Those 35,000 other men in your age group are not "average cyclists", they are people who ride enough to care about using such a program, owning a power meter, and measuring their FTP. They are not a random sample.
Once again Mitch, I'm extremely grateful for the way you have shared your journey (which includes the RCA). One important thing you missed (although maybe I got distracted by the dude in white cycling shorts 🤣 or maybe you’re too modest) is you did the work! All that base training, all the HIIT sessions, all the long endurance rides etc. Plus, you entrusted in the guidance and program. That is not a given and that needs to be commended. Along with your excellent content! 👏 ❤
I.must be " unique". I just ride because it's fun and I just enjoy the scenery as i ride. I never knew I was supposed to be " increasing my power curve"...
234 for just starting is really good. 'average' 'below average' for **cyclists as a group** is WAY WAY WAY above average for the group 'general public'. It's something that gets skipped over a lot in these vids and left out completely when people quote studies, can make people feel completely dissuaded from trying. People should understand it could take an actually out of shape, close to or metabolically diseased American couch potato, an entire year of intense training to get close to 234. It may take them another 2years of similarly intense training to get to 300+.
Yeah, I got into cycling in May. By end of this year, my FTP started at 209 and now is at 255. I want 300 but I got sick mid Dec and has crushed my training. But while I was being down on myself, my buddy who has been cycling said the same thing: while I'm still average for cyclists, I am WAY above for the general population. Feels good. Lost 100lbs along the way (that started Aug 2022).
I started commuting by bike when I moved to the US at the end of 2019. Back then my bike was only a method of transportation until I found your channel. I watched one of your first cycling videos where you talked about your favorite cycling channels and during the video, you mentioned words like watts, power meters, FTP, etc. This was unknown to me. Later, you introduced me to Zwift, FTP, power zones, heartbeat drifting, direct drive trainers, electronic shifting, etc. In short, you introduced me to road cycling in general by sharing your passion in a fun and casual way. Today my FTP is 294, I have lost 30 pounds since I started, and race Zwift almost every day in category B. Same, as you I plan to ride my bike as hard as I can for the rest of my life. Thank you very much
I mean technically, the vast majority of amateur cyclists probably never record their data in the first place. So really when you think about it, you were probably above average all along.
A man (or woman) that cares enough to measure their FTP is already well above average. Average barely breaks a sweat on the commute 😂. Nothing wrong with that at all, but yeah he was above average.
Impressive development!! I started riding seriously in 2020 at fourteen. Now I'm approaching eighteen, and I am still learning new things every ride and getting faster. It's tough because almost all of the riders in my area are way older than me, but I make it work. Planning on racing for the first time this season. I hope my diligence now pays off when I'm old and (hopefully) still fit.
Hands down Mitch, you are my favourite cycling UA-camr. I feel like we are very similar in how we got into cycling and how this wacky sport turned into a (healthy 🙃) obsession. Your editing and storytelling is top notch and really stoked that you’ve been getting the views and recognition you deserve. Cheers to a solid 2024 😀
I'm recovering from a torn quad and this video is wetting my appetite for getting back on the bike after a couple of years being a gym bro - thank you Mitch!
This is an awesome video. It honestly inspired me to keep training. I want my baseline to go up like yours did, I now know it will take 3 years instead of 3 months. Love the hair too!
This is very motivational, I've come out of 2023 from a major depressive state with a drive to be a better person . Fitness aside I know training hard on the bike and riding more helps myental being and makes me more friendly . Mad respect for you and the RCA team
I’m sitting, actually laying here, on my couch loving this as my zwift bike stands waiting. Unfortunately I’m in heart failure having a day of severe fatigue but at some point I will pluck up the mental fortitude and pick myself up to go ride at 80w for 32 minutes and be proud and this video has helped me - I love your unstopability and enthusiasm! Of course if my heart is only working at 28% with an ftp of 134w and a healthy heart pumps 60% of left ventricular volume then my compensated ftp would be 287w and technically above average! Go me!
Congrats, awesome work! I'm going out for my last 17 miles of 1k today!! I started mainly backin August, super overweight, weak and unhealthy...3 to 5 miles was my max and made me want to hurl but I can do 30-40 miles now and have had a blast these last bunch of months. This coach thing sounds like a great idea to keep it pushing.
I'm 57 and just got into biking last october... absolutely love it... very addicting... especially the ftp..... I'm actually going for a ride right after I write this... bike on!!!!!
Super inspiring to see this. Trying to go to 300 as well (from 200), up to 260 right now @ 73kg (or 273 if you believe the ramp test, lol). Started cycling a little over a year ago.
Thanks for sharing. When something changes your life, its great to remember it. This journey has been well documented, welcoming to those of who watch, and just inspirational. Have fun out there. And I'll hit you up for the ultra riding when I am ready.
Good fun video! I’m on similar journey. I’m a long time cyclist started in 1982 never raced until 2014. Got a coach got stronger then 2018 quit racing but just road here and there for fun. Now I want to get fit again so this video stoked me up!
Came back from living at 2000 meters elevation and rode for an hour at 304 watts at the start of this month. It’s been a journey, but it’s given me the confidence to know I can ride the 108 miles of Skyline drive here in VA for my birthday in June and not be cracked by the effort afterwards.
