Billat 30-30 Physiology: Using SmO2 and ThB to Identify True VO2max Stimulus

Comparison of SmO2 resaturation capacity in early vs. late Billat intervals showing the failure of muscle re-oxygenation.

Billat 30-30 Physiology: Why Garmin Stamina Contradicts the SmO2 Test By Coach Wharton April 29, 2026 Billat 30-30 Physiology is a foundational concept in high-intensity training, typically involving 30 seconds of maximal aerobic power followed by 30 seconds of active recovery. The goal is simple on paper—spend as much time as possible at VO2max intensity. […]

Rotor Q Rings Revisited – Yet Again

Rotor Q Rings Position using InPower App.

Rotor Q Rings DO Work – Just Not The Way You Might Think I’ve been using Rotor Q Rings ever since they came out. Prior to that, I was using Rotor’s ‘RSX’ technology, because the company gave their product to trained scientists for honest review and application. The theory behind Q rings is that they […]

Vo2Max and Mountain Biking

Vo2Master outdoor data collection.

Mountain Biking Requires Riding at Vo2Max! CAUTION – THIS POST IS NERD-HEAVY! IT IS DEEP IN THE WEEDS! DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS!!!!! Ever since I received my Vo2Master back from my friend and code buddy in Canada, I have been collecting data on inside and outside rides. Not long ago, I rode two […]

Vo2Master Vo2Max Value Affirms Garmin Vo2Max Estimator

Richard Wharton Vo2Master OBC Headquarters

Vo2Master’s Vo2Max Value Was 98% Consistent with Garmin In May of this year, I wrote a post about the Garmin Vo2Max Calculator. In July, I was able to test my Vo2Max at OBC Headquarters, to compare values. I performed a Graded Exercise Test, using the Vo2Master app. This app, on a cell phone, trapped data […]

2023: New Home, New Goals, New Services, New Discussions

New OBC Headquarters

New Home: Sacramento, California, USA! Hey everyone, I can’t believe that I’ve landed and set up shop in our new home here in Sacramento, California. Honestly, I haven’t been a Californian since 1974, so this is definitely going to be a new experience. Online Bike Coach has been a stalwart pillar of coaching and information […]

Setting The Q Ring Position Based On Rotor InPower Ride Data

Rotor InPower OCP 1

Rotor InPower Cranks Provide Crucial Insight I’ve been using Rotor products since at least 2000, when the RSX Cranks first became available. I have been a student of the original concept, and I use Q rings on all of my bikes these days. In 2012 or thereabouts, Rotor began building their own power meters. Specifically, […]

Attn: For Subscribers Only.

Official Online Bike Coach logo representing the Physiology First cycling coaching framework and data analysis expertise.

Subscribers – Log In and Read Below… Gang, first off, please let me apologize for a lack of content since mid-to-late summer. A combination of things conspired against me, including: The forest fires that basically shut down outdoor cycling for two months . We hosted Three Refugees and their pets that same time period. Not […]

Xert Time-To-Exhaustion Field – PART 1.

[caption id="attachment_12608" align="aligncenter" width="282"]Xert Time-To-Exhaustion The Xert Time-To-Exhaustion Field is a very powerful tool for your training.[/caption]

The Xert Time-To-Exhaustion, Time-To-Recovery Field is one of the most powerful, yet least-understood or used Fields in the Xert Ecosystem. But when you use it correctly, it can be one of the most powerful tools on your Garmin head unit.

What Is the “Time-To-Exhaustion” Xert Field?

The Xert “Time-To-Exhaustion” Field (TTE) is a little-understood field that performs a couple of functions. It can be found in the Garmin Connect App Store.

Primarily, enter a known wattage in the “TTE” setup, and another known wattage in the “Time-To-Recovery” Field (TTR). Then install the Field on your Garmin Profile. When the phone syncs with the head unit, the field will populate two times. The “TTE” time will show how many minutes a seconds a cyclist has until their MPA (and High Intensity Energy – HIE) is exhausted, and the “TTR” will show how many minutes at a certain wattage are required for the athlete to recover.

Alternatively, there’s another setting. You can enter a known MPA as a “Floor”, and another known MPA as a “Ceiling”, Then, when you ride at ANY intensity, it will count down the time to reach that MPA, and then count down the time required to hit that MPA Ceiling for recovery.

This is a GREAT TOOL for a lot of reasons!

100 Rides (Hours) on Rollers With Xert

100 Rides (Hours) on Rollers With Xert.

Yes, you read that correctly. I have set up my Xert Adaptive Training Advisor for a 5MMP, “Breakaway Specialist” Breakthrough, on January 30th of 2021. This is roughly 9 weeks away. I’ll be riding almost exclusively on my Rollers.