The Wattage Thread

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How are the TT's going Superkart?

I finally got myself over to a fast course near Tring and did 19.13 for 10 miles on about 365W (which is about right as it has a huge hill in it) which when I crop the couple of drop outs I suffered out (magnet getting knocked about I think )

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A TT bike should be quicker in nearly all winds as they are designed to cut through the air, but also act as a sail in certain other winds...

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Been some pleasing developments over last few weeks off the back of increased vo2 work I think.

Managed 450w for 7 mins in TT position in a uphill TT the other day, last summer I was barely able to do 450 for 5 mins on a roadbike.

And last night managed 382w for our club ten and a course PB in the process, also think I've lowered my CdA a fair whack by changing a few things with the bike and helmet.

I was thinking about what Ed said regards average speed, and instead of keeping it steady, I smashed it up the hills and took it easier down the other side. Seemed to work quite well.

Oh and almost 1st cat now.

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Did my first official 25 last week, recent numbers would point to FTP being somewhere between 350-360w BUT as is always, unless you ride for that period of time at that intensity, though you are capable of it on paper it can be a struggle to actually do it!

Anyway with that said I went out and wanted to have a negative split (that is where the similarities with Wiggins end!!) but due to half the course being VERY fast as there was a hugely strong wind pushing I was a bit behind as I was finding it tough to actually get the power down at points as was up over 35 mph a lot of the time. So managed around 345 for the first half, and then made a bit of an effort to raise it in the second half, and ended just shy of 350 with a normalized of bang on 350. I think a few more full on 50 min efforts would result in me being able to get it a bit closer to my 20 min power.

I won the event with 51.40, next year will be certainly looking to go under 50 mins on a quick course, I think if I get the right day then a 48 is possible, too.

At the other end of the spectrum I've been doing a few sprints in my training recently and as much as I thought it would make little odds I've managed to eek up my 'jump/peak' to around 1600w which is up around 100w on what I was managing before I started doing more of it.

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McFsC said:

Our local rider managed 404watts for 18 minutes. He's 18 though.

Grandfondo - no, he got a really good day on the same course I did 19.13 on and did 18.39, so I will have to probably get quite lucky and do a good ride to get close to that.

MCFSC - that is very impressive if correct, though what I will say is that increase in people with meters spitting out silly figures seems to be high. A bloke I rode against in a TT the other week (and beat) seemingly did 400w for 25 min the other day, but upon investigation it seems his meter cannot be reading correctly as we have done the same race and he is the same weight as me yet all his readings are 30w higher than mine. But what is his name? He should be right near the top of things if true (and not a fat fker)

Apparently Marcin Biablocki of UK youth did 455w on a course down in the SW to do 18.34 the other day, monster!!

A legit 400w for 20 mins is something I think I will achieve next year, I am going to start using a coach this winter, next year will be the decider for me whether I pursue racing or TT's.

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ChrisMCoupe said:

Just had my first go on a Wattbike that my work gym has got in. Set it up pretty much identical to my road bike, although in hindsight maybe a slightly more TT setup would have been preferable. The only limiting factor was that the pedals don't accomodate SPD-SL's so had to use clips.

Managed to avg 235W for an hour and had peaks of up to 820W. Pretty impressed with that as a first go, and definitely didn't feel like I killed myself in that hour.

Thing is, that's higher than I've seen Strava 'calculate' for me over an hour ride, and always thought that Strava over-estimated? Either way, it's nice to have the Wattbike in the gym for some more accurate figures

Oh and apparently my left leg does around 53-55% of the work on average, I never knew!

Though some wattbike figures I've seen are very spurious, I'd certainly pay more attention to it than Strava power. Those figures sound about right for a rider who is riding regularly but not 'training' as such.

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Don't we all ;-)

I plan to give it some good training very shortly.

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IroningMan said:

Is that the one that uses the pedals?

Yes.

I was keen, but then I saw the multiple step calibration that has to be undertaken each time you swap them!!

To me swapping my cranks takes less than 2 minutes, yes I get mucky hands usually, but I can live with that. If anything I'll buy another crank based system for the TT bike.

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Gran to do - I am 26 soon. But my body type is still holding me back. I can't seem to get my weight much lower than 77kg.

That book will be a good start Tom! Useful for pacing for sure.

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Sure if you can do 400w for an hour it doesn't matter lol but I can't.

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I dunno, I think its possible to ride to power outside as long as its somewhere fairly junction free. I can get within a few watts of where I want to be on 2-3 hour rides. Obviously the turbo is better for that but its also a different kind of effort, and many people find that the build up of heat really hampers things...

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So that's pretty much this season done, I improved a fair bit over the course of this year, I have added around 30w to my 20 min power, and have done that without really training like I should for a lot of the year.