Dan, You are an inspiration!! Thank you for this series. This is the most relatable series on GCN. Trying ride 10 miles under 20 minutes is a big goal for some, but everyone can make an effort to be healthier, even just a little bit. Good on you Dan!!
Awesome! Way to go. Very inspiring. Coming off an injury to my hip. Wayt intake from your message is that you have to take the long game when you think about your training. There are set backs, but you build fitness over years.. thanks for your work!
Man, I can relate so much to almost everything in this. The only difference is that your moment when you stopped cycling has happened to me in October (till now), the day my son was born. I feel like I'll never be able to get back to where I was before. Listening to you just gave me a push to not lose hope and to get back on the bike (Zwift actually, it's winter time in Montreal). Thanks!
Congrats on your new son, dude! I have a couple of friends with newborns and it seems like it’s a common experience. I’m sure you’ll pick it back up as things level out again. 🫡
UA-cam suggested this video this morning. At age 67 this all meant something quite a few years ago when I was road riding. I switched to almost exclusively mountain biking these days. Strength and balance are huge benefits when you're older. Falling on pavement or getting hit by a stolen Kia are not the best thing over 50. So what I'm saying is, you need more bikes and the trail forks app.😊
Crazy inspiring Mitch, so glad to have stumbled onto your channel and have been repeatedly inspired after watching to get out on to the road and push harder. Just did my first century ride in late October here in Maine (the day after the mass shooter had been found after days of manhunt/lockdown- a really meaningful day to experience Maine's hospitality ((my 2nd ever group ride the first half)) and natural beauty) and finished with 3200 miles my first calendar year of cycling. Can't wait to see where you take this channel!!
Awesome journey. I have been just using Zwift to get my ftp up. But did casual mountain bike all summer so March to now has dropped. used to be 260, now 215. Back to my doing a Zwift race after every 12 hour work shift :)
Great video and impressive achievements! And just as a side-note: there is also a positive side on UA-cam algorithms. Hopping from one to the other the result is that I follow regularly Mark Lewis (funny and inspirational), The Nero Show (way back when Chris was with Bianchi's...) and CAM (a real training guru). Keep it up! My goals are -also not complicated: just as long as possible prevent sliding increasingly downwards on the inevitable aging ramp.
loved this! I plateaud quickly when I started my first year. after 9 months I got my FTP up to 320, but it took me another year to get it up to 330/340 and 4 years later I haven't been able to get it any further. I'm usually between 290 and 320 now because getting those extra 10-20 watts requires 4-6 additional hours a week of training time I can rarely afford. I think every cyclist reaches that point of diminishing returns and begins searching for ways to keep things exciting. Fortunately, I just love being on my bike, riding hard, riding with friends, and finding new routes. It's the best sport ever.
It's pretty cool! I start my cycling journey in my TB conditions, and I feel happier and healthier. Now when I want to get more faster, I got an accident and have to rest a lil bit, but I believe I would go faster and fares I could been before. Thank for sharing, Mitch!
FTP can be relative to equipment and riding conditions. If you do the same test on a heavier bike, now you burn out faster. What they should have is a calibration on the stationary bike that can be adjusted with the values coherent with your own bike. Even then, this only represents a happy medium, because the curve on each side of the medium will also vary per bike, depending on the resistance differences of both bikes.
Gotta say thanks. I had just gotten done watching your Pittsburgh hills video and about 7-8 mins into this one I closed it out and went out for my first bike ride in 5 months. Right from the couch with my coffee to 15 miles and 600 ft. Felt great.
I have always enjoyed your cycling videos. But this one trumps all 👍 really gives me motivation to keep pushing after watching you progressing so much. I started cycling around the same time you did btw, but have not reached the same level. Kudos 👍
This is a great video, very inspiring! I've already signed up for an RCA assessment and hope I take to it all as well as you have. I'm just getting ready for a 34 mile tour but that is more than twice my current mileage and the ride is in less than 4 weeks. I have decided to just let myself be obsessive about this, I'm not sure why getting into cycling feels so compelling but I hope that will translate to doing the work and benefiting from the results no matter where it takes me ultimately. Thanks for sharing your journey, and your hair looks great!
Your coach, Ryan, said that he doesn’t get many people training to go up steep hills. As a fellow Aussie, I wondered if this is because Australia is the flattest continent on the face of this planet 😂 But seriously, they seem like pretty great guys though. I hope they’ve been okay up in Queensland, which has been hit hard by the weather in recent weeks. As for you, I really enjoy your videos. Congratulations on your hard work and hitting your achievements after all that work! Keep going forward and keep at it!!
Oh great - now I'm obsessed with you! Thanks for walking us through your journey. The decision to get a coach is something I've been unsure of but your video is definitely pushing me to take the plunge. Congrats on everything and thank you for all the videos of yours I will now be watching!
I got a new roadbike for Christmas after nearly a decade away from riding and this video couldn't have come at a better time. I am feeling pumped to get back out there and lift my curves too!!
Thanks for such entertaining proof that “you get what you train for”. What I love about this video is that you were so clear about what mattered to you, and you went for it. Next up, the Velodrome?
