We all fail sometimes, don't sweat it :)

[dude7691]

Hey everyone,

Just got back from my first ever attempt at a 10 mile TT (not organised, just me), been cycling seriously again for 7 weeks. I have a flat bar, triban 520. Not many good roads round where I live, so I've had no real TT specific training. I'm also 53kg, desperately trying to gain weight. A decent climber, but poor on the flats. Decided to give it my all and venture onto the main roads, ones I've never had the guts to cycle on before, because it has a dual carriageway bit. I also have chronic asthma that can flare up at any time. Up at 2am, full of optimism! Do my usual pre ride prep, ate, hydrated well e.t.c. Did a short 5 min warmup on a crappy trainer where the resistance control is broken, not long enough in hindsight but there we are, that's what I've got used to with my 50-75k rides (endurance). Headed out at 5:30am, ready to amaze myself! No wind, and peaceful roads.
I managed 4.31 miles before I had an asthma attack, just 100ft from the top of the hill that would mark the highest elevation on my route. I gave it everything to keep going but my lungs just disagreed wholeheartedly, had a horrible stabbing pain in my chest and when I got off the bike I could breathe, but only barely. Averaged 17.3mph over that distance without drops. My target was a 35 min 10 miler, as a lightweight climber (not built to TT) new to the sport sounded about right to me, on a bike without drops and in baggy's/t shirt.
Things I learned:
The effect of wind chill at 5am even in summer is HUGE. Doing 30mph or more down hills, in 8 degree temperatures, takes its toll. I wish I'd layered up in hindsight.
Asthma and cold do not mix, at least at high intensity. I know what I need to do for the winter now (intervals on trainer, endurance outside is ok).
The importance of being the right weight. 53kg and intense flat efforts do not mix. The importance of W/cda vs W/kg is brutal for a person who can be in the top 10% of most climbs on strava, but barely get above average on the flats (I can average 4.5W/kg for 3-4 mins on hills, warmed up). If you're having to go at or above your threshold on the flats and then a hill comes up, as a rider with low maximum power it will kill you (even if you have a good W/kg).
Things I'm happy with:
I did my best, can't say any more than that. I came back feeling gutted but proud I'd tried, and this won't be my last attempt.
Just wanted to share my experience with you all

 

[Fab Foodie]

Better to have tried and failed than never tried at all....
BUT, what is it you’re really trying to achieve?
Why warm-up on a turbo for a 50 to 75k ride?
If TT is of interest, join a club?

Good learnings that suggest you still have a lot to learn, like understand when you’re overdoing it. Pace is everything....
Also, being a good climber is already a very good thing!

Alternatively, just go for a bike ride, enjoy the miles, make sure you dress appropriately (for all conditions) join a club maybe, participate in some group rides or find a ride-buddy and experience and performance will soon follow :-)

 

[dude7691]

Better to have tried and failed than never tried at all....
BUT, what is it you’re really trying to achieve?
Why warm-up on a turbo for a 50 to 75k ride?
If TT is of interest, join a club?

Good learnings that suggest you still have a lot to learn, like understand when you’re overdoing it. Pace is everything....
Alternatively, just go for a bike ride, enjoy the miles, make sure you dress appropriately (for all conditions) join a club maybe, participate in some group rides and experience and performance will soon follow :-)

Totally agree man! I had that target in my head (17.1mph average) and just decided to see how long I could hold onto it. I can average 15-16mph comfortably over longer routes, provided I take it easy for the first 5-10 miles. My legs honestly, weren't even phased, barely hurt even when I stopped. It's just my aerobic fitness/asthma that holds me back. The reason I warm up is just to try and get my heart/lungs in the mode of exercise, as I experience more asthma attacks if I don't warm up at all, at least in my experience.

Yep! This was my first ever ride in lowish temperatures so I wasn't prepared for the consequences of under dressing in this instance. Legs were fine of course, had lycra shorts under normal shorts and my calf muscles were working so adequately warm. My upper body though wow, another story. Hands were completely numb, and my arms turned red from the wind chill haha, guessing as a consequence of blood rushing to those areas to try and cope with the super low temps at speed. If my heart was diverting blood away from other areas of my body to compensate for that, might be another reason I deoxygenated so fast.

I already ride with a friend That's enough for me socially, my goal is to be a good all rounder, and maybe even possibly race one day (not professionally) but maybe cat 3-4, 4-5 years down the line. I know my lungs will always hold me back, nothing I can do about that (already on medication) but I can at least try and fulfil my potential

 

[icowden]

Did you protect from the cold on your neck / throat / lungs? I find that I need to use a buff in cold air or my chest goes into asthma mode.

