Nikko Race Prep - Bike & Body

[WhiteGiant]

I'm going in a race next May.
It has already been posted it in the TCC "Race" section if anyone else is interested - The PEAKS Round 8 Oku-Nikko - 193km, with 5,000m of climbing.

Now, this "race" has a not-too-strict time limit of 12.5 hours, which is doable even for moderate riders, provided they have a decent level of fitness. But I don't want to finish in a "moderate" or "decent" time - I want to finish in an "Ooooh, that's really impressive!" time, or even better, a "Holy sh*t! I can't believe I just did that!" time - Realistically though, somewhere between 7~8 hours (ideally, closer to 7).

I have a general plan for the next 6 months of training, and there are several bike modifications I plan on making in order to squeeze out any extra minutes/seconds.

In this blog, I hope to log my training progress, and share any bike upgrades - I won't be buying a new bike, but I hope to "tweak" some components in the interest of going faster uphills. I hope some of you will be able to find something interesting, or just enjoy following along with any progress (and/or enjoy laughing at any mistakes).

Trainerroad is my go-to training app, which I use with a wheel-on "dumb" trainer ( and Quarq power-meter in the crankset). My mantra for training is very simple: "Trust the system. The system works!" It's really just a reminder to stay consistent, where the System is, "Push yourself a little bit harder than you did last time (but not so much as to injure yourself), give yourself enough time to recover, eat a balanced diet and you WILL get stronger/faster".

​

I'm extremely lucky that my wife has allowed me some "Training space".

My bike set-up is also simple, even a tad dated compared to the latest trends of 11s & 12s groupsets and superlight-aero frames. It's not so ancient as to be labeled, "old-school", but there's nothing state-of-the-art either - I ride a 2013 model TREK Domane 4.5, which is actually the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. The "ISO-speed" decoupler really makes a difference. Still on Dura-Ace 7900, which is quite a few years old now (and only 10s), but it still shifts flawlessly, and I don't know if an extra cog in the back is worth the expense of upgrading just yet.​

This is what I have to work with - A decent "canvas" on which to make some improvements.

As for the bike-mods/upgrades, most of them are pretty simple, but one or two are a little controversial. I will go over each in detail in future blog updates. But for now, they are:​

1. Shorter crank arms (this is one of the more controversial mods).​
2. Aero helmet.​
3. New rear derailleur cage to allow for larger cassette (lower gearing).​
4. Larger cassette (11-34T) for lower gearing.​
5. New wheels (the last and most expensive of the upgrades).​

I hope to make these upgrades one by one over the next 6 months.
That's it for now. Watch this space for more updates.​

 

[kiwisimon]

So your moniker is a porkie?
White Trekster?

 

[baribari]

Weight, approximate BF%, and current FTP?

Shortening the cranks will negate some of your gearing improvements.

 

[WhiteGiant]

So your moniker is a porkie?
White Trekster?

Yeah, the "White Giant" is no more.
I had the aluminium Giant for commuting, and the white carbon Giant for group-rides / hill-climbs, but I decided to go all minimalist and have one-bike-for-all-occasions. The TREK fit the bill.
I've already asked Thomas to change my member-name once before - I don't feel like doing it again.

 

[WhiteGiant]

Weight, approximate BF%, and current FTP?
Shortening the cranks will negate some of your gearing improvements.

Currently 70kg. Height 180cm.
Body-fat percentage, I'm not sure exactly... about 3 fingers' worth around my gut
FTP: 270 - That's according to the Quarq / TR recommendation. I have a feeling the Quarq is reading a few percent high, so it may only be 255~265 actual watts.

 

[baribari]

Currently 70kg. Height 180cm.
Body-fat percentage, I'm not sure exactly... about 3 fingers' worth around my gut
FTP: 270 - That's according to the Quarq / TR recommendation. I have a feeling the Quarq is reading a few percent high, so it may only be 255~265 actual watts.

Hmm.... Well, that's already a pretty good power/weight ratio, so it sounds like training to maintain a fairly high percentage of FTP for many many hours is in order. High end power probably won't be all that useful in such an event.

I'm as tall as you and I'd need to be nearly zero BF% to be 70 kg. Haha.

 

[OreoCookie]

Regarding gearing, this is a respectable amount of climbing in a single session, and given the distance, I have to assume that some of the pitches you will encounter will be pretty steep, especially if you have to limit yourself to sweet spot work (about 85-90 % of FTP). You might definitely want to choose a setup that has easier gearing. What is your current gearing like? 50/34 in the front and 11-28 in the back?

