The Wattage Thread
Discussion
Usget said:
Sandersports said:
Thats the thing ... A lot of riders are strong enough to push the watts round at 75 cadence doing 12mph ... But not fit enough to do it at 100 cadence doing 30mph ... Its the big difference between a weekend worrier banging on about PB power and a racer that talks about wins and losses.
But 400w is 400w whether it's at 12mph or 30mph and whether it's 75rpm or 100rpm, no? So there must be another variable.z4RRSchris said:
it’s winter so i’m back indoors after work because it’s cold and i’m a wimp.
setting myself the challenge of getting to 4.5wkg over winter. currently 77kg and c305W. report back in 6 months. so 325W and 72kg would do it.
Im now just under 76kg, and FTP test yesterday at 310W. setting myself the challenge of getting to 4.5wkg over winter. currently 77kg and c305W. report back in 6 months. so 325W and 72kg would do it.
I have a big 8 week hard block now to take me upto xmas.
I'm at my least trained state for perhaps nearly 7 years 
Holiday, then general lack of caring about riding last few weeks, I was meant to do some baseline tests to see where I'm at, but have pushed them back to next week now.
My CTL is probably somewhere around 40, I'm thinking that a 20 minute test is going to be quite grim and show me some numbers I won't like the look of
Holiday, then general lack of caring about riding last few weeks, I was meant to do some baseline tests to see where I'm at, but have pushed them back to next week now.
My CTL is probably somewhere around 40, I'm thinking that a 20 minute test is going to be quite grim and show me some numbers I won't like the look of
I've let mine drop off a cliff since the end of August as Sept & Oct have been my rest months ... CTL is at 60 but I feel like its at 20.
Have been riding but the intensity has not been there.
Even club runs with a few efforts are feeling like really hard work. FTP test next wk then will start to build from there with some really nasty vo2max early morning sessions in the garage.
Have been riding but the intensity has not been there. Even club runs with a few efforts are feeling like really hard work. FTP test next wk then will start to build from there with some really nasty vo2max early morning sessions in the garage.
I've started paying much more attention to my fitness/fatigue/form figures lately, and was feeling good last week so tried my first proper FTP test! I've done quite a few 10 and 25 Mile TT's this year, so had a good idea of pacing, but I'd never just gone out and pushed it for 20 mins before.
A couple of weeks previously I'd managed to hold 331W up a 10 min climb, and then 307W up a 22 min climb (Pishill near Henley) during a 55 Mile ride, so I was hopeful I should be able to hang around 340-350W for 20 mins.
In the end I managed an average of 343W giving me an FTP of 326W / 4.7W/Kg.
A couple of weeks previously I'd managed to hold 331W up a 10 min climb, and then 307W up a 22 min climb (Pishill near Henley) during a 55 Mile ride, so I was hopeful I should be able to hang around 340-350W for 20 mins.
In the end I managed an average of 343W giving me an FTP of 326W / 4.7W/Kg.
Doesn't take long to get it back.
I have a 10 mile TT that I like to do each year in late Dec. I did 405W for it last year, so have to get my act together if I want to be back up around there me thinks.
That said I think the long period of time training has helped me in that it doesn't feel like it will take too long to get most of it back.
I have a 10 mile TT that I like to do each year in late Dec. I did 405W for it last year, so have to get my act together if I want to be back up around there me thinks.
That said I think the long period of time training has helped me in that it doesn't feel like it will take too long to get most of it back.
okgo said:
Doesn't take long to get it back.
I have a 10 mile TT that I like to do each year in late Dec. I did 405W for it last year, so have to get my act together if I want to be back up around there me thinks.
That said I think the long period of time training has helped me in that it doesn't feel like it will take too long to get most of it back.
You wearing fancy dress? I assume this is the FCCC Christmas 10.I have a 10 mile TT that I like to do each year in late Dec. I did 405W for it last year, so have to get my act together if I want to be back up around there me thinks.
That said I think the long period of time training has helped me in that it doesn't feel like it will take too long to get most of it back.
https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/...
I did my last 20 minute FTP test at the start of this 12 week plan (something like 13th Sept) with a 310w FTP as a result. Since then I’ve had some great workouts with PB power figures (hard to avoid with a highest ever FTP) and race results. But somehow managed to drop 7kg or so by cutting out a load of crap food. Not entirely convinced I can still do my FTP wattage (well, the 100% figure) or whether the cold I’ve got has just temporarily weakened me. Next time out I’m going to test using The sufferfest’s 4DP Full Frontal so either way that FTP figure may take a kicking.
