12/13/14 7:38 PM

Can Smelly's VIDs be run in non erg mode also?

12/14/14 6:10 AM

Haven't seen any reference to running the video without the ergometer.

12/14/14 9:04 AM

quote:

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Can Smelly's VIDs be run in non erg mode also?

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12/20/14 8:46 AM

Downloaded Smelly's new 1080 HD L'Alpe d'Huez video and just rode it. Awesome. The video is beautiful, and a great workout. Parting words from the software: "This is going to be hard. Really. Enjoy."

Only took 17 hours to download, crossing to Kerry's thread, not sure if my wireless is a bottleneck, but it came through fine, just took awhile.

I think this stuff is great.

12/20/14 1:45 PM

I didn't know he was supplying via download now-that's cool. The Alpe I have is Veloreality's, and yes, its really hard, especially in the lower reaches. You look forward to the switchbacks for the ease in gradient. Stelvio still much harder.

12/20/14 3:10 PM

Yeah, download just became available - it wasn't available a couple weeks ago when I bought 3 videos.

As to difficulty, of course another factor with the ergvideos is how hard the "Ergvideo Boys" are riding, as I think you mimic their power profile (scaled to your ftp). Smelly pointed out that the boys were riding this one hard, as it was always a stage finish. I did find the Stelvio video a bit more difficult though.

A question that answers itself: Is it lame to trashtalk riders you pass on the screen? Those endorphins do get going....and leaning into curves?....

12/20/14 4:02 PM

This CT winter thread gone viral [TTF baseline ;)] is a lot better this year than the piss and weather moans.

[not counting that nut Nanook with his studded tires riding the tundra] ;)

12/21/14 10:06 AM

to get on the CT seriously.

Went out yesterday the thermometer read 37 clouds coming in. I went out for 2 hours first hour decent fingers were cold but in the 2nd hour got progressively colder or so it felt the rawness factor came into play as later some snow showers were forecast-ed, even working any hills most of the ride in the last 15 minutes had run out of any warmth...temp when I got back was 33 comparing this to a ride last week @ 37 at start and sunny no comparison....

There is scheduled the "CX scrub nationals" in Hartford in January on the weekend of CX Nationals..something I am thinking about...

There will be a LOT of after work HOP workouts on the CT soon enough...

12/21/14 12:04 PM

Sounds like you are certainly enjoying your road rides. :)

By contrast, I was climbing in Mallorca this morning - Land of 1,000 Hairpins. Interesting riding style, power spikes coming out of the 'pins, one after another after another. Beautiful place. Note to self: work on descending as well as climbing.

With my video game setup, I'd much rather do a CT workout this time of year than a road ride on crappy roads in crappy weather. Plus I don't have to ditch the dogs.

Not too early for me to start, I gotta be ready in April.

1/3/15 10:03 AM

I've become addicted to the ErgVideos. Gavia Pass this am, hardest one yet (I realized that like a dumbass I initially bought the back side of the Stelvio, not the one ridden by Coppi, so that joy awaits, maybe tomorrow). I may have to quit work to devote more time to ErgVideos.

1/3/15 10:17 AM

Told ya. Slippery slope. Gavia is very hard, but you don't get to ride the backside in the freezing snow like Andy.

Its also a ton of fun to patch together interval segments using the edit tool.

When you run out of money, the Veloreality stuff is awesome as well, and the climbs are only 20 bucks or so...no ftp scaling but you can adjust the grade on the climbs, which does something similar. The video quality of these are simply world class.

I'm in the same boat-folks doing group rides when its in the high 20's now appear to be fools, I'm in my cave sweating like a pig, and digging it. Happy sweaty pig, that's me.

1/3/15 11:41 AM

I'm thinking about one for next winter. I'm comparing the Coputrainer to the wahoo Kickr. Could be a tough choice, but I certainly have no desire to go out now that I've quit mountain biking.

1/3/15 1:44 PM

quote:

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I'm in the same boat-folks doing group rides when its in the high 20's now appear to be fools, I'm in my cave sweating like a pig, and digging it. Happy sweaty pig, that's me.

