QUESTION: I’m 45 and have been riding for 12 years. I recently did a 25-mile time trial and improved last year’s time by 2 minutes. My average heart rate was 184 compared to my maximum of 205. Did I do my best? Should I use my heart monitor during competition? — Steve J. RBR REPLIES:…
Question: I use the stationary bike at the gym but I don’t know what the “watts” counter does. What’s a watt? — Steve C. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: A watt is a measurement of the power you’re producing. It tells you how much force you apply to the pedals over time. When making an attempt…
Question: Is a power meter worth owning? I have been seriously training for the last couple years using heart rate and cadence. I want to make the best use of my time and effort and improve my fitness for racing. — Mike D. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: I like a power meter (watts meter) for serious training…
Question: I have been riding for 2 years and my goal is to finish the 109-mile El Tour de Tucson in less than 5 hours this November. My coach has been prodding me to begin training with power, so I purchased a PowerTap recently. However, the software seems to be lacking. What software you would recommend for power…
Question: For Christmas I got a trainer that measures watts. I’d like to start training with power, but how do I incorporate the ride data into my overall training? — Kirk Q. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: That’s a good question. Indoor trainers and stationary bikes have had watts readouts for some time, far longer than there…