ALawson said:
You wearing fancy dress? I assume this is the FCCC Christmas 10.
https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/...
That is the one. And no, just the usual garms for me.https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-details/...
ED209 said:
Had a quick blast on Swift this morning as I was time short did 45 mins. Was just a ride not a test but I put a decent effort in and it calculated that I have a new FTP of 231w up from 212W. I use a tacx neo so i assume its reasonably accurate?
Is this any good though?
Should be accurate, yes. Is it any good? It's all relative. I used to be interested in what others were doing but now just focus on my own numbers etc. It's a figure you can work with and work to improve Is this any good though?
Thought with loads of chat about watts in various threads maybe worth a bump, especially given lots of people now have powermeters, in fact on my strava I'd say it's quite rare for people not to have them now!
I've been mostly indoors in recent times, and not long after my last post here in 2017 I took basically 18 months out, so went right back to my 'zero' so to speak. Having never really done that in the previous 8 or so years it was quite a shock to the system to suddenly find a couple of laps of Richmond Park with mates a real struggle.
Went from circa 80kg to just over 90kg in 2018, and from around 380W FTP to 270W. A recipe for going very slowly up any kind of gradient as it turned out!
Didn't take ages to get back into some form of shape, and enjoyed dropping back to 3rd cat for a few races too
Often only doing around 4-6 hours a week now mostly indoors, not actually really tested myself recently, but would be interested to see how far off the mark I am on the lower volume, but far more efficient Zwift vs commuting.
Looking back at some posters, Gruffy for example, lots of progress over the last 2-3 years!
I've been mostly indoors in recent times, and not long after my last post here in 2017 I took basically 18 months out, so went right back to my 'zero' so to speak. Having never really done that in the previous 8 or so years it was quite a shock to the system to suddenly find a couple of laps of Richmond Park with mates a real struggle.
Went from circa 80kg to just over 90kg in 2018, and from around 380W FTP to 270W. A recipe for going very slowly up any kind of gradient as it turned out!
Didn't take ages to get back into some form of shape, and enjoyed dropping back to 3rd cat for a few races too
Often only doing around 4-6 hours a week now mostly indoors, not actually really tested myself recently, but would be interested to see how far off the mark I am on the lower volume, but far more efficient Zwift vs commuting.
Looking back at some posters, Gruffy for example, lots of progress over the last 2-3 years!
Interesting seeing what I wrote a couple of years ago
Have done a lot more riding since and although I'm fitter I still get a few niggles from my left knee. The really interesting thing though is that I've just upgraded my powermeter and now have left/right balance info. I was obviously expecting that this would show up the weakness on my left side (not just knee but my ankle is a bit rubbish too) but amazingly I'm consistently seeing a 53/47 bias with my left side being 'stronger'! I know these sort of 'imbalances' don't mean much in the grand scheme of things but it was certainly surprising to see that I don't have the weakness that I thought I had. Maybe I need to do some strength and conditioning this winter to try and balance it up 
addey said:
I'm in a pretty similar position to you Gruffy. I've got knee issues that stopped me riding back in 2008 but I've gradually got back into cycling over the last 18 months. The problem has never quite fully gone away and I feel its holding me back a bit so I'm also planning to embark on a bit of a conditioning routine this winter. Like okgo I was always always telling people on cycling forums not to waste their time doing weights; cycling is an endurance sport, the forces are low etc. etc. so I'm being a bit of a hypocrite now!
My vastus medialis on my left leg is definitely underdeveloped, and possibly not firing properly so I'll be focussing on that. Maybe we should actually start a conditioning thread to compare exercises.....
ETA: I'll be doing mostly bodyweight exercises, maybe some deadlifts and squats with a bit of weight
I never did get round to doing much in the way of strength and conditioning My vastus medialis on my left leg is definitely underdeveloped, and possibly not firing properly so I'll be focussing on that. Maybe we should actually start a conditioning thread to compare exercises.....
ETA: I'll be doing mostly bodyweight exercises, maybe some deadlifts and squats with a bit of weight
Edited by addey on Thursday 5th October 21:19
Have done a lot more riding since and although I'm fitter I still get a few niggles from my left knee. The really interesting thing though is that I've just upgraded my powermeter and now have left/right balance info. I was obviously expecting that this would show up the weakness on my left side (not just knee but my ankle is a bit rubbish too) but amazingly I'm consistently seeing a 53/47 bias with my left side being 'stronger'! I know these sort of 'imbalances' don't mean much in the grand scheme of things but it was certainly surprising to see that I don't have the weakness that I thought I had. Maybe I need to do some strength and conditioning this winter to try and balance it up Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff