I use my tourer on my Wahoo Kickr Snap in resistance mode. It has 11-32 x 28/38/48 gearing. I prefer this for a number of reasons but high cadence is my preference so I train like it too.
What happens though is I spin out on hard, fast efforts and on workouts like the Ramp Test, I have more power left in me and I can achieve more but I can’t spin over about 120 RPM. Threshold and anaerobic efforts would be more achievable as I would have a more normalised cadence:power ratio.
Without changing over to ERG mode or the bike’s gearing have you any suggestions?
Last night, in ‘Devices’ I changed the resistance setting to 5% when doing Petit (recovery week) Not sure really what this does and whether it would help me achieve a better FTP given my gearing, power and cadence dilemmas upthread. I KNOW I have more in me.
You can pedal at a high cadence in ERG mode. That’s partly the point: choose a gear that gives a reasonably straight chainline and let the software do the rest. Remember that power = cadence x resistance so if you increase cadence the resistance will be lowered to keep you on target power.
Depending on your trainer there’ll be a range of power available in each gear ratio so it may be that very high efforts exceed the abilities of the trainer and you’ll have to change gear but usually it’s a case of sit and pedal and the software and trainer sort things out for you.
I have the problem in that when riding aiming for certain zones at my natural cadence (~95rpm), if I go down a gear I’m spinning at a slower hill climb cadence, but if I shift up I’m having to spin +105rpm to stay on target.
I end up alternating between intervals spinning at each to focus on both quick leg speed and hill climb spinning, plus helps to break up long intervals.
Well, it’s the same 0-100% range for every trainer. The “difference” would be between a trainer with a max of 1000w vs one with 2000w. 20% on the first should be roughly the same as 10% on the second.
Essentially, the numbers are not important. Just adjust the percentage to a number. Evaluate if you like the resistance and gearing that you have available. And then adjust up or down to suit your preference. There is no precise number that you should shoot for, other than what gives you the resistance and gearing range you want to use.
Tricky if you don’t really have a reference point, I mean I don’t have a powermeter outside.
I find it difficult to translate wattages / feeling between work on the trainer and outside.
When I put it on resistance mode, during an ERG mode workout, the wattages on the trainer jumped up, but it didn’t feel like really hard work.
Couldn’t imagine that I was putting out those wattages outside which that amount of ease.
Take the “start at 50%” approach. If it’s too easy/hard, adjust another half (down to 25% for instance) and continue. Keep that half step approach until you get where you want to be.
Way too many variables to recommend a single number. But my 20-40% range is a safe place to start, and you can go from there. If you want a single number, try 30% to start.
