A nice review of a multisport charity event at Lougborough University last week, which included using Wattbikes to help raise over £3,000! The Wattbikes were supplied by our friends at Team Cycles:
On Friday 27th January, 2012, Monica’s Gold Challenge took place in and around SportPark at Loughborough University. The main aim of the day was to raise money for LOROS in memory of our dear colleague Monica Gibbs who sadly passed away in September 2010. Our 2nd target was to cover 2012km in total on the day by running, cycling and using rowing machines. With 82 people signed up to take part, it was going to be tough challenge.
The day started early for 5 eager participants as they covered a total of 150km before 8.30am and with a further 6 people going out on a bike ride at lunchtime we had already covered 330km before the main groups started.
At 1pm participants from all over SportPark began the main part of the challenge. With a big final push we finally finished at 5.30pm. By the end, we’d covered a combined effort of 2074KM which is an incredible effort from all those taking part. This has now risen to 2139.91KM after we added in a few people that couldn’t make the event but wanted to take part at other locations.
This is a big target for us to have to try and beat in 2013! We hope to have raised in the region of £3000 for LOROS and if you would like to find out more about how you or your organisation can help raise more funds for this very worthy cause then please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us. We would also be happy to meet with you if you would like to run a similar event as part of your Workplace Challenge.
This event simply wouldn’t have happened had it not been for the support of the following people and organisations:
• Concept 2 for supplying the Rowing Machines
• British Cycling, Team Cycles, Loughborough University and Leicester City Council for supplying Wattbikes and exercise bikes
• GlaxoSmithKlein for donating drinks to keep us going during the day
• IMAGO for donating Bananas and of course Teresa Dalby for making her fantastic Flapjacks!
• Volleyball England for being a huge support in setting up the day and for the use of their Van
• SportPark Reception Staff for their encouragement and for putting up with all the comings and goings throughout the day
• LOROS and Gold Challenge for helping us with the logistics of the day
However, the biggest thank you of the day must go to all those that took part. We had participants from Leicester-shire and Rutland Sport, several of our partner organisations, many different organisations based at SportPark and most importantly members of Monica’s Family and their Friends. This was a great team effort and we hope to go on to even bigger and better things next year.
Will Carling on cycling, training and the RBS 6 Nations
Posted by Matt Moran about 3 days ago
Last week I met up with Will Carling, the former England rugby union captain. He captained the national side 72 times and led the team to victory in four 5 Nations Championships (as it was known before Italy were introduced), whilst also taking the 1991 group of players to the World Cup Final.
Since retiring Will has been cycling as a way to keep fit, taking part in various events including The London-Paris which he will once again be riding in 2012. This is the kind of event where you don't just turn up and ride, there is training to be done and Will chooses to do much of his on his Wattbike. He's aiming for one of the faster groups in this year's London-Paris and has been putting some serious training in! It's great to hear in the interview that Will is a recent convert to using power and heart rate to train, and that he's finding that training on a Wattbike is so much more time-efficient than simply 'going out for a ride'.
You'll often find Will posting his Wattbike sessions on his twitter feed, when he's not winding ex-footballers up about their own cycling exploits (we've got an interview with Lee Dixon coming up soon here on the blog), so give him a follow. Given that the RBS 6 Nations is about to begin we couldn't let Will go without asking him for some brief thoughts on how he thinks things will play out (see video below).
Here's the much-anticipated link to February's tunes to get you through that Wattbike session on Spotify. Don't shoot the DJ, I merely put your requests into a list, mixed them up a little (that's what DJs do right, mix?) and then hit the publish button.
This month we've got a really nice intro track called 'Avalanche' and a few songs later we hear from David Bowie and Lady Gaga, not a duet in case you were getting all excited. Who wouldn't want a little bit of Jive Talkin' by the Bee Gees in the middle of their session, live too, and then we go back to the 80s with The Theme from S'Express.
The final track is special request from Brel, not actually from Brel himself but from one of our Twitter followers, it's a nice track to cool down too, chilled out and I chose it because as soon as saw it in Brel's playlist it reminded me of climbing the Col de la Madeleine, a beautiful, long climb which is so typical of the Alps. And isn't that a nice thought to end a Wattbike session on...
We've received a wonderful review of the first ever National Wattbike Fire Service Championships, held at the Friary Grange Leisure Centre in Lichfield. We often talk on the blog about individuals using the Wattbike for training, for rehab and for various charity events but there is also a great race feature within both the Expert Software and Power Cycling Software. The Fire Service competition replicated a full range of track cycling events and we've even got some great video footbage of the Team Sprint.
Here is the review, direct from the Fire Service...
The FSSAA cycling section entered a new era with the introduction of a new angle of cycling – Wattbikes!
On the 16th of January the British Fire Service Cycling Section held its national competition, dominated by West Midlands, but with a competitor from Cheshire entered it made it a National event.
The racing format consisted of two groups of four riders, starting with a 400m time trial. Richard Whitley from Cheshire coming in with the fastest time, taking an early lead in the overall event. The next race was the 3000m scratch race - a painful event for a sprinter. Endurance paid off though for Steve Horsley, taking a clear win by 13 seconds.
The Team Sprint followed, with teams made up of two riders decided by times from the 400m time trial to give each team an equal chance of wining. Steve Nutt and Lewis Commins proved they were the fastest over 2 x 250m.
With a choice of events including a devil, points and 2000m scratch for the fourth race the majority voted for the latter. Again Steve Horsley showed true form to come in 11 seconds in front of the rest of the field.
The final event was a 400m handicapped race and with this advantage Julie Cooper took the final race, closely followed by Steve Nutt and Iain Evans.
The scores were totalled and the positions were as follows:
1st Steve Horsley
2nd Steve Nutt
3rd Lewis Commins
4th Andrew Savage
5th Iain Evans
6th Richard Whitley
7th Julie Cooper
8th Paul Cockburn
After receiving positive feedback from all persons involved, with more support there is the potential of Wattbikes becoming an annual competition for the British Fire Service cycling section.
Goody bags were received by all, so a big thank you to all that sponsored the event including Friary Grange Leisure Centre. West Midlands Fire Service Academy and Zipvit.
Thanks for the update and we hope to see the 2nd National Wattbike Fire Service Championship in 2013!
Ian Richards is based out of Holland for most of the year, where he races with Team Drc de Mol, but has spent the past few months back home in Australia. He's just sent us through an update of what he's been up to, including news of a disappointing (in his own words!) Australian championships. Ian's mind is now very much focused on the 2012 season as he prepares for his first professional UCI race.
It’s been a while since I’ve written my last blog and like all cyclists after a winter season of no cycling I should apologise for not keeping you up to date on doing absolutely nothing. This however is not the case and during the European winter I travelled back to Australia to see my parents and train for the Australian championships.
Unfortunately this didn’t all go to plan and after more than 2 months of meticulous training I fell sick 2 days before the championships. I completed only 70km of the race and this was a huge disappointment for me. Life goes on and now I’m back home in Holland preparing for the season, which I hope to be a big one.
I learnt a lot about training, diet and my body after training so hard for the Australian champs and I hope to put this to good use this year when I’ll be racing my very first professional UCI races. Exciting stuff!
On the 5th of February I’ll be off to Spain for a training camp for 2 weeks and then my racing plan will be formed from that. I hope to start my season by the end of February or early March. At the moment the weather isn’t too crash hot here in Holland but lucky for me I can train indoors away from the freezing Dutch wind and rain on my Wattbike!
Thanks for the update Ian, we look forward to seeing how your season progresses.
We love receiving emails from Wattbike users across the world, most will tell us how the Wattbike has changed their method of training forever and some will highlight a great achievement where the user feels the Wattbike has played a major role. What I hadn't quite anticipated was an email from a dedicated Wattbike user that his employers were buying a Wattbike for their ship.
Simon got in touch to tell us a bit more about a Wattbike which will be taking to the seas very soon, "I work on a construction vessel mostly in the North Sea, carrying out construction and maintenance work for a company called Technip Offshore."
"We do saturation diving, which requires 12 of us to be in a pressurised system of chambers for up to 28 days at a time. Each team of 3 divers works for 6 hours each day, one stays in the bell, the other 2 work on the seabed, and although sometimes the work is physically hard, I find that because we are in the water, our legs don't really get much exercise."
"This has a definite effect on my performance on the road bike when I get home, so I use my Wattbike to help me get back to a good level of fitness when I return. I do various sessions, all power based, some hill sessions, and some aimed at pushing up my functional threshold. It usually seems to take a couple of weeks to get back to 'normal'. I also find it a lot easier to get on and train through the winter when the Northumbrian weather is doing its thing!"
"Our boss has just ordered a Wattbike for the gym onboard our vessel, which will be great for getting a few miles in before we get home, and there are alot of other people onboard who will use it aswell. There should be a few more names getting added to the rankings!"
This is such a great story, when the Wattbike was born we had no idea that it would be used in such a variety of locations, it does highlight one of the great features of the Wattbike though - the accuracy and calibration of every Wattbike means that Simon can be assured that the data he collects when he is onboard is comparable with his Wattbike at home.
Look forward to seeing the crew on their new Wattbike!
(Love that Simon has printed off and stuck up his Training Zones from our online Calculator next to his Wattbike - essential!)
Elite XC mountain biker Oli Beckingsale was having a great season in 2011 until he had an accident in a World Cup race in Czech Republic. It's the kind of crash that Oli's had hundreds of times throughout his career, except this time he came away with a serious injury.
In the video below, Oli takes us back to the day of the crash, his immediate thoughts and through every step of his rehabilitation. Oli had a great advantage in that he regularly trains on a Wattbike so had a wealth of performance data archived. This data has been essential in letting Oli and his team at MyLife PT in Bristol understand when he returns to pre-accident condition.
The fantastic news in this comeback story is the data from the Wattbike indicates that Oli will return as a stronger rider. You'll also get to hear the detail behind Oli's Wattbike sessions and some impressive numbers from his sessions.
It's an extended interview as we think Oli provides a fantastic insight into how an accident of this nature affects a pro rider and the hard work it takes to get back to world class competition. Enjoy!
We recently invited the HotChillee Ride Captains up to the Wattbike Science Lab to get to know the Wattbike a little better and to help them focus their training for both The London-Paris and Alpine Challenge. The Ride Captains role is to help riders both before and during these two great events to get the most of out of their experience, so it could be training or equipment advice, tips on riding technique or just some much needed motivation.
I personally experienced how great the Ride Captains are on last year's Alpine Challenge, Rachel and David looked after our group, ensuring we were safe, happy and having the best possible time. (I even forgive Rachel for shouting at me when I unknowingly wandered onto the wrong side of the road while struggling up one of the Alpine climbs!)
In 2012 we are proud to be sponsoring the Ride Captains. Why? Well, we think they're some of the most passionate people we've ever met when it comes to cycling. The Ride Captains are all training hard for The London-Paris on their Wattbikes and would be happy to talk to you about their experiences on one of the many HotChillee events. And don't forget to check out the free L2P Training Plan and a very special discount for The London-Paris participants.
If you're taking part in The London-Paris then please do come to the first Training Ride this Sunday (29th) and meet them or head to the HotChillee Rendezvous in Mallorca next month.
Check out this video of the HotChillee Ride Captains when they visited the Wattbike Sport Science Lab...
Wattbike VIP launches in UK
Today, we officially launched the Wattbike VIP programme, rewarding Wattbike owners across the UK for spreading the great news about training on a Wattbike. We've worked hard to come up with some great rewards for you and are pretty pleased with a list which includes Rapha, Bont, Castelli, Le Col, 2XU, Suunto and MuleBar.
James Fletcher on technique, endurance and life as a GB Age Group Triathlete
As 2011 came to a close we managed to grab a few minutes with Vivelo–Inverse CyClaim RT and GB Age Group triathlete James Fletcher to hear about how his 2011 season had gone and what his plans were for 2012. He also gave us some insight into how he is structuring his training on the Wattbike and combining that with outdoor road cycling sessions.
Cavendish, Wiggins, Sky and Team GB train in Mallorca: Photo special
Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins joined their Team Sky and Great Britain team-mates at a pre-season training camp on the Spanish island of Mallorca last week. Both the Sky and Team GB outfits have spent several weeks putting in the miles on the roads around Mallorca and in the velodrome in Palma.
London Bike Show: Wattbike from Tri247.com
The first of our video reports from the London Bike Show in the ExCeL last week features the legend that is Steve Trew working out on a Wattbike. He's actually using it to check out how well he's recovering from his knee operation last year but the instant feedback on how efficiently you are pedalling would be a great benefit to any athlete.
Fuel Like A Pro: Post Race
Last week we took a look at what the pros eat before and during the race. But what do they treat themselves to when everything is done and dusted?
Everything you need to know about European Sportives – part 1
First of all, let’s get things into the open – I am utterly addicted to European Sportives. They have dominated my goals and training focus for years. Cycling on the Continent is very different and through a series of articles I’ll try to take you to that world and, by sharing my experiences and passion, not only help you plan some events but help you ride them too.
Video: Beckingsale's road to recovery part 3
Here's part three of the series following British cross-country mountain bike racer Oli Beckingsale's rehabilitation from the broken leg he suffered on the circuit last season.
Vin Cox to embark on "Hungry Bike Ride"
Vin Cox, the man who up until last week held the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe, has revealed details of his latest challenge – the "Hungry Bike Ride".
New exhibition feature will test whether riders could beat Mark Cavendish
A NEW feature in the ‘Our Sporting Life’ exhibition at the Manx Museum will give visitors the chance to take up a bike riding challenge to test riders and their ability to challenge the likes of Mark Cavendish. A ‘Wattbike’ - created to assess the ability riders of all ages and skill levels - will be featured at the museum’s Body Shack Fitness Centre on January 28 and is available free for all visitors to join in the fun.
London Olympic hopefuls: Lizzie Armitstead
It's very special that the Olympics is in London. As a first Olympic experience it's going to be pretty incredible. In comparison to some of the cycling events I've done, the World Championships are often really big, but I guess that it will be 10 times bigger. I honestly can't imagine how huge it's going to be.
I'm now 4 weeks into the London-Paris Training Plan and I'm starting to notice a few changes. Christmas was a time of eating, sleeping, eating, sleeping, repeat ad nauseam. This would have been fine had it only lasted a week, but I'd also done the same thing when I took off to somewhere a little warmer the week before Christmas.
So, two weeks of almost no physical activity left me feeling a little rough around the edges when it comes to riding a bike. From a motivation point of view I like to follow plans; If I can see what is coming up then I almost look forward to the sessions, even the painful ones.
Eddie spent quite a bit of time carefully constructing the London-Paris Training Plan so I'm following it diligiently. All of the sessions so far have been in Zone 1 and 2, fairly low level stuff at 65%-75% of maximum heart rate and as I've started to get some feeling back into my legs I'm finding it really hard to resist the temptation to look ahead to Week 8 and do one of the harder sessions.
Eddie, I know you read this, and you'll be glad to know I've stuck to the plan.
It's even harder to stick to the plan when you are out riding in a group. Phil Jones, of www.race-pace.net, wrote a nice blog on keeping within specific training zones on group rides. The Plan I'm following features a mix of Wattbike and outdoor rides, it fits nicely with the time of year as I can get the single outdoor session in at the weekend and do the two or three Wattbike sessions during weekday evenings. (I experimented with a 07:30 Wattbike session and suprisingly felt OK for the rest of the day).
I've only been out on one group ride this year and purposely avoided using a heart rate monitor as I felt it would spoil the ride with friends; it's been my only deviation from the training plan but I didn't overstretch myself and enjoyed chatting with other riders.
It's back on the Wattbike again today for another Zone 2 session.
I want to go faster and harder but, for now, I'll resist the tempation.
Peter Keen tells the story of the Wattbike - Extended Interview
Posted by Alex Skelton about 2 weeks ago
Many of you involved in sport will recognise the name of Peter Keen as Director of Performance at UK Sport, the body which ensures that investment in sport in the UK is targeted at the right areas to deliver winners at the highest level; essentially we're talking about creating and supporting World and Olympic champions.
He is also credited as the person behind the turnaround in success for British Cycling, where in 1997 he set up the High Performance Programme which laid the foundations of success for the likes of Chris Boardman in 2000 through to Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton in more recent times. Imitation is the best form of flattery and many other sports, both in the UK and overseas, have tried to copy the system set up by Peter, with varying degrees of success.
Peter was very much involved in the development of the Wattbike from 2000 onwards when we approached him at British Cycling with the idea to produce the perfect indoor cycle trainer. Following many years of back and forth, we finally produced what is now the Wattbike, to be used not only by elite athletes for training and testing, but also for use at home and in the gym environment.
During the interview Peter talks about his role at UK Sport, the development of the Wattbike and how he uses a Wattbike at home to train whilst balancing an extremely busy lifestyle. His enjoyment of the Wattbike comes from the feel ot riding a road bike and the ability for you to grow with the Wattbike as training device.
We've uploaded the entire interview, as it gives a real and unique sense into what went into the development of the Wattbike - we're very grateful to Peter for spending time with us to give us his insight into the Wattbike.
The Wattbike has been excruciatingly helpful in preparation for the Alps!
Posted by Ben Addison about 2 weeks ago
It's always nice to catch up with people who have been training on Wattbike for a couple of years so we thought we'd share an update from former rugby union England international and London Wasps player Damian Hopley.
Damian currently heads up the Rugby Players Association, the body which protects the interests of professional rugby players in England, a role which leaves him with less time than he'd like to train for some of the fantastic charity rides he has been doing with some of his former teammates.
Damian told us, "I've been using the Wattbike for over 2 years now and it's been an invaluable training tool for me whilst preparing for a number of fundraising adventures with my old Wasps & England team mate, Lawrence Dallaglio. Given I’m not the classic size or build of a cyclist, the feedback from the Wattbike around my technique and form has been transformational in my endeavour to become more efficient when in the saddle."
"I've also found the ability to utilise different resistance levels has been excruciatingly helpful in preparation for the climbing we did through the Alps last year. I can’t recommend the Wattbike highly enough for a year round training apparatus."
Thanks for the update Damian - if you're taking part in this year's Dallaglio-Flintoff Cycle Slam a Wattbike will help you get to the start line in the best possible condition.
If you're a long-time Wattbike user and have a story or experience you want to share with us, then just drop a line to info@wattbike.com.
