Vendetta specific training

[Jim Gerwing]

I purchased a Vendetta (frameset only) in September and I'm in that anxious period waiting for delivery. I have ridden only DF bikes up until now and last season (summer in Western Canada) was very successful wherein I met and exceeded my goals (+40km in one hour). Now I'm looking forward to next outdoor season with some new (ambitious?) goals (45km in one hour). In order to get there I am hoping the Vendetta will be the platform. The body is willing but I have to make a few assumptions as I begin indoor training. I've abandoned my DF for a stationary recumbent at our local recreation centre. The machine which most closely resembles the V has a BB that is below the level of my hips and the upper handle bars are uncomfortable for use beyond about one minute. It has a nice mix of metrics, some of which I trust. One in particular I don't think is accurate. I trust the heart rate monitor (it compares favorably to my wristwatch monitor), the other metrics are pretty good when I compare them with my realtime experience but the one measure which I distrust is the wattage readout. As I move from machine to machine (rowing to stat DF to elliptical to stat recumbent) I get wildly divergent outputs (125-250w for similar heart rates).
So, I have a question for the Vendetta forum:
What sort of specific training programs or exercises are being used short of actually riding this particular bike?
Jim

 

[Eric Winn]

Hi Jim, I'm in the same boat

Hi Jim, I'm in the same boat you are - waiting on a Vendetta but I think fitness and overall performance training is not platform specific, per se, but as you start riding your Vendetta I suspect you can at that point start to fine tune certain aspects of your overall training to the nuances of you and the V.

For example, I plan to spend a lot of time at first doing what John Tolhurst has spoken about in several posts about paying close attention to how it feels riding the Vendetta especially the discomforts and other odd twinges and then slowly and carefully making fitment adjustments until I feel I have identified the optimal way to adjust the bike to fit me. There are a lot of adjustment points available on the V.

Once I get to the point where I believe I've discovered at least the starting settings, I intend to increase my training levels on the V and continue to monitor both training metrics (heart rate zones, cadence, time over distance, etc) and the fitment issues as I suspect longer rides and changes in intensity may continue to reveal possible adjustments to tweak comfort and performance.

It could be that endurance riding (time and distance) may require some different bike settings than the settings that feel right on shorter rides. Case in point is when you see Maria raise forward in the seat when she slow for turns. John tells me this makes it easier for low speed control. Since the seat is not welded to the frame this might provide and opportunity to creatively configure your V for a period of touring riding with more comfort with the seat higher but then drop it back lower for periods when you are doing racing or racing like activities.

Let us know what you end up doing and how well it works. I'll do the same and perhaps Maria, Jim, Dan and others can share what Vendetta specific training tips they've discovered.

-Eric

 

[Jim Gerwing]

Discovery

Thanks for the input, Eric. After my previous post I went to the gym. With my comments in mind I decided to hang in a little longer with the over seat grip and found that I could hold a slightly higher wattage at a similar heart rate (as compared to the under seat grip) which feels more natural/comfortable). But I'm all about wattage, so I'll train to that end.
As well, something that cplager said interested me. In another forum post he mentioned 'bridging' which I also had a go at and, for brief periods of time, contributes to power input. How long an individual can maintain the bridge is worth pursuing, at least it's a tool in the speed/power box.
Jim