I don't know whether Shimano makes 11-34 cassettes that are 10-speed, but SRAM makes an 11-36 10-speed cassette, which AFAIK are compatible just like their 11-speed siblings. Or you could use a 11-36 Shimano mountain bike cassette (I run a SRAM 11-32 cassette on my Ultegra/105 groupset without any issues.) Also, you may want to opt for smaller chain rings. You probably don't need a new rear derailleur, get a Wolftooth extender instead.

The other thing is nutrition: you are going to burn tons of calories, and you should experiment with nutrition strategies. You can do that during trainer rides. Eating a lot can be hard initially. I try to eat and drink more while doing my TrainerRoad workouts, and especially if I add the prescribed amount of energy mix in my bottle, it feels way too heavy and sweet. But probably that's something you can train, too.

The last thing is, of course, picking the right training plan in TrainerRoad. You're doing a sustained effort, so you either use Plan Builder or pick Sweet Spot Base 1 + 2, Sustained Power Build and probably the Century plan. In case you want to add a little more volume, add easy Zone 2 or Zone 3 workouts. I've made myself a Mid-Volume+/High-Volume- training plan this way, because I feel like I need a little more endurance.

 

[kiwisimon]

Travis write the guys and Amber an email and see if they answer you on the podcast.

 

[OreoCookie]

Travis write the guys and Amber an email and see if they answer you on the podcast.

Yup, and I can say from experience, they really do answer.

 

[andywood]

Sounds like a great challenge!

Next May, I am thinking of making a return to Tokyo-Itoigawa for the 50th edition (300km, 2,500 m up).

So similar events in terms of their demands.

For your proposed kit changes:

I wonder how much an aero helmet would help you? The profile looks mostly up and down. Also bear in mind aero helmets are often hotter. For my MET aero road, May is about as far into the season as I would use it.

Cranks are a very personal thing. I've tried the whole range of lengths and for me personally, climbing is more effective with longer cranks.

For training:

The training set up looks good. Kudos to the wife. I'm stuck in the garage!

I think specificity in training is the most important thing.

So you need to:
1. climb as best as you can and climb lots
2. be able to go the distance / time in the saddle

If you can, there is no substitute for simulating the demands of the event.

Ideally this would be 200km with 5,000m of climbing. Or if this isn't practical, long flat rides alternated with hill climb heavy rides too. Building up the length and amount of climbing of these rides gradually towards May.

On the trainer, look at simulating the demands of the event too. I envisage long slogs in zone 3? For this some big rides watching movies or cycling races would be good.

If you want to simulate climbing a couple of books under the front wheel is a good trick.

If your training is going to be mostly on the trainer, I think some upper body training, particularly neck and shoulders, is important for an event like this.

For fuelling:

Having a strategy is important and should be based on distances (anticipated time lapses) between aid stations.

I wrote a blog about it here

the eleven rules of fuelling

imeZiカーボンホイールは、自転車のホイールやパーツ などの高品質な商品をお求めやすい価格で販売しているメーカです。

imezi.jp

These are just things off the top of my head!

But generally speaking, I would say you need to avoid the things which cause DNFs in events like these, namely:

1. poor fuelling
2. too cold
3. mechanical troubles

Anyway, looking forward to following your progress. Exciting stuff!

Andy

 

[Justin]

5. New wheels (the last and most expensive of the upgrades).​

Have you got your eye on any wheelsets, in particular?

 

[OreoCookie]

As for the bike-mods/upgrades, most of them are pretty simple, but one or two are a little controversial. I will go over each in detail in future blog updates. But for now, they are:​

1. Shorter crank arms (this is one of the more controversial mods).​

Can you explain why this is supposed to be the most controversial? IMHO it isn't controversial at all. Shorter cranks will help you be more aero more easily, although given the distance and amount of climbing, I think this will mostly be a comfort issue.

Crank length was covered in the last TrainerRoad podcast episode, and it sure can't hurt.

1. New wheels (the last and most expensive of the upgrades).

That depends on what wheels you have now. If you come across a deal and you have disposable cash, why not. But if you already have nice carbon wheels, it may not be worth the investment.

Overall, in terms of equipment I'd say having the right gearing (especially climbing gears) and tight-fitting clothes will give you the best bang for your buck. I'd change crank length if comfort in an aero position is an issue. I'd change wheels if you come across a great deal. But I wouldn't invest much in rim a brake wheelset that will be obsolete once you replace your current bike with something new.

I agree with @andywood regarding the aero helmet, although some aero helmets have gotten better as far as ventilation is concerned. But this can be a big deal.

