Hi all, just so there's no confusion - as the example I give for zone two is 160 watts - my personal zone two is roughly 230 watts, hence why in the examples you will see the power closer to 230 VS 160. I realised after shooting I should have just used my personal zone two as the example, as that's what I have demonstration footage of. Cheers, Cam
Actually appreciate you using 160w as a zone 2 example because I can more closely relate to 😭 thanks for the great advice Cam zone 2 is definitely my favorite power zone to ride in!
Rightio. You just gave away, for free, some of the most sensible straight forward coaching advice on RUclips. I don't care what ya Missus says, you go alright Bloke. Thank you.
Back to this 70% of FTP number. I am a well trained cyclist (15-20,000 km per year over last 3 years). Had a lactate test recently that showed my first lactate threshold was at 70% of max HR. But cycling at 70% of max HR translates into around 65% of FTP for me. Many starter cyclists have a first lactate threshold of 50% or less of FTP. A recent survey showed average power at first lactate threshold of 45W for office workers coming off the couch with an average weight of 85kg. So, we need to be careful not to ride endurance rides too hard and 70% of FTP may be too high and will not get the maximum adaptation for many cyclists. I am not trying to be critical here Cam - communities should be about sharing personal knowledge for the greater good
Great video Cam, been using a power meter for a year now, this insight is giving me plenty to work on over the winter to build my base, thanks and keep up the great work👌🏼
It is very, very hard to train with power on the road and impossible on trails. After overtraining, twice actually I got power meters for my bikes but found HR much better. If you keep it almost always under 130bpm you never get tired and the fatigue accumulates much more slowly. This allows you to work around any sort of heart rate drift and keep the workouts non fatiguing for the most part especially if you do other things like yoga, weightlifting or miscellaneous other sports you may enjoy. You just keep it as easy as you need to stay easy. For intervals buy a MTB and hit trails once or twice a week dammit you're at 150-180 almost the entire ride trails are HARD. But most riding should be very easy and the more you exercise or work out the more important this becomes or you will overtrain.
THIS IS YOUR BEST VIDEO EVER!!!! Coupled with the first episode, I have never received such helpful advice on my riding. I don't live where outdoor base training is easy at all, so I use the custom workout feature in Zwift with ERG mode to treat myself to base training rides as you have instructed. I discovered I have a little heart rate drift in my rides, so it looks like I'll be focused on these base training rides for a while before I'm ready to graduate to training rides in zone 3 and 4. Which is fine with me as I love riding in Zone 2! 😄 Kind regards and thanks for such great riding content, Luigi
Thanks, Cam. I've taken your advice to ride more in zone to for longer. I think total time spent at certain zones is the important thing, i.e. you can add up all the times spent at said zone. For instance, when I cycle to work I get my Garmin to add up all the time spent above X watts.e.g. All the time I am moving I attempt to ride above 300W, 400W or 500W. My target is 15, 10 and 5 minutes at the 3 target wattages aiming for 30 minutes above threshold (300) This is more work than I would do in a chain gang. But the big difference heart rate in a chain gang is generally north of 170bpm (155 bpm just training)since power can go >600 regularly. But I find the above training has done more to make my FTP (300) quite easy to obtain, even as 60 yo 85 kg man(who has never raced a bike) Im quite proud of what I have done. I don't do that training every time. I mix it up and do a flat 250W or 300w average. Easy when you keep stopping at traffic lights. 3 days a week of this maintains my FTP. I know it sounds mad, but I am incapable of riding slowly unless it gets too painful. I need to add an hour of zone 2 like you say.
I was drawn to your channel from an older video you gave on cardiac drift, this is a great way to understand where your Aerobic capacity ends, I used this more successfully for running. There is a lot of sports science saying that base training is most effective when it is totally exclusive (Maffetone method) and supported by the right nutrition. However generally 80/20 base to HIT seems to be latest view. Great Video as always, but did feel more like an advert than usual
The info on heart rate drift was valuable. I've just started using a road bike for fitness so it was good to see what was happening to my HR is normal for an unfit/untrained person.
Just did a couple of hours Zone 2 85rpm cadence on turbo trainer. Though it would be boring but was ok, not easy to hold power/cadence steady without concentration. Don't think I'd be able to do it on my local roads which are hilly. Nice not be tired after a ride for a change.
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm trying to be a fly in the ointment. But if Assioma is reading these comments, I hope they reconsider the engineering of their new power meter pedals for SPD-SL pedals. I was SO EXCITED when I heard they were coming out with a version of their pedals for SPD-SL as IMO, Assioma makes the best value power meter pedals on the market today. But the large Q factor makes them a complete non-starter for me. I'm sure there is a good reason why Assioma did this, but MAN it's so frustrating! (P.S. I know there are work-arounds for this problem. But they all void the warranty. That dog won't hunt.)