 

[dude7691]

Did you protect from the cold on your neck / throat / lungs? I find that I need to use a buff in cold air or my chest goes into asthma mode.

Hey No I didn't, I'm always afraid I'll then be restricting the amount of airflow into my lungs. Have you found something that doesn't but also warms the air? Glad to know it's not just me, in warmer air I rarely have issues unless I push way beyond my VO2 max but that's expected at my fitness level tbh.

 

[icowden]

Personally I don't find a buff restricts airflow much, but then I'm not quite as er.... athletically enthusiastic as you. It may be worth having a small amount of airflow restriction to prevent the much larger restriction when the asthma kicks in...

 

[dude7691]

Personally I don't find a buff restricts airflow much, but then I'm not quite as er.... athletically enthusiastic as you. It may be worth having a small amount of airflow restriction to prevent the much larger restriction when the asthma kicks in...

Definitely worth a try for me on colder days I was getting tonnes of build up of rubbish (phgelm) in my airways as well which was a sign. I take anti histamines too, so it's not hay fever. I agree with you My normal peak flow is about 600, after exercise on a good day around 550. Throw an asthma attack into the equation you're looking at 250-300, and that feels like death is about to ensue xD In the winter I'm sure I'll put a scarf or something round my face anyway, for comfort more than anything. If 8 degrees C felt bad today (albeit at high speed) then I don't want to know what 0 degrees or lower will feel like in a few months time

 

[Sharky]

Time trialing is a great sport and incentive. Never been that fast but have been doing it for many years.

Riding a solo tt is just a training ride. Riding an organised tt is quite different. The competitive element when you see and try to emulate other riders just makes you faster and faster. A 20mph ride would be very much in reach.

If your lungs are struggling and your legs are fine, it usually means that you can manage a higher gear.

Good luck on you next tt.

 

[dude7691]

Time trialing is a great sport and incentive. Never been that fast but have been doing it for many years.

Riding a solo tt is just a training ride. Riding an organised tt is quite different. The competitive element when you see and try to emulate other riders just makes you faster and faster. A 20mph ride would be very much in reach.

If your lungs are struggling and your legs are fine, it usually means that you can manage a higher gear.

Good luck on you next tt.

It really is, the limited time I got today was proof of that even though it was solo. I felt pumped and exhilarated more than I ever have on any other ride

I completely understand the competitive element, that makes you sharp and more motivated which undoubtedly helps when going hard for 20-30 minutes.

Unless I gain some weight and muscle mass, I doubt 20mph is even worth thinking about for now. 53kg at 175cm means I just can't get the FTP or sustained power out to win on the flats. I'm going to be trying to eat as much as I can to get at least up to 60, possibly a bit more. I understand my climbing performance will stay the same, doesn't bother me. But, if I'm less exhausted getting to the climbs, then it will as I'll have more in reserve A lot of people tell me to not focus on my weight, but I genuinely feel my lack of raw power is partly why the flats are so brutal to me. Not to mention, my bike doesn't have drop bars, and I'm not really a lycra favourite personally, and while I fully appreciate the aerodynamic gains to be had I feel far more dignified using what I do now. I'm comfortable in these too, so it really would just be for speed.

As far as gearing goes, I tend to spin a higher cadence as it just feels more natural, probably around 90RPM on the flats, and around 70 on the hills. I currently spin a 30/11 on most flats (weird setup I know, it's a triple chainring). I'm going to experiment more with using my middle ring (39) for sure. On hills up to 8% I'm using around a 30/18, opting for a slower cadence and then on 10%+ I'll stick it in the big ring on the back which for me is a 32, possibly changing up a few gears if my legs are on good form

Thank you kindly for your good wishes )

 

[Fab Foodie]

It really is, the limited time I got today was proof of that even though it was solo. I felt pumped and exhilarated more than I ever have on any other ride

I completely understand the competitive element, that makes you sharp and more motivated which undoubtedly helps when going hard for 20-30 minutes.