Regarding clothing, make sure to at least pack a gilet, arm warmers and the like. And have a rain jacket handy. If it is super hot, I'd also take a pair of spare socks with you. My feet get literally drenched in sweat in the hot and humid Japanese summer.

 

[OreoCookie]

Cranks are a very personal thing. I've tried the whole range of lengths and for me personally, climbing is more effective with longer cranks.

IMHO in the vast majority of cases I think cranks tend to be too long rather than too short. Longer cranks also tend to lower your cadence, which is suboptimal if you have limited gearing and want to do a lot of climbing. Shorter cranks decrease your hip angle, which may increase comfort.

 

[andywood]

IMHO in the vast majority of cases I think cranks tend to be too long rather than too short. Longer cranks also tend to lower your cadence, which is suboptimal if you have limited gearing and want to do a lot of climbing. Shorter cranks decrease your hip angle, which may increase comfort.

Like I say, very much a personal choice.

How long your legs are, the type of rider you are (spinner or grider at the end of the scale) and how strong you are, will determine your optimal crank length? Who knows!?

Back in the day I loved my 180mm DA cranks. Before the release of compact crank sets a "sub hachi" 38 inner coupled with a then over sized 25 cassette was a game changer! Now you can choose your gears as you like. For a ride like this the more gears you have the better I'd say. So a wide range cassette and long guage derrailleur will probably be more beneficial than changing cranks.

A long article about crank lengths here:

Crank length: Forget leverage and power, it’s all about the fit

It’s almost inevitable that every road cyclist will start to wonder about the crank length they are using. It’s a topic that is surrounded by a lot of

cyclingtips.com

Andy

 

[OreoCookie]

A long article about crank lengths here:

Yup, agreed, it's about fit, not power.

I'm changing to 165s on my new bike, because I really can't get aero when I am in the drops. I tested 165s and it was amazingly comfortable. My knees were no longer massaging my breakfast, especially when I am in the drops.

 

[OreoCookie]

Back in the day I loved my 180mm DA cranks. Before the release of compact crank sets a "sub hachi" 38 inner coupled with a then over sized 25 cassette was a game changer! Now you can choose your gears as you like. For a ride like this the more gears you have the better I'd say. So a wide range cassette and long guage derrailleur will probably be more beneficial than changing cranks.

Yes, gearing has gotten better. Although I still think for most people even a compact crank has way too tall a gear at the top end and the gears at the bottom are still quite hard. This day and age, nobody should grind gears anymore. I remember seeing some poor sods participating in the general category of a hill climb with 53/39 chain rings on the front and a 11-23 or 11-25 cassette in the rear. It was torture to look at them.

Road bikes would be more attractive if Shimano offered more humane gearing options, like a 11-36 cassette in the rear and e. g. 46/30 in the front. (I know they make a GRX crankset with that gearing, but why not offer the same gearing for roadies? 46:11 = 50:12 is still plenty fast, perhaps even too fast for most.)

 

[Ruda]

For training: Remember you dont need to ride 200km to be able to ride 200km. Work on that longer endurance power and it will be okay.
I think you should get 1 more fan (maybe not now in the winter, but still)

For fueling: Train with the fuel you intend to use on race day. And probably train to go with the magical 100g of carbs/hour.

For the bike: you can cut a lot of weight for not so much money with bearings, cables & housing, bolts and bottle cages.
I dont know what wheels you have in mind, but right now, i recommend Yoeleo even when not asked.

 

[WhiteGiant]

First of all, let me say a big "Thank you!" to everyone who's commented - I thought this might fly under the radar and into obscurity.

Well, the first upgrade has been completed - The "short crank" swap.

I've been riding on 175mm cranks for as long as I can remember - Maybe my very first roadbike, in 2005, came with 172.5mm, but switching to 175mm was a conscious decision.

The logic for a longer crank is straight out of the Physics 101 handbook - Longer fulcrum, more leverage. This makes total sense when gravity is on your side, when you're standing up, stomping down hard on the pedals. But that efficiency only really counts between the 1 o'clock ~ 5 o'clock position. This all changes though, when you start to focus on constant power throughout the entire pedaling circle. In a more evenly-powered circular pedal stroke, the distance your foot has to travel also becomes a factor. To be totally honest, when I first started cycling, my pedalling style was almost certainly the push-down-at-the-front kind.

A lot of good articles have been written, like this one, which generally point to "taller riders requiring longer cranks, and shorter riders, shorter cranks", although there are exceptions to this rule as well.