Has tenido un gran viaje construyendo tu nivel como ciclista! Es muy gratificante ver lo que has conseguido con trabajo, con subidas y bajadas, siendo real 💪🏻 gracias por transmitirnos tu experiencia y GRACIAS por esa taza de café… It’s Colombia, not Columbia! Jajajajaja (I suppose, it was a gift from your wife) Cheers from 🇨🇴
Saw Jesse and Chris mention you on the Nero show and came to check this vid out. Didn't realize you were from the LA area. Nice to see the Crest on here. Ridden up there several times and ride Pasadena and Azusa Canyon frequently. Maybe I'll run into you one of these days. Also a fan on Cam's channel as well. Cool to see he was the one helping you.
Love the video, please consider coming to Portland and staying with us in our separate AirBnB apartment and ride either Ronde PDX or cyclocross in the fall!
Big fan of your climbing video. I Actually watched the dirty dozn unedited version!! Not gonna lie at 50 just getting out for two 30mi and a 60mi on the weekend is a goal that is often hard to achieve. No coach, no power meter, barely strava and a heart monitor. Often I ride so I can indulge in a less than healhty meal. My FTP = For Takeout Pizza. Thanks for the entertainment. Happy new year 🎉
Haha I can understand that. They didn’t sponsor the video, it’s just that have been training me from the start so they’re very intertwined with my cycling experience. Thanks for watching!
Had the same "one love" experience with running. Currently going through the same emotion with swimming. Cycling now too (got to for the Ironman), but still not there with love. I hope it will come with the time
Interesting and honest video, I have been training for years with my FTP varying from season to season by 10 or so Watts. The problem is you need to just be consistent and not have massive peaks and troughs and ups and downs. I just keep going.
According to my weight and measuring the steps I did 295 watts for 15 minutes on a stair machine (87 kg and climb 102 x 8 inch stairs in a minute). I wanted to know if power meters on bikes were accurate and if I was anywhere near the 300 watt mark (I've never done it for an hour with just my legs) and used good old Newtonian physics to check. The stair machine had a watt gauge but it was actually reading low, and occasionally spazzed around. Only inaccuracies are possibly the scales and also make sure not to hold the rails. That and the cadence of the stairs being only 51 rpm and possibly some wasted power stepping I know there is potential. It did translate fairly well to real life when I ascended a London tower block (The Sky Garden) staircase that had 896 stairs in 7:19. My main enemy is my weight. I tried the durianrider high carb (the exact opposite of the keto diet) but it was mixed in with work colleagues handing me cheese sandwiches and crisps and chocolate bars, said yes to chicken wraps, and church lunches, and occasionally got myself something a bit high in fat, thus lost the small calorie deficit by cutting out fat yet still burning a bit with the abundant supply of glycogen when you give yourself plenty of sugar. I got as low as 80 kg gradually when I stuck but copying my friends' and even parents' eating in quantities that make me satisfied will put in the fat too much. I know this has potential if I don't do this. I did a whole hour on a full body bike at about 275 watts at around 70 rpm because arms were helping, so perhaps I am a masher on a full body machine. Usually on exercise bikes I'm at about 90 rpm. I measured on an older matrix and was putting out more sustained power (nearly 300 on the guage) at level 15 at 90 rpm. Level 14 needed 96 rpm for the same power and felt harder. On exercise bikes you need to perch on the tip of that fat flat saddle, so not ideal. They seem to be designed for middle aged women to sit lower and read the paper or phone while soft pedaling. The spin bikes I haven't been able to measure power unless I tighten the flywheel and dangle a weight on it until it moves to work out force, and then work out how fast the flywheel is going through a metronome, the bike gear ratio, and the flywheel diameter. Then check it again to see if the friction has changed when the flywheel is warm.
I’m so shocked by how much people care about progression, I love it and I’m glad they have a focus and goal, I just ride for literal fun and to travel places and be outdoors.
One of my mates decided to do a speed run down Baldwin with rim brakes. Ended up going over the fence on the other side of NE Valley Rd. Tried again, same result.
Too add: on mountain bikes, disc brakes are a big time upgrade because when you go downhill key precision braking makes worlds of difference. On road bikes or anything else? Eh if you can stop decently fast for emergencies that's all brakes are for. So rim or otherwise it's all fine. And possibly way less maintenance
Yo, Mitch! Come to Taiwan and make some videos. Come join the KOM event in Taitung or the Three Towers ride along the east coast. KOM, you've seen on GCN I suppose. The Three Towers ride (東三塔550) is along the east coast and it's 550 km in 32 hours.
I use the Insta360Go3 the most (the little white one), 2nd most is the Insta360X3 (the 360 camera), and I still use my GoPo Hero 9 every once in a while too. They all work great for what I do. The 360 camera is the most versatile but also the most work in the edit because I need to reframe things. The Go3 is the smallest and lightest so it’s what I grab the most.
