HRM1 vs MioLink...

This graph is a supplement to a comment I left on DCRainmaker.com concerning my results using the new MioLink optical heart rate sensor from Mio Global.

My testing was done using a Garmin HRM-11 chest strap (the original old style supplied with the Forerunner series units) paired with a Garmin Edge 500.  The MioLink was paired with the TrainerRoad indoor cycling application running on a PC.  Both tracks were recorded using the ANT+ protocol.

At the beginning of the activity the MioLink was intentionally moved on my wrist (Link was worn on left wrist) to create a "break" in the HR track for further positive identification of the MioLink's track.  As the graph above shows... after about one minute the tracks began to match fairly well and continued to do so throughout the activity.

Overall I would consider the results to be very respectable if you are using the HRM1 as the "standard" the MioLink should match.  Critical users will not that certainly, it’s not a perfect fit.

But personally I really believe power is the ultimate precision training tool anyway.  Heart rate is only a rough indicator of how hard I’m working because there are so many variables that can affect it. But power is power, whether you like the numbers on any given day or not.

However as a supplement to power (or when riding a bike/wo a meter) I think overall the Link would appear to do a decent job. Over the course of a long ride I really don’t feel the need for second to second correlation of heart rate with another device.

I think ultimately it would boil down to a decision about whether you want to wear the strap or not. And there are probably times I still would… like for longer events. If anything battery life is the biggest reservation I have about using the Link.

Results...

Results!

After about 2 months of using Trainer Road and 5 weeks of following one of their training plans, I believe I am seeing some truly measurable results.

The graph at left shows 3 rides of the famous (or infamous) Sufferfest video ISLAGIATT.  My latest ride was yesterday and is represented by the green line(s).  As you can see, the bold green line (which represents average power throughout the ride), is consistently higher than the other two and by the end of the ride my average power was almost 9 watts or 5% higher than on the other 2 rides.

At "first glance" you might think a 5% improvement is pretty minimal, but over the course of a two hour ride that's an extra 1.1 miles on my total distance!  Not that I race much, but in a business where wins are sometimes measured in centimeters and fractions of a second that's huge!

Now granted it's indoor training and not on the road.  And there are some variables that could affect my (absolute) power readings.  But as I have noted in a previous post, I have found the results produced by Trainer Road to be very consistent.  Each time I ride I use the same gear ratio (39/17)@90 rpm to check my power right after warming up and then again during my cool down... and it's always the same within +/- 1 watt.  You can't ask for better than that.

So I believe the results to date to be real and would highly recommend the Trainer Road system and the Sufferfest videos to anyone looking to improve their riding results this season!

http://www.trainerroad.com/features
http://www.thesufferfest.com/

Bon Voyage Sufferlandria...

It's with a heavy heart and burning quads that I leave the country of Sufferlandria today. Passport stamped and '85 Yugo rental car returned, I prepare to cross the border back to what's considered by most to be "civilization". Yet I've developed a fondness for this interesting country. I suspect I will have to return again this time next year to revel in it's charm & endure unspeakable pain, misery & agony. Bon Voyage for now... and as they would say when you come face to face with a rabbit with sharp pointy teeth... RUN AWAY!

The Sufferfest, TrainerRoad & the Tour of Sufferlandria...

"Blender"

Stage 8 - Blender.

Well, here we are on the eve of Stage 9 in the Tour of Sufferlandria.  With 8 full stages of suffering and misery complete... there's only one short, hour long stage to go. It's a sprint workout planned for the crack of dawn (Sufferlandrian Local Time).

While hardly "out of the woods" yet (or more accurately, out of the somewhat "backward" & "developmentally challenged" country of Sufferlandria)... I'm already starting to reflect on my efforts in this year's Tour and my plans to return in 2015.

@TheSufferfest, @TrainerRoad and of course @GrunterVonAgony put together one of the most epic athletic events of the year (the Sochi Olympics will pale by comparison) and are to be congratulated for wringing out the most suffering, pain, agony and cries for 'My Mommy" possible from every rider in the peloton.  Ultimately even top tier talent like @thejensie got sucked in.

Now I have to admit I came by the tour rather "accidentally" Ok... I was told to say that to protect the guilty.  Actually it was ride the ToS or endure 15 unfocused hours per week on the CompuTrainer for the next 6 weeks as punishment from my DS for indulging in to much Holiday Cheer. The choice was clear.  I packed my bags and was on the next plane, and then a rusty cargo ship and (finally) a rented 1985 Yugo GV!  However after what seemed like more suffering than the ToS could possibly dish out... I arrived in Sufferlandria on the eve of the Tour.

