How to train with power on gym bike?

[jsirabella]

Hello All,

I have been training with my powertap for a month now and loving it. The book has been great in getting me the right type of workouts and help from people here have made it fun.

I have been lucky as of late as no travel but I do travel for work and family so I need to be able to keep up my plans by going to a gym. I do not like the spinners as you have no idea of the watts so do the electronic machines like the life cycles give the same bang for the buck as does the bike with the power tap.

Is it as simple as just setting levels and hoping the life cycles have a watts reading and I am doing the same as on my bike?

All help is appreciated....

-JS

 

[john979]

Hello All,

I have been training with my powertap for a month now and loving it. The book has been great in getting me the right type of workouts and help from people here have made it fun.

I have been lucky as of late as no travel but I do travel for work and family so I need to be able to keep up my plans by going to a gym. I do not like the spinners as you have no idea of the watts so do the electronic machines like the life cycles give the same bang for the buck as does the bike with the power tap.

Is it as simple as just setting levels and hoping the life cycles have a watts reading and I am doing the same as on my bike?

All help is appreciated....

-JS

The wattage readings on the gym bikes can be highly inaccurate. It better to get a heart rate monitor and go to a spin class -- try to keep as cool as possible and don't be shy about asking for fans or turning the AC on.

 

[jsirabella]

Thank you for the reply.

I have my heart rate monitor. I thought they may be inaccurate. When using the Heart rate monitor are the percentages the same to be in the right level. I.e. SST/L4 is 88-92 percent of ftp and in this case of HR max?? as mine is about 200.

JS

The wattage readings on the gym bikes can be highly inaccurate. It better to get a heart rate monitor and go to a spin class -- try to keep as cool as possible and don't be shy about asking for fans or turning the AC on.

 

[john979]

Thank you for the reply.

I have my heart rate monitor. I thought they may be inaccurate. When using the Heart rate monitor are the percentages the same to be in the right level. I.e. SST/L4 is 88-92 percent of ftp and in this case of HR max?? as mine is about 200.

JS

JS;

Since you have a power meter, you know the heart rate response lags the power level. I have a max HR of 182 and my heart rate at FTP is 167. However, under steady-state power conditions in a very cool enviroment, it takes me 15 minutes to reach this level. You must not let your heart rate rise too quickly.

If you max HR is 200, then you should slowly build your HR to around 180, then hold it there. Personally, when doing spin classes I like to back off just a bit and I don't let my HR go aove 90% max HR until near the end of the workout.

I also own a PT300 Pro, but then I just go by power. Generally, I do my 2X20s and VO2 max workouts on the PT300 Pro and recovery workouts on a spin bike at the gym.

John