I will be training hard over the winter, with a fair bit more thought on what I am doing than last time. Lots of sweetspot stuff over the winter, lots of long tempo rides with sweetspot stuff worked in etc. I will also be making a concerted effort to drop a few kg, I have started editing what I'm eating now as I don't want to try and have it all to do when I get back after xmas.

Next season will be possibly the decider on whether I continue to pursue road racing with commitment, or whether I switch to time trialing and criteriums. I would hope to next year finally breach 400w in a ten and get my FTP up to 370+ which really should (with a few dropped KG) see my pretty competitive in National B racing, and right at the sharp end of the TT world (though I'd imagine I would probably just about scrape into the top 10 at the national 10 as I stand) in more popular events.

Also will be doing a bit more sprint work, got up to around 1600w peak now, and have regularly hit 1550 at the end of a race, so will keep trying to move that.

Edited by okgo on Monday 30th September 12:28

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They'd be better numbers if I wasn't so heavy

A combo of moving up another 20w or so FTP wise and losing 3-5kg would put me up there with riders I know who frequently win at elite level, sprint isn't a worry, not many people can get near that, my issue most recently was that I was a bit too knackered by the time the sprint up the finish hill came!! And 5kg when sprinting up a hill makes a big old different.

Good work from you too, I really like the p2m product, I need another powermeter really, swapping them between bikes is becoming a bore, I may get another Quarq as mine has been rock solid, but its hard to look past the p2m offering. Its not really feasible to keep swapping either, I need a 55/56t ring on the TT bike really, and obviously a 55t ring is not ideal on the roadbike, so a new meter is in order.

Keep working, it will keep improving if you are dong enough (my main issue, not doing enough!).

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ChrisMCoupe said:

Very good numbers there Okgo. You mention you are a bit on the heavy side a lot (still a damn sight lighter than me I imagine ), so doesn't this point you towards pursuing TT's or are you happy to work hard and drop some KG's?

Been working on power a bit lately, as weather and less light in the evenings has meant shorter but harder effort on rides and enjoying the Wattbike at work to see numbers improving. Have managed 282w for 20mins now and got a 5-10 second sprint of around 1350 watts. Happy with both of those and will push for 300 for 20 over winter

Yes, what you have to think about is though among normal people I look perfectly fine, skinny even, I am still usually one of the bigger riders (currently around 78.5kg @ 6ft1) in races, and certainly while my power numbers are fine on the flat, I do lose out on the hills (which seem to be a frequent feature in my 80 mile road races now I can't do 2nd cat races!).

I will try to lose a few more kg, I'm aware my frame is such that I'm never going to be 70kg, my collar bones stick out like sore thumbs, I don't have cycling shoulders, but there is a bit of excess about that can go, for sure - Will see how it goes, the TT stuff is fun but I like the buzz of bunch racing. I have lost 18kg already since beginning riding, what is a few more!

Edited by okgo on Tuesday 1st October 09:49

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In normal conditions (i.e. no huge tailwinds, or headwinds, or riding in a bunch) its within 20% of actual figures I'd say, assuming you've put your weight in correctly.

However, how much use it is given all the above variables I do not know, but that is what I would say about it.

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So today I had a race and I had purposefully done bugger all last week bar the minimum to bring my TSB very positive (make myself very fresh after a fair chunk of lots of riding) and I set a lot of power pbs in a race today where I had a 17 min solo period at the beginning. That was 410w for 17 mins which ended up being 405 for 20 I think , 470 for 5 mins and 435 for 10 so bps all round especially at the longer durations. Now all I need to do is hope I can peak for some key events next year and translate that to the TT bike - should be some quick times to come if so.

Season over, into the winter build!

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Good work

I'm still ever so slightly dubious of the other day, but when I think about all the factors it becomes more realistic, just started with a coach this week so hopefully someone can stop me boozing and kick my arse into shape

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Well, I've spent plenty on bikes and what not, so seems odd not to take a bit of advice on what to actually do with my time

Yes, dheads! Its 'training stress balance' have a read of this, the performance management chart is what I use to vaguely pinpoint when I will likely peak etc etc

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/cycling/wha...

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It won't be as much as you think, they just weigh nothing.

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Been getting some good work in over last 6 weeks or so, and up until last week where I got an infection I was slowly adding to the FTP.

Did a few rides and all indications point to a decent uplift in FTP around 375W at the minute, only hindrance as usual being weight, but hope to slowly shift down again but at a more sustainable pace than last years crash and subsequent burn (put it back on).

Quite looking forward to the new season, have some defined targets that I hope to do well in. National 10 TT is a focus of mine, and I'd like to win a National B race too, and I want to make it on to the 'all time fastest' list for 25 and 10 miles which requires sub 50 for 25, and sub 19 for 10.