Today, we officially launched the Wattbike VIP programme, rewarding Wattbike owners across the UK for spreading the great news about training on a Wattbike. We've worked hard to come up with some great rewards for you and are pretty pleased with a list which includes Rapha, Bont, Castelli, Le Col, 2XU, Suunto and MuleBar; if you want to push your training to the next level we are also offering personalised coaching sessions with Wattbike Sport Scientist, Eddie Fletcher.
It's very simple to become a VIP, a case of a few clicks here on the website and then passing on your unique code to friends interested in purchasing a Wattbike. When they order their Wattbike two things will happen: 1) They'll get their own shiny new Wattbike to train on and receive a nice hard copy of our Training Guide; and 2) You'll collect your first VIP points which you can exchange immediately or save up for some really cool kit. (There is a third benefit too, your mates will stop making up even more excuses to 'just drop by your house for a go on your Wattbike' - yes, you know what we're talking about!)
Here's a little video we put together to explain how it all works or just head straight to the Wattbike VIP page.
James Fletcher on technique, endurance and life as a GB Age Group Triathlete
Posted by Matt Moran about 2 weeks ago
As 2011 came to a close we managed to grab a few minutes with Vivelo–Inverse CyClaim RT and GB Age Group triathlete James Fletcher to hear about how his 2011 season had gone and what his plans were for 2012. He also gave us some insight into how he is structuring his training on the Wattbike and combining that with outdoor road cycling sessions.
James had previously spoken to us about how he was using the Wattbike to help improve his pedaling technique and with almost 2 years training on a Wattbike he's pretty much got that nailed, although he would be the first to admit that he still uses the Polar View to check his technique is holding good form. We're sure that his coach might have something to say if he's found not keeping an eye on the fantastic technique he's built up - his coach goes by the familiar name of Eddie Fletcher!
He's off to Israel for the 2012 ETU Triathlon European Championships in April and will be getting a good mix of Wattbike and on-road sessions in prior to the event. Good luck to James and we look forward to catching up with him post-Israel!
We've received a great update from Jen Muhl, a young rider in New Zealand who is using a Wattbike to help her progress through the junior ranks of cycling. She's just put in some fantastic performances, once again competing against older and more experienced riders.
Jen told us, "I recently rode the Lake Dunstan Cycle Challlenge, a 96km race road the lake. It was a hot day and a challenging race with lots of hills. The race was contested by riders of all abilities from recreational riders through to pros and I finished the 4th U20 girl."
She then moved on to race in a new event, the challenging Eglinton Challenge in Te Anau, which is the shorter version of the Milford Mountain Challenge. It seems like Jen has got herself into excellent shape and is holding her condition pretty well. " I was very surprised at how easy I found the ride as usually I struggle on the hills. A small bunch of 8 of us got away in the start and we gradually dropped riders until we were down to only 3. We stayed away until the finish, just holding off the chasing bunch and I won the race when it came down to a sprint finish."
Supporting women riders is important to us here at Wattbike, as you will have seen through our support for Sarah Hammer and Carla Ryan, and we're really happy to hear Jen is making fantastic progress helped by training on a Wattbike. We've also helped Jen out with some Wattbike kit and it was great to hear that she's wearing it during competition. "I was wearing my Wattbike kit as it is the most comfortable kit I own and I was proud to be representing Wattbike when I crossed the line. It was quite a strange experience to have the TV cameras following us on motorbikes and from a helicopter."
If you would like to be seen in Wattbike kit then take a look at our online shop, we can't promise it'll get you riding as fast as Jen but at least you'll look good.
It was a pleasure to have John Brame and Marsha El Hage of RG Active coaching up to the Wattbike Science Lab recently, they'd made the trip up from London to understand how they could deliver an even better training experience for their clients, through using the Wattbike. With a very impressive background in competition and coaching, the RG Active setup offers a range of services from group coaching through to fitness testing and online 1-2-1 remote coaching. They also organise a number of Training Races and are official training providers/sponsors to some of the UK's leading events including the RG Active Winter Ballbuster and the London Duathlon!
Our Sport Scientist, Eddie Fletcher, went through the basics of the Wattbike and took John and Marsha through the how to set the Wattbike up, the Polar View and getting the most from the Expert Software. Eddie also ran through some cadence-based sessions just to ensure they walked away with a bit of a sweat!
It's fair to say that judging by comments made by both John, Marsha and their clients on Twitter, the Wattbike has been very well received!
Take a look at the video below to hear John talk about RG Active, his thoughts on the Wattbike and how his clients will benefit from training on the machine.
Wattbike - London Bike Show Review
Back in the office today after an incredibly busy London Bike Show, apologies to anybody who missed out on having their pedal technique analysed due to the queues. Your next chance is at the Triathlon Show 2012, from March 2-4.
No Ironman for Chrissie
Four time World Champion and World Ironman Distance Record Holder, Chrissie Wellington has announced that she'll be taking a break from competing in Ironman during 2012 to explore other opportunities, including the forthcoming publication of her autobiography, A Life Without Limits.
2012 British cycling’s greatest year – Malcolm Elliott
British cycling has got off to a strong start in 2012, a pivotal year in which all things two-wheeled look set finally to gain the recognition they deserve, and move from the margins to the mainstream.
ITU release website dedicated to the Olympic Games
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) have released a new website solely dedicated to this summer's Olympic Games in London. The site will keep fans and media up to date with all the latest news and developments to do with triathlon at the Olympics, including a breakdown of the complex qualification process.
Fausto Coppi: the triumphs and the tragedies
52 years after his death, CN looks back at cycling's biggest headline maker. If we focus solely on his cycling, the career of Fausto Coppi is in simple terms one of the most decorated of all time. The Italian dominated the sport either side of the Second World War, using his all-round skills as a climber, sprinter and time-trialist to build a palmares that rewrote the record books and raised the bar for those that followed him into professional road cycling.
British Cycling announces new grass roots women's racing programme for 2012
With the 2012 Road Season nearly upon us British Cycling’s Regional Events Officers (REOs) have responded to the growing demand for grass roots events for women by launching some early season events around the country tailored to meet the needs of novice female riders.
London Bike Show: Wattbike
The first of our video reports from the London Bike Show in the ExCeL last week features the legend that is Steve Trew working out on a Wattbike. He's actually using it to check out how well he's recovering from his knee operation last year but the instant feedback on how efficiently you are pedalling would be a great benefit to any athlete.
Cyclingnews exclusive: Bradley Wiggins interview
British rider talks about fame, the media and why he's in the best shape of his career. As he admits himself, Bradley Wiggins has cut a more relaxed and reflective figure in the last year or so. Experience, maturity and a good run of results in 2011 - Tour de France aside - have lifted the storm clouds that at times followed him around since he finished fourth overall in the 2009 Tour de France.
Vuelta 2012: A La Bar!
Course Preview: A good Vuelta or a bad Vuelta? I needed to find out what the feelings are on this year’s Spanish Grand Tour and what better place than my local bar/office in the village. A bowl of almonds, a plate of meaty bits, some bread, a glass of coke with a coffee to follow and the Spanish sports papers to read, what more do I need? Just the comments from some people in the bar!
Forty!
This was the season that, no matter how fit I got or how hard I pushed myself, I could no longer stay away from that tireless chaser, birthday number 40. And it would be a big fat lie if I said I didn’t care at all.
Back in the office today after an incredibly busy London Bike Show, apologies to anybody who missed out on having their pedal technique analysed due to the queues. Your next chance is at the Triathlon Show 2012, from March 2-4. It's clear to see that in the past few years that knowledge of how to train smarter is increasing amongst cyclists and triathletes and there is a real hunger to find the best equipment to train using power and heart rate.
There were some really great pedal techniques on display over the four days and some which needed some work, we can't all be Bradley Wiggins or Chris Hoy though can we...If you came to the show and have your pedal technique printout and want to refresh your memory on what it all means then let our Sport Scientist, Eddie Fletcher, talk you through the important points of the Polar View. Lots of questions about customisation of the Wattbike, so don't forget that you can attach your own saddle and pedals to the Wattbike and of course the seat and bars can be adjusted so that you can get a really great bike fit.
So, you enjoyed visiting us at the Show, you've got your pedal technique printouts and you know where you need to improve. What next? You can buy or hire a Wattbike via our website or check out local faciltiies that offer the Wattbike experience. Take a look at our free Training Guides which are an essential read for any cyclist, triathlete or those who just want to manage their weight.
Our Alex met up with tri-legend Steve Trew to give him the lowdown on the Polar View, and Tri247.com were there to film it.
Wattbike Race League returns to Friary Grange Leisure Centre
Posted by Alex Skelton about 3 weeks ago
If you fancy a bit of racing in these winter months and you're based in the Midlands then why not get involved with the return of the Wattbike Race League at Lichfield's Friary Grange Leisure Centre. Held over 4 consecutive Tuesdays, starting on the 17th January 2012, each round costs £5 to enter with a special rate for those entering all four rounds. One of the best things about Wattbike Race League's is that it caters for all ages, children are vey much welcomed and encouraged to get involved.
Warm-up starts from 18:15 with racing commencing at 19:00, a guaranteed great night out!
You might think that the benefits of training on a Wattbike are limited to sports such as cycling and triathlon. You'd be wrong, in fact you'd be very wrong.
If you're a regular follower of the blog then you'll have already read about elite athlete Jenny Meadows, Wigan Warriors Rugby League club and windsurfer Sam Sills who are all at the top of their game, not to mention that if you're wanting to simply stay fit then we have a Weight Management Training Plan ready and waiting for you to follow.
Today, I wanted to introduce you to Team Evolution skiiing, we've been working with them for some time now, helping them to prepare their talent for the demands of ski racing. The great thing about Team Evolution is their commitment to young talent, it's something that really comes through whenever we speak to the guys. More than just being skilled on the slopes, they provide education and personal development, and not forgetting the fitness required for such a demanding sport.
We asked Yannick from Team Evolution to give us an insight into what makes a great ski academy, how they are using the Wattbike and the results they are seeing. A good read.
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Team Evolution works as part of a structured, professional Alpine Academy programme, whilst providing educational support and personal development. The Team Evolution setup supplies unique and flexible annual training programmes to committed athletes, running individual programmes for mini's, children and junior racers. All programmes are individually designed to fit the needs of the athlete, and are based upon the Team Evolution philosophies, with proven results. Dependent on the goals of the trainee, execution of these programmes can vary from a minimum 10 week period, to supporting and mentoring athletes on a full-time basis over the course of several years.
The consequence of the elite Team Evolution setup is that over 80% of the athletes training with Team Evolution for the 2011/12 season are members of National Team programmes, and all are on the performance pathway towards achieving their specific athletic goals, whilst maintaining exceptional educational grades. All of our athletes have benefitted from the Wattbike at our training base out in St Johann Im Pongau, Austria.
For example, we put our minis who are all under the age of 11 on the Wattbike to compare the performance of their left and right legs during each training block whilst our National level juniors can do the same workout but at a higher intensity. The feedback from the the Wattbike allows us to closely monitor improvements in their leg strength which is crucial in alpine skiing because of the immense pressure they must exert on the skis in a race environment. Our athletes are all under the age of 16 and for them to see the benefits whilst on the Wattbike and what the data tells them, they all find it interesting and helpful.
Furthermore, in a sport such as alpine skiing, we at Team Evolution always bear in mind the fact that injuries do occur. Sarah Cuthbert, Children’s team athlete, fell in training at high speeds which resulted in her being out for the season and undergoing surgery on her knee. She has been using the Wattbike to stabilize the injured knee and is working well through her rehab because of the use of a Wattbike.
Another was Max Baggio one of our National Junior athletes and Team GB squad member who was the favourite to attend the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2012. Unfortunately he fell inside in a GS training run two weeks before the Team GB times trails and cut open his knee. His ski sliced through his patella and nicked his ligament, which cost him his place at the Youth Winter Olympics. Because the cut was so deep he was in a cast for 10 days and could not bend his knee.
During his rehab we used the Wattbike once his cast came off to regain the strength his injured leg had lost and improve the range of movement. Due to the Wattbike Max came back to 90% fitness in 2 weeks and is now currently back skiing, doing what he does best.
We believe that the Wattbike can extend our athletes careers as incorporating some off-feet conditioning into their programs and reducing time spent on their feet will minimise injuries and reduce the weight load as they ski every morning at a 100percent. We are impressed with the Wattbike as it is so versatile and could never go back to using any other bike. It's not just your typical exercise bike, it allows the athlete to carefully monitor every aspect of their workout.
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Thanks to all of Team Evolution for this insight into their fantastic setup, some great talent.
Photos:
Sarah Cuthbert career highlights
LSERSA Regional Junior 1 Champion 2011
Top 10 English Championships Slalom
English Schools Championships Team Winner 2011
Max Baggio career highlights
English Giant Slalom Junior 1 Champion
British Youth Olympic Squad 2011
British Childrens Team 2007-2010
There's a really great feature in the current issue of Cycling Plus magazine (issue 258: February 2012) on Training with Power. It includes an explanation of Power Training Zones and a few indoor sessions from our very own Eddie Fletcher.
One quote from the article that really stands out for me is: Combine Power with Heart Rate though, and you've got an incredibly powerful system for monitoring your training
The Wattbike enables you to monitor both your Power and Heart Rate to an unrivalled level of accuracy and it's important to remember that the Wattbike is factory-calibrated, for life.
Cycling Plus is available in shops now, there's also a wonderful article on riding the Etape which is essential reading for anybody heading to France this July.
Paul Pook - Performance Consultant and Strength & Conditioning Coach
Posted in Testimonials by Sam Granville on Jan 11, 2012
Paul Pook (former National Fitness Coach at Irish Rugby Football Union) is a great advocate of the Wattbike & got in touch recently to let us know what he likes about the Wattbike:
"What really impresses me about the Wattbike is its versatility; I work with elite road, mtb and track cyclists but also professional rugby players and they have all benefitted from the Wattbike at our Performance Centre. For example, we put a 130kg Russian second row on the bike to compare the performance of his left and right legs during rehab from a knee problem whilst my wonderful mother-in-law, who is 70 next birthday, is on the bike every day. The reliability of the feedback the Wattbike provides allows us to closely monitor improvements, which the athletes find reassuring and motivating.
Furthermore, I’m constantly reminding rugby players, young and old, that the Wattbike can extend their careers if they incorporate some off feet conditioning into their programs and reduce time spent on their feet.
The photo shown is of Sinead Jennings, former world rowing champion (single scull) using the Wattbike as she trains for the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Series. This is at our Allegre Performance Centre in South West France."
Thanks Paul, it's great to hear how the Wattbike benefits people of all abilities & ages.
Interviewing one of the nicest riders in cycling makes for an enjoyable day out, and so it was that we ventured to see Rapha Condor Sharp pro Dean Downing at his home in South Yorkshire.
Thanks for all the submissions for January's Wattbike Training Tracks, quite a diverse mix of songs as last month but this should last you through an hour's Wattbike session.
Before Xmas I went to see Jenny Meadows, GB elite 800m athlete at Wigan Warriors Rugby league training base. We talked about a range of things from looking back at a disappointing World Championships, taking a break from training and of course, her thoughts as we enter an Olympic year.
GreenEdge director Neil Stephens was pleased with Simon Gerrans' Mars Cycling Australia elite men's road race win, but said there were some nervous moments for the team leading into the final kilometres.
I wrote last week about heart rate zones and base mile training. The idea being to draw more on fat than carbohydrates as your fuel for your ride aswell as building an aerobic base. Ideally your heart rate should not exceed heart rate zone 2 for you to fully benefit.
Speaking as trade team‑mates for the first time since 2008, Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish seemed to have a single voice: this July, both men agree, it should be possible for Team Sky to reconcile their disparate goals in the Tour de France.
Andy Smith of Team Dillon on his Wattbike experience
Posted by Matt Moran on Jan 06, 2012
We've received another update from one of Team Dillon's triathlete's, this time it's Andy Shaw, giving us a great insight into how he is using the Wattbike to improve both their training and performance during competition. Lovely to see that Andy's daughter and son are also benefitting in different ways from using the Wattbike too. Look forward to seeing how Andy gets on in 2012...
I use the Wattbike every other day for an hour session and a double session at weekend, which has proved invaluable to me. Earlier this year I completed the Austria Ironman with a 5 hour bike split. This was certainly down to all the training on the Wattbike.
The feedback is excellent. Although of course turbo trainers and other exercise bikes give you information as well, none are as detailed and precise as the Wattbike. The data provided and accuracy is fantastic. This feedback enabled me to tailor my exact training requirements and wattage output to gain maximum efficiency for the Ironman.
I know what I am capable of and how much effort is needed to improve even the minimal of time improvements. You feel very confident when racing knowing what wattage you have been pushing during training sessions.
The solid build of the bike is excellent and I have had no issues whatsoever all year. The different adjustment levels afford you the opportunity of exactly replicating your bike position unlike many other static bike manufacturers.
Other members of my family are also gaining benefit! My 14 daughter used it to improve her fitness for sports day and a 5k race recently. My son who is recovering from an ACL operation finds the individual leg feedback incredibly useful for his rehabilitation. His consultant is even considering buying one for himself after seeing how well my son is recovering.
Finally I find the hill setting adjustment very useful for cardio fitness which is great to combine with occasional full effort sessions thereby helping maximise ones VO2 capacity.
At the end of November I took a whistle stop tour of New Zealand and Australia to visit with Wattbike NZ and Aus. The purpose of the visit was to catch up with BikeNZ and Cycling Australia, but this time with their teams who are responsible for grass roots participation (not with their performance squads).
Both of the meetings were great, and it is always good to meet with likeminded people facing many of the same issues that we see in the UK in terms difficulties in getting people active and out on their bikes. As in the UK we see the Wattbike as part of the solution to this problem, and will be working with NGBs around the world to help get people from in Gyms out onto their bikes and into cycling, triathlon and of course just enjoying riding.
While I was in Auckland we were walking past the Auckland University sports centre and as we remembered that they had Wattbikes we dropped in to see how they were getting on. It was pretty impressive set up, and all about to be ripped down and replaced by a new built custom facility. We headed downstairs to see where the Wattbikes were housed and came across one right by the reception and a 10,000m challenge going on.

The rest of the bikes were in an unused squash court where they were positioned at the front of the room for use in group cycling classes. They take booking for each of the Wattbikes and then fill up the rest of the bikes to anyone else who comes, and have even started charging more for using the Wattbikes as they are so popular – they will be getting more soon!
