Should Mountain Bikers Care About Fitness Metrics Like VO2 Max?

Ben Turits runs a coaching business and sports therapy practice called The Endurance Collective. He’s a former professional mountain bike racer and current USA Cycling coach working with both pro and amateur athletes alike. In this episode we ask: How did your first enduro race go? What type of training did you do to prepare? What does VO2 max measure?How is it measured? Is using heart rate data to estimate VO2 max fairly accurate? Are there specific types of training that are effective in raising VO2 max? How important is VO2 max for predicting performance? What is lactate threshold?What does it measure? How is it measured? Is lactate threshold directly related to power? Are there other similar fitness metrics that riders can or should pay attention to? Is there a difference between mountain bikers and road bikers when it comes to the importance of certain metrics? Is it possible to get the same quality workout on the trail vs. on the trainer?Is gravel riding a good substitute for road riding in terms of the training benefits? How do you know if you’re under- or over-fueled on longer rides? Learn more or connect with Ben and the Endurance Collective on their website (theendurancecollective.com) and YouTube channel. ✏️ A written transcript of this conversation is available to Singletracks Pro supporters: singletracks.com/support --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks