Training on the commute (ebike)

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Started commuting on my road bike just over a year ago, lasted until the real winter set in and then carried on through the year although wasn’t that committed, too many bad weather days, too hard to carry clothes and equipment (Was using a road bike and a rucksack, not ideal). Switched over to an ebike with panniers 4 months back and have have stuck at it with 3-4 days a week on average on the bike. It’s a great way to get some hidden time exercise when on busy days it would be hard to find an hour for a winter training session.

Decided to take this a step further and in December started to do some Zone 2 sessions (HR based) on the commute. As i don’t typical use a HRM on a commute i just used one for a week to get a feel for the effort and have since just tried to replicate that. In the mornings it’s quite hard to remember that you’re actually trying to put in an effort and not just get to work, on the way home i always seem more motivated and have to make sure i don’t get too carried away. Like this i’be been managing typically 3-4 x 30mins Z2 sessions a week and 95% of those sessions are at a decent Z2 and not all over the place.

Going to try to structure it a bit more and maybe throw in some other efforts, sprints or something else TBD. Might have to put the PM pedals on the ebike to see what i can map, hoping that as it’s a fixed route i can set “speeds” as my target to achieve certain effort levels although wind will be the big variable in that case, maybe need to see how i can use the HR on my watch as i just ride with Stava as my cycling app on a commute.

Anyone else do any specific training on their commutes ?

Todays ride home via the post office (first time I’ve commuted in daylight for months it feels like)
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CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
No, but it's an excellent way to train. Z2 on ebike is no different to Z2 on a conventional bike, except you will be traveling a bit quicker.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I am taking part in the Pan Celtic Race in July. At 65 years of age, I would imagine I will be one of the older riders. I ride at least 40km most working days of the year and it is not a problem. But this year I decided to get an E bike for my winter commutes. I head off for work at 4.30am to start at 6am. It is a 20km commute through very dark Danish countryside. I never take it out of Eco mode.

For me it is not about riding a bike in winter. Its cold, dark, wet windy and you are dressed up like the Michelin man. Its just about being out there and sorting out problems as they arise. If I can change 3 punctures in 2 tyres while it is pitch black, raining and freezing. Then doing it in July should be a doddle.

Its an unusual way to train for the Pan Celtic. But I am very comfortable navigating along country tracks in the dark and changing routes on the fly. Its all good practice. I am taking my sleeping kit out with me and set myself up for an hour in different places on the way home. At weekends my gravel bike comes out and at the end of February I will start commuting on the Gravel bike full time.
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

Veteran
Some how Steve i think you’ll smile when you get a puncture early morning on a winters day😂 most others would curse it but as you say fantastic practice. Watched a Pan Celtic video a few months back, very inspirational and some amazing stories in there.

Hauling the ebike is also good practice for carry all that gear, your PC bike will always be lighter😉
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
No, but it's an excellent way to train. Z2 on ebike is no different to Z2 on a conventional bike, except you will be traveling a bit quicker.

Unless you've reached the assist level ! TBH I ride hard to work and home, great training, and it's on a heavy rigid MTB with slow tyres.
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
I did get my ebike to encourage me to start cycling again. It did exactly that, and now I ride regularly on my turbo setup. I use my ebike to go to the shops or summer evenings tootling around the lanes visiting hostelries all in the aim of keeping in Z2. :okay:

I did my first event in over 3 years, last autumn, a 40 mile off road MTB event with a group of mates. I was considering taking the ebike, but dusted off my old hardtail Kona MTB. One mate used his ebike MTB, being rather unfit at the time. He finished with us but was rather shattered from the pace we went.
 
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Ridgeway

Ridgeway

Veteran
Here I’m finding it hard to get motivated for the turbo during the week, mainly due to the commute. Hence trying some training in the commute if possible.

Still think there’s a few training aspects i can thread in to a commute. Cadence high and low, sprints ??? Maybe more like high wattage efforts for short periods (will hardly be a sprint though).
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
I save turbo for VO2 max and threshold intervals. The rest I pretty much do outside. Can you imagine Z2 indoors, it’d be like water torture …

Its not as bad you may think, depending on the platform you're using. I've done 100 mile group rides (Zwift), the 4 and a bit hours go by pretty quickly, with all the chitchat taking place. You could also watch a film if that's your thing.

I mainly race 15mins to 1hr30 events. Doing one at 11am
 

BurningLegs

Veteran
I save turbo for VO2 max and threshold intervals. The rest I pretty much do outside. Can you imagine Z2 indoors, it’d be like water torture …

It doesn't have to be :smile:

A lot of people will watch a movie or some sport while doing endurance sessions indoors. I enjoy watching the cyclocross while spinning the legs.

The hardest part of it for me is comfort. Anything over about 90 minutes and I start to get pretty uncomfortable, but trying to remember to get out of the saddle for 30 secs or so every now and then can help.
 
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