After a short hop from Auckland to Melbourne, (one laptop battery a movie and two episodes of the Big Bang Theory) and it was another time zone, but still spring which was nice, especially since back home the weather was pretty awful. We arrived in late afternoon and were walking down the banks of the Yarra River looking for a decent restaurant over-looking the river when what should we come across by the Spin Room. We like that sort of thing, so we popped our head in to see what we could learn and what should we find but...

We got a chance to talk to Sam, the owner, who loves the Wattbikes, and arranged to pop back the next day to see the beginning of a class before our first meeting of the day. I was not expecting to get that sort of chance so did not have the normal video camera with me, so apologies for the quality of the video below...
Interviewing one of the nicest riders in cycling makes for an enjoyable day out, and so it was that we ventured to see Rapha Condor Sharp pro Dean Downing at his home in South Yorkshire. Dean recently broke his collarbone and has been using a Wattbike to help with his recovery, it's been beneficial in a couple of ways as a)Dean couldn't actually hold his bars in the first few weeks after his accident and b)the weather has been so awful in the UK lately that it's made cycling outdoors nigh on impossible. In 2011 it was snow and ice, in 2012 we're suffering gale force winds. All hail the Wattbike.
As we arrived Dean had just finished his first Wattbike session of the day, an impressive hour with a few blocks at varying power levels. He's following a plan provided by team sponsor Claremont Hospital which progresses from a straightforward 60 minute session around the 150-200W mark up to hour sessions with a number of blocks of 5mins at 300W. Those have to be painful.
Dean's also been using some of the DVDs from the guys at 3LC.TV to help keep him motivated and we may just have to introduce him to our friends at The Sufferfest too. He'd be the first to confess (and does so in the video below) that he is not a fan of turbo trainers but we think we may just have helped turn him towards a better way of training indoors on the Wattbike. He particularly likes that he gets the feeling of riding out on the road.
It was interesting to hear that Dean trains using only heart rate when out on the road but has found being able to train with a combination of power and heart rate on the Wattbike has provided him with a lot more focus and knowledge about his condition and the quality of training sessions he can do.
Dean talked about the upcoming season, left us feeling jealous that he is about to head to Lanzarote for warm weather training and gave us some background on the club he has formed with his brother Russ, called Out of the Saddle, which raised over £13,000 for good causes in 2011. Definitely worth a look.
Jenny Meadows Season Review and Looking Forward to London 2012
Posted by Matt Moran on Jan 04, 2012
Before Xmas I went to see Jenny Meadows, GB elite 800m athlete at Wigan Warriors Rugby league training base. We talked about a range of things from looking back at a disappointing World Championships, taking a break from training and of course, her thoughts as we enter an Olympic year.
Jenny's husband and coach, Trevor Painter, also spoke to us about how Jenny's training regime may differ in an Olympic year and her use of the Wattbike as an essential part of her preparation for competition.
We also talked about Jenny's appearance on BBC's Celebrity Mastermind and despite not being able to choose athletics as her specialist subject she did incredibly well with her knowledge of Wigan Warriors Rugby League. She had certainly kept that one quiet!
Jenny is currently training in South Africa where no doubt the weather is infinitely better than it is in Wigan right now.
Take a look at the video below to hear Jenny and Trevor's thoughts.
Thanks for all the submissions for January's Wattbike Training Tracks, quite a diverse mix of songs as last month but this should last you through an hour's Wattbike session. Just click the link below to hear the Spotify playlist.
Well, where did 2011 go? It’s been a busy year here at Wattbike HQ and we’re all now well into our winter training and looking forward to some fantastic events and challenges in 2012.
We thought it would be nice to pull together our top 10 highlights of the year; we’ve interviewed some fantastic people over the last 12 months including Phil Liggett, Jenny Meadows, Sarah Hammer and Teun Mulder, attended some spectacular events such as the London Eye Wattbike Challenge and Alpine Challenge and most importantly to us, received some superb feedback from our loyal Wattbike community. Keep an eye out on the blog for even more great interviews, training tips and the latest news throughout 2012.
Here are our top 10 Highlights of the Year…
Teun Mulder – we took a trip to the home of the 2011 World Track Championships in Apeldoorn in the summer to see Dutch track cyclist Teun Mulder. Teun gave us a great insight into the Japanese Keirin School, his hopes for the track season and displayed some awesome power on the Wattbike. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/teun_mulder_talks_training_at_2000w_on_the_wattbike
Phil Liggett – quite simply, ‘The Voice of Cycling’. Phil generously welcomed us to his home and spoke about how he manages a hectic work schedule with training on his Wattbike. As the world’s leading commentator on cycling, he spends much of is his time living out of a suitcase, making his training time limited. Phil loves his Wattbike. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/phil_liggett_talks_all_things_wattbike_with_us
Jenny Meadows – we meet lots of nice people, but it’s fair to say Jenny is in a category of her own. Always willing to talk, Jenny provides an honest account of her ambitions and training alongside husband and coach, Trevor. We’ve got more coming from Jenny soon, as she enters the most important year of her life. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/jenny_meadows_on_recovery_tapering_and_the_wattbike
Doc Roddy – a leading voice in the Wattbike online community, @docroddy bought a Wattbike following a injury in 2009 and his only regret is that he didn’t buy one a year earlier. A regular on the Etape Caledonia, he completed the 2011 edition in just under 4 hours, no mean feat and over 20 minutes faster than his previous effort. Check out this Q&A we did with him in the summer. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/gaining_time_with_the_wattbike
Four Nations – the England national rugby league squad took their game to a new level in the 2011 Four Nations tournament, reaching the final and putting in a superb performance which gives real hope for the future. The squad trained on a Wattbike during the tournament and they were a regular fixture pitchside for warm-ups in each game. We met up with Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Bitcon at England’s training camp. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/wattbike_at_the_four_nations_rugby_league_tournament
London Eye – possibly the strangest location we have a seen a Wattbike challenge but also, without doubt, the most spectacular. Staff from Lloyds Banking Group cycled for 24 hours in a pod on the London Eye, raising a fantastic amount of money for Save the Children. We managed to get some awesome images from the day and as we said at the time, if you’re going to do a Wattbike session, you may as well have a good view! http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/wattbike_flies_high_in_the_london_eye
Sarah Hammer – a trip to Mallorca saw us meet up with one of the classiest track cyclists in the World. Sarah started to train on a Wattbike in 2011 at her base on the Spanish island and it’s fair to say (and not surprised) to see that she had an incredible pedalling technique. Sarah opened her Track World Cup account with a crushing display to take the win in the Omnium in Cali, Columbia recently. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/double_world_record_holder_and_world_champion_sarah_hammer_talks_to_wattbik
Alpine Challenge – if we were forced to pick one highlight of the year then this would be it. Spectacular scenery, rolling road closures, a wonderful group of people and temperatures of 30C and more. 3 days of cycling around the Alps (with a little bit of competition thrown in for good measured) finished off with a fantastic evening on the side of Lake Annecy is something we will never forget. Did we mention we also got to ride with Triple Crown winner Stephen Roche? http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/tag/alpine+challenge
Ryan Scott – when somebody tweets that they have taken 40 minutes off a sportive time from the previous year and put much of that improvement down to training on a Wattbike, we sit up and listen. Ryan sent us a little more info outlining exactly how he did it, and it’s no secret. He just bought a Wattbike and followed one of our free training plans. What could be easier? http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/how_to_ride_a_sportive_40_minutes_faster_than_last_year
Cyclosport End of Season Party – a fantastic way to round of the year, a sunny ride through the leafy lanes of Surrey, taking in Box Hill on the 2012 Olympic Road Race course, a lovely 3 course meal, a Q&A with leading lights of the UK cycling scene and a Wattbike challenge thrown in for good measure. We couldn’t think of a better way to end the season. http://wattbike.com/uk/blog/post/cyclosport_end_of_season_party_box_hill
We hope you’ve had the chance to review some of the above with us and that you have your sights set on some great challenges and events of your own in 2012. We hope that we can once again play a big part in helping you achieve your goals and if you are doing something special in the new year then get in touch and we’ll get it on the Wattbike blog.
Have a great Christmas and New Year, don’t worry about how much you eat and drink, an extra Wattbike session will sort out that extra mince pie and glass of wine you’ll no doubt have.
Whenever we get people on the Wattbike for the first time we're often asked, can I do a peak power test. The answer is of course yes but we always recommend a good warm-up. You then have a peak power figure to tell all of your mates about, but whether it be 750W or pushing the 2000W barrier the important figure is your power to weight ratio.
It's a simple calculation, power divided by weight, this gives a much more sensible comparison as heavier riders will often out-perform ligter riders when doing a peak power test on a static bike. Put them both out on the road, and especially when it goes uphill, and the lighter ride may well diappear into the distance.
Eddie, our sports scientists, has written a really useful piece on our Training Guide on the importance of Power-to-Weight ratio for cyclists, so take a look and don't forget to weigh yourself next time you are comparing peak power scores.
Heart rate comparison between Wattbike and Road Ride
Posted by Matt Moran on Dec 19, 2011
Ryan Scott got in touch recently to send us an interesting comparison between his heart rate when training on his Wattbike and when he is out on a road ride. Ryan is working hard this winter on his Wattbike, following the Winter Triathlon Plan and is looking to improve his TT times in 2012.
Here's what Ryan had to say, including some nice screenshots of his data:-
I wanted to find a way to display how training on the Wattbike allows me to have complete control over my heart rate zones. I used my Garmin 310XT to record two separate sessions. The first was a 2 x 10KM time trial attempting to reach race pace on both 10K’s. The second is the 20KM bike leg of a duathlon 11 days later.
For the above work out I completed a 10 min warm up with “rev outs” at 5, 7, and 9 minutes respectively before completing 10KM at race pace. As you can see my heart rate increases progressively during the 10KM. I was aiming for a negative split between the two. Unfortunately I went a bit hard on the first 10K and missed the negative split by a couple of seconds.
In complete contrast is the trace for the bike leg of a duathlon. The course was relatively flat with a few rolling climbs but nothing that involved the small chain ring or out of the saddle pedalling. As you can see I went off too hard, nearly reaching my maximum heart rate in the first 5 mins! For the rest of the 20K my heart rate peaks and troughs, but there is a general downward trend.
So, this proved to be very interesting. Firstly you can see that during my training sessions on the Wattbike I’m able to produce a constant sustained effort during 10KM time trials. But, when it comes to race day I get a little carried away and set off too hard, too early. Secondly, when trying to build strength for events such as duathlons and triathlons involving 20 plus kilometre bike legs the Wattbike is able to offer me a constant resistance that allows me to remain in the higher zones as experienced during races.
I’m now back following the Triathlon winter training plan and sessions like the 2 x 20min zone 2-3 should really help me with my pacing for next season.
Thanks for the update Ryan, look forward to seeing the improvements from your winter training on a Wattbike!
We're always on the lookout for where Wattbike is popping up on the web and we came across this great insight into an Australian Institue of Sport selection camp. It's written by Lisa Jacobs, who competes on the road in Europe. It's clear from Lisa's great blog post that the athletes are pushed, pushed again and then pushed a little but more. This pushing is not just physical either, mental toughness is tested to the limit on this 10-day camp.
Lisa has posted a great images of the Wattbikes in what she calls the 'AIS Vomitorium' - it's not the first time that Australian elite riders have made a connection between vomiting and the Wattbike.
Christy McKee on the McKee family triathlon challenge, winter training and her Wattbike
Posted by Matt Moran on Dec 14, 2011
Team Dillon Coaching are great advocates of training on the Wattbike so I thought it would be interesting to share some updates from this incredibly talented group of triathletes.
Christy McKee gave us a great interview, talking about family rivalries, how she fits training into a busy schedule and of course what benefits she gets from training on a Wattbike. We'll be catching up with Christy in the New Year to find out whether she did indeed come out on top in the McKee tri challenge!
For most, the festive season is a time to let go of dietary inhibitions and cast aside the evening workout regimen opting instead for a boozy night out with colleagues and friends. Not so when your a member of Team Dillon and have the last triathlon of the year looming in the very near future - in this case December 4th.
Many of my friends would describe me as having a competitive streak; therefore it should not shock the reader to learn that genetics may have played a role. On December 4th I will be competing in a sprint triathlon with my now 64 year old father who I'm not ashamed to say, on an age adjusted basis, is a far superior athlete to the writer of this blog. Did I get the competitive gene from him? Nope, he's as laid back as the Dali Lama and eases through just about any physical obstacle with the patience and precision of a heart surgeon. My competitive prowess is a direct result of my cut throat, leave-nothing-to-chance mother.
Most of you are probably scratching your heads wondering what this could possibly do with Wattbike. Truth be told, I usually compete in longer triathlons - half and full Ironman - so this sprint represents a bit of a different challenge for me. To add more heat to the fire, my cousin, of similar age is also coming down to compete in the race as well. I can't recall exactly who began the debate, but wagers have been recorded amongst the McKee family regarding who will be the fastest and who will rank highest in their respective age groups. Based on what I mentioned at the outset, you can see that it would be of huge detriment to my ego if I were not, at least, the fastest overall.
Now I turn to Michelle and my trusty Wattbike to get me ready for this short race, while maintaining my endurance and base fitness up for an Ironman early next year. During the week I don't have the time (or the light) to ride outside. Cyclists of London can empathise. Also we're getting to that time of the year where it's either too cold or too foggy to have a safe and effective training ride outdoors over the weekend.
A typical week (running and swimming excluded) means a very tough BRIC workout incorporating intervals, a steadier 75-90 ride, and another interval ride lasting at least 60 minutes all on the Wattbike. And that's just Monday to Friday. Saturday is my long ride - either 4/5 hours on the road or 2/3 hours on the Wattbike.
When I'm doing intervals, which can range between 2 minutes to an hour time-trial, I try to keep my pedal stroke smooth and maintain 200+ watts. This gives me a good gauge for where I'm at and how my body is feeling that day. Even though I don't have a powermeter on my road bike, because I use Wattbike frequently, I have a pretty good idea of how many watts I'm pushing on the road. I was pleased when a few weeks ago one of my most accomplished cyclist buddies Rob told me he's never seen me looking better/stronger on the bike.
So there's no way to know what will happen on the 4th of December, but I shouldn't fare too badly with good genes on my side and a pretty disciplined approach to training on my Wattbike through the winter season.
Thanks so much for the update Christy, let us know how you went on and whether you are the family tri champ.
Nick Dunn Talks Wattbike, Triathlon and Being a New Father
Posted by Eddie Fletcher on Dec 13, 2011
Current European Champion (30-35 age group) and former World Champion (25-29 age group) triathlete Nick Dunn tells us a bit about how he is incorporating the Wattbike into his training, what benefits he's feeling out on the road and also how he is coping with a heavy training schedule now that he is a new father.
Here are some of the best links we found on the web this week...
Cycling video clips of 2011: Our pick
Thousands of cycling-related videos were uploaded to the internet during 2011. The best ones are quickly picked up by social media users, spawning a new set of cycling stars and bringing talented amateur film-makers to the fore.
GreenEDGE partners with Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
Great news that GreenEDGE cycling have been awarded World Tour status for 2012, it will be interesting to see how they fare in the big one day races and the Grand Tours. The team have linked up with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and will be using their base in Varese, Italy to prepare the riders for the upcoming season.
New Ironman 70.3 For Lanzarote
The first ever Ironman Lanzarote 70.3 is set to take place on 10 November 2012. The Ironman Lanzarote website has been updated to include a section focusing on a new, previously unannounced 70.3 event on the island. Widely regarded as one of the toughest iron-distance races in the world, the addition of a 70.3 race will provide a perfect stepping stone to the full Ironman, allowing racers to experience the island’s infamous crosswinds and blistering heat without having to cover 266km.
British Cycling's Ride of the Year 2011
Following a year of World Championship-winning performances on road, track, mountain bike and BMX, British Cycling take a look back at the rides of the year - and invite you to nominate your own, before voting for the winner.
Spain, Training and Track Racing
Over the past few weeks I’ve been to Spain, trained hard and got way too nervous whilst watching some World Cup track racing in Colombia. After choosing not to ride the track this winter, it’s been clear a long cold few months awaited me at home. So on being offered a week out in Majorca training I jumped at the chance! I was heading out to join my team mate Martyn Irvine – Ireland’s number 1 track rider and Olympic hopeful – who I spent the majority of 6 months last year training, travelling and competing with all over the world.
Oli Beckingsale back on the Wattbike
We'll be heading South to meet up with Oli early in the New Year, but in the meantime check out the video below from Bikeradar.com where Oli talks about his crash, being off the bike and starting to regain fitness on the Wattbike. On our visit we'll take a closer look at the Wattbike sessions Oli has been doing to aid his rehabilitation.
Paratriathlon Talent ID
The first timer In the fourth and final part of our mini-series, our man Lee Korman learns from the experts what it takes to make it as an elite paratriathlete. For someone who has never sat in a wheelchair – let alone raced one – there was a degree of trepidation before my lesson on a racing bike.
Extreme Recovery
In 2008, professional triathlete TJ Tollakson, whose home base is Des Moines, Iowa, spent a couple of months living and training with fellow pro Craig Alexander in Boulder, Colo. Both men were preparing for October’s Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. While they did all of their training together, Alexander went on to have a great race in Kona, winning in 8:17:45, while Tollakson performed terribly, finishing 249th in 9:53:43.
2011 Rewind: The Monuments
As the year draws to a close, peloton takes a look at the major events of 2011 and their defining images. We begin with the monuments of cycling: Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Giro di Lombardia, captured through the lens of Yuzuru Sunada.
I'd noticed quite a few tweets from @bodybullet on Twitter metioning some of the great results they'd been having with their clients training on a Wattbike, so being a little inquisistive I dropped them a message to find out a little bit more about them.
Simon Vincent, the owner of Body Bullet Dynamics is a great advocate of the Wattbike, using it with both his clients and for his own training - a fine example of 'practice what you preach'. His location in Wales looks beautiful but judging by some of the emails we've exchanged it looks like some of the hilliest terrain in the UK. He's now using the Wattbike to train for the 2012 Dragon Ride cyclosportive event - Simon has chosen the 200km version and looking at the course, it's not for the faint of heart!
We'll let Simon tell the story of how he came to set up his coaching business:-
Riding a bike of some sort has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. After having my first mountain bike at 15 and realising how easy it was to ride up very steep off-road hills (essential in Wales), that was it. Bike upgrades followed year on year, and so began a stint at cross country racing which was unfortunately cut very short by the death of my father from cancer.