The problem with training at 70% (towards the upper end of Z2) is that people tend to go too hard and creep into Z3. Z2 is 55-75% of FTP. The problem is compounded when FTP tests aren’t conducted properly, and numbers are rounded up a few watts. Many people cannot maintain FTP for more than 45mins
Thanks for sharing on the thread Mark. We use the Half Monty at the RCA, which is a ramp to failure with a 20min sustained effort following. We find this gives us a 'mostly' accurate FTP (unlike the 20min test, if you've never paced an effort before). While I can appreciate what you're saying, when most recreational and amateur road cyclists start training Z2 properly, even 70% feels like they're 'not training'. So going lower than this would be even more of a shock to the training system. In addition, we find many don''t quite achieve the top end of their FTP capacity in the Half Monty test, as they could have perhaps gone a little deeper on the RAMP component. So all these factors combined we feel 70% is the right place to be at the RCA and we've seen the fruits from this time and time again. Cheers, Cam
Hello from Austria. Love your content. I my opinion it's important to consider the temperature indoor and the body temperature as well. Also dehydration may have an impact on the cardiac drift. So don't forget to drink and fresh air. 😉Best regards. Mario
Thanks for the vid...enjoyable to watch. I like my recent purchased power meter pedals. But one comment is I find it easier to use heart rate for Zone 2 because you can do short increases in power that don't impact your heart rate much but don't have your 3s power average bouncing all over the shop. Interestingly I find consistent low torque pedalling harder than mixing it up a bit. My muscles need a hard spin every 15 minutes or so.
I've always found it impossible to do zone 2 training on my club rides. It would be nice to do the longer rides in company, but they always want to smash it as soon as the road starts going up. And then they're too tired to maintain a decent pace on the flat sections.
I’m still dreaming of getting back on the bike, having now been off it for nearly 3 months with a non-cycling knee ligament injury - again! 🤬 But loving the content and assuming i will be back to rebuilding base engine when i eventually do get back on the bike. Ergo riding on the trainer has to be the ideal instrument for maintaining constant pressure right? Fixed power up and down with no-opportunity for freewheeling your way around. PS: i also love my Assioma Favero’s.
Love my long endurance rides! Question, when do you suggest doing endurance rides by heart rate instead of power? Additionally I feel Strava is partly to blame for many cyclists not being able to keep " a lid on it" so to speak as they feel they've got to show off their average speed, also feel it's the cause of many not incorporating the proper amount of rest days.
Yes agreed. I’d always follow power for endurance rides but listen to your body via the heart. If you’re experiencing random physiological responses I’d rest or consider reducing the volume of the ride. Then keep an eye of things, as often sicknesses or fatigue can creep in when the heart starts doing unusual things
I like to keep one eye on HR for endurance rides. I already noticed no decoupling within a 1.5 h of indoor z2 ride, but a slight decrease in power in a sequence of 4 days (to keep the same HR). No rest between the days and each z2 section preceded by a short HIIT section of 10x1' MAP Intervals. As Seiler says, I like to check HR as a proxy for strain, instead of exclusively power which relates to stress.
Living in a very hilly area with a lot of short steep climbs and steep descents riding Z2 I find power can be too stochastic to keep in zone so I often do my zone 2 rides keeping to HR Z2 with an eye to the power. I do have a flatter ride with a long steady climb back home where controlling power is much easier, in which case I use power and checking aerobic decoupling is much easier. Same with the trainer of course.
Awsome vid Cam👍. I noticed the scenario when you talked about the different pwr output . Is that my Stages compare to the Garmin Rally was showing 10-15 W less than the pedal based pwr-meter . The Garmin feels like more true on the RPE . But doing a strictly Zone 2 ride on the gravel bike feels a bit harder due to the resistance from the all gravel. Worth knowing that
Thank you for posting this sort of information. I am hoping to race this coming summer (I live in Canada so just going into the dark cold months!) Bike is on a trainer and I purchased a set of Alto CC40 carbon clinchers for the coming summer. My trainer is old school wheel on magnetic and I don't have a power meter, how can I build base power without? Would heartrate be enough? In my younger years, we used strictly heart rate zone training. Thanks!
Great video. Absolutely get the value of z2 but I really struggle rides at z2 as it’s just so slow. How would you build on z2 rides when you want to ride with your club on a Sunday ride for example. As you say about the surges, that’s constant on my club rides, so I find myself training alone rather than hitting out with the club. Be great to do those longer z2 rides with people 😂
thanks for the continuing good advice, will certainly focus more on riding in particualr zones, now that my general ride fitness is back up where i'm more comfortable following all the disruptions of the last year or so.
So, my Tacx Neo tends to read 210 watts for endurance while my Assiomas are reading 225. Are the Assiomas more accurate? I just stick with the data from them, since I've not yet figured away to bring my Neo out on the road with me. Consistency in data source seems more important than any absolute numbers.
My trainer also reads lower. As the power comes from the drivetrain it typically reads lower, VS crank and pedal systems which are closer to the action.
On Llama's RUclips channel, he has found the Assiomas to be almost spot-on accurate after thorough testing. Based on your reasoning and his testing, I would trust the Assiomas.
