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Blog Training with data

Training with data

Power, heart rate, fitness and fatigue: what the numbers say about your riding and how to train with them.

9 November 2026 · 9 min read

How to measure cycling progress: the numbers to trust

Which numbers show that your cycling is improving, in order of how far to trust them, with a fair retest, a monthly table to copy and normal plateaus.

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8 November 2026 · 9 min read

Sportive training plan: 16 weeks at three levels

A 16-week sportive or gran fondo plan for 5, 8 or 10 hours a week: the long-ride build, climbing sessions, fuelling practice, the taper and pacing on the day.

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8 November 2026 · 9 min read

Gravel race preparation: course, pacing, fuel and kit

The last four weeks before a gravel race: study the course, set power caps, plan food and water by the hour, choose tyres and kit, and carry your own tools.

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7 November 2026 · 9 min read

How to increase FTP: what works, and a 12-week block

How to raise your FTP with steady riding, sweet spot, threshold and VO2max work: how much it rises at each level, a 12-week block and a fair retest.

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7 November 2026 · 9 min read

Training diary for cyclists: what to write and why

What to write in a cycling training diary in under a minute, a week's template to copy, the weekly look back, and how a coach reads a diary.

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7 November 2026 · 8 min read

How fast do you lose fitness when you stop cycling?

What research shows for one, two and four weeks off the bike, after illness and in the off-season, what comes back first, and how to return to training.

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7 November 2026 · 9 min read

Pro cyclist power output: what the studies show

How many watts pro cyclists produce on climbs, in sprints and over a whole stage, from peer-reviewed team data, and how to compare your own numbers fairly.

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6 November 2026 · 9 min read

Cycling goals: how to set goals that work

How to set cycling goals that work: outcome, performance and process goals, measurable targets, three worked examples, a monthly review and what research shows.

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6 November 2026 · 9 min read

TRIMP: how to calculate training impulse for cycling

Banister's TRIMP, Edwards' zones, Lucia's thresholds and the individual version, worked through one ride, and how each compares with session RPE and power.

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5 November 2026 · 8 min read

History of power meters: from SRM to smart trainers

How the cycling power meter began with Ulrich Schoberer's SRM crankset in the 1980s, spread to hubs, pedals and smart trainers, and changed training.

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5 November 2026 · 9 min read

Strength training for cyclists: what works and when

What research shows about heavy strength training for cyclists, a season plan with sets and reps, four key lifts and how to fit the gym around riding.

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5 November 2026 · 9 min read

75 rule cycling: how much of your riding should be easy

The 75 rule says about three-quarters of your riding should be easy. Where it comes from, what the research says, and how to check your own split.

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4 November 2026 · 9 min read

Is a power meter worth it? Who gains and who does not

Who gains from a power meter and who does not, what it changes in training, the alternatives, how accurate meters are, and a plan for your first month.

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