Riding bikes however remained my main hobby for the next 20 years, along with a keen interest in sports science, in between work, study, marriage and children along the way. Redundancy beckoned early 2010, and for the first time in my life I saw this as an opportunity to turn my passion for cycling and fitness into a new business venture. Extensive study followed along with research into the type of business that would combine my sports science training and life-long experience/passion for cycling.
Body Bullet Dynamics became live in July 2011 with the aim of bringing the same benefits of cycling performance analysis enjoyed by professional riders to the amateur cycling enthusiasts, or those looking to break into the top 10 and having no luck. My strength, conditioning and nutrition qualifications combined with my own cycling experience, would be able me to demonstrate to my clients that great cycling is about so much more than just cycling.
Amongst the extensive equipment purchased to set up my business was a Wattbike. This has enabled me to help my clients improve their pedalling efficiency (most common problem) amongst other things to date. Also my own progress since undertaking regular Wattbike training has been so rapid, that it has inspired me to enter the 2012 Dragon Cyclosportive 200km road event.
I sincerely feel this new found inspiration thanks to Wattbike will enable me to deliver the very best service to my clients, whilst personally allowing me to enjoy a return to the level of on bike fitness I enjoyed all those years ago. What sets my services apart from other facilities is the fact that I analyse performance across the full physiological spectrum, as opposed to just considering max watts or functional power output in isolation. This combined with the stunning location of my business set within the foothills of the Brecon Beacons National Park allows for a winning formula when it comes to helping my clients to get the very best out of their limited time available to ride their bikes.
Many thanks to Simon for sharing his story, we look forward to hearing how his business progresses and how his training on the Wattbike goes for that mammoth sportive in 2012. For more info on the services Simon offers just go to www.totalcyclingperformance.co.uk.
GreenEDGE partners with Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
Posted by Matt Moran on Dec 08, 2011
Great news that GreenEDGE cycling have been awarded World Tour status for 2012, it will be interesting to see how they fare in the big one day races and the Grand Tours. The team have linked up with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and will be using their base in Varese, Italy to prepare the riders for the upcoming season.
The AIS building in Varese is one of the highest spec fitness and testing facilities in the world and of course, has a number of Wattbikes. Take a look at the video below to get an insight into what it takes to produce a world class cycling team.
We got some great news from a young track cyclist in New Zealand this past weekend, Jen Muhl took part in her first event at U-19 level at the 2012 Oceania Track Championships in Invercargill, New Zealand. The competition sees riders from New Zealand and Australia compete across all Olympic track disciplines at both senior and under-19 level.
For Jen it was the first time she had mixed it up with senior riders and put in an impressive performance. Jen tells us: "I've been training hard and raced as an U19 for the first time at the Oceania track champs. I had some success, coming 2nd in the scratch race and 8th in the combined women & U19 points race, finishing as the 2nd under-19 girl."
On competiing with the seniors, it was clear that Jen felt right at home: "It was a huge buzz racing with the New Zealand elite riders for the first time and I enjoyed all the racing immensely. I was pleased that I didn't feel out of place in the racing despite it being my first time at that level."
Jen has been training on a Wattbike for some time now and is a huge fan, she said: "These results wouldn't have been possible without the training opportunities provided by the Wattbike. I proudly wear the Wattbike kit on both the track and road because I really do believe that it's one of the best training tools available."
Jen's coach, Stewart Morley, has been impressed with level of support from Wattbike and told us: "Being on the other side of the world from where the Wattbike originated made me think hard and long about whether it was going to be difficult to get the backup and support that we would have from a local supplier, particulary if things should go wrong. But I'm glad that we made the decision to jump on board with what is turning out to be an effective and a necessary tool to help Jen with her cycling."
We look forward to keeping up with Jen's progress.
We often say this, but it never loses its importance or meaning to us, we're proud to support women's cycling at all levels.
Note: If you're in New Zealand and want to contact our local distributor please go to http://wattbike.com/nz/
We'll be heading South to meet up with Oli early in the New Year, but in the meantime check out the video below from Bikeradar.com where Oli talks about his crash, being off the bike and starting to regain fitness on the Wattbike. On our visit we'll take a closer look at the Wattbike sessions Oli has been doing to aid his rehabilitation.
Here are the stories we found interesting over the last week
Bradley Wiggins unlikely to defend team pursuit gold at London 2012
Bradley Wiggins is unlikely to be part of the Great Britain quartet that defends the team pursuit gold medal in London next August, according to the coach at his Team Sky squad, Rod Ellingworth. "The chances of him doing the team pursuit are really slim now," Ellingworth told the Guardian. "I don't think he will be doing it. He wants to do the Tour then the road race and time trial at the Olympics."
Wattbike: feels like a road bike, used by the pros
"It won't kill you, I promise," says Wattbike's Matt Moran, introducing me to the sleek lines of his company's hi-tech exercise bike at a swanky south London gym. OK, it has some zippy-looking red-and-white stripes, but what's so special about it? The answer is simple: it's what the professionals use. Developed by British Cycling and Wattbike, it has been a big hit with top British cyclists since development began in 2002
German Team Sprinters break Team GB world record
With just eight months to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games, Germany’s team sprint squad last night beat the world record that Great Britain had set at Beijing three years ago.
Mark Cavendish receives MBE
The sprint cyclist asked the Queen to cheer him on when he finishes outside Buckingham Palace at the Olympics next summer.
Do women get overlooked for sports awards?
BBC sports commentator Jacqui Oatley and Guardian sports columnist Martin Kelner debate the lack of women on the 10-strong shortlist for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year, announced last week.
Sarah Hammer wins Cali Track World Cup Omnium
Managed to catch US track cyclist, Sarah Hammer, taking the win in the Omnium Scratch race on a (fairly poor) live webstream of the latest round of the UCI Track World Cup. Sarah is targeting the Omnium event for London 2012 and she put in a fantastically dominant performance in Columbia, finishing no lower than 4th in the six events which make up the Omnium.
Wattbike December Training Tracks
We put a shout out on Twitter and Facebook for some tracks for your December training sessions, we had a great response so we've put together two Spotify playlists, one with a dance theme and one with a rock theme. Surprisingly there wasn't a single Xmas song request!
Hope for Olympic fans on Box Hill
Head of sport for the London London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), Debbie Jevans has expressed her confidence that more fans will be able to access Box Hill during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Managed to catch US track cyclist, Sarah Hammer, taking the win in the Omnium Scratch race on a (fairly poor) live webstream of the latest round of the UCI Track World Cup. Sarah is targeting the Omnium event for London 2012 and she put in a fantastically dominant performance in Columbia, finishing no lower than 4th in the six events which make up the Omnium.
Sarah trains on a Wattbike at her European base in Mallorca and is scheduled to appear at the London Track World Cup, Melbourne World Championships and the 2012 London Olympic Games. We'll be catching up with Sarah again soon but in the meantime you can take a look at this video we shot when we visited Sarah in the summer.
Wattbikes at Help for Heroes’ Tedworth House Personnel Recovery Centre
Posted by Ben Addison on Dec 02, 2011
The latest Rugby World programme broadcast on Sky Sports featured the Personnel Recovery and Assessment Centre at Tedworth House, funded by the Help For Heroes Charity. It cost £20m to build, has running costs of £3m per year and contains some of the best recovery and rehabilitation equipment around; and to help injured servicemen and women thay have a couple of Wattbikes. The interview from Sky Sports features a chat with a couple of soliders riding Wattbikes, they not only discuss the physical road to recovery but the incredible opportunities that Help for Heroes gives to help aid return to civilian life.
You can watch a video clip of the work taking place at Tedworth House on the Sky Sports website.
We put a shout out on Twitter and Facebook for some tracks for your December training sessions, we had a great response so we've put together two Spotify playlists, one with a dance theme and one with a rock theme. Surprisingly there wasn't a single Xmas song request!
If you're an existing Spotify user then you just need to click the links below:-
I caught up with Simon Richardson last week to find out how he is getting on with his rehab. When I called Simon he was in the middle of an acupuncture session so I thought I'd call back at a later time but no, Simon insisted that we chat while he was having mutliple needles stuck into him! He told me it took his mind off the acupuncture, I'm not sure I'd be quite so calm in the same situation.
Simon told us: "I've finally had the all-clear from the pelvic specialist but still need to have an MRI scan and ultrasound to determine why my left leg is getting worse. I'm also still seeing a back specialist but now working full time with his physio, Angharad Mason, to help with his rehabilitation. I've also been in contact with Professor Alison McConnell who developed the Powerbreathe and I'm hoping to be able to benefit from the expertise of the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff." He's also partnered up with Lake Shoes which he says is increasing the enjoyment of his 10 minute Wattbike sessions. It's clear to see that Simon is surrounding himself with the best people and equipment available, all to make his recovery as speedy as possible.
I wanted to know how he was getting on with the Wattbike and he told me: "I'm using it daily, still doing 10 minutes easy spin just to keep the legs going. I can't do much more until I get the body brace off. What I'm really liking is when I link the Wattbike up to my computer, I can really see exactly what I'm doing." Simon had told me previously that he has to wear a tight body brace which prevents him from bending over to reach the bars and also restricts his breathing if he does lean forward at all.
On a more personal note, Simon told me he was being kept busy by a new puppy as sadly his dog died in October - I'm sure that the puppy will lighten the boredom of daytime TV as I've seen from his Twitter feed that he is quite sick of it!
It was really great to hear that Simon was as positive in this conversation as he was when I first spoke to him, the determination is there, the willingness is there and now he just needs to continue on his measured path back to fitness. I'm thinking we'll see some great steps forward in 2012.
Last week we gave Max Walker from the Guardian a run through of the Wattbike; Max is a commuting cyclist so it was interesting to see his views on pedalling technique and general feeling of riding an indoor bike. We got Max doing a 20 minute cadence-based warm-up, our standard warm-up prior to undertaking the 3 minute test; throughout the warm-up we talked through the Max's pedal technique which hovered between the figure-of-eight and peanut shape, so a few things to work on.
Max's thoughts on the Wattbike can be found on the Guardian website.
Last week we gave Max Walker from the Guardian a run through of the Wattbike; Max is a commuting cyclist so it was interesting to see his views on pedalling technique and general feeling of riding an indoor bike. We got Max doing a 20 minute cadence-based warm-up, our standard warm-up prior to undertaking the 3 minute test; throughout the warm-up we talked through the Max's pedal technique which hovered between the figure-of-eight and peanut shape, so a few things to work on.
Max's thoughts on the Wattbike can be found on the Guardian website.
The idea is simple, we'll link to the top 10 stories from the web that we've found interesting over the past seven days - it might be a news report, a great gallery of cycling images, a serious piece on the future of triathlon or a link to a funny video, we hope you enjoy.
Wattbike Weekly from 28/11/11
US elite triathlete Becky Lavelle shares her Wattbike training sessions
US elite triathlete Becky Lavelle has been using a Wattbike to help her return to the sport following a lengthy break from competition. Becky began racing again in April of this year and has won four out of the eighteen events she has started in the past seven months. During her time away from the sport she gave birth to her daughter before once again casting her eye on competiing at the highest level.
New European Ironman Race Transfer Policy
The World Triathlon Corporation introduces a new “Race Transfer Policy” for all European and South African Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races. This initiative has been shaped by the opinions of hundreds of Ironman athletes.
Introducing the extreme world of XTERRA
USN-sponsored triathlete, Graham Wadsworth has found XTERRA very much to his liking and has moved up from the amateur ranks to a fully-fledged professional this year. Here's his instant guide to the sport.
Route announced for inaugural Etape Pennines sportive
The route for the inaugural Etape Pennines, England’s first closed-road sportive, has been announced. he 78-mile event in County Durham is being organised by IMG Challenger World, who have enjoyed great success with the Etapes Caledonia and Hibernia, similarly held on traffic-free lanes.Philippe Gilbert named IG Markets Pro Cycling Index rider of 2011.
Wattbike flies high in the London Eye
Today I’ve been at the London Eye in Central London for Lloyds Banking Group’s 24 Hour Around the World Cycle Challenge, to raise money for Save the Children. London is just one of 38 locations across the world where staff from the Group are taking on similar feats and although we haven’t seen the other locations I think it’s safe to say that the London team have the most spectacular location.
Slow but sure is the plan for Mark Cavendish's London 2012 buildup
The next six weeks could be key to Mark Cavendish's chances of winning the Olympic Games road race, according to Rod Ellingworth the trainer who masterminded Cavendish's world road race title win in Copenhagen in September. Ellingworth says the beginning of winter training will be vital in building a foundation of fitness that will last until the end of July 2012.Racing Weight: Balancing Your Diet
Some sports nutrition experts recommend a 60/20/20 diet. What’s that?It’s a diet where you get 60 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrate and 20 percent each from fat and protein. Advocates say endurance athletes need to consistently maintain this ratio of the three so-called “macronutrients” to perform optimally in training.
Hope for Olympic fans on Box Hill
Head of sport for the London London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), Debbie Jevans has expressed her confidence that more fans will be able to access Box Hill during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Sam Sills story from the RSX Youth World Championship
Posted by Matt Moran on Nov 28, 2011
Earlier this year we caught up with Sam Sills, a fantastic talent in the windsurfing world, it was an eye-opening story to understand the fitness these guys need to compete at the highest level. Sam gives us a thrilling insight into his best day yet ...
Sam has just sent us this update from the RSX Youth World Championships:
What an awesome event!! I wasn't feeling too great going into the event, I'd been on antibiotics for a week and missed two weeks of training with a virus. But luckily we had a nice mix of winds and my fitness was still there from the last year's training.
Everything came down to the medal race, for me it was time to do or die, all or nothing. I knew if I focused and sailed smart then I had a chance to clinch a medal. All I needed was to put three people between me and FRA 7; the forecast looked in favour of the Frenchman, so the night before I eat double dinner to try to gain a little more weight to hold the board down. Not sure it really helped but it tasted awesome!
This would be my first medal race so I was quite excited to be sailing in it! The medal race is double points and only consists of the top 10 sailors, the idea is to have a bigger media focus. We waited on the beach for hours and the start wasn't until the afternoon but we had to be down in the morning for a briefing.
When the flag went up my team-mate Tom Squires and I sailed out, tuned up and made sure we were going fast. I knew what I had to do, a quick smile from coach told me he knew I could do it too. I hit the line perfect getting completely lunched in front of my opponent FRA 7, he soon was sucked into my dirty wind and was forced to tack out and find clean wind and sailing to completely the wrong side of the course.
I rounded the the first mark in first but got overtaken by FRA 155 on the downwind, and then by POL182 on the next upwind. I crossed the line in 3rd with 6 people already between me and FRA 7 and my coach was already celebrating! We went absolutely mental! I'd done it!! I'd WON THE BRONZE!!!
I dived off the boat and swam to the other two medalists to congratulate them, it felt amazing. I couldn't believe it. I sailed to beach with my coach and hugged my dad who has helped me so much and has always been there if anything went wrong or broke.
Soon the prize giving came and everyone was so happy and excited! It was just awesome. This had been a goal of mine for a long time and I was super happy to have finally achieved it. We partied and celebrated till the early hours of the next morning and everyone went mental! These moments I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Congratulations go to Fabian Pic (FRA 7), he sailed awesome all week and I really enjoyed racing with him! Looking forward to the next battle! Also congratluations to Pawel Tarnowski and Louis Giard, 1st and 2nd!
Thanks so much to Wattbike for supporting me, it has played a huge part in my leg strength and Cardio vascular fitness this year and seems to have really paid off at this event, Cant wait to get back on my wattbike for the winter training!!
Sam Sills
Sam, a great example of what can be achieved with hard work, focused training and a desire to be the best. Congratulations, enjoy the winter training and we look forward to hearing more of the same in 2012!
Wattbike helps out Pudsey (with a guest appearance from Chris Boardman)
Posted by Ben Addison on Nov 24, 2011
Last week was Children in Need, with a huge amount of money raised across the UK. We see quite a few tweets of people doing various Wattbike challenges, ranging from 24 hour non-stop riding through to riding from John O'Groats to Lands End, all on a Wattbike.
We were particularly excited about getting involved with our friends at British Cycling to help out Transport for Greater Manchester, whose staff were competing in teams to see who could cycle from Manchester to London the quickest. Well, it's fair to say that the staff were a little bit quicker than they orignial thought as they smashed their target and nearly made it all the way back to Manchester.
The legendary cyclist Chris Boardman was on hand to (quite literally) shout encouragement and helped the team to raise a fantastic £4,500 Children in Need. Congratulations to everybody involved, they made this fun video below of the day - give it a watch.
One of the great things about the Wattbike community is the willingness to share training data and the type of sessions being undertaken. We want to take this a step further and take a look at some of your pedal technique graphs which you will see in the Expert Software. Just grab a screenshot and upload - are you a figure of eight, peanut or sausage?
We're hoping that you can share them on Twitter in the first instance by tweeting us @wattbike and including #polarview in your tweet.
US elite triathlete Becky Lavelle shares her Wattbike training sessions
Posted by Alex Skelton on Nov 23, 2011
US elite triathlete Becky Lavelle has been using a Wattbike to help her return to the sport following a lengthy break from competition. Becky began racing again in April of this year and has won four out of the eighteen events she has started in the past seven months. During her time away from the sport she gave birth to her daughter before once again casting her eye on competiing at the highest level.
Starting to train again after a year and a half break sounds incredibly difficult but Becky told us: “I really must give credit to Wattbike for helping make my comeback year a successful one. Having a 1-year old doesn’t give me much time to get out on the road and train so the Wattbike has been a key element in my bike training and I would not have the same bike fitness without it. I swear by it! I love the fact that I can get a good quality workout in a much shorter amount of time than being on the road.”
We're always interested in hearing what kind of sessions people are doing on the Wattbike and Becky was happy to share a couple of her sessions with us. She woud normally do a couple of Wattbike sessions per week, totaling 40km or just over an hours ride time. Becky rides a Wattbike Pro, so if you want to replicate these on the Wattbike Trainer you'll need to adjust the air resistance settings accordingly.
Thanks so much for sharing these with us Becky, we wish you the best with your winter trainng and continued success in 2012.
Becky Lavelle Wattbike Session 1
15 min warm-up, 5 min at 1:30/k pace (resistance level 4-5)
5 min easy (level 1-2)
10k at 1:30/k pace or faster (aim to go under 15:00 for 10k!)