Thanks Cam! This has been super helpful and I will be factoring in more Zone 2 into my routine. After watching your video I did the drift test for 90mins @ 70% ftp and I didn’t drift more than 5bpm, my question is what now? Do I increase by 5W and stay at 90mins? Stay at 70% and increase duration? Or do nothing? Thanks in advance
It's just indicating that you most likely have reasonable aerobic conditioning, so focusing on base training isn't critical unless you enjoy it, or unless you're in the off season. For example, during winter I will focus more of my riding on base as it's less taxing and I enjoy it. Then, when I get to Spring/Summer I start ramping up the intensity again. I know the base engine will be solid and I will be fresh for a good 12-24 weeks of HIIT work. So it depends on your situation. Happy for you to email me if you want to discuss your goals further cam.nicholls@roadcyclingacademy.com
Man, after watching this video and reading the comments, my FTP of 129 is weak...and 70% of that is even more pathetic... Since taking up cycling again eight years ago (and for the record, my rides are MTB/gravel/phatbike), I just rode as hard as I could, thinking I would get stronger. Wrong. This year, I'm focusing on HR zone 2 riding using just a HRM (can't get crank-based PM's and Garmin Rally XC's get mixed reviews).
When doing a fully Z2 focused base ride, what % of total time in Z1/2 would you consider to be a successful ride? I typically only get about 70% in Z2 and 12% in Z1 even when riding on flat roads with minimal stops
Nice video Cam. I have 16 weeks of zone 2 training planned. In these weeks i do next to no HIIT sessions, maybe some sweet spot or tempo here and there. But I'm increasing volume weekly. What do you think, is this a good strategy?
Depends what the end goal is Robert, but if you have time on your side and you're looking to build a solid and robust aerobic engine, without fatiguing yourself - yes!
@@CamNicholls thank you! My goal is to improve overall fitness across all zones and I'll start implementing more interval training next autumn. my ftp is 266 and am aiming for 300+ next summer in my peak :)
Thank for another informative video Cam. How do you find using the Look pedal system compared to SPD SL? Its the only thing putting me off buying some Assioma pedals. Obviously the SPD SL version is out of the question due to the Q factor issue. Thanks again.
I have tried both for years and currently on the Assioma Duo's for the last 2years.....no real difference at all in feel between the 2 platforms....the difference in platform dimensions is small hence unnoticeable.
Hi cam. Currently looking for a power meter. Im looking at xcadey left crank only power meter for my training. Im on a budget. Would you recommend them? Or should i go straight and save up for an assioma uno. Might take a while for me to get those.
I am not familiar with those power meters unfortunately. The only consideration with the UNO is you won't know if you've got one stronger side over the other. But starting somewhere is going to be better than HR. Good luck. Cam
I now do indoor base training 5 times a week for 75 minutes in zone 2 (heart rate 127 bpm - 144 bpm). 70% of my FTP is 161 watts. I have no problem keeping 161 watts for 75 minutes. But my heart rate enters zone 3 between 145 bpm - 155 bpm. I am not sure if I am suppose to slow down or continue with my FTP 161 watts?
I would slow down just a little bit and see how it affects the HR. For me I can sustain 200W at like 145hr just fine but when I bump it up even to 210W I start to drift. Sign that I'm not there yet.
Since you already have fitted the vortex wheels. Why dont you do a video just for the wheels? Im waiting a review of those. I am betweeen those wheels and the farsports ventoux-s series but no review on those.
@@CamNicholls I don't enjoy them if the training isn't beneficial which is why I have avoided them until now 😅 but sometimes I feel as though I'm letting my club mates down by doing my own thing
Hello Cam! I started my base training plan about a month ago and it's going well. Had my first recovery period last week, but I noticed a sudden spike in my average heart rate, I'm still figuring out what it could be, since I didn't change my trainer or my bike and I'm training in the same room at the same temperature. I don't have any symptoms which would resemble an illness so I'm really in the dark here. The change was so rapid since I see that I had around 140bpm at 170w which is now around 155 to 158 bpm at the same power. I wonder if it's just a random phase or is there something more to it and if I should maybe pause my training for a week or something like that.
It’s very hard for me to say, vaccinations are also causing this in many of our athletes at the RCA so that could be a consideration. I’d definitely respect it and consider seeing a professional if it stays prevalent
I have the same issue post Moderna vaccination, and it's been over a year. I also had two, two-week periods of nearly constant palpitation events. However, I cannot claim vaccination issue with the palpitation events. The first event occurred about 6-months after the 2-dose series. The second event occurred about a month after the booster. However, it is clear my performance has suffered from the vaccination.
Try training at 60% of ftp first and train there for a while. See what happens. If still the same email me and we can try a few things can.nicholls@roadcyclingacademy.com .
Most amateur and recreational road cyclists are limited by time, so bang for buck this is the most effective percentage in my opinion. If you're properly trained and in a high conditioned state I would recommend lower for longer rides, for sure. But the vast majority of people watching this, won't be that person.
