AI-powered cycling coaching is one of the most significant shifts in endurance sport training in the past decade. Where traditional coaching relied on a human coach’s experience and periodic check-ins, AI-driven platforms now process thousands of data points from your rides, recovery, and physiology to deliver training plans that adapt in real time. If you’ve […]
What Is a Gran Fondo? A gran fondo is a long-distance mass-participation cycling event — typically 80–200km with significant elevation gain. Unlike a road race, gran fondos are open to all levels of cyclists. You’re not competing head-to-head for a podium; you’re completing a challenging course against the clock and against yourself. For non-racers, the […]
Why Climbing Requires Specific Training Cycling climbs are uniquely demanding: sustained high power output, often at low cadence, over many minutes — sometimes hours. Unlike flat riding where aerodynamics dominates and raw watts matter most, climbing performance is almost entirely determined by your W/kg (watts per kilogram) — your power-to-weight ratio. Improving as a climber […]
What Does Building Cycling Endurance Actually Mean? Cycling endurance is your ability to sustain a target effort for an extended duration — whether that’s completing a 3-hour gran fondo, holding a steady pace for 90 minutes, or simply not fading in the final hour of a long ride. Physiologically, endurance is built by developing your […]
The Performance Management Chart Explained If you’ve ever opened TrainingPeaks, Today’s Plan, or a similar coaching platform, you’ve likely seen the Performance Management Chart (PMC) — a graph tracking three interrelated metrics: ATL, CTL, and TSB. Together, these three numbers give you the most complete picture available of your current fitness, fatigue, and readiness to […]
What Is Overtraining in Cycling? Overtraining syndrome (OTS) occurs when the cumulative training stress exceeds your body’s ability to recover and adapt over an extended period. Unlike normal training fatigue — which resolves after a few days of rest — overtraining syndrome can persist for weeks or months and significantly impairs performance, health, and wellbeing. […]
What Is Base Training? Base training is the foundational phase of a cycling training year, focused on building aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and metabolic efficiency at low-to-moderate intensities before introducing high-intensity interval work. It is the bedrock upon which all other fitness is built. The classic metaphor is apt: base training is building the foundation […]
What Is Peaking in Cycling? Peaking is the process of timing your highest level of fitness and freshness to coincide precisely with a target event. It’s not just about being fit — it’s about being fit and fresh at exactly the right moment. The science behind peaking involves manipulating your training load to maximize fitness […]
What Is W/kg? Watts per kilogram (W/kg) is the ratio of a cyclist’s power output to their body weight. It is calculated by dividing power in watts by body weight in kilograms. For example, a cyclist producing 280W at 70kg has a W/kg ratio of 4.0 W/kg. W/kg is the most important single performance metric […]
Three Tools, Three Approaches to Training Every cyclist faces the same question when they start training with structure: which metric should guide my effort? Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), heart rate, and power each have genuine strengths and real limitations. The best choice depends on your budget, experience level, and training goals — and many […]
Can You Track Cycling Progress Without a Power Meter? Absolutely. While a power meter is the gold standard for measuring cycling performance, it’s not a requirement for tracking meaningful progress. Millions of cyclists improve consistently using free or low-cost tools that, when used correctly, provide reliable performance data and training structure. Method 1: Strava Segments […]
What Is Training Stress Score (TSS)? Training Stress Score (TSS) is a numerical measure of the total training load from a single workout, developed by Dr. Andrew Coggan and Hunter Allen. It combines both the intensity and the duration of a ride into a single number that allows you to compare the physiological cost of […]
Why 12 Weeks Is the Sweet Spot for Structured Training A 12-week training block is long enough to drive meaningful physiological adaptation — mitochondrial growth, FTP improvement, and endurance development all require 8–12 weeks of progressive stimulus to fully manifest. It’s also short enough to maintain focus, adjust to life circumstances, and retest your fitness […]
Understanding FTP Benchmarks Functional Threshold Power (FTP) means very little in isolation. A 200W FTP is excellent for a 90kg rider and mediocre for a 60kg one. This is why the universal benchmark for comparing cycling fitness is watts per kilogram (W/kg) — FTP divided by body weight in kilograms. W/kg normalizes power for body […]
The Timeline for FTP Improvement One of the most common questions from cyclists starting structured training is: how long until I see real FTP gains? The honest answer depends on your current fitness level, training history, and the quality of your training plan — but science and coaching experience give us clear guidelines. FTP Improvement […]