5 min easy
5 min at 1:30/k pace
5 min easy
10 min (every minute do :20-:30 at 110 rpm’s, level 2, recover :40-:30)
5 min cool-down
Becky Lavelle Wattbike Session 2
15 min warm-up at 1:45-1:50/k pace (resistance level 1-2)
Congratulations to Nikki who worked so hard on the Wattbike stand at Leisure Industry Week (LIW), cycling for a full three days to show off Power Cycling!
Fitnorama Magazine ran a Facebook poll of a selection of people working at LIW to determine their cover model for the December issue and yes, you guessed it, Nikki got the most votes (thanks in no small part to the Wattbike community who diligently clicked the 'correct' Like button on Facebook!).
Well done Nikki, a well deserved winner and a great cover!
Ian Richards has just completed his first season racing in Europe and has sent us his final report of 2011, looking back on a successful season which has seen him endure some pretty tough and rewarding racing. Ian trains on a Wattbike and says it has vastly improved his time-trialling.
Thanks for the update Ian, enjoy the winter training and look forward to a cracking 2012!
If I look back at my year so far, it is something that I never expected. I have accomplished far more than my highest expectations. So far I’ve raced in 3 classics; each of these has tested my newly learnt (dutch) skills to the highest possible level. From racing in ‘The Hell of the North’ Land van Bartje with its extremely difficult cobbled sections, to Flevotour with wind like I’ve never seen before and also in Simpelveld which climbed over some of the hardest Hills in the Netherlands.
I’ve raced in Belgium and Holland in many criteriums and Kermesses placing well every time. Although I had a terrible start to my season with the crash in my first major race I have come back and raced very well.
After placing well in the classics I was selected to race for the South-Holland combination team in Holland’s biggest junior tour, the uci international tour of Axel. Unfortunately I fell sick a week before this race and didn’t race at my full potential. Although on the last stage I managed to do okay and finish 54th overall from such a big strong field of nearly 200.
After the tour of Axel I came back strong and took out my first 2 podiums of the year including the awesome title of Champion of South-Holland.
The next tour for me was the Argos Oil Acht van Bladel which was a good tour for me. I rode and finished well in the 2nd stage and also did well in the time trial which was a great boost for my confidence.
After these good results I was again selected for one of the biggest European Junior Tours with the combination team, the uci tour of Kontich. What a race! It included 1 time trial, 1 team time trial and 3 road races! Ouch! After lots of tough racing I managed to finish 3rd on the last stage which is the best result of my career.
After some much needed rest and a nice holiday to Italy with the team manager I came back strong taking out my second win of the year. I was surprised to win in such a strong field, with riders like Stan Godrie and Paul Moerland.
After racing in Simpelveld I felt ready to race my last tour of the year, the Westbrabanste Pijl. The first stage was another windy typical dutch road race. The field was split apart and 2 of my team mates were out of the race on the first day.
After an impressive time trial for myself I finished the next race in the lead group and only one minute down on the leader Tim Rodenburg. On the final 135km queen stage of the race I managed to climb the general classification rankings into the top 30 sitting at 29th.
So that’s my season so far, and all of my major races done and finished. I’m extremely happy with my performance, 4 podium places is a lot more than I even thought possible. I couldn’t have wished for anything this good without the help of my team manager Raijmond Van Der Vlies, he has helped me all year and I can’t thank him enough! On the riding side, my time trial is definitely the biggest improvement of the season for me and I couldn’t have done this without my great sponsor Wattbike!
Europe has certainly dished out its hardest racing for me and I’m excited to return in 2012. I will be staying in Holland till the 28th of October and then returning to Brisbane for 3 months where I plan to come back to Holland on the 1st of February.
Double World Record Holder and World Champion Sarah Hammer talks to Wattbike
Posted by Matt Moran on Nov 17, 2011
Now that the 2011/12 track cycling season is underway I thought it would be a good time to bring you a video we shot back in the summer of when myself and Eddie took a trip to Mallorca to see US track cyclist Sarah Hammer.
Sarah is a double world record holder in the individual and team pursuit and 4 times world champion, we're talking the best of the best here.
All of her focus is now on the London 2012 Olympics so it was good to catch up to see how her training and season would pan out and get her views of training on a Wattbike.
It was a pleasure to meet Sarah's coach, Andy Sparks, one of the most respected coaches in track cycling. Andy has a wealth of experience and is currently coaching athletes from the US, Mexico, Turkey and Ireland.
In addition to the team from the Netherlands, you will often see Andy's athletes warming up on Wattbikes in the pits at the major track events, so keep an eye out for that if you're visiting one of the cometitions or watching on TV.
It's fair to say that Sarah's pedaling technique as displayed on the Wattbike's Polar View was pretty much perfect, so impressive, we would love to show you the graphs and we may well ask for permission from Sarah at a later date.
As Eddie pointed out during the visit, it is the consistency of the application of power which is key to good pedaling technique and Sarah just continued to push out perfect Polar View shapes, revolution after revolution.
Take a look at the video below and if you have any questions you'd like us to ask Sarah when we catch up with her in 2012 we'll certainly put them to her.
Wattbike at Divided We Fall 2011 hosted by Crossfit Velocity
Posted by Ben Addison on Nov 16, 2011
We spent some time in the US this year where Wattbike debuted at the 2011 CrossFit Games, and now we're playing our part here in the UK. We recently took some Wattbikes down to the Divided We Fall 2011 event at CrossFit Velocity in Swansea, one of the orgainsers, Nick, sent us this report:-
We had over 320 competitors comprising of 80 teams of 4 (3 men, 1 woman) from across the UK completed 4 CrossFit workouts on Saturday 29th October 2011. At the end of this gruelling day the top 40 teams made it through to the Sunday and were told that the 1st workout on the Sunday would take place at the Wales National Pool and would be a swimming based workout.
Following this there was a further cut to 20 teams, then another workout, another cut to10 teams, another workout and cut to 5 teams for the final. The top three teams were:
1st: CrossFit Central London
2nd: CrossFit Clitheroe
3rd: Train, Manchester
Over 500 people attended the event making this the biggest CrossFit team event in the UK. This has grown from just 23 competitors 2 years ago, up to 212 in 2010 tto a packed venue this year. CrossFit in Wales was well represented with a team from CrossFit Velocity, CrossFit Cardiff, Dragon CrossFit Cardiff and Funct Fitness Bridgend all making the top 20 teams. Thanks to Wattbike, it was great and provided something very different to the first workouts.
Thanks for the update Nick, we were happy to play our part in what turned out to be a fantastic weekend of competition.
HotChillee and Sven Thiele visit the Wattbike Science Lab
Posted by Matt Moran on Nov 15, 2011
Over the summer we invited HotChillee founder Sven Thiele to the Wattbike Science Lab to put him through his paces and give him a better understanding of how the Wattbike can help make him a better cyclist. You may recognise the HotChillee name, they are the organisers of a number of high-profile events including The London-Paris and The Alpine Challenge. Wattbike is an official sponsor of both events and we'll be working closely with HotChillee to help participants get the most out of these two great cycling experiences.
We first worked on getting Sven set up correctly on the Wattbike, then talked him through a 20 minute cadence-based warm-up, followed by a 3 minute aerobic test - these are all crucial elements to help get the most out of a training plan.
We also took a look at Sven's pedaling technique via the Wattbike's Polar View and identified an issue with his right leg, not a major issue but certainly something to work on.
Sven was keen to understand all of the data recorded via the Wattbike's Expert Software to help him train in the most efficient way possible given his busy work schedule. The Wattbike Training Guide gives detailed explanation of all of the performance parameters recorded by the Wattbike and is essential reading for all those looking to train in a smarter way.
Sven's 3 minute test summary shows just how smooth he rode, maintaining close to 100 cadence and 345W over each minute of the test - the key to a good riding performance is a constant cadence and power output. We think we could have pushed Sven a little harder with slightly higher resistance and/or higher cadence. Overall, a great performance.
I've just taken a weeks break from all things Wattbike and headed out to the Lake District in the north of England for some riding. It certainly didn't feel like November in terms of temperature and many of the trees still had their leaves, making for some stunningly scenic rides. I'm not really one for constantly stopping to snap photos and the risk of dropping my phone while trying to ride and take pics with winter gloves on is one I'd rather no take so here are just a few images which I hope you like. I even managed to take a trip on the ferry across Lake Windermere, the best £1 I've spent in a long time!
I hope you're getting chance to get some rides in, in what is arguably one of the best times of year to be out and about on a bike.
Hopefully you've been following BMX champ Shanaze Reade's online video blog over the past year or so which has nicely shown how she is making good progress after her disappointment at the Beijing Olympics 3 years ago. Being the world's best BMX-er isn't the easiest life though, Shanaze seems to fill her week (and more) quite easily with training, competition, promotional opportunities and the odd update for her fans.
The Wattbike has made an appearance a few times in the Series and it's great to see yet another world class athlete (and in particular, one as cool as Shanaze!) training on a Wattbike - in this episode zoom along to 4:30 to see the Wattbike in action.
Great news yesterday as it was announced Sam Tomkins had signed an extended deal with Wigan Warriors rugby league club which will see him remain with the North-West club through the Rugby League World Cup in 2013. I've seen Sam play a few times for Wigan and had the pleasure of meeting him at the recent England training camp prior to the opening game of the Gillette Four Nations. He was incredibly patient as I wanted to get some shots of him on a Wattbike which he kindly jumped on for a few minutes while I snapped away
I take more than a passing interest in rugby league but would in no way class myself as an expert, but I don't think it takes an expert to get excited whenever the ball ends up in Sam's hands. He has that injection of pace and an awesome ability to change direction at speed which often leaves the opposition wondering where he has gone. If you get the chance to to see Sam in action either live or on TV when England take on New Zealand this coming weekend you'll know exactly what we mean.
If you're not a follower of rugby league then remember the name, Sam Tomkins, he'll be the face of the 2013 Rugby World Cup.
A question we often receive on our Twitter stream is, where can I try out a Wattbike at a gym near to me. The simplest way to find out is via our 'Find a Wattbike' map, where we've plotted all of the Personal Trainers and Gyms who offer Wattbike sessions.
If your local gym does not yet have a Wattbike then please ask the manager to take a look at our website and get in touch with us, a bit of nagging goes a long way! By working together we can help you get the finest indoor cycle trainer at your local gym.
And don't forget we also have a range of Buy and Hire options if you'd like to have a Wattbike at home, Hire prices start at just £60 per month.
Today I’ve been at the London Eye in Central London for Lloyds Banking Group’s 24 Hour Around the World Cycle Challenge, to raise money for Save the Children. London is just one of 38 locations across the world where staff from the Group are taking on similar feats and although we haven’t seen the other locations I think it’s safe to say that the London team have the most spectacular location.
To kick the challenge off, Sir Win Bischoff, Lloyds Banking Group Chairman and Douglas Rouse, Corporate Partnerships Director at Save the Children came down to ‘the Eye’ to wish the riders the best of luck, and then they were off! What was most impressive was the effort put in on those first few stints on the bike, no gently easing into it for the Lloyds team on this one!
So how did Wattbike end up getting involved? Well, Lloyds initially approached British Cycling for best practice advice on taking on this challenge and they quickly referred the challenge organisers to us. If you’re going to pedal an indoor training bike for 24 hours we think it’s probably best to do it on the best in the business.
We were lucky enough to have exclusive use of the entire London Eye for a couple of hours this morning so that we could get setup, run through the basics of the Wattbike and then get some fantastic shots of the participants in action. Have to admit it was quite disconcerting being in a pod at the top of the London Eye when it comes to a halt for 15 minutes. The London Eye staff were so generous with their time.
The aim is to raise £100,000 through the challenge but on speaking to one of the riders before they started, more than £90,000 had already been pledged! Together, Save the Children and Lloyds Banking Group are helping families and schools work together to make sure the UK’s poorest children get the support they need. To date, enough funds have been raised to support almost 5,000 children. All of the funds raised through the partnership are making a massive long-term difference to the poorest children in the UK.
We’ve got so many awesome shots of the challenge, these are just a few but we promise to put up a Flickr set in the next few days. And if you’re in London and want to come and cheers the guys on, they’re in the Orange Pod!
Just one more event that we are so proud to support at Wattbike.
Yesterday I noticed a flurry of tweets on the Wattbike Twitter stream from pro athletes, all with a similar message - '2012 starts here'. It seems like November 1st 2011 was the day most pros finished up their holidays and were looking forward to the 2012 season and what it might bring. For some, it would be joining a new team while for many, the Olympic Games in London was at the forefront of their minds.
It got me thinking about my own 2012 aspirations, I think it might be a little late for Olympic qualification (in any sport!) so I've already committed to my first sportive of the year with the 2012 Cheshire Cat in March and I'm sure there'll be a lot more to put in the diary. I'm trying not to think about 2011 too much as my cycling took a back seat to work commitments and a house move which consumed most of my summer. And that brings me to the biggest disappointment of 2011, the weather. In the UK we had a terrible summer with persistent rain for what seemed like weeks on end, seriously limiting time on the bike.
For my winter training I'll be following the Sportive Training Plan but if you're a triathlete you can follow our Winter Triathlon Plan, a couple of great options for you there, and best of all, our training plans are completely free. They're packed with great advice from our sport scientist, Eddie Fletcher, with everything from Bike Setup through to that all important Rest and Recovery. The plans are a combination of indoor and outdoor cycling as we know that some of the best riding of the year can be found on a crisp winter Sunday morning. The focus has to be on quality though, as much of your winter training will be spent indoors and we like to stay motivated.
I'll be posting my 2012 wish-list of events, some of which I'll defnitely be doing and some I can only dream of doing, it'll be good to hear where your own 'Road to 2012' is headed - leave us a comment below.
You might just recognise the names Haines and Moser, that's Vic Haines holder of multiple British tandem records and titles, and Francesco Moser, winner of Giro d'Italia, World Championships and three of the five cycling monuments (Paris-Roubaix three times); well, they're looking to make an attempt at setting a new standard for the hour on a tandem.
With such legendary names you'd expect that their tandem would be a bit special, and it is, as you can see from the photos below. When we next catch up with Vic we'll try to get more details on it, it looks fast just standing still!
The record attempt was due to take place in 2011 but Vic suffered a nasty fall at home which left him with a broken jaw, a few missing teeth and "a long list of other things too". Vic's been using a Wattbike to help with his training for the record attempt...and now his recovery.
We'll keep you updated on when the record attempt may be rescheduled in 2012.
Wattbike at the Four Nations Rugby League Tournament
Posted by Matt Moran on Oct 28, 2011
This morning I headed down to Leigh Sports Village in the North-West of England to see the national team training ahead of their opening fixture in the Gillette Four Nations rugby league tournament. The players were going through a light workout, with the first game against Wales taking place tomorrow.
It was a gloriously sunny morning and it was interesting to note that some of the players were practising catching the ball from a high kick whilst facing into the sun, something they will be mindful of come tomorrow afternoon. The session lasted for just over an hour before the players headed back to the team hotel where I caught up with England Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Bitcon. You might recignise Mark's name as his day-to-day work is at Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club.
Mark is a huge fan of the Wattbike and explains in the video what he'll be using the bikes for during the tournament and how they were used during the pre-tournament fitness testing. You'll probably see the Wattbikes present pitchside throughout the tournament.
We received a late request from both the Australian and New Zealand teams for Wattbikes to help with their preparation, so four bikes were quickly dispatched on Thursday and are being put to good use.
On a final note, Stuart Pearce, manager of England U21 football team was at the training session this morning, giving advice on how to handle club v country issues to the coaching staff of the England team.
Fans of BBC One's The One Show will have seen presenter Matt Baker taking a fitness test on a Wattbike earlier this week in preparation for his upcoming Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge. Matt is going to cycle the entire length of the UK in what looks like an incredibly heavy three-wheeled rickshaw. We're not sure if he'll be carrying passengers but even without this, it will be no mean feat.
You can see the Matt on the Wattbike if you're in the UK on BBC iPlayer (available until Mon 31st October 2011)
We took a couple of screenshots of Matt's testing on the Wattbike and even got a sneak peek at his monitor. More info on the Rickshaw Challenge and details of how to donate can be found on the Children in Need website.
I caught up with Team Garmin-Cervelo pro rider Carla Ryan last week to find out how the 2011 season had gone, what her plans were for for 2012, what could be done to strengthen women's professional cycling and her plans to ride the Amy Gillett Foundation Ride.
Carla is back in Australia now so at 8am on an October morning in the UK my first question was, naturally, ‘What’s the weather like over there?’. Answer: “About 31C”. Nothing more to say about that
I was interested in Carla’s view on the 2011 season now the dust had settled, she told us: “I rode the Trofeo Binda in March but my season didn’t really start until mid-year where I supported Emma Pooley (who finished 2nd) at the Giro d’Italia Femminile in July. I came off the back of that race with some good form but didn’t race again until the end of August in the Trofee D Or, a flat tour but it was good to get back to racing. One of the highlights of the year was International de l’Ardèche in September where again I supported Emma Pooley who won the race. Finally, I did the week long Giro della Toscana Femminile.”
Carla’s season was due to end after the Tuscany race but she had an unexpected call-up to the Australian World Championship team. She was designated co-captain of the team and was pleased with how the race went. Carla said: “It was a nice way to finish the season and the team performed well, helping Chloe Hosking to a sixth place finish.”
Carla’s spending time with her family at the moment before heading off to a training camp for Queensland Academy of Sport cyclists on the coast of Northern NSW. Then comes the Australian National Championships in January before she heads back to Europe for the season’s first training camp with her pro team. And then the 2012 season begins - when it’s put like that you suddenly realise how short the off-season is with cycling!
I asked Carla about the future of women's cycling and what might be done to help strengthen it, she told us: “There’s a few new additions to the calendar next year including a return of the women's Tour de France and races in South Africa and Russian. One thing I’d like to see is the women's races run on the same day as the men's races where possible.” We can only say we agree 100% with Carla on this one and we’re sure that when one race organiser does it, so will the rest.
Next up for Carla is the Amy Gillett Foundation Share The Ride Tour from November 16-20, which aims to raise funds to increase awareness of rider and motorist safety in Australia. The Foundation is close to Carla’s heart, she told us: “It’s through the AGF Scholarship in 2007 that helped me get to Europe and start my cycling career, so I love being able to provide my time to give something back to this great cause; I also lost an Aussie friend riding on Italian roads this year. I’ll be doing the Share the Road Tour to pay my respects to Carly Hibberd and her family”
I caught this excellent 3rd party online tool from a recent tweet; Coopa.net have developed a very handy tool which will convert your Wattbike session data files to allow upload to GarminConnect, enabling you to store both your indoor and outdoor training sessions in one place.