@@CamNicholls I guess you are prescribing the zone 2 to develop mitochondrion function in cells? If so that starts at a far lower level so I'm not clear on what you hope to gain by prescribing a higher FTP% in your workout level. Time crunched or not, I'm not sure additional benefit you are looking for by going top of zone 2 instead of lower? Also, I'm not sure why you say that the turbo isn't a good option for rides over 2.5h. There are plenty of good longer rides on zwift at a set pace that you can align to develop your base fitness. I have ridden these numerous time and I have no issue with riding 4h+ in them. The rides are always socially active and the leaders will encourage you to get up out of the saddle at certain stages. These provide a great way to undertake your base training having a laugh, constantly on power, and in a safe environment (not available outside for all). You may not like longer rides on zwift but for most I'd say that are a very good training option.
@@euroswilliams7303 Old comment thread I know but if I'm not pressed for time and could do a couple of 2h+ rides a week, what % of FTP would you aim for? I'm essentially untrained. Plus I noticed a comment from Cam saying to go to 60% of FTP if the 1h or 1h30 min rides at 70% FTP are too taxing. Any sources you use would be great to read up on.
I have recently got back on the bike after a 20 year absence when I was a level 2 coach and a top end sprinter, back in the days before anyone really used power meters. I find the use of the power meters interesting but still mainly ride to heart rate
@@CamNicholls yes I have bought assioma, one season of local riding doing only base training, still 20kg to lose, have gone from being dropped by D grade to winning club champs, 5 sec is 1340, 1min is 673 but ftp is only 244
This video is just prove that most people are too stupid to use disc brakes. And of course the cycling industry including most mechanics is totally incompetent but that's nothing new. But in principle, discs are soo much better than rim brakes!
Love the content Cam. But how about saying this is a advertisement video in the tag like gcn does. Its a 10 minute commercial for assioma. Would be nice if you could explain how this would work with other equipment as well.
Sorry I’m a little confused for a couple of reasons 1/ I mention upfront that the video is brought to you by Assioma (signalling it’s sponsored ) and my agreement with Assioma is for a 60 second mention. The rest of the video is about using power to train base fitness so it doesn’t matter what power meter you use.
Imo Cam presented perfectly 💯. Introduced and promoted Assioma (normal advertising SLA). Everything thereafter one could apply to any equipment that has a power meter and heart rate monitor. Don't be so hard on our boy Cam 😉
Hi all, just so there's no confusion - as the example I give for zone two is 160 watts - my personal zone two is roughly 230 watts, hence why in the examples you will see the power closer to 230 VS 160. I realised after shooting I should have just used my personal zone two as the example, as that's what I have demonstration footage of. Cheers, Cam
You’re a beast bro
@@EllieSilcock haha, I'm big and heavy though! Compared to many other cyclists.
328 FTP is no joke! 🔥💪🤘
Actually appreciate you using 160w as a zone 2 example because I can more closely relate to 😭 thanks for the great advice Cam zone 2 is definitely my favorite power zone to ride in!
I agree with others. I'm glad you used 160 Watts. 230 Watts would have completely demoralized me.
Rightio. You just gave away, for free, some of the most sensible straight forward coaching advice on RUclips. I don't care what ya Missus says, you go alright Bloke. Thank you.
Haha cheers mate 👍
Back to this 70% of FTP number. I am a well trained cyclist (15-20,000 km per year over last 3 years). Had a lactate test recently that showed my first lactate threshold was at 70% of max HR. But cycling at 70% of max HR translates into around 65% of FTP for me. Many starter cyclists have a first lactate threshold of 50% or less of FTP. A recent survey showed average power at first lactate threshold of 45W for office workers coming off the couch with an average weight of 85kg. So, we need to be careful not to ride endurance rides too hard and 70% of FTP may be too high and will not get the maximum adaptation for many cyclists. I am not trying to be critical here Cam - communities should be about sharing personal knowledge for the greater good
Thanks for the insight! Never crossed my mind
Great video Cam, been using a power meter for a year now, this insight is giving me plenty to work on over the winter to build my base, thanks and keep up the great work👌🏼
No worries, Cheers Nick
I've incorporated some strength training and rowing in my base this year. Just to mix things up, I'm liking the toning up.
Love the rowing machine
It is very, very hard to train with power on the road and impossible on trails. After overtraining, twice actually I got power meters for my bikes but found HR much better. If you keep it almost always under 130bpm you never get tired and the fatigue accumulates much more slowly. This allows you to work around any sort of heart rate drift and keep the workouts non fatiguing for the most part especially if you do other things like yoga, weightlifting or miscellaneous other sports you may enjoy. You just keep it as easy as you need to stay easy. For intervals buy a MTB and hit trails once or twice a week dammit you're at 150-180 almost the entire ride trails are HARD. But most riding should be very easy and the more you exercise or work out the more important this becomes or you will overtrain.