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1/10/15 11:08 AM

OK, rode the "real" Stelvio (north side) this morning. Hardest one yet. Longest (2 hrs, 6 min), and while on other rides I had slightly higher average watts and hr, the 48 hairpins made this subjectively the most difficult (power spike coming out of each hairpin). Fun!

1/10/15 1:24 PM

Interesting. The grade actually reduces at the hairpin, I kinda look forward to them. Its really darn hard though. Beautiful scenery around the power station.

Moritolo just released on veloreality-afraid to try it.

1/10/15 1:40 PM

"grade actually reduces at the hairpin, I kinda look forward to them"

I need those little 'getting out of the watts' periods personally. The more the merrier. ;O

1/10/15 1:52 PM

Yeah the power eases up coming into the hairpin, but spikes once you make the turn. Maybe part of that is the rider just standing up and grunting, as opposed to the grade itself (this is for the ErgVideo of course, where you follow the rider's power profile, not the grade per se). But if you look at the power profile, a spike coming out of each hairpin. And the load right after the turn is usually (in my case) in the vicinity of 250-350 watts, doable but it adds up after 48 'pins...:)

1/10/15 2:43 PM

adds up after 48 'pins...


One might think... ;)

1/11/15 12:31 PM

Riding the Erg Mallorca video today, I had another thought about how hairpins may be experienced differently on Erg as opposed to a grade based program (like Videoreality I guess). Say you're climbing 6% and the hairpin is 4%, on VR you ride through it smoothly and it's a break. However on the road a rider has to slow to get around the turn, so she probably accelerates out of it to get back up to speed. Plus the Erg boys usually take the inside line, maximizing grade. So more of a power spike coming out if you follow the rider's power profile, like on Erg.

I think I'll see a ton of hairpins in Mallorca, so I gotta get used to them, up and down. Around here I only think of Hurricane Mtn Rd (may not be prudent in the Spring) and the back side of the Kanc. Actually I think the traditional over the Kanc and back training ride will be good training, as the 5 mile, 6% climb on the front side seems pretty similar to the Mallorca climbs. Actually over and back twice would be a good test - I think that's about 150 miles. I have friends with a house near there (Jackson) so I could ride it and collapse.

1/24/15 2:18 PM

Continuing my ErgVideo reviews (whether anyone else is interested or not:). Rode the Lake Placid triathlon video today. Boring. Long (2:25) but flat, relatively constant, relatively low power & hr. I guess that's how triathletes ride, efficient for the event I guess, but less fun for me than the more varied mountain rides. This ride was made slightly more interesting because I was emailing Rick Hardy and making dinner reservations so I got the cadence bogged down a few times leading to what Smelly calls a "higher torque experience."

1/24/15 3:14 PM

"whether anyone else is interested or not"

Keep em coming....

1/24/15 7:53 PM

Group ride with triathletes- perfect steady 24 mph, someone surges, you swerve around said tri guy, group comes back together and eases, said tri guy blows by you at a perfect 24 mph. I do envy their fitness but they ride at one speed only, usually at the intersection of VO2 and AT, like they are doing a 4 hr tt, really impressive and annoying simultaneously.

Actually, I've been doing way too much hill work-Alpe d'Huez today, Tourmalet a couple days back, my standing power is great, did some over/under sst and sucked...

Stress off the charts, my dad is 98 and in sudden decline, and paranoid about his estate to boot, so workouts have become my sole solace, and as a result all about endorphin production and not progress.

1/25/15 8:07 AM

A difficult situation for everyone. Keep riding.

1/25/15 12:41 PM

"A difficult situation for everyone. Keep riding."

Absolutely! Hang in there...

1/30/15 7:39 PM

Did my second ftp test, this time using Smelly's video, which is a structured 26 minute erg warmup, then turns you loose on a 3% grade for 20 minutes. The first time I did my own warmup about 40 minutes, then rode a flat course. I saw a bigger improvement than I expected, probably part actual improvement, part experience taking the test, and perhaps Smelly's protocol coaxes a bit more out. Though my average hr was the same both rides. Man, now every ride will be harder!