It's a simple tool and it works, really well. Thanks to Coopa.net for making this available to the Wattbike community.
You might remember that Eddie and myself went over to Malllorca in the summer to deliver a couple of Wattbikes to Andy Sparks, elite track coach, and Sarah Hammer, multiple World Champion and World Record Holder. Andy's been pretty busy with his stable of athletes over the last couple of months but he kindly managed to drop us an update this week before he once again is back in competition mode at the European Track Championships. He also sent us a couple of stunning photos of Sarah and her Ouch Pro Cycling team-mates at the start, and in full flow during the team pursuit where they took a comfortable victory.
We started off late August with a 4 week training block at altitude at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to start the year off with a good block of endurance training at altitude.
Colorado Springs is great because of not only the near 2000M elevation but also because of the world-class facilities the Olympic Training Center houses, including an outdoor velodrome (very nice in the Colorado sun), full Olympic-lifting weight room, sports science facilities and, an important part of our training at altitude (so we can get heavy resistance, which is hard to get at altitude), a fleet of Wattbikes.
We had some great weather for the camp and also some great company as the Australian, Dutch and German team were also training at the center during this time.
We also had some successful results out of this camp including Sarah Hammer and Jennie Reed setting a new track record at the US National Track Championships, Recep Unalan of Turkey winning a UCI 2.2 stage race (3 stage wins and the overall) and Sofia Arreola, who took 2nd overall at the Pan-Am Games in Mexico.
The Irish and Turkish teams are now in final prep mode for the European Championships coming up this weekend (starting October 21st) and then Team Mexico, Ireland and Mexico will head to the first World Cup of the year in Astana, Kazakhstan to chase Olympic points. Wish us luck!
Thanks Andy, we'll definitely be keeping an eye on the results from the Euros and from the upcoming 1st round of the World Cup.
Last weekend I travelled to Tallinn in Estonia to deliver our first overseas Wattbike Advanced Technical Workshop to an audience of cyclists, coaches and personal trainers from the Baltic States.
On the Saturday morning I visited a cycle trade show where there was some Wattbike racing going on over 1km – fastest on the day was 00:58.
The Workshop was split over two days and the delegates were keen to learn all about how the Wattbike works, pedalling technique, Expert and Power Cycling software and how to test and train on the Wattbike.
There was no lack of volunteers to get on the Wattbike for the practical sessions and Peep Leino was a star agreeing to be tested live in front of his colleagues. Peep has since downloaded Wattbike Expert to do his own analysis of his test files. Five other brave volunteers participated in a 30 minute Wattbike Training session with me at the end of the second day.
There was much discussion about pedalling technique and some very good technique on show – one delegate could replicate good technique at all levels on a Wattbike Pro (he was a pro cyclist though!).
Of particular interest was our new Wattbike Power Cycling software for display of each rider in a class setting – ideal for both cyclists and fitness enthusiasts alike.
A rewarding workshop with great interest on show which makes the journey all the more worthwhile.
Racing in Estonia
Delegates getting to grips with pedalling technique
This past weekend I headed to London for the Cyclosport.org end of season party. Wattbike were the main sponsors for the event so I took along a couple of bikes for guests to try and we had a peak power competition running throughout the day
After setting up the two Wattbikes inside the Alexender Pope pub it was time to drink coffee and meet up with some new and plenty of familiar faces. It was great to meet a couple of people who I first met at the Cycle Show where we were offering technique analysis sessions. Everybody received a nice goody bag including gifts from Science in Sport, Purple Harry, Kilo To Go and IG Markets. There were also plenty of people present who had completed the Alpine Challenge which Wattbike sponsored last month and it was great to see the stunning AC2011 kit, by LeMarq, being worn again.
With guests topped up to the brim with caffeine it was time to head out on the social ride, a 40 mile spin from Twickenham to Box Hill and back, taking in sections of the Olympic Road Race course. Split into 3 groups based on how fast we felt like riding, I thankfully chose Group 2 after seeing Group 1 containing the likes of Stephen Roche, Yanto Barker and Tony Gibb head off into the distance.
It was noticeable on the ride that even though it was a busy Saturday morning on the roads, we encountered very little in the way of antagonism from drivers despite being in groups of 30 or more riders, a sure sign that cycling is mainstream and here to stay. The Ride Captains did a fantastic job as always.
We rode as a group throughout the social ride except for Box Hill where we all went as fast as we could (or wanted). This was my first trip up Box Hill and I was surprised at how shallow the gradient was although I suppose come the Olympics the pros will be completing 9 laps and be climbing at a much faster speed.
As canapes were served prior to dinner we had some early interest in the Wattbike Challenge and plenty questions about how the Wattbike could help with winter training. A lovely meal was devoured by all and it was nice to be on the same table as Tony Gibb and find out what he was up to.
A nice addition to the day's proceedings was the Q&A with Stephen Roche, Yanto Barker, Tony Gibb, Brian Smith and Matt Stephens, some interesting views and a lot of positivity about where cycling is and where it's headed in the UK. The sportive industry in particular is on a high right now and the challenge is to captilise on the 'Cav effect' and the Olympics in 2012.
There was also a replica of the bike Stephen Roche rode in his incredible 1997 season where he won the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championship in the same year - only one other rider has achieved that, a certain Eddy Merckx.
The Wattbike Challenge commenced with Yanto Barker who didn't quite manage to beat his peak power in Annecy - this time we bought along some scales to calculate power to weight although it was still Josh Cunningham who has spent the year racing for a Belgian team who took the men's prize while the women's competition saw Hannah from Access Sport and GS Gazzetta rider Theresa post higher and higer scores until Hannah finally put in one last huge effort to take victory. The winners were pleased with their Scalextric Velodrome and jerseys signed by Stephen Roche
As people drifted off home it was time to put the Wattbikes away and settle down for a few hours in the bar to reflect on a great day of making new friends and catching up with old ones. Looking back on the 2011 sportive season it's easy to be self-congratulatory about all of the good things that have happened but it's far more exciting to be looking ahead to what 2012 will bring.
I spotted a tweet from Paul Unett a couple of days ago, he'd just completed 1,000 mile challenge on a Wattbike, so I thought I'd get in touch to see what he was up to and why he wanted to spend so long on a Wattbike!
It transpires that Paul is in training for a an attempt at the record for fastest person to cycle around the world. Think of that 1,000 miles he's just done on a Wattbike over the course of a week and then consider his global challenge which will see him knock of 18,000 miles. My legs are aching just thinking about it.
Paul is fundraising for ManxSPCA and Article25. Over the next year he is hoping to raise a combined total of £29,000 for the two charities which will contribute towards the construction of a deep pool pen for seals at Ard Jekyll, Foxdale; and the reconstruction of a school in Haiti following the natural disaster in 2010.
We'll keep in touch with Paul as he nears his challenge and look forward to hearing how he gets on. Meanwhile you can follow him on Twitter via @paulcyclesworld and his website at www.paulcyclesworld.com.
Did Jimmy Watkins record the highest ever cadence on a Wattbike?
Posted by Alex Skelton on Oct 10, 2011
Wattbike sport scientist, Eddie Fletcher caught up with Jimmy Watkins the USA Olympic track cyclist last week. Jimmy does some of his training on a Wattbike Pro training out of Fire Station 55 in Lebec, California where he is a full time fireman working 48 hour shifts!
Jimmy reckons that ‘the Wattbike is by far the best training tool I have. Working as a firefighter full time as well as living 2.5 hrs from the nearest track I rely heavily on it to compete at level I do. It is a super stable platform with very realistic resistance. The information you get is unbelievable’.
He had a Wattbike workout already recorded from the day before for Eddie to look at, a punishing 2 set workout, the first set (seated starts) of 3 x 5 second sprints, a 10 second sustained power sprint and a 20 second sustained power sprint (seated starts), the second set (standing start) 3 x 5 second sprints, 20 second sustained power sprint and a 40 second sustained power sprint.
First set was on air resistance 6 and the second set on air resistance 8 – don’t try this workout at home!
Awesome leg speed and power output on the 5 second sprint sections of the workout topping out at over 2000 W and cadence of close to 170 rpm on each one
His pedalling technique is also awesome and Eddie identified some small improvements which Jimmy could make to get those all so important marginal gains.
Eddie then got Jimmy to do the Wattbike 20 minute cadence based warm up on air resistance level 1. During the first ‘rev out’ Jimmy set a record 214 rpm with peak power of 2069 W (unless any of our readers know a higher figure - and remember this is at air resistance level 1).
Truly awesome!
Jimmy’s comment ‘the leg speed warm up you had me do today is definitely harder than I normally warm up. But I hit the highest watts I ever have on that setting so I guess it’s my standard warm up now’.
We will be working with, and tracking Jimmy’s progress through to London 2012. Watch out for regular updates.
Jimmy is competing in the Pan Am Games later in October and there will be an opportunity to see him in London at the World Cup Track event in February 2012.
Well, to be truthful, it's Nikki that needs your votes. If you're a fan of ours on Facebook then you'll already know that Nikki was one of the people who rode non-stop for 3 days, showcasing Power Cycling to the health and fitness industry at Leisure Industry Week recently.
Fitnorama Magazine are currently running a model competition and we'd really appreciate it if you voted for Nikki as she did such a sterling job for us throughout the week! She hasn't asked us to ask you, the wonderful Wattbike blog readers, to vote for her but we thought it was the least we could do in return. If her picture gains the most 'Likes' then she will feature on the cover of Fitnorama Magazine this December...and we'd all love to see that.
Nikki also came over to Wattbike HQ for a photo-shoot this week and we thought we'd share some snaps with you, she also brought her dog along who was keen to get on camera too!.
We've been in the press a few times over the last week. First up was a nice feature in Athletics Weekly focusing on GB 800m athlete Jenny Meadows' use of the Wattbike for cross-training, they called The Secret Weapon. Not so secret now!
Jenny is using her Wattbike all year round and although, by her own admission, she had a disappointing World Championships, she finished the season off in style by coming third in the Zurich meeting (video below) and winning the overall Diamond Race which comes with a nice cheque! Well done Jenny and we look forward to catching up with you very soon.
We'll also be visiting Jenny's hometown friends at Wigan Warriors to see what's in store for their players after a season in which they won the Challenge Cup on their first visit to Wembley in more than a decade. They fell short in the Super League playoffs and we know they are disappointed but not many can argue with the fantastic entertainment they've put on for fans throughout the League.
Wattbike was also mentioned by Tom Peck of The Independent as he was sent to Cycle Show 2011 to learn how to ride a bike at the age of 29 and 2/3rds years old. Tom took it all in his stride and started the day by jumping on a Wattbike to learn all about good pedalling technique. After a great session with Eddie Fletcher, Tom then moved on to the Cycle Show's excellent outdoor track and managed to complete a few metres entirely unaided. Mission accomplished! Tom's review of his cycling day can be read on The Independent website while his immediate thoughts on the day can be seen in the video below.
Having just completed my last sportive of 2011 I have to admit to feeling pretty tired. Not only because of the 55 mile hilly course around the Peak District but because I was recently ill. Getting back on the bike after a severe bout of sickness is something that simply cannot be rushed, it took nearly two weeks before I managed to not feel totally fatigued from daily tasks like taking a shower or even just walking up the stairs. The temptation to go out for a ride almost got the better of me and with the Wattbike just sitting, almost taunting me, at home, I was going slightly stir-crazy.
When I finally did get out to ride it took me 2 hours to do 21 miles – not really great form for getting around the hills of Northern England. However, I was back on the bike, turning the legs and felt ok. Last Sunday’s Brian Rourke Cat and Fiddle ride had me slightly worried given that I’d only ridden twice since being ill but I rode the course without any problems, felling good on the hills. I didn’t break any records but equally I didn’t break my body.
The following day proved to be a bit of a wake-up call though, as I felt very fatigued and quite stiff. A constant source of frustration to me is my lack of commitment to do some basic stretching, I know I should, I want to, but I never do. Perhaps something for 2012 New Year’s resolutions!
What I have done though is take a look at the info put together by Wattbike Sport Scientist Eddie Fletcher on Rest and Recovery. Even if you don’t own a Wattbike (and why don’t you!?!) there is some invaluable advice on the importance of allowing your body to recover from training and competition. If you ever get the chance to meet or speak to Eddie about a training program, you know he’ll spend a good amount of time talking about rest and recovery – as he says, it’s just as important as the work you do in training.
Given how good I felt on the hills last weekend, there is a huge temptation to get out as soon as possible for some longer rides, but I know that I need to spend some time resting up. I will do a recovery session on the Wattbike later tonight, I already know my training zones from our calculator so can produce the right power and heart rate for a suitable recovery session.
While I’m doing this, I’ll start to have a think about what I want to achieve next year on the bike which will give me some focus to training over the winter. It would be good to hear about your plans.
I spent yesterday at the Cycle Show for the Press and Trade Day, a chance for the good and great of the cycling industry to shake hands, chat about the current cycling scene and drink copious amounts of coffee.
My plan had been to grab 30 minutes away from the Wattbike booth to take some photos for the blog but, alas, we were so busy that I hardly had chance to draw breath. There was lots of interest from the media and a good number of bike shop owners dropping by to see how they might be able to use the Wattbike for Bike Fit sessions.
Bike Fit is something which is increasingly coming to the fore for the cycle industry, not only do people want the best equipment, they also want to know that they have set it up correctly. We discussed with many bike shop owners how to use the Wattbike to set up correct bike position - the great thing being that you can actually see how a small change in bar/saddle position affects technique and power output in real time. It's fair to say there were some astonished faces as to how accurate this works.
I met a lot of people who came to try a Wattbike for the first time, including a guy who was doing the Race Across America - his focus was to ensure that he reached the start line in the perfect shape to take on what has to be one of the toughest events on the bike. He loved the idea of building up an archive of his own performance data so that he could see he was on track for the RAAM but also to check for early signs of injury. Every little bit of assistance is welcome when you're doing such an extreme event.
We also had Tom Peck from the Independent on the Wattbike booth. Tom was sent to the show to learn how to ride a bike and our guys gave him the run down on good pedal technique, we tried not to make him sweat too much. He did manage to transfer some of the learning on the Wattbike out onto the test track at the show. Nice video below from the Cycle Show team.
I'm back at the NEC tomorrow, where we'll be once again conducting pedal technique analysis sessions. I will certainly put time aside to get some photos and put them up on the blog next week. On Sunday I have my last sportive of the season and (hopefully) some unseasonably warm British weather.
Wattbike helping Simon Richardson on the road to recovery (#simonstrong)
Posted by Matt Moran on Sep 27, 2011
We’re often asked about providing support or sponsorship for various cyclists, triathletes, events and charities and while we take a detailed look at every request there are some occasions when it takes a matter of seconds for us to say yes, we can help.
We’d been following Simon Richardson on Twitter for some time, he’s an inspiring guy. In 2001 he was riding his bike to training when he was hit by a car which left him with a damaged back in 2 places and a broken right leg. In 2005 he took up cycling as part of his rehabilitation, going on to win 2 Gold and 1 Silver medal at the Beijing Paralympics just 3 years later. In the 2009 Honours List, Simon was appointed a well-deserved MBE.
Preparations for the London 2012 Paralympics were going well when Simon was involved in a collision whilst out training on his bike in August 2011, it left him in a critical condition in hospital. The news quickly spread via Twitter and an incredible amount of messages of support were coming in from all over the world. We left our own message too. We’d never met Simon, we just enjoyed keeping up to date with what he was up to via Twitter.
It was great to see after a few days that his condition was improving from what was a life-threatening situation and the updates from Phil Jones of Race-Pace.net kept the cycling community up to speed in the following weeks as Simon started to realise that he’d been involved in a big accident, but also that he was in a position to begin the road to recovery. And then we saw this message on Twitter:
It took us no longer than the 5 seconds it took to read the message to know that we wanted to help Simon on his journey to getting back to what he likes doing best. We’re not sure when Simon will want to start using a Wattbike but we’ve got one waiting here at HQ, ready for the call when he says that he wants to step back on a bike again. It might be indoors, but those first few pedal revolutions will no doubt be the start of another chapter in the extra-ordinary life of Simon Richardson MBE.
We look forward to hearing Simon’s thoughts on his recovery on the Wattbike blog in the coming weeks and months. We know the rest of the Wattbike community wish him all the best too.
Great news to hear that the Wattbike League is up and running again in Lichfield at Friary Grange Leisure Centre, courtesy of Lichfield District Council. Starting November 1st and continuing on a weekly basis until the 22nd, there'll be a fantastic evening of competitive racing on Wattbikes featuring 4 groups based on differing abilities. Each group will race a minimum of 4 times per evening. The league is registered with British Cycling.
Register in advance to secure your spot and pay just £16 for the entire league, or £5 on the night. A second Wattbike League will run from 17th January 2012. All of the details you need to enter can be found at Friary Grange Leisure Centre, Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, Staffs, WS13 7EW or 01543 308842 or friary.grange@lichfielddc.gov.uk
Training sessions start on Tuesday 27th and Thursday 29th September. There are 2 groups, one at 6pm and another at 7pm, £1.50 per person, payable at the leisure centre reception. You'll need to book ahead.
If you are interested in setting up your own Wattbike League then please get in touch via info@wattbike.com.
Can't wait to see some of the pics from the Lichfield Wattbike League, but in the meantime here are some images from a pervious year...
Teun Mulder talks training at 2000W+ on the Wattbike
Posted by Matt Moran on Sep 21, 2011
Earlier in the summer (yes, remember that, summer!) we took a day trip to Amsterdam to catch up with 3 times World Champion track cyclist Teun Mulder. We met up with Teun at the velodrome in Apeldoorn, scene of the 2011 World Track Cycling Championships and were greeted by an image of him which stretched the full height of the building!
Teun should have been heading to Japan for his season of Keirin racing but due to the earthquake in the region the entire season was cancelled; Nonetheless we were interested to find out what it was like going to Keirin School as a European rider.
Teun's been using a Wattbike to train on for quite a while now and we wanted to know about the kind of training he does for his sprint events. It was pretty cool to hear about the kinds of numbers he is putting out during training, regularly over 2000W and sometimes over 2200W! Yes, he definitely is at the elite end of the sport!