THIS IS YOUR BEST VIDEO EVER!!!! Coupled with the first episode, I have never received such helpful advice on my riding. I don't live where outdoor base training is easy at all, so I use the custom workout feature in Zwift with ERG mode to treat myself to base training rides as you have instructed. I discovered I have a little heart rate drift in my rides, so it looks like I'll be focused on these base training rides for a while before I'm ready to graduate to training rides in zone 3 and 4. Which is fine with me as I love riding in Zone 2! 😄 Kind regards and thanks for such great riding content, Luigi
Nice one Luigi, thanks for the kind words and also sharing on the thread
Thanks, Cam. I've taken your advice to ride more in zone to for longer. I think total time spent at certain zones is the important thing, i.e. you can add up all the times spent at said zone. For instance, when I cycle to work I get my Garmin to add up all the time spent above X watts.e.g. All the time I am moving I attempt to ride above 300W, 400W or 500W. My target is 15, 10 and 5 minutes at the 3 target wattages aiming for 30 minutes above threshold (300) This is more work than I would do in a chain gang. But the big difference heart rate in a chain gang is generally north of 170bpm (155 bpm just training)since power can go >600 regularly. But I find the above training has done more to make my FTP (300) quite easy to obtain, even as 60 yo 85 kg man(who has never raced a bike) Im quite proud of what I have done.
I don't do that training every time. I mix it up and do a flat 250W or 300w average. Easy when you keep stopping at traffic lights. 3 days a week of this maintains my FTP. I know it sounds mad, but I am incapable of riding slowly unless it gets too painful. I need to add an hour of zone 2 like you say.
I was drawn to your channel from an older video you gave on cardiac drift, this is a great way to understand where your Aerobic capacity ends, I used this more successfully for running. There is a lot of sports science saying that base training is most effective when it is totally exclusive (Maffetone method) and supported by the right nutrition. However generally 80/20 base to HIT seems to be latest view. Great Video as always, but did feel more like an advert than usual
Thanks Matthew, yes 60seconds is dedicated to Assioma
Amazing introduction. I just started road biking last month. I will take your guidance into my training 👍👍
The info on heart rate drift was valuable. I've just started using a road bike for fitness so it was good to see what was happening to my HR is normal for an unfit/untrained person.
Just did a couple of hours Zone 2 85rpm cadence on turbo trainer. Though it would be boring but was ok, not easy to hold power/cadence steady without concentration. Don't think I'd be able to do it on my local roads which are hilly. Nice not be tired after a ride for a change.
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm trying to be a fly in the ointment. But if Assioma is reading these comments, I hope they reconsider the engineering of their new power meter pedals for SPD-SL pedals. I was SO EXCITED when I heard they were coming out with a version of their pedals for SPD-SL as IMO, Assioma makes the best value power meter pedals on the market today. But the large Q factor makes them a complete non-starter for me. I'm sure there is a good reason why Assioma did this, but MAN it's so frustrating! (P.S. I know there are work-arounds for this problem. But they all void the warranty. That dog won't hunt.)
Nice one Cam. Can you make a video on your FTP progression over the years, and what led to troughs and crests?
Maybe not myself but I could use some examples from the RCA. I have all their data so it would be more informative.
@@CamNicholls yeah that would work too. Would help us figure out what to do and what to avoid.
Very good explanation and options for each type of training helps a lot. Thanks Cam
The problem with training at 70% (towards the upper end of Z2) is that people tend to go too hard and creep into Z3. Z2 is 55-75% of FTP. The problem is compounded when FTP tests aren’t conducted properly, and numbers are rounded up a few watts. Many people cannot maintain FTP for more than 45mins
Thanks for sharing on the thread Mark. We use the Half Monty at the RCA, which is a ramp to failure with a 20min sustained effort following. We find this gives us a 'mostly' accurate FTP (unlike the 20min test, if you've never paced an effort before). While I can appreciate what you're saying, when most recreational and amateur road cyclists start training Z2 properly, even 70% feels like they're 'not training'. So going lower than this would be even more of a shock to the training system. In addition, we find many don''t quite achieve the top end of their FTP capacity in the Half Monty test, as they could have perhaps gone a little deeper on the RAMP component. So all these factors combined we feel 70% is the right place to be at the RCA and we've seen the fruits from this time and time again. Cheers, Cam
Good vid, I've been running the Assioma's for a couple years now. Excellent power meter.
A LOT OF VALUE WITH THIS VIDEO TODAY CAM 👏
Great video mate. Again very simplistic & easy for a cyclist to understand. 👍 To many don't understand Zone 2 training.
Cheers Gavin
Love my Assioma……best power meter ever!!
Hello from Austria. Love your content.
I my opinion it's important to consider the temperature indoor and the body temperature as well. Also dehydration may have an impact on the cardiac drift. So don't forget to drink and fresh air. 😉Best regards. Mario
Big fan of Favero Assioma pedals
Thanks for the vid...enjoyable to watch. I like my recent purchased power meter pedals. But one comment is I find it easier to use heart rate for Zone 2 because you can do short increases in power that don't impact your heart rate much but don't have your 3s power average bouncing all over the shop. Interestingly I find consistent low torque pedalling harder than mixing it up a bit. My muscles need a hard spin every 15 minutes or so.