Unless I gain some weight and muscle mass, I doubt 20mph is even worth thinking about for now. 53kg at 175cm means I just can't get the FTP or sustained power out to win on the flats. I'm going to be trying to eat as much as I can to get at least up to 60, possibly a bit more. I understand my climbing performance will stay the same, doesn't bother me. But, if I'm less exhausted getting to the climbs, then it will as I'll have more in reserve A lot of people tell me to not focus on my weight, but I genuinely feel my lack of raw power is partly why the flats are so brutal to me. Not to mention, my bike doesn't have drop bars, and I'm not really a lycra favourite personally, and while I fully appreciate the aerodynamic gains to be had I feel far more dignified using what I do now. I'm comfortable in these too, so it really would just be for speed.

As far as gearing goes, I tend to spin a higher cadence as it just feels more natural, probably around 90RPM on the flats, and around 70 on the hills. I currently spin a 30/11 on most flats (weird setup I know, it's a triple chainring). I'm going to experiment more with using my middle ring (39) for sure. On hills up to 8% I'm using around a 30/18, opting for a slower cadence and then on 10%+ I'll stick it in the big ring which for me is a 32.

Thank you kindly for your good wishes )

Feeling underweight is a new experience here (most of us have the opposite).
Some more thoughts:

As said, going faster on the flats becomes more about aerodynamics than raw power (to go twice the speed you need 4 times the power), if you're sitting-up into the breeze and wearing baggy kit, 20mph is going to be very difficult. So fix that riding position and kit first.

30x11 at 90 rpm = 20mph, but running small cogs is inefficient (minorly), why not use a bigger ring combination? 39 x14 will give you the same ratio with less chain flex and a straighter chain-line... you then have a couple more gears to go to push your legs harder - which builds strength.
Gear/Speed calulator is here:
https://www.bikecalc.com/gear_speed

If you are limited by lung-function, maybe speed and racing is not for you, but there are plenty good endurance challenges where being a good climber is a distinct advantage.

Regarding warming-up on the turbo, just warm-up on the road, ride gently for the first 10 mins. I (as many others here) have CHD so we need to warm-up AND warm-down, but this is easy enough done on the road plus it's more miles and it's warming-up in the proper weather condition too :-)

50 to 70k is a nice ride, not quite in the endurance league quite yet, but it's a good start :-)

 

[dude7691]

Feeling underweight is a new experience here (most of us have the opposite).
Some more thoughts:

As said, going faster on the flats becomes more about aerodynamics than raw power (to go twice the speed you need 4 times the power), if you're sitting-up into the breeze and wearing baggy kit, 20mph is going to be very difficult. So fix that riding position and kit first.

30x11 at 90 rpm = 20mph, but running small cogs is inefficient (minorly), why not use a bigger ring combination? 39 x14 will give you the same ratio with less chain flex and a straighter chain-line... you then have a couple more gears to go to push your legs harder - which builds strength.
Gear/Speed calulator is here:
https://www.bikecalc.com/gear_speed

If you are limited by lung-function, maybe speed and racing is not for you, but there are plenty good endurance challenges where being a good climber is a distinct advantage.

Regarding warming-up on the turbo, just warm-up on the road, ride gently for the first 10 mins. I (as many others here) have CHD so we need to warm-up AND warm-down, but this is easy enough done on the road plus it's more miles and it's warming-up in the proper weather condition too :-)

50 to 70k is a nice ride, not quite in the endurance league quite yet, but it's a good start :-)

It is indeed! Looking at a power calculator, in order to do 20mph on flat ground, no wind you need to put out 213W, which sounds great until you realise that's 4W/kg for me! That is sat on the tops mind, in the drops it says you would only need 167W, so I understand I'm effectively limiting myself in that way. Anyway, regarding weight for a 63kg rider to do 20mph in the same conditions you need 217W, which is just a 2% increase for a 20% increase in mass, and therefore possibly, a 10-15% increase in power output. This translates to 3.45W/kg for that rider, so fitness wise they're not working as hard. It really depends how much of that mass went to lean muscle and fat. On the hills of course you need to put out more power to haul the bulk but you also have more power to do it with, works out about even.

Do you happen to know how much of a difference lycra makes vs baggies? I think a wind tunnel test it was something like 10% difference, which is of course a huge difference, and I've heard some people say it makes little difference to their speed and more their comfort, which isn't currently an issue for me.

Definitely going to start using my second ring more. It's just lack of confidence I think, and having a bad habit of having a "set and forget" chain ring rather than actually use them as they're meant to be, and of course a straighter chain line as you said can save a few watts.

I agree regarding racing. I'm definitely going to try, because in the next 5 years no one knows what will happen. I'm 20 years old now, and peak cyclist age if I recall physiologically is 27-28. I know lots of older people win races, because they have experience. For me though, my lungs are the major factor so it's all about whether they improve or not. Even if I fail, at least I'd be a damn fast commuter!