Me personally been riding bike's since the age of 3 & am now 56 years old..., built my first road bike at age 12 with my dad & had to use at that time in the late 70's was Herne Hill Cycle Stadium...,fast forward to soon to be 2024 in me im a exceptional, experienced cycling expert...., it takes many, many years to gain the skill set & be confident in road bike riding like what i have gained during my 50+ years in cycling & still be up for learning new things in cycling knowing the experience & knowledge that i have already gained.., the thing about no matter what type of cycling that you do that i have learned over the years are immense & that you are actually learning something new most day's even if you don't know it...., 🙏🏾👊🏾👍🏾
Great insights into the benefit of using a coach. Am the moment I use Trainer Road and it works but I do wonder if a coach could push me even further. This video has given me something to think about for later this year. Really well shot and edited video.
Very cool video. Good to see your progress on your FTP. In summary I got this. 1. Get a coach. For me from that site you mention it’s $247usd per month. In Aussie thats $371/month or over 2 years which was about your time, 8904. 2. Get some time. Not sure how much but I assume we are looking at 1 hr per day and more on weekends. 3. Consistently work hard. I think I can do 3 and some of 2, but what’s your alternative to #1 thats a more economical option?
Thanks for watching! I have a new-ish video with specific training advice called "3 LIES Holding You Back as a New Cyclist" that might answer your question. Lots of coaching services also offer premade plans which can be cheaper than dedicated coaching. You don't get the 1-1 experience, but you'll at least have access to specific workouts.
Love this! Would love to take your and Mark Lewis inspiration and do the same this year with my little dachshund. Fastest female with male dog maybe? Either way, what is the brand of backpack that you are using, looks ideal!
I used to care about such things back when I first started cycling seriously at the age of 40, after having been a runner for years. Now I'm 63 and mainly just enjoy cycling for being on my bike! Good for you though for following your passion!
I'm gonna go out on a limb after 1:06 of the video and say: consistent effort and discipline will make you above average.. I just got my gravel mix set.. i won't be using power meters or any tech, but will strive to get fitter and as far above average as i can without numbers..
I'm amazed by the tangible results from the RCA training with @CamNicholls, I wish I had access to a coach like him. If I tried to climb even just one of those roads I would probably make it halfway up before I start shaking hands with my ancestors in the afterlife. I used to race in 24-hour events, but that was eons ago. I've been wondering if there's an effective program for museum artifacts like me to sustain fitness.
To be fair his goal wasn't really to be above average. It was to be above average of all users using intervals.icu which is a set of people who totally care about FTP.
Those 35,000 other men in your age group are not "average cyclists", they are people who ride enough to care about using such a program, owning a power meter, and measuring their FTP. They are not a random sample.
Good point
Selection Bias for the win
Guinness book record holder casually claiming he is slightly above average is lowkey insane
Average north-American wouldn't know how to mount a bicycle.
But he’s also a guy who cares enough to do all those things….
Once again Mitch, I'm extremely grateful for the way you have shared your journey (which includes the RCA). One important thing you missed (although maybe I got distracted by the dude in white cycling shorts 🤣 or maybe you’re too modest) is you did the work! All that base training, all the HIIT sessions, all the long endurance rides etc. Plus, you entrusted in the guidance and program. That is not a given and that needs to be commended. Along with your excellent content! 👏 ❤
Haha those shorts are distracting. Thanks so much Cam! Very proud and happy to be part of the RCA community ❤️
This is cringey
It's super easy: Ride Lots.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk
Lol! I enjoyed your extremely brief, yet factual, TED Talk!
*do lots of easy rides
Love it! ❤
You are wrong. It is simple but not easy!!!
I.must be " unique". I just ride because it's fun and I just enjoy the scenery as i ride. I never knew I was supposed to be " increasing my power curve"...
234 for just starting is really good. 'average' 'below average' for **cyclists as a group** is WAY WAY WAY above average for the group 'general public'. It's something that gets skipped over a lot in these vids and left out completely when people quote studies, can make people feel completely dissuaded from trying. People should understand it could take an actually out of shape, close to or metabolically diseased American couch potato, an entire year of intense training to get close to 234. It may take them another 2years of similarly intense training to get to 300+.
Wow I just did my first one after getting a trainer and came out at 248..I do ride MTB however but only on the weekend.
Yeah, I got into cycling in May. By end of this year, my FTP started at 209 and now is at 255. I want 300 but I got sick mid Dec and has crushed my training. But while I was being down on myself, my buddy who has been cycling said the same thing: while I'm still average for cyclists, I am WAY above for the general population.
Feels good. Lost 100lbs along the way (that started Aug 2022).
And many people even after intense training for many years, good diet and rest time never will achieve anything close to 300 watts.
Yeah very tru.. But let's not forget that FTP only tells a little part of the tale. I would say Watts per Kilogram is the real key metric.
@@Frunnick 4.0 w/kg seems to be the immovable wall for most.
I started commuting by bike when I moved to the US at the end of 2019. Back then my bike was only a method of transportation until I found your channel. I watched one of your first cycling videos where you talked about your favorite cycling channels and during the video, you mentioned words like watts, power meters, FTP, etc. This was unknown to me. Later, you introduced me to Zwift, FTP, power zones, heartbeat drifting, direct drive trainers, electronic shifting, etc. In short, you introduced me to road cycling in general by sharing your passion in a fun and casual way. Today my FTP is 294, I have lost 30 pounds since I started, and race Zwift almost every day in category B. Same, as you I plan to ride my bike as hard as I can for the rest of my life. Thank you very much
This made my day! Congrats on your progress and thank you for watching 🙌
Mark Lewis is hilarious and inspirational. Nice to be here.
