Data Driven Athlete | Cycling Workout Guide 2.0

Customizing Ride Screens

Why go to the trouble of customizing the data you see on your computer based on different workouts? Simply put, I think it’s helpful to narrow your focus on the bike to the information most relevant to your current workout.

While some cyclists prefer loading their screen with every data field imaginable, research suggests you might be better off limiting the quantity of data you interact with while riding.

Tiers of Data

I find it helpful to think about cycling data in three tiers:

One – Immediate: This data is most helpful in real-time on our bike computer to help pace an effort. Examples would be speed, cadence, or power.

Two – Cumulative: This data guides or corrects the overall direction of a workout. This includes cumulative ride metrics like average power, distance, or kilojoules.

Three – Post-ride: This data is best left for post-ride analysis in TrainingPeaks. Any ride data that isn’t contributing positively to pacing an effort could be placed in this tier.

In general, the stronger your understanding of the training languages of power and RPE, the more of your ride data can be outsourced to post-ride analysis.

Practice displaying less on your computer screen so that you can invest more of your attention into your effort.

Training Zone Guide

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Zone 1 – Recovery

Active recovery (AC) rides aren’t about training, they’re about recovering. How do you ensure you’re recovering on an AC ride? Here are a few basics.

Zone 2 – Endurance

Everybody knows that building “endurance” should be a primary objective for every serious cyclist. The best way to do that is to do a bunch of long rides at an “endurance” pace, right? Well, maybe.

Zone 3 – Tempo

“Tempo” might be the most worthless description for a general training intensity, but its widespread usage in cycling circles means we’re stuck with it. What does “tempo” mean exactly? Let’s jump in.

Zone 4 – Threshold

If you’ve spent any time doing formal cycling workouts, then you’re probably familiar with zone 4, or “threshold” type workouts. So what is the point of a threshold workout, and are there better ways to do them?

Zone 5 – VO2

Your VO2max is the maximal amount of oxygen consumed during progressive all-out exercise. In the weight conscious world of cycling, VO2max is most commonly discussed in relative terms scaled to a riders weight as milliliters of oxygen, per kilogram of weight, per minute of exercise mL/kg/min.

Zone 6 – ATP-PCr and Glycolytic

Most cyclists are familiar with the difference between “aerobic” and “anaerobic” exercise. Aerobic exercises is primarily supported via the oxidative energy system. “Oxidative” means that oxygen is required to produce energy during the break down of energy (from either carbs, fats, or protein).