Sounds good to me, 10 mins of easy spinning activates the legs for sure. I did notice today my legs felt fresher of course after the shorter warmup I did, but I didn't really push my lungs too hard which was perhaps a mistake in hindsight.

Haha thank you! I've done a 100k before but that was over a year ago so I don't count it anymore, and it was only at 12mph because I was far less fit then. Nowadays I could probably go faster, it's just finding the time and motivation to go out and do that distance, I've become a bigger fan of shorter rides more frequently nowadays.

 

[Sharky]

Forget about numbers and trying to eat more. Look at Chris Froome - he is like a walking skeleton.

The more you cycle, the more your muscles will develop, but won't come overnight. Will take three or four years of progressive step improvements to get stronger. Whatever you are doing now, in the summer months, need to make sure you can sustain it through the colder months. You can take a break when the weather is really bad, but if you don't hit January with a reasonable level of fitness, you end up playing catch up all year. I've had many a season, when I didn't get motivated until about February/March and then it's too late for that year.

In terms of gears for a time trial, on the flat, you need to be thinking of something like 50x15 upwards. Might seem high now, but a lot will be riding 50x11 or more!

Good luck, & join a club - it will give you a boost.

 

[Solocle]

I have mild asthma. I've managed to trigger a coughing fit in a few races - but I'm 77 kg, and was pushing 280W for 15 minutes to do that!

On the trainer, I've pulled off 290W for 50 minutes, climbing Alpe du Zwift, which was pushing at the edge of my asthma, but I managed to avoid it. I find I can get a feel for that, and keep the effort just under exploding.

 

[dude7691]

Forget about numbers and trying to eat more. Look at Chris Froome - he is like a walking skeleton.

The more you cycle, the more your muscles will develop, but won't come overnight. Will take three or four years of progressive step improvements to get stronger. Whatever you are doing now, in the summer months, need to make sure you can sustain it through the colder months. You can take a break when the weather is really bad, but if you don't hit January with a reasonable level of fitness, you end up playing catch up all year. I've had many a season, when I didn't get motivated until about February/March and then it's too late for that year.

In terms of gears for a time trial, on the flat, you need to be thinking of something like 50x15 upwards. Might seem high now, but a lot will be riding 50x11 or more!

Good luck, & join a club - it will give you a boost.

Thank you for this. I find it impossible to fully forget about numbers, strava is one of my prime motivations to get out and ride and also to push hard (thank segments for that). It used to be the endorphins but I don't get as much of those anymore, might have grown tolerant to em somewhat!

Agreed regarding the winter. I will still commute in the winter (25 miles a day round trip) but take it real slow because of the asthma risk. It's not psychological I might add. I have some days where I'm feeling awful mentally and I don't get it, and others like today where I was fully fired up and raring to go and I can have an attack 4 miles in. Will probably join a gym to use a proper trainer with actual power figures on it as I've never had a power meter, I rely solely on the calculators for a broad estimate. I feel like riding to power would help me train much better as opposed to perceived effort. I started again this year in May, so I hear what you mean I had a major foot injury last year that kept me off the bike for 10 months so I lost all my fitness pretty much.

50x15 sounds alright! 3.33 my usual 2.72, but 4.54 sounds frightening ahaha, I don't even think I could spin that at 90RPM now in my sprints, let alone for any sustained time period!

I'll see how my asthma develops over the coming months, and then think about a club. I don't want to be the super inconsistent guy who can drop everyone on the climbs (I wouldn't do that, not in my nature) one day and then have an asthma attack doing a measly 17mph on the flat the next. My friend and I ride similar speeds on the flat, it takes significant effort to just keep up, but then I can drop them easily on the climbs. As I said, it's probably because power to weight means almost nothing on flat/downhill terrain. I find myself pedaling to keep up with them coasting downhill!

 

[fossyant]

You are stressing over numbers too much, especially for 35 minute 10. As for weight etc, should be an advantage. The Manchester District Best All rounder in the 90's was in my club then Manchester Wheelers. We used to call him sparrow legs. He can't have been much more than 50kg's wet through, and as thin as a rake. It was pointless trying to draft him. Yet, he was seriously quick in TT's.

I also know plenty of asthmatic cyclists - don't let it hold you back, - you'll soon learn how to prepare and take your meds when needed.