I mean technically, the vast majority of amateur cyclists probably never record their data in the first place. So really when you think about it, you were probably above average all along.
A man (or woman) that cares enough to measure their FTP is already well above average.
Average barely breaks a sweat on the commute 😂. Nothing wrong with that at all, but yeah he was above average.
Impressive development!!
I started riding seriously in 2020 at fourteen. Now I'm approaching eighteen, and I am still learning new things every ride and getting faster. It's tough because almost all of the riders in my area are way older than me, but I make it work. Planning on racing for the first time this season. I hope my diligence now pays off when I'm old and (hopefully) still fit.
Hands down Mitch, you are my favourite cycling UA-camr. I feel like we are very similar in how we got into cycling and how this wacky sport turned into a (healthy 🙃) obsession.
Your editing and storytelling is top notch and really stoked that you’ve been getting the views and recognition you deserve.
Cheers to a solid 2024 😀
Thanks for being an OG Kody!
I'm recovering from a torn quad and this video is wetting my appetite for getting back on the bike after a couple of years being a gym bro - thank you Mitch!
How did you tear your quad?
This is an awesome video. It honestly inspired me to keep training. I want my baseline to go up like yours did, I now know it will take 3 years instead of 3 months. Love the hair too!
Thanks dude!
This is very motivational, I've come out of 2023 from a major depressive state with a drive to be a better person . Fitness aside I know training hard on the bike and riding more helps myental being and makes me more friendly . Mad respect for you and the RCA team
100%. It’s become an important part of managing my mental health too. Awesome work dude
I’m sitting, actually laying here, on my couch loving this as my zwift bike stands waiting. Unfortunately I’m in heart failure having a day of severe fatigue but at some point I will pluck up the mental fortitude and pick myself up to go ride at 80w for 32 minutes and be proud and this video has helped me - I love your unstopability and enthusiasm!
Of course if my heart is only working at 28% with an ftp of 134w and a healthy heart pumps 60% of left ventricular volume then my compensated ftp would be 287w and technically above average! Go me!
Congrats, awesome work! I'm going out for my last 17 miles of 1k today!! I started mainly backin August, super overweight, weak and unhealthy...3 to 5 miles was my max and made me want to hurl but I can do 30-40 miles now and have had a blast these last bunch of months. This coach thing sounds like a great idea to keep it pushing.
That’s awesome, enjoy your ride!
Congrats Mitch!! Thanks for bringing us along on your journey. 💪💪
This is one of the funniest, best edited videos out there! Tremendous!
I'm 57 and just got into biking last october... absolutely love it... very addicting... especially the ftp..... I'm actually going for a ride right after I write this... bike on!!!!!
Super inspiring to see this.
Trying to go to 300 as well (from 200), up to 260 right now @ 73kg (or 273 if you believe the ramp test, lol).
Started cycling a little over a year ago.
yeah, dont believe the ramp test, unfortunately :) Keep at it!
Thanks for sharing. When something changes your life, its great to remember it. This journey has been well documented, welcoming to those of who watch, and just inspirational. Have fun out there. And I'll hit you up for the ultra riding when I am ready.
Great video Mitch. Love how you shared the highs and lows. Looking forward to the next stories!
Good fun video! I’m on similar journey. I’m a long time cyclist started in 1982 never raced until 2014. Got a coach got stronger then 2018 quit racing but just road here and there for fun. Now I want to get fit again so this video stoked me up!
Great work, Mitch! It’s been fun to follow you on this journey! Keep up the good work.
Came back from living at 2000 meters elevation and rode for an hour at 304 watts at the start of this month. It’s been a journey, but it’s given me the confidence to know I can ride the 108 miles of Skyline drive here in VA for my birthday in June and not be cracked by the effort afterwards.
Dan, You are an inspiration!! Thank you for this series. This is the most relatable series on GCN. Trying ride 10 miles under 20 minutes is a big goal for some, but everyone can make an effort to be healthier, even just a little bit. Good on you Dan!!
I'm more interested in how your hair grew back.
His FTP and watching lots of Incel and videos for PUA, and feeling a mid life crisis did it 😂
F'Real
@@DaylanTheAngrySauerkraut What?
@@nelsonhibbert5267I have no idea
Testosterone
Awesome! Way to go. Very inspiring. Coming off an injury to my hip. Wayt intake from your message is that you have to take the long game when you think about your training. There are set backs, but you build fitness over years.. thanks for your work!
Man, I can relate so much to almost everything in this. The only difference is that your moment when you stopped cycling has happened to me in October (till now), the day my son was born. I feel like I'll never be able to get back to where I was before. Listening to you just gave me a push to not lose hope and to get back on the bike (Zwift actually, it's winter time in Montreal). Thanks!
