I'm intrigued by this sweet spot idea but I don't have a power meter (and I ain't gonna get one anytime soon) and there doesn't appear to be a power curve for my trainer (it's a Performance brand). So what's the next best way to estimate it? Is there a way to do so with speed and HR data from a trainer TT? Should I just shoot for Friel's zone 4? Thanks.

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/levels.asp

I'm in the same boat. No power meter. I stopped using a HR monitor a few years ago. Here's what I figure. You have your "just riding around typical aerobic pace" and then you have your "I'm going pretty much as hard as I can pace" (LT threshold, FTP, whatever you want to call it). Well, it's somewhere in between those two. Ride kinda hard with some effort but not really near your flat out pace. To me it feels kinda hard but definitely doable for prolonged periods of time.

I think it would be hard to "find" if you're one of those folks (like most beginner riders) who go out and ride pretty hard all the time without much variation in effort level, but then again, that seems to be what folks are calling the sweetspot now :)

Thanks...that's just what I need.
And I'll keep researching.

I'm in the same boat. No power meter. I stopped using a HR monitor a few years ago. Here's what I figure. You have your "just riding around typical aerobic pace" and then you have your "I'm going pretty much as hard as I can pace" (LT threshold, FTP, whatever you want to call it). Well, it's somewhere in between those two. Ride kinda hard with some effort but not really near your flat out pace. To me it feels kinda hard but definitely doable for prolonged periods of time.

I think it would be hard to "find" if you're one of those folks (like most beginner riders) who go out and ride pretty hard all the time without much variation in effort level, but then again, that seems to be what folks are calling the sweetspot now :)

Yep, I'm very skeptical, or at least very surprised. Sounds like it's generally high zone 3, zone 4, maybe even some zone 5a. I was taught that zone 4 is complete waste of time and to spend very little time at that intensity. But I'll do some research, read some stuff, and see if I believe it.

Yep, I'm very skeptical, or at least very surprised. Sounds like it's generally high zone 3, zone 4, maybe even some zone 5a. I was taught that zone 4 is complete waste of time and to spend very little time at that intensity. But I'll do some research, read some stuff, and see if I believe it.

I believe in old skool terms, it would be called "tempo" riding. In fact, that's what Coggan has it listed as, if I understand the "sweetspot" correctly.

As I posted in another thread many training schemes use to or still do avoid this intensity like the plague at least in-season. I believe the general idea is that it is too hard to allow for recovery but not hard enough to induce further adaptation.

I'm not sure if anyone is really advocating this as a year round training technique or just a good way for people training on limited time (volume) to build up a high amount of training stress without flogging themselves with shorter more intense efforts at this time of the year.

I believe in old skool terms, it would be called "tempo" riding. In fact, that's what Coggan has it listed as, if I understand the "sweetspot" correctly.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t376007.html

I remember the day I discovered the sweet spot and drafting (same day). I was about 10 years old riding to the trails (about 10 miles one way). I tucked in behind my buddy and rolled it off like it was nothing. I had him try it on the way back and that was that. Forget the damn monitor and just ride....you'll know when you're in the "sweet spot"

I've always found that the sweet spot is best found using Perceived Exertion. It's basically just where you know you're going decently hard, but you know that you can hold that effort for quite some time. I'm seeing recently that Friel's tempo zone is a good approximation of the sweet spot. As said above, when you're there, you know.

The concept of "Percieved Exertion" isn't all that bogus. It's all I ever used for base-building and maintenance when I was racing seriously. It seemed to work for lots of pretty good riders before the advent of HR monitors and power meters.

I'd say that if you don't plan on investing in the toys, just get out and ride. Listen to your body, and make the effort intense enough so that you know you're working, but not so intense that you can't do the same workout the next day.

Caveat: This advice only applies to base-building and general long term improvement/health. If you plan on peaking, that's a whole 'nother topic.

I'm not sure if anyone is really advocating this as a year round training technique or just a good way for people training on limited time (volume) to build up a high amount of training stress without flogging themselves with shorter more intense efforts at this time of the year.

SST is, I believe, generally "meant" to be used in off/pre season and after a first peak, when you've tapered away some of your base.

SST is probably a year round venture for endurance riders.