We'll be following Teun closely as he enters the 2011/12 track season which of course culminates in the 2012 London Olympic Games.
So many great memories from our trip to the Alpine Challenge and we've just received the official photographs. We'll pick out our favourites amongst the hundreds taken and put them up here on the Wattbike blog over the next few days...
Newcastle Falcons power up their training on the Wattbike
Posted by Ben Addison on Sep 21, 2011
We dropped off four Wattbikes with Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union club a couple of months ago and if you recall, the players were all keen to jump on to try to outdo each other on who can get the biggest peak power. Well, we've now got some scores from a few players and have entered these onto our Wattbike Ranking system. The three players have all made the top 25 in our rankings and we suspect there could be more in the future!
You can add your own peak power scores (along with a whole host of other distances) on our Wattbike Rankings system - word of caution though, please make sure you are sufficiently warmed up before doing a peak power test.
We also received this video from Falcons via their excellent Falcons TV YouTube channel, it features Andrew van der Heijden, aka Vanders, doing a Wattbike session. We're pretty sure that he is grimacing and NOT smiling towards the end of the session and you can literally feel the thighs burning as you watch it. Thanks Vanders!
Wattbike launches Power Cycling in partnership with British Cycling
Posted by Matt Moran on Sep 20, 2011
Today we can finally reveal something we've been working on for quite some time, let me introduce you to Power Cycling. We're talking about a revolution in indoor cycling and we're really happy to have the support of the national governing body for cycling in the UK, British Cycling. Power Cycling takes indoor group cycling to a completely new level, allowing individuals to train at levels based on their own personal fitness but in a group environment.
The new Power Cycling software looks fantastic and provides an enhanced level of interactivity for all Wattbike users. If you're training in a group and are using multiple Wattbikes then you'll be able to see and compare live data during the session, including Power, Heart Rate and Cadence. You can also isolate an individuals performance during the session which is fantastic for motivation. For the competitive riders there is a great race option which displays the distance covered. We can't wait to see this being rolled out to gyms across the UK.
For individuals you now have the option to store your training sessions within the new Power Cycling software. If you're looking to analyse the myriad of data put out by the Wattbike then you can continue to use the Expert Software but if you want to see the main performance parameters you can download the Power Cycling software today. You have the ability to store your sessions within the new Power Cycling software and combined with the live Polar View you'll have all you need to train harder and ride faster (with better technique of course!).
Here's a copy of the Press Release issued today
Wattbike launches Power Cycling initiative in partnership with British Cycling
New approach to indoor recreational cycling in partnership with gyms and personal trainers
Training and accreditation for Personal Trainers backed by global fitness education provider FitPro
Nottingham, 20th September, 2011 - Wattbike today announced the launch of Power Cycling, a new concept in indoor group cycling for the health and fitness sector, backed by British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling.
Power Cycling will be launched at Leisure Industry Week taking place from 20th-22nd September at NEC, Birmingham, UK. Wattbike will be providing demonstrations of Power Cycling on stand H232.
Developed in partnership with global fitness education provider FitPro, Power Cycling offers a new approach to indoor group cycling, where an individual can exercise in a group but at their own optimum fitness level, based on highly accurate real-time data on their power, heart rate and cadence. Power Cycling opens up a new market for the health and fitness sector, enabling gyms and fitness chains to present an authentic indoor cycle training offering to the fast growing cycling and triathlon sector.
Power Cycling is the latest initiative in the new relationship between Wattbike and British Cycling. Every accredited instructor will become a British Cycling member and be at the forefront of improving cycling technique and increasing fitness through indoor cycling.
Wattbike Power Cycling provides the broader population with an interest in fitness to engage with cycling in a safe and controlled environment, whilst providing an authentic link between indoor cycling and outdoor cycling. Participants will have the opportunity to become British Cycling Members and benefit from a range of offers and advice.
The Power Cycling Instructor Course provides instructors with all of the tools required to lead fun and effective sessions on the Wattbike. The one-day course is supported by online learning modules and post-course support.
To support group Power Cycling sessions, Wattbike has developed a special Power Cycling software package that allows data from participating Wattbikes to be displayed on large screen displays in gyms.
Stewart Kellett, British Cycling Director of Recreation and Partnerships said: “‘We are constantly innovating in order to reach our target of getting one million more people into riding bikes by 2013. We’ve developed new activities and events from Sky Ride to women-only recreational rides. To continue to reach new people in new ways, were working with partners to make it as easy as possible to find a bike riding opportunity.”
“Indoor cycling is part of this mix. We believe an indoor cycling experience should be authentic and fun - as challenging and invigorating as getting out on the road. Wattbike gives new and regular cyclists a unique experience. Your riding position is natural and at the same time you are learning about your cycling technique, power output and pedalling effectiveness which you can apply in mountain, road or track cycling. And it’s also fun way to improve your fitness in a social environment. Wattbike and indoor cycling is an important part of how we will reach 1m more cyclists, and have a lot of fun on the way.”
Ian Wilson, Managing Director of Wattbike said: “Power Cycling is set to revolutionise indoor group cycling. For the first time gyms and personal trainers will be able to offer clients an individualised and structured path to fitness in a group environment. The detailed feedback from the Wattbike, combined with our new Power Cycling software, is a compelling combination.”
“The benefits for the health and fitness sector are clear; Power Cycling provides a new and exciting offering for gym owners and personal trainers. Not only will the structured training programs retain existing clients, Power Cycling appeals to a whole new set of people who have never previously trained indoors. With the backing of British Cycling we see Power Cycling as the ultimate solution for those wanting to stay fit and improve upon their cycling technique throughout the winter months.”
The Wattbike mirrors the experience of riding a real bike, while enabling the user to monitor and record key performance parameters in real-time with an unrivalled level of accuracy. Capturing results to this level of detail encourages smarter training for the individual; allows each user to fine-tune their cycling technique; and to adhere to training programs that achieve performance, health or fitness goals with a minimum commitment of time.
High res images of group Power Cycling sessions and the Power Cycling Software are at http://flic.kr/s/aHsjwh5ZSu
We're quickly heading towards the end of the pro cycling season and with the World Championships starting in Copenhagen, Denmark I thought it would be interesting to look at a couple of the rankings systems for pro cyclists. FIrst up is the UCI WorldTour Rankings:-
As you can see, the top 15 places are almost identical in terms of both riders and their position. The UCI rankings system relies very much on the placings riders achieve in races, with the quantity of points awarded for each placing differing depending on the quality of the race. Riders pick up points for finishing in the top 20 in Grand Tours and the Top 10 in other races while a Top 5 stage finish in stage races also sees riders increasing their points tally.
The main criticism of the the UCI rankings system is that the value of stage placings and stage wins is too high compared to the points on offer for an overall win. There is also some debate about the points attached to comparable races, for example, the Tour de Suisse, a very difficult pre-Tour warm-up race attracts the same points as the Eneco Tour. Seasoned observers would suggest that the Tour de Suisse should attract higher points while the counter-argument is that the UCI are ensuring that the climbers do not dominate the rankings system.
Turning to the IG Markets Pro Cycling Index, the points system isn't so radically different from the UCI's, for example, a Grand Tour Stage win is still worth 1/10th of Overall victory. The main difference with the index is that it is a rolling 12 month calculation (the UCI start with a clean slate every season) and there are bonuses to be gained for riders who win 'Queen Stages' and multiple specific races as chosen by a panel of experts. The issue here is that the best riders do not necessarily concern themselves with winning so-called 'Queen stages' and taking a look at the IG Index FAQ's I noted that there were four 'Queen Stages' in this year's Tour de France.
What the two rankings systems do show is that it can be a very subjective business in trying to rank riders in a sport where there are such differing specialities such as climbing, sprinting, one day riders, Grand Tour contenders.
How about you join us down the pub later to discuss who we think is the best rider over a pint of beer?
Great news to hear that Garmin-Cervelo pro Carla Ryan will once again represent Australia in the 2011 World Road Race Championship on 24th September. Check out a recent interview we did with her for the Wattbike Blog.
Carla recently sent us these photos of her training on her Wattbike...
Day 3 of the 2011 Alpine Challenge promised to be the most difficult yet and with expected temperatures of 30C+ there were a few nerves on show amongst all of the groups. Group 1 riders were still battling it our for the Chazal leaders jersey, Group 2 riders were looking to move themselves up the rankings while Group 3 riders were pondering the steep, hot road ahead.
It was great to find out that we’d have Stephen Roche with us in Group 3 for the final stage and I was really looking forward to chatting with him and getting a few descending tips. We once again rolled out of Annecy on closed roads and I felt pretty good up the first two climbs of the day, the Col de la Forclaz and Col de l’Epine although with every pedal stroke the temperature was increasing.
At the top of the second climb the group was consuming Science in Sport gels and drinks in vast quantities in an attempt to keep our energy levels up and avoid the risk of dehydration. The hardest and longest climb of the event, the Col de la Croix Fry, was also the final timed section of the Alpine Challenge and the last opportunity for riders to move up the timing sheets.
By the time we rolled over the timing mat at the foot of the climb I was already beginning to suffer so after 2km I decided to pull back and let most of the group ride away from me. At this stage my riding was well under control but as the length and steepness of the climb took its toll the ride turned into a matter of survival.
Throughout the Alpine Challenge the camaraderie amongst the riders has been incredible and it was on display again on the Croix Fry, I was given (and giving) lots of encouragement to the riders I was following and being overtaken by. We’d ridden together for 3 days and suffered together and we all so desperately wanted to get each other to the finish.
After what seemed like an age I finally crested the summit to a big cheer from riders of all groups. Lunchtime entertainment was provided by Stephen Roche who took part in his own crit around the dining room – great fun and typical of the atmosphere on this event.
What followed was one of the best cycling experiences I have had in a long time as all groups were brought together for the last 30km run into Annecy – a swarming pack of cyclists on a long descent, chatting, congratulating and looking forward to reaching the finish line. As we approached the centre of Annecy we received loud cheers from bystanders and cars beeped their horns. With moto outriders, Mavic neutral service cars and a trailing TV moto it’s clear why this event is billed as ‘the professional event for amateurs’’.
Crossing the finish line was emotional, everybody received a bottle of champagne (including the outriders and medical staff – nice touch!) and the riders all got medals, there were plenty of hugs and a few tears.
We hadn’t really expected the Wattbike Peak Power Challenge to continue after such a long hot day but we were suddenly met with a queue to try to win the prize of a weeks break in Annecy. New records were set and many riders were having 2 or 3 attempts, all very entertaining! We’ll blog about the challenge later in the week. Stephen Roche also kindly signed my race number which is a great memento of the event.
Finally we were all bussed over to a BBQ right at the side of Lake Annecy where much food and drink was consumed, stories were swapped and final goodbyes were said, there were lots of ‘See you next year’ – including from me.
Today there was a most welcome later start to Stage 2 of the Alpine Challenge, I think it was appreciated by most riders after a tough start yesterday but it didn't stop some very wearing looking riders staring blankly into their cups of coffee over breakfast (including me). After forcing a whole heap of food down me and a few last minute bike adjustments we were again swept through the closed off streets of Annecy by the moto outriders who are looking after us so well. I'd quite like to hire them for some of my training rides!
There were a few long drags out of Annecy before we reached the timed climb of the day, Col des Aravis, and a real sense that there was a heightened interest amongst the group to get good times. Everybody seemed to have adjusted to the length and difficulty of the climbs from yesterday and I felt pretty good. I hadn't quite anticipated the stunning view of Mont Blanc at the top of the climb, it just suddenly appeared and made the effort all the more worth it.
A superb descent and then straight into another climb, a tough one and a welcome rest at the top where I was overjoyed to find a Mars bar on offer from one of the support crew. I don't think he will ever know how much I appreciated that at the time. Before lunch we had a 3km climb and the message had come through from the faster groups ahead that it was difficult...difficult for them, very difficult for us! A total leg-breaker. The group pushed each other on again and we made it to lunch where I jumped straight on the massage table - those guys deserve a medal for the work they are doing to repair broken bodies.
The final 30km of the day consisted of a downhill section followed by a flat ride into Annecy. Easy. Not into a headwind though. It was more like interval training as a few of us were yo-yo-ing off the back of the group. Big thanks to Ride Captain Rachel and a fellow rider for letting me sit on their wheel for about 20km, have to say I was pretty empty at that point. Coming into Annecy during rush hour we had a full escort through the city-centre, the roads were cleared, traffic stopped at roundabouts and a huge cheer as we arrived at the finish line.
I did a quick interview for TV at the finish line but judging by how I felt (and probably looked) it may only be safe for post-watershed viewing. Tonight we went into the Old Town in Annecy - it truly is a stunning place. Great food, great company and good banter rounded off just another day at the Alpine Challenge
I haven't even got time to mention the Wattbike challenge except to say we have a new leader in the mens category and the heat is about to be turned up as many of the Group 1 riders will be doing it at breakfast time. We also have Stephen Roche up for the challenge too which is of course great. I'll be blogging sepaately about the challenge but check our Twitter feed for a few videos.
Number pinned on tomorrow's new jersey and I'm ready to tackle the last and hardest stage of the 2011 Alpine Challenge!
Today saw the official start of the 2011 Alpine Challenge here in Annecy, it started with an 11km time trial up the Col des Leschaux, not particularly steep but deceptively long. Plenty of excited riders (and a few nervous ones) gathered outside the hotel where we were met by nearly 20 moto outriders and a couple of Mavic Neutral Service vehicles.
What followed was a surreal but wonderful experience – the Alpine Challenge takes place on closed roads so picture the scene, rush hour in Annecy and we’re whisked through the centre of this beautiful town while traffic in all directions is stopped. Yes, we were a pro peloton in full flow! We certainly caught the eye of the locals and received a few ‘Allez, Allez, Allez’ as we headed out towards the first timed section of the days route.
Having climbed the Col des Leschaux yesterday (including a further 2 rides since we arrived) I was feeling a little fatigued so got myself into an easy rhythm towards the rear of the field. Having climbed most of the big climbs in France I know my limitations and with little to no training for the event I wanted to gauge how I would feel on the first climb – the answer being, OK but tired.
My colleague Steve was in better form and went up the road at some increased pace, eventually being seeded in Group 2, with me in the slower Group 3. One thing that really stands out in this event is the Ride Captains; each group is assigned two experienced riders who look after the group, ensuring all the riders are safe and giving encouragement and advice where needed. They seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing when to give that bit of a ‘come on, you can do it’.
The big climb of the day, Col du Plainpalais, provided superb scenery and a real challenge and, what an awesome view at the top. I’ll be receiving the official photos from the organisers soon and they’ll be well worth a look. Group 3 rode up at a good pace, we were all finding it difficult but kept together and pushed each other on. I've borrowed a fantastic Merida bike for the event but I do feel slightly over-geared as it has a race setup and I normally ride a compact chainset.
The other advantage of riding on closed roads is the confident way you can descend. I love descending and the Merida made it a real treat for what felt like a 30 minute descent. One of the other benefits of the Alpine Challenge is the service cars carry a bag for each rider so at the top of each climb you pull over, take out your gilet and arm warmers and head off down the mountain – no carrying multi-tools, arm warmers, puncture repair kits and the kitchen sink on this event – it’s all about quality riding.
Lunch at the foot of the climb was a time for us all to gather ourselves, get a quick refreshing massage and look forward to the rolling terrain home where once again we were treated like royalty through the closed off streets of Annecy. We arrived back to the hotel ahead of schedule to a welcoming committee who clapped us over the finish line. A few ‘well-dones’ to our fellow group riders and we headed off to rest and recuperate (and take in post-ride massage)
Stories of riding in groups, on closed roads and amongst new friends were swapped over dinner and times were checked on the official results sheet (more to come on that later!) and then it’s off to bed ready for Stage 3
.
Already this event has exceeded any expectations I had, great company within the individual groups and around the breakfast and dinner table, fantastic support out on the road from the organisers and some of the most breath-taking scenery you’ll find anywhere. Bring on tomorrow!
So we've been in the Alps in Annecy for 2 days, within 30 mins of arriving we'd been coerced into a ride with Sven, the organiser of the Alpine Challenge. He took us around Lake Annecy which has to be one of the most stunning rides I've ever done. A great loop on a traffic-free cycle path for half of the ride and a great fast road back into Annecy (except for the c. 300m hill which Sven forgot to mention - in typical fashion enthusiasm got the better of me and my legs went bang after 150m).
Throughout the day the guest have been arriving ready for the official start tomorrow, meanwhile myself and Steve went on a 'leisurely' ride again with Sven and a guy named Stephen Roche...you might just have heard of him. We recce'd the opening climb tomorrow, which is essentially an 11km mountain time-trial. I managed to stay with Stephen and Sven to the summit although I suspect Stephen was working at around 15% of his maximum...I also got dropped on the descent. Pretty cool to see the technique these guys have on the descents.
The afternoon featured another leisure ride for all of the guests arriving mid-morning, around 40-50 of us set off on a trip around Lake Annecy, a great way to get to know the people we'll be spending the next 4 days with. Decked out in full Wattbike kit made for an interesting ride as rider after rider rode up to my side to ask questions about the Wattbike, tell me they'd once done a peak power test att the various events we attend and asking when they could jump on one here in Annecy to take a look at their pedalling technique.
We've now set up Wattbike's for guests to try out and it was interesting to see that we didn't even have time to set up the big screen before people were clamouring to jump on. Some great conversations about power, training and technique made for a good evening. Prior to the evening meal the organisers announced that the winner of the Wattbike Challenge would win a weeks holiday in a villa with prizes for both best male and female. If only we could enter!
So, it all starts tomorrow, Stage 1, a mountain time trial up the Col des Leschaux, followed by Stage 2 including a climb up Col du Plainpalais, phew!
Last thing for now from the Alps, all riders (including myself and Steve) received a fantastic goody bag containing sunglasses, voucher to spend at Chain Reaction Cycles, mini-pump, mini-tool, rain jacket, enough Science in Sport product to power me around most of Europe!
I had some great feedback via Twitter and Facebook about restarting my training plan and feel really motivated about getting stuck into it. I had planned to do the 3 minutes aerobic test last week to work out my power training zones until my colleagues at Wattbike decided they had other plans for me.
When the email asking me to go to the Alpine Challenge landed in my inbox I was pretty pleased (see understatement in the dictionary). As the day unfolded though I realised I was being coerced into riding it which, as regular blog readers will know, will be a tall order given the amount of training I've done recently.