Congrats on your new son, dude! I have a couple of friends with newborns and it seems like it’s a common experience. I’m sure you’ll pick it back up as things level out again. 🫡
Inspiring Mitch! I’ve followed the journey and is awesome to see you get some satisfaction for the work. Keep going mate
UA-cam suggested this video this morning. At age 67 this all meant something quite a few years ago when I was road riding. I switched to almost exclusively mountain biking these days. Strength and balance are huge benefits when you're older. Falling on pavement or getting hit by a stolen Kia are not the best thing over 50. So what I'm saying is, you need more bikes and the trail forks app.😊
Always more bikes! 😉
at 58 got back on my road bike, but tend now to more gravel/road mixes, with far less "trafficed" roads
Crazy inspiring Mitch, so glad to have stumbled onto your channel and have been repeatedly inspired after watching to get out on to the road and push harder. Just did my first century ride in late October here in Maine (the day after the mass shooter had been found after days of manhunt/lockdown- a really meaningful day to experience Maine's hospitality ((my 2nd ever group ride the first half)) and natural beauty) and finished with 3200 miles my first calendar year of cycling. Can't wait to see where you take this channel!!
Great vid - honest, entertaining and inspirational. 💪
Btw, who needs hair, it drags on your speed and w/kg.
😂😂 I fear I’ll go full circle the deeper I dive into aero gains
Awesome journey. I have been just using Zwift to get my ftp up. But did casual mountain bike all summer so March to now has dropped. used to be 260, now 215. Back to my doing a Zwift race after every 12 hour work shift :)
Great video and impressive achievements! And just as a side-note: there is also a positive side on UA-cam algorithms. Hopping from one to the other the result is that I follow regularly Mark Lewis (funny and inspirational), The Nero Show (way back when Chris was with Bianchi's...) and CAM (a real training guru). Keep it up! My goals are -also not complicated: just as long as possible prevent sliding increasingly downwards on the inevitable aging ramp.
loved this! I plateaud quickly when I started my first year. after 9 months I got my FTP up to 320, but it took me another year to get it up to 330/340 and 4 years later I haven't been able to get it any further. I'm usually between 290 and 320 now because getting those extra 10-20 watts requires 4-6 additional hours a week of training time I can rarely afford. I think every cyclist reaches that point of diminishing returns and begins searching for ways to keep things exciting. Fortunately, I just love being on my bike, riding hard, riding with friends, and finding new routes. It's the best sport ever.
Excellent video. Great achievement and a lot of hard work put in. Chapeau 👍
The streak of great videos continues. Well done!
It's pretty cool! I start my cycling journey in my TB conditions, and I feel happier and healthier. Now when I want to get more faster, I got an accident and have to rest a lil bit, but I believe I would go faster and fares I could been before. Thank for sharing, Mitch!
FTP can be relative to equipment and riding conditions. If you do the same test on a heavier bike, now you burn out faster. What they should have is a calibration on the stationary bike that can be adjusted with the values coherent with your own bike. Even then, this only represents a happy medium, because the curve on each side of the medium will also vary per bike, depending on the resistance differences of both bikes.
That paved road on top of the ridge overlooking santa barbara is cool. Crazy mtb trails start there down to bougie mansions.
hands down, great video, I can see myself in lot of your expriences. thanks for sharing this!!
Gotta say thanks. I had just gotten done watching your Pittsburgh hills video and about 7-8 mins into this one I closed it out and went out for my first bike ride in 5 months. Right from the couch with my coffee to 15 miles and 600 ft. Felt great.
I have always enjoyed your cycling videos. But this one trumps all 👍 really gives me motivation to keep pushing after watching you progressing so much. I started cycling around the same time you did btw, but have not reached the same level. Kudos 👍
This is a great video, very inspiring! I've already signed up for an RCA assessment and hope I take to it all as well as you have. I'm just getting ready for a 34 mile tour but that is more than twice my current mileage and the ride is in less than 4 weeks. I have decided to just let myself be obsessive about this, I'm not sure why getting into cycling feels so compelling but I hope that will translate to doing the work and benefiting from the results no matter where it takes me ultimately. Thanks for sharing your journey, and your hair looks great!
Good luck, I’m sure you will do great on your tour event!
Your coach, Ryan, said that he doesn’t get many people training to go up steep hills. As a fellow Aussie, I wondered if this is because Australia is the flattest continent on the face of this planet 😂 But seriously, they seem like pretty great guys though. I hope they’ve been okay up in Queensland, which has been hit hard by the weather in recent weeks.
As for you, I really enjoy your videos. Congratulations on your hard work and hitting your achievements after all that work! Keep going forward and keep at it!!
Fantastic, motivating story. I started road cycling in June last Year, and I love seeing my fitness increase.
Oh great - now I'm obsessed with you! Thanks for walking us through your journey. The decision to get a coach is something I've been unsure of but your video is definitely pushing me to take the plunge. Congrats on everything and thank you for all the videos of yours I will now be watching!
I got a new roadbike for Christmas after nearly a decade away from riding and this video couldn't have come at a better time. I am feeling pumped to get back out there and lift my curves too!!
Thanks for sharing your journey. This is very relatable to my personal journey! Cheers
Thanks for such entertaining proof that “you get what you train for”. What I love about this video is that you were so clear about what mattered to you, and you went for it. Next up, the Velodrome?
I’m very tempted by track. Maybe one day in the future!
