I've been wanting to respond to your post, but needed to be able to try Cyclemax myself first. I'm sorry it took so long, but I had to wait for my spin bike to arrive...I finally got it this weekend and I've now done Cyclemax twice. The first time I had already done a really tough spin class earlier in the day, so I figured I'd better give it a second go before writing this.
The reason I wanted to respond in the first place is that a while ago I lent Cyclemax to a friend of mine who's a cyclist (e.g., 6 hour training rides). He liked it, but said he couldn't keep up with the standing. He does his workouts on a cycleops trainer as well, although his is fluid, not magnetic, but I don't think there's that much difference between the two.
There is, however, a big difference between the type of riding you do outdoors and Cyclemax. Think about how much time you spend out of the saddle when outdoors...not much. Steep hills (mountains if you're lucky!) when you need to push a big gear, attacks or to quickly gain speed, or when you need a little break from sitting. That's not a major amount of time overall. Cyclemax has a LOT of standing work in it, though, so I could see how for even a very fit cyclist it's a lot of standing and something to work up to. In addition, on a road bike versus a spin bike, you have to be in a big gear to avoid pedal slip, so it's really challenging...you can have a little less tension on a spin bike and still "control" your pedal stroke...have you ever been on a spin bike? If so, you'll know what I mean. You still need pretty good tension, but there's quite a bit of leeway depending upon how hard you're willing to push yourself or how well trained you are. It's just easier to cheat.
I did Cyclemax on a spin bike. I've been spinning for about 18 months, averaging about twice a week (although in the last 4 days, I've done 1 brutal spin session and 5 tough spin sessions...I just can't stay off this bike!). I've been to different gyms with different instructors, and I can say that I've never done a spin class that was so front loaded with standing work as Cyclemax. It pains me to write this, because I think Cathe puts out the best workouts out there and I was sure I would think her spin DVD was the best spin workout of all time. I'm confident there is a reason Cathe structured Cyclemax the way she did, and it's a good reason, but I personally didn't find it to be a terribly enjoyable spin session. Doable, yes, but I felt like I needed to be a little warmer before doing so much standing. I'm hoping Ride is a little more balanced, at least at the outset of the workout. I should add that I LOVE standing work, and get frustrated when an instructor spends too much time in the saddle (Keiser classes can be like this, if the instructor is obsessed with cadence and wattage). Having said that, many Cathletes have written rave reviews of Cyclemax and absolutely love it...it's all a matter of personal preference. Cyclemax is a solid workout that I'm sure I'll do again, but I'm having fun kicking my own but with some awesome playlists I've developed.
. Oh, I should add that my cyclist friend said he could always work on developing his standing work and Cyclemax would be good for that, but he's more focused on distance and speed. His heart is in improving his outdoor riding, versus getting a good cardiovascular workout that happens to involve being on a bike.
The bottom line is that yes, you will get better at the standing work...I'll bet you're already vastly improved over the day you posted this message. I know my third time with Cyclemax I'll be better, too. I'm wondering, though, if you might also be interested in workouts designed specifically for outdoor cyclists who are training indoors. There are some great videos from The Sufferfest designed for this purpose and they get rave reviews from cyclists (and some Cathletes) for helping them improve over the off season. The Sufferfest uses footage from pro races (the latest one, called The Wretched, uses footage from this year's Tour de France!). So it's like riding with the pros. The workouts are supposedly very, very tough (the term 'puke in a bucket' is often used to describe them), but like any workout it's as hard as you make it. I have now purchased all of The Sufferfest workouts, but although they look awesome (and quite funny), I can't tell you how good they are, because I haven't done one yet! Why? I wanted to do Cyclemax first, since I'd been waiting over a year to give it a go.
I hope this is helpful, and please post and let us know how you're getting along!