Never one to shirk my responsibilities I'll be setting off with my colleague next week to take part in The Alpine Challenge. However much my legs may hurt, if the scenery is as good as I have seen on the website and on (the excellent) Climb by Bike then I am in for a real treat.
The itenerary looks perfect, wonderful location, great cycling roads and what looks like great company.
I'll be blogging from the event so check back here regularly throughout the week to hear how it's going and I'll also post some updates on Twitter and Facebook
Wattbike now an Official Sponsor of The Alpine Challenge
Posted by Alex Skelton on Sep 01, 2011
This is a really exciting development for us at Wattbike, we're now an Official Sponsor of The Alpine Challenge. The Alpine Challenge is a 4 stage Alpine event which follows a similar format to the London-Paris, both of which organised by HotChillee Events.
The event is based out of the beautiful lakeside town of Annecy in the Savoie and the scenery and riding is breathtaking every day. We'll have a couple of guys at the event next week so check the blog to see how they're getting on. Three are some stunning climbs on this year's Alpine Challenge route and combined with superb hospitality it really is shaping up to be a fantastic event.
Speaking about The Alpine Challenge, HotChillee director Sven Thiele is extremely pleased with the route that his HotChillee team have put together, an event which will once again take in some of the greatest bike riding country in the world, he states:
"We are very proud of what we believe to be one of the best ever routes that HotChillee has designed for one of our events. We were overcome by the response to the inaugural event in 2010, and people genuinely felt that the challenging environment and the event logistics made the event feel very much like a Continental stage race. Riders meet many new friends and riding partners, they create new business contacts and they all share a real passion for cycling."
"There are no barriers to mixing and interacting and many participants of our events have become very close to all of the HotChillee events team. Annecy is a great hub for the event too, and is a beautiful part of the world to enjoy cycling and leisure time. With some great attractions and stunning places to stay we are encouraging participants to make this a family affair and bring their loved ones to enjoy this super Alpine environment. Overall we have a superb event planned for 2011, and feel that The Alpine Challenge will surpass people's expectations once again".
Follow our trip to The Alpine Challenge here on the blog and via Twitter
A revolution in indoor group cycling is about to happen!
Posted by Matt Moran on Aug 31, 2011
We'll be at Leisure Industry Week from September 20th to 22nd and we've got a very special announcement to make at the show so come along and see us on Stand H232.
We'll be showcasing the Wattbike on the stand over the 3 days and it's your chance to see a Wattbike class in action, led by Master instructor Marvin Burton; and if you're feeling energetic and want to get to know the Wattbike a little better, you're more than welcome to join in one of the classes. In fact, we positively encourage it!
Come and talk to us about how the Wattbike is fast becoming the solution for indoor cycling in the health and fitness sector. We'll also have a British Cycling Membership presence on our stand and if you drop by you'll be entered into a competition to win some lovely Team GB cycling kit.
So, make a note in your diary to see us on Stand H232 for the big announcement from 20th-22nd September.
A revolution in indoor group cycling is about to happen!
We've just placed a really handy feature on the website to help you calculate your personal Power Training Zones; so when you've completed your 3 Minute Aerobic Test just drop your maximum heart rate and maximum minute power into the Training Zones Calculator and it will give you all the info you need to start training in a really focused way, which is what the Wattbike is all about. If you don't have a specific training plan to follow then take a look at our sportive training plan.
Feel free to post you 3 Minute Aerobic Test results below, I'll be posting mine shortly.
I interviewed Sam Sills a few months ago, he's one of the UK's hottest windsurfing prospects and of course, he trains on a Wattbike. I'd done a bit of research prior to the interview as, despite being the ultimate sports geek, you could fit what I know about windsurfing on the back of a postage stamp. I'd come across the odd video interview with Sam online and to be honest, he is well out of my league when it comes to 'cool' so I knew this would be a really fun and interesting interview. What surprised me most was despite being just 18, Sam had a clear mind about what he wanted to achieve and how he was going to get there; he's also not afraid to try new things in training so I wanted to find out exactly how and why a Wattbike would help out a windsurfer.
Tell us a bit about yourself Sam, and when did you get into windsurfing?
I'm 18 and live in Cornwall, UK. I started off sailing on a local lake when I was about 7 or 8 years old, saw that they had windsurfing lessons and thought it looked like a lot of fun.
What level are you currently competing at?
I'm ranked No.1 in the UK at U19 level and I'm on the Olympic Transitional Team. I've also been World Champion at U17 and U15 level and finished 6th at this year's ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Croatia.
It's fair to say that most of the readers of the Wattbike blog won't know much about windsurfing so can you run us through the basics?
I compete in what's called RS:X windsurfing where a competition would usually be a week long with 2 races per day, each lasting for 40 minutes over a set course. RS:X is the windsurfing you'll see in the Olympic Games next summer. It's pretty exciting and every race is different depending on the water conditions and the wind.
Is the sport physically demanding as it's not something we'd automatically assume to be a 'hard' sport?
Yeah, it's really tough, it's definitely an aerobic sport and much tougher than most people think. The boards are really stiff so you end up spending lots of time pumping your arms and legs to change direction and increase speed. Leg strength is something you need to succeed in this sport.
So training must be quite important, not just on the water but also to increase your aerobic capacity?
Training off the water is getting more and more important as the people in the sport get fitter and fitter. I do a mix of on and off-water work, with the off-water work increasing during the winter.
And now you've got a Wattbike, how long have you had it and how are you using it?
I got the Wattbike last November and spent a big chunk of my winter training on it. The sessions vary but in the winter I'd be doing 2 hour sessions at 75%, twice per week and a session at 85%. I'd also mix in some interval training too. I compliment the Wattbike work with sessions on a rowing machine.
And in the summer, when you're competing, are you still using the Wattbike?
Definitely, I do some lower intensity intervals, it's important to keep the level of fitness I've worked so hard to get in the winter!
And what are you ambitions more long term?
I'm really looking ahead to the 2016 Olympics at the moment and keeping my place as a member of Skandia Team GBR.
Sam, thanks so much, great to hear about another individual benefiting from training on the Wattbike, you'll have to get me out on the water one day on one of your boards!
We get lots of updates from elite athletes who are using the Wattbike and we try to post as many as possible up here on the Wattbike blog but sometimes we get one which is, well, just a little bit different. Today is one of those days.
Oli Beckingsale, elite XC mountain biker, crashed a couple of weeks ago in the UCI MTB World Cup in the Czech Republic, we'd heard about it on Oli's Twitter feed first and, injected with a bit of humour, was the sad fact that he was going to be out of action for quite a while.
We'll let him give you the background...
Hello
Life, sport and bike racing is a mix of highs and lows. After the high of my 9th place at the European Champs (my best result for 3 yrs) I came crashing down to a massive low only a week later at the sixth round of the World Cup in the Czech Republic.
The race was great with big crowds, well organised and a super tough course, which featured tough steep climbs, technical descents and lots and lots of roots. The Elite men were down for 8 laps and I knew this was going to be one of the most physical races of the year.
I pushed to move up on the start loop and took a few risks, one of which did not pay off as I hit a huge rock taking an off-piste line. The tire did not go completely but went to 10PSI and required a quick CO2 inflation. This meant i came round lap one mid pack in 70th. The legs were good though and by the end of lap 5 I was up to 32nd and going forward.
Then near the end of lap 6 things went wrong in a big way. On a flat rooty part of the course my front wheel slipped out and I went down. It's the type of crash I have had a thousand times but luck was not on my side and I landed with my full weight on my hip onto a large tree root.
I never experienced pain like it as I dragged myself off the track. After a painful trip to hospital and an x-ray it turned out that I have fractured the neck of my femur, in other words I have snapped the ball of my hip joint of my leg!!!
Its a bad injury but I am lucky as there was a complete break but everything stayed in place and the hip did not dislocate. I was operated on that night and they pinned and plated the joint.
My Dad stepped up and flew out on the Monday to help me, which was fantastic, as being on a Czech hospital ward, language issue, dealing with the insurance company and being generally worried would have been far more challenging on my own.
I managed to get home to the UK on Saturday and go to a UK hospital. The consultant was happy with the work they had done in Czech and now I can begin to recover and rehab. Basically this involves 6 weeks on crutches with no weight on the bad leg and then another 6 weeks working up to full weight. I have exercise to do but no riding for 12 weeks!
At least it is almost the end of the season , I have only missed 4 races and like they say if it does not kill you it makes you stronger..
Photos are of me in hospital looking positive and a nice shot of some metal work ( i hope they put titanium in there!)
Thanks for the support
Oli
We'd like to wish Oli a speedy recovery from all of the Wattbike community - you can send Oli your own best wishes via Twitter. He"ll be using a Wattbike to aid his recovery once he's allowed to pedal again and we'll be catching up with him via a video blog to see how it's going.
Our colleagues in Germany took a couple of Wattbikes to the Vattenfall Cyclassics which took place in Hamburg this past weekend. Touted as the biggest cycle race in the world, it's estimated that over 800,000 people come out over the three day cycling festival.
The Wattbike stand was really busy all day with cyclists wanting to take a look at their pedalling technique via the Polar View. We'd hooked the Wattbikes up to a big screen via a laptop running the Expert Software and our friends at Uvex kindly gave away a fantastic helmet for the person who put out the highest wattage, impressively this came in at 1503W from a guy who was 2.15m and 155kg!
And for the elite race itself, well that turned out to be a great finish, with Edvald Boassen Hagen sprinting to victory over Gerald Ciolek.
I've been following @TrackChamps on Twitter today as they announce the names of the riders competing at the British National Track Championships, which takes place from Sept 28th to Oct 2nd at Manchester Velodrome. It's pretty much the crème de la crème of the British track scene and, in some events, the World scene.
With the new rule of one rider per nation per event at the London 2012 Olympic Games it'll be one of the few chances you'll get to see some great battles with the likes of Sir Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Matt Crampton and Ross Edgar over the next 12 months - and that's just one event!
This brings to mind my first trip to watch the British National Track Championships back in 2006, I'd seen it was happening in Cycling Weekly and I lived just down the road from the velodrome so gave them a call to see how much the tickets were. There was just a long pause on the other end of the phone before the lady told me 'there is no charge'. I turned up later that evening to watch the likes of David Millar, Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Victoria Pendleton, Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard to name a few - there were less than 20 spectators.
Last year's 'Nationals' were a sell-out and it really does illustrate how far the sport has come in just a few shorts years. With the new velodrome in London opening soon the sport can only keep on progressing. Here are a few photos from the event in 2006, you might just recognise the odd face.
Full details of the National Track Championships can be found on the British Cycling website. If you're a BC Member you can also buy 2 tickets for the price of 1.
If you've ever sustained an injury on a bike (other than from falling off!) it's likely that it will have been caused by an incorrect bike setup. The resulting injuries can make cycling a fairly miserable experience and more often than not cause other problems as one part of the body over-compensates for the pain being felt elsewhere.
To help you alleviate these problems we've recently added a new 'Bike Fit' section to the website which shows you how to set up your Wattbike perfectly; you'll then be able to transfer these settings over to your road setup to maximise the benefits of your indoor training.
First thing you'll need to do is ensure the Wattbike is level on the floor - there are adjustable feet which turn easily to change the height - and get your saddle parallel to the floor. There is a specific order in which to make changes to the Wattbike in order to get the best position, so get the saddle position sorted first and then look to get your handlebars in the correct position.
It's best if you have a partner to help you assess your position by dropping a plumb line from the elbow, through the inside of the knee and finally it should bisect the pedal spindle. If you don't have a plumb line then you could always tie something small and heavy to a piece of string (multi-tools are good!).
These are just the general guidelines, to get the detail from our sport scientist, Eddie Fletcher, see the fantastic Bike Setup section on the website.
I'll be reassessing my riding position this evening in preparation for the 3 Minute Aerobic Test.
We've just had an update on how Team Dillon's Christy McKee has been getting on over the past few months which includes a significant amount of training on a Wattbike. Her triathlon results have been very impressive and it's clear from what she says below that a combination of high quality training, a great coach and proper nutrition are the 3 keys to success.
It’s been a busy past few months since my last update. After taking a few weeks off work to train, in April I did TriStar Mallorca. Thanks to my regular Wattbike sessions the day before the race I rode the 50k course familiarisation loop with several pros (who of course were riding at an easy pace for us normal human beings). I am proud to say that by the end of the loop not only was I the only non-pro girl still in the group but one of only five that managed to keep up. Yeah!
I’ll focus on the bike leg of my races as it relates more directly to my training sessions with the Wattbike. Given I’m not the most impressive runner, I depend on having a strong swim and bike to give me a little more lead time on the girls that are better runners than me. In the TriStar Mallorca race the bike leg was 100km long (run was 10km long) and there was one steep 6km hill we had to do twice. I managed to keep a good strong pull despite some mechanical difficulties which meant I was stuck in one of my more challenging gears. Ultimately I finished 3rd in my age group as the bike gave me enough of a lead to hold off the other women on the shorter run.
A few short weeks after TriStar, I competed in the inaugural Mallorca 70.3. The race is in very familiar territory around Port Pollenca where I’ve ridden several times in the last few years. I know the route and the 10km hill (there is only one long hill on the course) went well and I felt comfortable racing on my tri-bike. Although I only came in 13th in my age group out of 59, my bike was strongest sector and if I had been 4 minutes faster in my run leg (and/or cut that time out of my transitions) I would have come in the top 5 in my category.
The bike course splits were at the 35.5km, 70.4km and 90k points. The 35.5km split was at the top of the long hill, and I was very excited to learn that out of the 219 non pro women competing in the race, my time in the first bikesplit was good enough for 19th place out of the 219 demonstrating my power up the hill. In the second 35km split, I was 39th out of 219 which is still reasonable but can be explained by my hesitation to descend the 10km hill at full blast and taking risks. Over the final 20km flat sector into the wind, I was 28th out of the 219 non pro women. Overall I was the 22nd fastest non pro woman on the bike compared to the 25th and 45th fastest on the swim and run respectively.
My biggest feat of the year was Ironman Nice, this was my first ever Ironman and a huge challenge as its known for having the toughest ride profile of all the Ironman race series. I spent a lot of time after work on my Wattbike and even more hours on my bike outdoors over the weekends trying to emulate same power on the road. Ultimately on race day I had the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike course – I got everything right, the amount of training, the nutrition, etc. I also had one of the stronger bike splits in my age group and this was despite the 36 degree weather which I had no way of preparing for being a UK resident! In Nice, I was the 7th fastest woman in my age group out of the 29 that finished the race.
More recently I did the Hyde Park Triathlon – I will definitely be doing it again next year as the race organisers did an excellent job. The day of the race I was still recovering from a bad cold, but I rode my tri-bike fresh with brand new Hed3 wheels and managed to rank 19th out of 183 other lady racers in the bike leg. I was pleased with this as I’ve been more focused on distance training rather than shorter power sprints and because I lost a lot of time in the turn around points (there were 5 laps which translated into 10x 180 degree turn around points) which are not exactly fun on a stiff tri-bike with toe overlap.
Finally, this past weekend I raced in the Germany 70.3 Ironman. Before I get into my race performance I have to say that I had hugely underestimated how tough the bike course would be as the race profile didn’t look too intimidating. I therefore made the very novice mistake of only taking 2 gels and one energy bar – what I’d usually take on a milder, relatively flat course. I had a great start to the ride, it was the first time I’ve felt able to push the pace since the Nice Ironman in June, and I stayed with the faster riders.
Around 40k I was getting worried because I had already gone through the two gels I had brought. I was holding off on eating the energy bar because I forgot to open the wrapper before the race and knew I’d loose time playing with the foil. At 70k I could tell I was losing power and some of the girls I put behind me early in the race were starting to catch up. I waited too long, and with the rainy weather I dropped the energy bar on what was a pretty steep hill.
At that point I had no intention of getting off my bike to get it – thinking of the time I’d loose - and in retrospect it turned out to be an enormous mistake. My fate? I suffered through the last 20k on the bike and my legs were shaking as I descended down the huge hill back into Wiesbaden – not an ideal way to start a 21k run. So a note to all those reading this – even a well tuned car won’t go anywhere if you don’t put fuel in the tank. So despite having a great coach like Michelle, a great training tool like Wattbike, and a great training partner like my boyfriend, if you don’t get your nutrition right you might as well stay in bed – in a longer race it will make or break your performance.
Thanks for the update Christy! Don't forget we have our free Triathlon Winter Training Plan if you're looking to take the next step in your own training.
You start off a training program with lofty ambitions of sticking to it rigourously then you miss a session because of a what feels like a cold, then work gets really busy and you're travelling a lot so you miss another session and all of a sudden you've let go of all of the good work you put in over the past few months.
Well, that's what happened to me, I moved house, things got very busy here at Wattbike (and still are!) and my training and general physical activity fell off a cliff. I've still managed to get a few sessions in but they've been more about doing 30 minutes here or there just focusing on technique through the polar view. Something is better than nothing I suppose.
After a mammoth DIY session at the new house I'm now ready to jump back in and get moving again. The Wattbike has taken pride of place in my new home office with a strategically placed TV for viewing while I'm pedalling away (I suspect it'll be episodes of Casualty I'll be watching rather than clips of the TDF with my current levels of fitness). I'm signed up to Brian Rourke's Cat and Fiddle Ride at the start of October and while that's not an incredibly difficult ride there are a few hills in it which I'd like to enjoy, so I do have motivation to get back to some fitness. I also want to enjoy the summer here in the UK when it arrives (checks calendar, yes, it's August and raining and cold outside).
I'm going to speak to sport scientist, Eddie Fletcher, about where I should start again but I fear he's probably going to tell me to go back to the beginning of the sportive plan and I'll no doubt have to do that 3 Minute Aerobic Test again to set my power training zones. Nice, maybe I'll film this one in its entirety and put it up on the blog.
Let me know if you've experienced something similar, where life just got in the way of training and how you managed to get over it. Did you sign up for an event as motivation? Did you get back into it to lose the weight you'd gained? Be good to know, leave me a comment below.
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We love receiving emails from Wattbike users across the world, most will tell us how the Wattbike has changed their method of training forever and some will highlight a great achievement where the user feels the Wattbike has played a major role. What I hadn't quite anticipated was an email from a dedicated Wattbike user that his employers were buying a Wattbike for their ship.
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There's a really great feature in the current issue of Cycling Plus magazine (issue 258: February 2012) on Training with Power. It includes an explanation of 
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Woof!
More images from the 2011 Alpine Challenge...