Has tenido un gran viaje construyendo tu nivel como ciclista! Es muy gratificante ver lo que has conseguido con trabajo, con subidas y bajadas, siendo real 💪🏻 gracias por transmitirnos tu experiencia y GRACIAS por esa taza de café… It’s Colombia, not Columbia! Jajajajaja (I suppose, it was a gift from your wife) Cheers from 🇨🇴
Haha it was, pero el cafe colombiano es el mejor! Thanks, Diego!
Really great video with great information. Thank you.
Saw Jesse and Chris mention you on the Nero show and came to check this vid out. Didn't realize you were from the LA area. Nice to see the Crest on here. Ridden up there several times and ride Pasadena and Azusa Canyon frequently. Maybe I'll run into you one of these days. Also a fan on Cam's channel as well. Cool to see he was the one helping you.
Love the video, please consider coming to Portland and staying with us in our separate AirBnB apartment and ride either Ronde PDX or cyclocross in the fall!
first time running into your channel. I am impressed beyond words
Big fan of your climbing video. I Actually watched the dirty dozn unedited version!! Not gonna lie at 50 just getting out for two 30mi and a 60mi on the weekend is a goal that is often hard to achieve. No coach, no power meter, barely strava and a heart monitor. Often I ride so I can indulge in a less than healhty meal. My FTP = For Takeout Pizza. Thanks for the entertainment. Happy new year 🎉
Haha love your FTP abbreviation!
What a great video Mitch , really enjoyed this and so insightful, keep up the amazing work on the channel 😊
Great video man! Nice work!
Congrats and great video Mitch!
Loved the video! Well done for you hard work!
seems like an ad for RCA but great video nonetheless. really good that you showed fitness is not a constant thing and we can take breaks. keep riding!
Haha I can understand that. They didn’t sponsor the video, it’s just that have been training me from the start so they’re very intertwined with my cycling experience. Thanks for watching!
Had the same "one love" experience with running. Currently going through the same emotion with swimming. Cycling now too (got to for the Ironman), but still not there with love. I hope it will come with the time
🚴 Keep on Ridin! Great video!
You know you’re a true cyclist when you vomit after going for a Strava KOM. Great video and congrats on your progress! 🚴🏻♂️
Good for you! Unfortunately we have tons of cycling channels and very few how to print a decent photo 😢
Excellent video. The results are fantastic.. I have a Roadmachine as well
Interesting and honest video, I have been training for years with my FTP varying from season to season by 10 or so Watts. The problem is you need to just be consistent and not have massive peaks and troughs and ups and downs. I just keep going.
According to my weight and measuring the steps I did 295 watts for 15 minutes on a stair machine (87 kg and climb 102 x 8 inch stairs in a minute). I wanted to know if power meters on bikes were accurate and if I was anywhere near the 300 watt mark (I've never done it for an hour with just my legs) and used good old Newtonian physics to check. The stair machine had a watt gauge but it was actually reading low, and occasionally spazzed around. Only inaccuracies are possibly the scales and also make sure not to hold the rails. That and the cadence of the stairs being only 51 rpm and possibly some wasted power stepping I know there is potential. It did translate fairly well to real life when I ascended a London tower block (The Sky Garden) staircase that had 896 stairs in 7:19. My main enemy is my weight.
I tried the durianrider high carb (the exact opposite of the keto diet) but it was mixed in with work colleagues handing me cheese sandwiches and crisps and chocolate bars, said yes to chicken wraps, and church lunches, and occasionally got myself something a bit high in fat, thus lost the small calorie deficit by cutting out fat yet still burning a bit with the abundant supply of glycogen when you give yourself plenty of sugar. I got as low as 80 kg gradually when I stuck but copying my friends' and even parents' eating in quantities that make me satisfied will put in the fat too much. I know this has potential if I don't do this.
I did a whole hour on a full body bike at about 275 watts at around 70 rpm because arms were helping, so perhaps I am a masher on a full body machine. Usually on exercise bikes I'm at about 90 rpm. I measured on an older matrix and was putting out more sustained power (nearly 300 on the guage) at level 15 at 90 rpm. Level 14 needed 96 rpm for the same power and felt harder. On exercise bikes you need to perch on the tip of that fat flat saddle, so not ideal. They seem to be designed for middle aged women to sit lower and read the paper or phone while soft pedaling. The spin bikes I haven't been able to measure power unless I tighten the flywheel and dangle a weight on it until it moves to work out force, and then work out how fast the flywheel is going through a metronome, the bike gear ratio, and the flywheel diameter. Then check it again to see if the friction has changed when the flywheel is warm.
I’m so shocked by how much people care about progression, I love it and I’m glad they have a focus and goal, I just ride for literal fun and to travel places and be outdoors.
One of my mates decided to do a speed run down Baldwin with rim brakes. Ended up going over the fence on the other side of NE Valley Rd. Tried again, same result.
Friends with your brother! Cool video this makes me want to get into cycling. Keep up the grind. 😄
Too add: on mountain bikes, disc brakes are a big time upgrade because when you go downhill key precision braking makes worlds of difference.
On road bikes or anything else? Eh if you can stop decently fast for emergencies that's all brakes are for. So rim or otherwise it's all fine. And possibly way less maintenance
so are you telling me this all it takes to be an above average cyclist
Yup!
