Was going to guess "Bunch ride and coffee ride", but he seems to have forgotten those key rides.

Some of the best training advice I have ever heard

Training not to embarrass myself, this bike is too expensive

I just train. No events in mind, only want to be able to ride longer and faster 😂

Back when I was competing as an elite amateur (when being an amateur meant something) my coach (former East German coach) broke it down for me: one day long, one day hard, one day race/ fast group ride. Eat, sleep, hydrate, repeat. If resting HR is elevated and/ or legs are heavy, it’s a recovery ride. This video captures the spirit of that quite well.

Rest is best. Only increase training if your rest can keep up!

I wish I would’ve known this years ago.
I always had a good natural anaerobic, and VO2 in me, and my weakness was endurance. But I never really trained it.
Last year I focus six months on endurance 3-4 hour saddle time and not much of high intensity stuff…. And I never seem to lose my sprint and VO2 efforts. When I randomly needed to be explosive, it was there never lost it.
Train what your week on and stimulate only what your natural at

I'm 59 and have been doing endurance training (running and cycling) for over 30 years, as non-competitive athlete. I agree completely with this prescription. I never really realized it but my numbers fall very close to the 15% rule. 5 minute : 280W, 20 minute: 240W, 60 minute: 216W.  These are of course estimates from the Strava tools as I've never done any lactate testing. But the core idea is correct. When I was a runner, I did not do any intervals, but I was leaner and could run a marathon quite comfortably in 4 hours, having trained only by following a training program over several months, after starting from a base I'd built up as a casual runner (40km/wk).

I could raise the ceiling by doing more 5-8 minute intervals.  But right now I'd like to be better at riding 3 hours solo at a faster pace and having better durability, in addition to be better on steep, long hill climbs. What Damien says about new riders being very strong for the first and then bonking after 2-3 hours is absolutely true. Sometimes I have better endurance than someone 30 years younger than me!  It is not that they are unfit, but they have not done endurance training because they don't have as much experience with sports in general.

I have trouble staying in zone 2.  I can stay zone 3 but 2 is tough.

Many cyclist want to maintain a minimum  level of fitness and perhaps only peak once or twice a year for specific events. Thinking like this keeps it simple. Then you can dovetail a specific training plan say 3 months prior to the event.

Great framework. I consciously use my city- and work-riding for the ceiling-type work: sprinting for crossings, panting over short-hills, surging out of the blocks when the lights turn green. Constant stop-and-go keeps my riding skills sharp also focusses the mind. Then, to complement, one longer endurance ride whenever I have time on my racebike.

The only drawback is it makes city riding sweatier and hotter than is ideal for arriving at an appointment....

Fatigued state does not allow for adaptations.

After trying to figure out what to train and when, I've landed on doing long Zone 2 endurance rides, a few short (1.5 hours) zone 2 rides, and one interval or something to build the top side.

This video validates my approach.

I'm low aerobic maxxing with dual screens featuring Steve Magness talking on long easy runs.

At 52 yo, I'm biking more than ever and love it.  I usually hang around Zone 3, although last ride I did was a road ride on my MTB and it was Zone 2.  But I will often do a mix of Zones 3, 4 and 5, although Zone 5 rides are a bit rare.  Usually, the distance is 33-45 miles.  But I also do shorter rides in my hood, about 13-20 miles.  I probably need to do some "social" rides😂 and take it easy.

Great explanation between the five minute power vs the floor… 🍻

One of the best, concise advise summaries I’ve heard.  So often training commentary focuses on too much one size fits all, click bait, super-pill advice.  Well done!!

Great representation of how you define and decide where your next effort lies.

I just found out that 100/110 km zone 2 ride is completly different in 15 or 30 degrees😂

I currently race cat3 XCO - 60-75 minute races - I've never podiumed but finish consistently in the top quarter for my age group and overall category.  I want to train to either podium in cat3 and/or move up to be competitive in cat2 (90-100 minute races).  I can start strong but struggle to maintain the pace until we hit singletrack so I drop to the middle or back of the lead peloton.  Once we get into singletrack I'm immediately stuck behind riders whose technical skills aren't as good as their endurance and I have to fight my way through the pack.  I would love to be able to take a lead position from the start and maintain that position into the singletrack.