Interesting to hear and thanks for sharing on the thread Torben
I've always found it impossible to do zone 2 training on my club rides. It would be nice to do the longer rides in company, but they always want to smash it as soon as the road starts going up. And then they're too tired to maintain a decent pace on the flat sections.
Fair enough Phil, thanks for sharing on the thread
This is why i ride solo most of the time. Or I do half of the ride with the pack and continue solo on the second half.
I’m still dreaming of getting back on the bike, having now been off it for nearly 3 months with a non-cycling knee ligament injury - again! 🤬 But loving the content and assuming i will be back to rebuilding base engine when i eventually do get back on the bike. Ergo riding on the trainer has to be the ideal instrument for maintaining constant pressure right? Fixed power up and down with no-opportunity for freewheeling your way around.
PS: i also love my Assioma Favero’s.
Love my long endurance rides! Question, when do you suggest doing endurance rides by heart rate instead of power? Additionally I feel Strava is partly to blame for many cyclists not being able to keep " a lid on it" so to speak as they feel they've got to show off their average speed, also feel it's the cause of many not incorporating the proper amount of rest days.
Yes agreed. I’d always follow power for endurance rides but listen to your body via the heart. If you’re experiencing random physiological responses I’d rest or consider reducing the volume of the ride. Then keep an eye of things, as often sicknesses or fatigue can creep in when the heart starts doing unusual things
I like to keep one eye on HR for endurance rides. I already noticed no decoupling within a 1.5 h of indoor z2 ride, but a slight decrease in power in a sequence of 4 days (to keep the same HR). No rest between the days and each z2 section preceded by a short HIIT section of 10x1' MAP Intervals. As Seiler says, I like to check HR as a proxy for strain, instead of exclusively power which relates to stress.
Living in a very hilly area with a lot of short steep climbs and steep descents riding Z2 I find power can be too stochastic to keep in zone so I often do my zone 2 rides keeping to HR Z2 with an eye to the power. I do have a flatter ride with a long steady climb back home where controlling power is much easier, in which case I use power and checking aerobic decoupling is much easier. Same with the trainer of course.
Totally agree with the strava comment, some people have become obsessed with average speed which becomes vanity over reality.
Nice video Cam, thanks for the great content!
Awsome vid Cam👍. I noticed the scenario when you talked about the different pwr output . Is that my Stages compare to the Garmin Rally was showing 10-15 W less than the pedal based pwr-meter . The Garmin feels like more true on the RPE . But doing a strictly Zone 2 ride on the gravel bike feels a bit harder due to the resistance from the all gravel. Worth knowing that
Yes good point, more torque in the pedal stroke because of the resistance from the gravel
Sending my full support Sir God bless you sir🙏 from Philippines
Thank you for posting this sort of information. I am hoping to race this coming summer (I live in Canada so just going into the dark cold months!) Bike is on a trainer and I purchased a set of Alto CC40 carbon clinchers for the coming summer. My trainer is old school wheel on magnetic and I don't have a power meter, how can I build base power without? Would heartrate be enough? In my younger years, we used strictly heart rate zone training. Thanks!
Very informative as always
That guy at 4:42 gets bashed in so many of your vids for his inconsistent power 😂I hope he isn't a subscriber
Haha, I do feel bad for him.
Great video. Absolutely get the value of z2 but I really struggle rides at z2 as it’s just so slow. How would you build on z2 rides when you want to ride with your club on a Sunday ride for example. As you say about the surges, that’s constant on my club rides, so I find myself training alone rather than hitting out with the club. Be great to do those longer z2 rides with people 😂
Already looking forward to the next installment… 😎🍿🍻
Cheers mate
Very informative, appreciate the insight
Very well presented!!
Love this series, but what if you're a person that can only get in 1-2 rides a week?
Hard to do much with that volume unfortunately Sean. I’d just focus on getting in a good workout 🏋️♀️
thanks for the continuing good advice, will certainly focus more on riding in particualr zones, now that my general ride fitness is back up where i'm more comfortable following all the disruptions of the last year or so.
love my assioma's!
mostly because they have the word ass in them
great pedals as well
@Cam Nicholls How often do you recommend an FTP test or a Half Monty test? Thank you
Thanks Cam. Great video
👍
Any chance you organising a discount code with Assioma for a set of these pedals Cam?
Email me cam.nicholls@roadcyclingacademy.com and I may be able to support
So, my Tacx Neo tends to read 210 watts for endurance while my Assiomas are reading 225. Are the Assiomas more accurate? I just stick with the data from them, since I've not yet figured away to bring my Neo out on the road with me. Consistency in data source seems more important than any absolute numbers.
My trainer also reads lower. As the power comes from the drivetrain it typically reads lower, VS crank and pedal systems which are closer to the action.
On Llama's RUclips channel, he has found the Assiomas to be almost spot-on accurate after thorough testing. Based on your reasoning and his testing, I would trust the Assiomas.
Thanks Cam! This has been super helpful and I will be factoring in more Zone 2 into my routine. After watching your video I did the drift test for 90mins @ 70% ftp and I didn’t drift more than 5bpm, my question is what now? Do I increase by 5W and stay at 90mins? Stay at 70% and increase duration? Or do nothing? Thanks in advance
It's just indicating that you most likely have reasonable aerobic conditioning, so focusing on base training isn't critical unless you enjoy it, or unless you're in the off season. For example, during winter I will focus more of my riding on base as it's less taxing and I enjoy it. Then, when I get to Spring/Summer I start ramping up the intensity again. I know the base engine will be solid and I will be fresh for a good 12-24 weeks of HIIT work. So it depends on your situation. Happy for you to email me if you want to discuss your goals further cam.nicholls@roadcyclingacademy.com
Awesome stuff!
Man, after watching this video and reading the comments, my FTP of 129 is weak...and 70% of that is even more pathetic...
Since taking up cycling again eight years ago (and for the record, my rides are MTB/gravel/phatbike), I just rode as hard as I could, thinking I would get stronger. Wrong. This year, I'm focusing on HR zone 2 riding using just a HRM (can't get crank-based PM's and Garmin Rally XC's get mixed reviews).
When doing a fully Z2 focused base ride, what % of total time in Z1/2 would you consider to be a successful ride? I typically only get about 70% in Z2 and 12% in Z1 even when riding on flat roads with minimal stops
great advice
Do you think there is a benefit of riding Z2 for an hour, or do you need to be riding longer to really see the benefits?
Nice video Cam. I have 16 weeks of zone 2 training planned. In these weeks i do next to no HIIT sessions, maybe some sweet spot or tempo here and there. But I'm increasing volume weekly. What do you think, is this a good strategy?
Depends what the end goal is Robert, but if you have time on your side and you're looking to build a solid and robust aerobic engine, without fatiguing yourself - yes!
@@CamNicholls thank you! My goal is to improve overall fitness across all zones and I'll start implementing more interval training next autumn. my ftp is 266 and am aiming for 300+ next summer in my peak :)
Any tips for mtb riders? It’s a lot more difficult to hit those target zones?
Thank for another informative video Cam. How do you find using the Look pedal system compared to SPD SL? Its the only thing putting me off buying some Assioma pedals. Obviously the SPD SL version is out of the question due to the Q factor issue. Thanks again.
Having been on SPD-SL's for over a decade.... Looks aren't noticeably different at all.
@@smiziley Thanks for the reply. Very much appreciate from some who’s used both. 👍
I have tried both for years and currently on the Assioma Duo's for the last 2years.....no real difference at all in feel between the 2 platforms....the difference in platform dimensions is small hence unnoticeable.
@@andrewb6541 Thanks for the reply Andrew. That’s very helpful. 👍
Hi cam. Currently looking for a power meter. Im looking at xcadey left crank only power meter for my training. Im on a budget. Would you recommend them? Or should i go straight and save up for an assioma uno. Might take a while for me to get those.
I am not familiar with those power meters unfortunately. The only consideration with the UNO is you won't know if you've got one stronger side over the other. But starting somewhere is going to be better than HR. Good luck. Cam
I now do indoor base training 5 times a week for 75 minutes in zone 2 (heart rate 127 bpm - 144 bpm). 70% of my FTP is 161 watts. I have no problem keeping 161 watts for 75 minutes. But my heart rate enters zone 3 between 145 bpm - 155 bpm. I am not sure if I am suppose to slow down or continue with my FTP 161 watts?
I would slow down just a little bit and see how it affects the HR. For me I can sustain 200W at like 145hr just fine but when I bump it up even to 210W I start to drift. Sign that I'm not there yet.
Since you already have fitted the vortex wheels. Why dont you do a video just for the wheels? Im waiting a review of those. I am betweeen those wheels and the farsports ventoux-s series but no review on those.
It’s a circa 15-20 hr job to review something so I will keep with the schedule as I’m a little behind unfortunately. Appreciate the comment though
What about doing winter club rides every Saturday and Sunday for base training?
Depends what they look like. Often in those rides there's a ton of free pedalling. So just keep that in mind. If you enjoy them though, just do it.
@@CamNicholls I don't enjoy them if the training isn't beneficial which is why I have avoided them until now 😅 but sometimes I feel as though I'm letting my club mates down by doing my own thing
Hello Cam!
I started my base training plan about a month ago and it's going well. Had my first recovery period last week, but I noticed a sudden spike in my average heart rate, I'm still figuring out what it could be, since I didn't change my trainer or my bike and I'm training in the same room at the same temperature. I don't have any symptoms which would resemble an illness so I'm really in the dark here. The change was so rapid since I see that I had around 140bpm at 170w which is now around 155 to 158 bpm at the same power. I wonder if it's just a random phase or is there something more to it and if I should maybe pause my training for a week or something like that.
It’s very hard for me to say, vaccinations are also causing this in many of our athletes at the RCA so that could be a consideration. I’d definitely respect it and consider seeing a professional if it stays prevalent
@@CamNicholls thank you for the answer!
