I asked a similar question but can’t find the thread as was old forum. It was about classing a 5.5 mile bike commute as training.
The general answer was not no bother and still get proper miles in.
I’ve been doing the ride for the past week or so and hitting it pretty hard as an interval session, lots of traffic lights, little bit undulating. I just wondered from those experienced how long you can realistically ride twice a day for 20-25 mins like this (power zone pic below)
Am I likely to crash and burn one day or is it fine to do this 3-4 days a week?
I have a 6 mile commute. I try and take it as easy as possible z1 as much as I can. That’s so it doesn’t impact my actual training. Times when im not training hard for anything I smash it for laughs
ETA- when I do smash I can do it 5 days a week. But there is nothing for it to impact then
Yeah I would agree with iwaters. I would ride it zone 1/2 then it doesn’t impact your ‘proper’ training.
Although it doesn’t seem that long I think it could turn into junk miles quite quickly and you could get better returns for say an hour or two of intervals on the turbo (or something similar)
Forever - it’s likely a load you can rapidly fully adapt too, it’s little overall load, and it’s of a type that is unlikely to cause injury. Therefore there’s nothing preventing it, the zones themselves are interesting, for your “top” zone to start at 300, your FTP would sensibly have to be well under 200, but that doesn’t get you out of zone 2, so they are presumably not the “normal” zones you see. What are your 2,5,20,60 minute peak powers?
In any case how long you could maintain that training is is not really very interesting, as presumably you’re actually training for something - and it’s unlikely to be as inconsistent cycling exercise as you do there, and you adapt to what you do - although of course there are spill overs into other areas, but that spill over tends to be limited quite rapidly, so the value of that commute won’t help much.
FTP is set at 250 for those zones but more realistically 240 at the moment. Will be testing as soon as my new rear mech hanger arrives to fix my TT bike. Hopefully tomorrow.
Plan is to do the TrainerRoad sweetspot plan on top of the commute.
All my peak powers are set when a lot fitter than now, my FTP was 274w when they were set.
I’m having the same thought regarding commuting. I work 4 on, 6 off. I commute 40 minutes each way for the 2 days, 2 nights, so thats 5 hours ish on the bike.
In my 6 days off, I try to fit in every thing else, but normally aim to get at least 1 additional decent bike session in, a couple of runs, swims and 2 strength sessions.
Realistically, I have to count my commute as training. Its the only way to get it all in. Its usually easy spinning, with a couple of intervals on short climbs. Following the last night shift I sometimes take a detour which takes me to 1.20 ish nice and easy…
I think that’s a great structure to fit in around work schedule. Commuting to get aerobic time in is great value for time in my eyes especially 49 minutes each way. Main thing it relies on is being fresh enough in the 5 days post-nights to get the quality on the other 7 sessions.
I can’t help with how useful this is but I used to live 5.5 miles from work myself. I cycled 3 days a week and ran 2 days. The big difference I made was to just cycle a longer loop in either direction to just add a few extra miles on. 3 days of 2x15 miles was really good for my fitness compared to 3 days of 2x5.5 miles. For running I only ever did the straight 5.5 miles