And yet over the years of riding, there have been moments - usually when riding up steep hills with not enough gears, at a painfully slow cadence (picture a poor pooch dog-paddling in molasses) - where I have thought, "Is this large - 175mm radius - circle really the most efficient? Might I be better off pushing a smaller circle?"

Then I saw Cam Nicholl's Youtube video where, after a professional bike-fitting, it was recommended he switch to a shorter crank, with some pretty impressive results. It turns out we are both roughly the same height, 180cm.



I wanted to keep my current crank-based power-meter, a Quarq Riken spider, bolted onto SRAM 10s GXP (175mm) crank arms. And so it was that I scoured the internet for a set of shorter (165mm) crank arms that were bolt-on replacements for what I have now. I couldn't find the arms alone, so I would have to buy a whole new crankset - SRAM Force 22 GXP, 165mm - Thanks eBay! And from this, I could remove the arms and bolt them onto my current Quarq spider.


The new (shorter) crankset on the floor - I'll take the arms off, and put them onto the power-meter spider.



A quick size comparison


Post-op! Surgery complete! Transplant successful.


Fitted, and ready to roll.

All done, they fit perfectly. And as an added bonus, I saved 20g per crank arm, 40g in total.

So, how do they feel? I don't notice the size difference as much when seated, but it's definitely noticeable when I stand up. I feel I have more power when seated, especially when I focus on "pedaling full-circles", but less power when I stand. Out of the saddle, I have to remind myself that I can't make those big, full downstrokes anymore.

Perhaps the biggest benefit is a slightly new position on the bike. The 1cm shorter crank means I had to raise my saddle exactly 1cm. I then shifted the saddle forward a little, which meant that I could lower the handlebars, and add a slightly longer stem. So not only did I get a more efficient pedal-stroke (when seated), I also got more aero – Lower and longer at the front. That sounds like "free speed" to me. It's only been a week, but so far I am very happy with the results.

 

[WhiteGiant]

so it sounds like training to maintain a fairly high percentage of FTP for many many hours is in order. High end power probably won't be all that useful in such an event.

Exactly, I think the longest climb will take nearly an hour, and the others are around 30 minutes or less. But you're right, I will definitely be training for "sustained power".

I don't know whether Shimano makes 11-34 cassettes that are 10-speed, but SRAM makes an 11-36 10-speed cassette, which AFAIK are compatible just like their 11-speed siblings. Or you could use a 11-36 Shimano mountain bike cassette (I run a SRAM 11-32 cassette on my Ultegra/105 groupset without any issues.) Also, you may want to opt for smaller chain rings. You probably don't need a new rear derailleur, get a Wolftooth extender instead.

Yes, my current gearing is 50/34T, and 11-28. But like I said, I have plans to change, not the rear derailleur itself, but the rear derailleur "cage & pulleys (jockey wheels)" that will allow for a larger rear cassette. Shimano does indeed make a 10-speed 11-34T cassette, designed for the latest Tiagra & last-gen 105. It's a tiny bit heavier than I'd like (339g, according to my scales), but at least I was able to get one.

Next May, I am thinking of making a return to Tokyo-Itoigawa for the 50th edition (300km, 2,500 m up).

I did the Toito in 2011 with some of the other TCC guys (Gunnar, David Litt, SteveT, and Yair). I finished with a time of 10hr:57min - I had broken my elbow earlier that year and lost a bit of fitness. I would say I'm about as fit right now as I was then.

Have you got your eye on any wheelsets, in particular?

As a matter of fact, I'm looking at "Winspace" - I've yet to find a negative review of their wheels. The 50mm are only 80g heavier than the 38mm, so I'll probably get the deeper ones.

The 6-Month Plan

I wasn't going to reveal my overall training strategy just yet, but as some of you seem quite interested, here it is:

The Trainerroad training plans are all basically 8 weeks (2 months) long, so my idea was to do 3 different plans back-to-back, with the final one being the "Sustained Power Build" just before the race. With the first one though (which I've already started), I hope to increase "Short Power" strength and build actual physical muscle. My thinking is that by building the top-end power muscles first, I will have the physical capacity that I can then convert to endurance muscle later. Does that make sense? So the plan is something like this:

Dec/Jan: Short Power Build
Feb/Mar: Climbing Road Race (Specialty section)
Apr/May: Sustained Power Build

Also note that I'm doing all this while commuting almost every day:

Mon – 60km (I can shorten to 40km if I feel tired)
Tues – 60km
Wed – 30km
Thurs – 60km
Fri – 30km

These are round-trip numbers, and I generally do them at "Zone 2" or recovery pace, if done after a TR workout.​

 

[baribari]

Don't forget to adjust your power meter's settings...