Will monitor this and see if it persists for a longer period.
I have the same issue post Moderna vaccination, and it's been over a year. I also had two, two-week periods of nearly constant palpitation events. However, I cannot claim vaccination issue with the palpitation events. The first event occurred about 6-months after the 2-dose series. The second event occurred about a month after the booster. However, it is clear my performance has suffered from the vaccination.
great video!
but what if the heart rate is at 85% of max HR with 70% of the FTP even after some weeks of training and won't seem to get any lower?
Try training at 60% of ftp first and train there for a while. See what happens. If still the same email me and we can try a few things can.nicholls@roadcyclingacademy.com .
Thank you! Will try it for another ~4 weeks. I would contact you afterwards if there is still need :)
I cannot find power meter pedals that have a longer axel shaft. I use a plus 4mm pedal for proper knee alignment.
This video could help ruclips.net/video/Pot1l64t15c/видео.html
what cleats do assioma pedals use? also what float would you recommend
Float is personal preference. They do Look and Shimano
How would this work with a indoor trainer Cam?
I use an example in the video, it's actually easier on a trainer to hold a consistent power. It's just difficult to go long.
@@CamNicholls thats what he said
Only 90-120min in zone 2? Is that really enough? Feels more like 2-3h (or maybe more) is the more common practice. Or what do you say?
I was just talking about measuring HR drift. Of course, extend your base rides for longer. 3-4-5 hrs +
@@CamNicholls Great. Thank you.
The area I live coming back home is all up hill with one section at 9%, so rides all end with high heart rate.😱
Thanks for sharing on the thread. In this case, there's not much you can do. Anything over 8% becomes a challenge.
Use an mtb to get gears low enough to stay in the right zone?
Where can I find the video 1 from this series?
got it: ruclips.net/video/wSUqqW6GiX4/видео.html
Cam, how does one catch up with you for coaching?
Hey Greg, shoot me an email cam.nicholls@roadcyclingacademy.com
Dude, zone calc was gone.
i dont even know how to set up my garmin 510 to do my FTP training outside.i just follow the zwift FTP.🤦🏼♂️
I’m sure there’s something on their site. I don’t use Garmin unfortunately
Why aim for top of zone 2? You would get similar adaptations from lower effort level but with the advantage of lower physical load.
Most amateur and recreational road cyclists are limited by time, so bang for buck this is the most effective percentage in my opinion. If you're properly trained and in a high conditioned state I would recommend lower for longer rides, for sure. But the vast majority of people watching this, won't be that person.
@@CamNicholls I guess you are prescribing the zone 2 to develop mitochondrion function in cells? If so that starts at a far lower level so I'm not clear on what you hope to gain by prescribing a higher FTP% in your workout level. Time crunched or not, I'm not sure additional benefit you are looking for by going top of zone 2 instead of lower?
Also, I'm not sure why you say that the turbo isn't a good option for rides over 2.5h. There are plenty of good longer rides on zwift at a set pace that you can align to develop your base fitness. I have ridden these numerous time and I have no issue with riding 4h+ in them. The rides are always socially active and the leaders will encourage you to get up out of the saddle at certain stages. These provide a great way to undertake your base training having a laugh, constantly on power, and in a safe environment (not available outside for all). You may not like longer rides on zwift but for most I'd say that are a very good training option.
@@euroswilliams7303 Old comment thread I know but if I'm not pressed for time and could do a couple of 2h+ rides a week, what % of FTP would you aim for? I'm essentially untrained. Plus I noticed a comment from Cam saying to go to 60% of FTP if the 1h or 1h30 min rides at 70% FTP are too taxing. Any sources you use would be great to read up on.
I have recently got back on the bike after a 20 year absence when I was a level 2 coach and a top end sprinter, back in the days before anyone really used power meters. I find the use of the power meters interesting but still mainly ride to heart rate
Welcome back to riding mate. The power meter is a game changer for training. Especially top end interval work.
@@CamNicholls yes I have bought assioma, one season of local riding doing only base training, still 20kg to lose, have gone from being dropped by D grade to winning club champs, 5 sec is 1340, 1min is 673 but ftp is only 244
With money
First
Damn!!!
More training videos pls
This video is just prove that most people are too stupid to use disc brakes. And of course the cycling industry including most mechanics is totally incompetent but that's nothing new. But in principle, discs are soo much better than rim brakes!
Love the content Cam. But how about saying this is a advertisement video in the tag like gcn does. Its a 10 minute commercial for assioma. Would be nice if you could explain how this would work with other equipment as well.
Sorry I’m a little confused for a couple of reasons 1/ I mention upfront that the video is brought to you by Assioma (signalling it’s sponsored ) and my agreement with Assioma is for a 60 second mention. The rest of the video is about using power to train base fitness so it doesn’t matter what power meter you use.
Imo Cam presented perfectly 💯.
Introduced and promoted Assioma (normal advertising SLA).
Everything thereafter one could apply to any equipment that has a power meter and heart rate monitor.
Don't be so hard on our boy Cam 😉