by anaerobic vs V02. It should have been obvious, but I hadn’t thought much about it and was generally assuming those hard pushes were in V02 range.

@KonaSS this has generally been my approach the last couple years, but sometimes it’s a challenge getting enough outdoor time in muddy mid-west winters.

Sounds like the best bet is to stick with the marathon mtb plans and then just manually work in some SS specific work on the trainer when I can’t get outside.

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As a fellow Midwesterner, I hear ya on trail time. If stuck inside, could always do some impromptu simulations on road or trainer rides. As a random example, during an endurance ride, put it in a hard gear and do 15-30 seconds to simulate a (midwestern) climb on the SS.

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