Now riding with such intensity as required by the Tour (and GVA's Minions) is not how most coaches would recommend spending your "off-season".  But it is a genuinely inspired event!  The overall quality, brilliant editing and completely entertaining Sufferfest videos make 2 hour trainer sessions fly by.  In fact they leave you wanting more!  "Can I have another one Sir?"  Well, in fact yes you can... It's called "Extra Shot".  The workouts are pro caliber and designed to get the most out of you.

Kudo's also go out to TrainerRoad.  They have developed a program that allows you to train in a structured fashion using either virtual power, heart rate or actual power if your fortunate enough to own a true power meter.  I'm not... but the important thing to note here is that absolute power is not as important as the consistency and repeatability of results.  And Trainer Road delivers on that... for the whopping sum of $10.00 US per month.  You can't beat it... although the same can't be said for the Minions who WILL beat you with a stick as soon as they see you drop a watt or two during the next interval.  And let's not forget the lava pool at the top of Mt. Sufferlandria where it's rumored the occasional dropped rider has "mysteriously" disappeared.

Crying, groveling, stem chewing and sore muscles aside... the results form the Tour have been tangible, measurable and worth it.  The supporting screen shots below should give some clue as to the intensity of and benefit to be gained from riding the ToS.

Finally... "Shut up legs!" Yes it was worth it.  Now if I could just pass my Sufferlandrian citizenship test :-)

Inside the CycleOp's Fluid 2 Trainer...

Photo - Courtesy CycleOps

For anyone who's interested in what goes on inside a fluid based cycling trainer go here:

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/bikes-and-gear-features/how-it-works-fluid-bike-trainer

The illustration above shows the Cycleops Fluid 2 trainer.

Can Trainer Road and the CycleOps Fluid 2 Trainer Produce Consistent Results?...

Test-1 @ 80 rpm

Test-1 @ 85 rpm (dropping 2 cogs)

Test-2 @ 80 rpm

So one of the biggest questions about Trainer Road (and other similar programs) that produce a virtual power is "Are the numbers accurate?" or "Can they produce repeatable results?"

My somewhat non-scientific testing done today and seen in the charts to the left would seem to indicate that the results are repeatable enough to allow use of the program as a reliable training tool.

Are the numbers the same as you would get using a $1000 to $1500 power meter?  Probably not.  But they do match up pretty well to the numbers I got last year riding on the CompuTrainer, a system which sells for $1600 plus and that doesn't include all the software necessary to graph results and create workouts.  My testing was done by warming up the trainer for 5 minutes.  Then spinning for a minute at as consistent a cadence as humanly possible.

Test-2 @ 85 rpm (dropping 2 cogs)

One minute tests were done at 80 rpm and then dropping 2 cogs and spinning for one minute at 85 rpm.  Then the bike was removed completely  from the trainer, a bit of air was let out of the rear tire and the resistance unit backed off from it's clutch locked tire tension position.

The tire was then aired up again to 100 psi, the bike placed in the trainer and locked into the same position.  The resistance unit was then tightened until the clutch mechanism slipped one notch indicating proper tension on the tire.  The second set of tests was then run.

As you can see from the charts, the results are very similar, accurate to a watt or two at the same cadence.  That's close enough that I think it safe to say you can use Trainer Road and similar programs as a useful (if not completely accurate) training tool.  And given the cost it's a bargain for the cyclist that would like to train with power on occasion but who isn't ready to take the $1500 plunge into crank or pedal based power metering.

As I spend more time using the program I will post updates, so stay tuned :-)

(For those interested: Testing was done using a Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheel with a CycleOps Trainer tire inflated to 100psi, CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer with slip clutch tension adjustment and Garmin GSC-10 speed/cadence sensor.  The test file was then exported from Trainer Road and imported to Strava for "analysis").

Trainer Road Update...

So here's yesterday's workout from TrainerRoad (www.trainerroad.com).

After about a week of using it I'm starting to understand the program a little better and find it loaded with potential.

Workouts can be scaled up or down depending on the intensity you want and the on screen coaching works pretty well.  For example in the 4 tempo blocks shown here the coaching prompts tell you what goal is for cadence in each block, when to work out-of-saddle and what to watch for in terms of form (knees straight up and down, light on the pedals, kick forward over the top of the pedal stroke, etc.).

So I think this will be my trainer software of choice for when I'm stuck indoors this season.  Now I just need to figure out how to best work with video to keep longer workouts entertaining.

Playing with Trainer Road...

VQC Race Day DVD

Despite the fact that I'm trying to ride outside as much as possible this winter the reality is that there will be days where it just make sense to stay off icy roads.