😂😅
Absofuckinglutely
I’m not a coach, but if you really put in the work, with a coach for multiple years, you will rip the legs off your buddies on group rides
@@johnpenner1318it depends on how fast your buddies are! It took me 3 years to get to that point.
Good stuff my man! You killed it 😮
Love it 🙌 great work 🚀
congrats on the successes you have had recently with your fitness and with your hair. :D
Yo, Mitch! Come to Taiwan and make some videos. Come join the KOM event in Taitung or the Three Towers ride along the east coast. KOM, you've seen on GCN I suppose. The Three Towers ride (東三塔550) is along the east coast and it's 550 km in 32 hours.
Off-topic: do you have any fresh opinions on your favorite Cycling camera? You once made a video of the Insta360.
I use the Insta360Go3 the most (the little white one), 2nd most is the Insta360X3 (the 360 camera), and I still use my GoPo Hero 9 every once in a while too. They all work great for what I do. The 360 camera is the most versatile but also the most work in the edit because I need to reframe things. The Go3 is the smallest and lightest so it’s what I grab the most.
great video to start the year
So.....how did you get your hair back?
Congrats Mitch and great story telling ❤
Great video - your progress is inspiring mate. As a Queenslander I recognised the start of that Obi Obi Rd climb a mile off! 😬🥵
Now forever burned in my memory 😅
great! To keep you motivated tho, that Peloton reading was 317 so still a watt to go ;)
😂😂 it haunts my nightmares
Me personally been riding bike's since the age of 3 & am now 56 years old..., built my first road bike at age 12 with my dad & had to use at that time in the late 70's was Herne Hill Cycle Stadium...,fast forward to soon to be 2024 in me im a exceptional, experienced cycling expert...., it takes many, many years to gain the skill set & be confident in road bike riding like what i have gained during my 50+ years in cycling & still be up for learning new things in cycling knowing the experience & knowledge that i have already gained.., the thing about no matter what type of cycling that you do that i have learned over the years are immense & that you are actually learning something new most day's even if you don't know it...., 🙏🏾👊🏾👍🏾
Great insights into the benefit of using a coach. Am the moment I use Trainer Road and it works but I do wonder if a coach could push me even further. This video has given me something to think about for later this year. Really well shot and edited video.
3 kicks and gooo!!!🚲 💨 . Great video bud💪🏾
Thanks Professor Chris! 🫡
FYI: The Peloton Bike+ (Plus!) uses a real powermeter (+ ERG) and is quite comparable to my road bike pm.
Very cool video. Good to see your progress on your FTP. In summary I got this. 1. Get a coach. For me from that site you mention it’s $247usd per month. In Aussie thats $371/month or over 2 years which was about your time, 8904. 2. Get some time. Not sure how much but I assume we are looking at 1 hr per day and more on weekends. 3. Consistently work hard. I think I can do 3 and some of 2, but what’s your alternative to #1 thats a more economical option?
Thanks for watching! I have a new-ish video with specific training advice called "3 LIES Holding You Back as a New Cyclist" that might answer your question. Lots of coaching services also offer premade plans which can be cheaper than dedicated coaching. You don't get the 1-1 experience, but you'll at least have access to specific workouts.
@@MitchBoyer No worries enjoying the content. Will take a look.
Man i hope i can follow your footsteps. Especially in the hair area 🫶
Love this! Would love to take your and Mark Lewis inspiration and do the same this year with my little dachshund. Fastest female with male dog maybe? Either way, what is the brand of backpack that you are using, looks ideal!
It’s the K9 Sports Sack! Good luck, let me know how it goes 🐶
Great video! I cycle over 6000km (3700 miles) a year, but I have no clue about my FTP and if I'm above average or not...
Well done Mitch keep at it.
Thanks for going full time UA-cam. Subscribed.
I used to care about such things back when I first started cycling seriously at the age of 40, after having been a runner for years. Now I'm 63 and mainly just enjoy cycling for being on my bike! Good for you though for following your passion!
I'm gonna go out on a limb after 1:06 of the video and say: consistent effort and discipline will make you above average.. I just got my gravel mix set.. i won't be using power meters or any tech, but will strive to get fitter and as far above average as i can without numbers..
i recommend you to use chondroidin sulphate for your knees. because it can be serious issue in the future
I'm amazed by the tangible results from the RCA training with @CamNicholls, I wish I had access to a coach like him. If I tried to climb even just one of those roads I would probably make it halfway up before I start shaking hands with my ancestors in the afterlife. I used to race in 24-hour events, but that was eons ago. I've been wondering if there's an effective program for museum artifacts like me to sustain fitness.
Here is secret, he was never below average. Average cyclists don't measure their FTP or use power meters. Average cyclists don't care.
To be fair his goal wasn't really to be above average. It was to be above average of all users using intervals.icu which is a set of people who totally care about FTP.
He’s not average. He’s “above average” lol. That’s the whole point of the first few minutes of the video
@@tylerdanford4514🤦♂️
@@tylerdanford4514He himself SAYS he was below average.
IDK Strava ect harvest all your data and I assume do something with it. They can get pretty close without a formal test.
I am 21 years old and when I saw this video, my motivation multiplied to continue. Thank you for this video❤❤
How does one get your hair back from riding a bike?
Rode so much you started growing your hair! Epic😆