Are you a cyclist interested in the latest scientific training methods? Join the University of Calgary 4-month 3Dapt study to help the scientific validation of a performance model – train at home, test weekly, and advance cycling science.
We are looking for cyclists to take part in a research study testing a cutting-edge, three-dimensional model of training adaptation. You will keep training on your own bike, complete weekly short tests for progress monitoring, and do pre- and post-study maximal efforts – all from home.
Requirements in a nutshell:
When: Start your 4-month training anytime between now and the end of January.
Who: Adult cyclists (18–60 years, men or women), preferably who use Xert.
Equipment: Compatible power meter and heart rate monitor; home trainer or cycle ergometer.
Experience: Familiarity with performing cycling tests; cycling is your primary sport.
Commitment: Willing to increase training load or change your training habits for 4 months; complete 1 short/medium/long test each week plus 3 maximal tests at baseline and post-training.
Other: Fluent in English; willing to share all power and heart rate data from the study period and two months prior.
Interested? Complete a screening questionnaire online:
or contact hilkka.kontro@ucalgary.ca for more information.
Please note: certain conditions may prevent you from participating. These will be detailed in the online screening questionnaire.
This study has been approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB25-1375).
Weekly hours range is one of the questionnaire entries.
Filling out the survey doesn’t obligate you to join the study, plus you can elect to clear your answers at the end if you don’t wish to find out if you qualify by entering an email.
I don’t qualify (too old ) but I filled out the survey to see what it entails. Takes 2 minutes.
Q1: Are you between 18 and 60 years old? This is important as we have ethical approval to only recruit participants in this age range.
I can think of several reasons why this makes sense from a health study perspective as well as liability. The University of Calgary made this decision, not Xert.
Ethics approval is the formal review and approval process conducted by an independent ethics committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure that a clinical trial is ethical, safe, and compliant with regulations. This approval is required before a trial can begin and is focused on protecting the rights, safety, and well-being of participants. For example, the ethics committee evaluates the study protocol, informed consent process, and potential risks and benefits to ensure that the trial meets ethical and legal standards.
I know but it annoys me that consequently there are few if any studies that apply to our demographic and this is the first chance I’ve had to vent my frustration
I’m in the same boat. Last time I was allowed in was nearly ten years ago now at the young age of 52. and that was only due to the fact that the organiser knew me and my riding ability, so was not worried about a max heart rate of over 200!
Thank you everyone who has already expressed interest or signed up! There are still about half of the spots available, so consider joining the study if you’d like to learn something about your training responsiveness, mix up you winter training a little, and help advance cycling science in the process.
Sorry about having to cap the age to 60 - the ethics board is always concerned about risk factors when it comes to maximal exercise, and since age is considered one, this is upper limit we managed to negotiate.
Can you give any hints on what your question/hypothesis is for this study? “3Dapt” sounds very cryptic to me, even google could not help. Four months without any outdoor-riding, but three all-out-tests every week seems quite a strong commitment for someone who rides bikes for fun.
The study aims to validate a Banister model aka impulse-response or fitness-fatigue model. But instead of just one dimension of fitness (e.g., chronic training load in arbitrary units), it will assess whether the three parameters of fitness, critical power, W’, and Pmax, may evolve independently. Do do that, three different training load units are needed (like the low, high, and peak XSS in Xert). The three parameters may also have different time constants for both fitness and fatigue.
) but I filled out the survey to see what it entails. Takes 2 minutes.