The Wattage Thread
Discussion
Anyone seen any increases?
After having a month or two of actual training without constant tapers for races and such I seem to have kicked on a bit, managed 390W for a 10 mile TT on Saturday which in past years has traditionally been about 15-20w below what I go on to produce in the summer, got another session in the velodrome to try and get more slippery so I can push for podiums in the national TT's, but will have to see how that goes. I'm going to try some 50 mile TT's as I think it could suit me.
Back racing as a 2nd cat next year, should be interesting
- think my 5 min power is better too, now instead of 450 feeling like its really hurting its more like 500, did 500 for 3 mins in a club run yesterday and it felt doable, so reckon I may probably be able to do over 500 for 5 mins now, doesn't matter much, but a fair improvement.
After having a month or two of actual training without constant tapers for races and such I seem to have kicked on a bit, managed 390W for a 10 mile TT on Saturday which in past years has traditionally been about 15-20w below what I go on to produce in the summer, got another session in the velodrome to try and get more slippery so I can push for podiums in the national TT's, but will have to see how that goes. I'm going to try some 50 mile TT's as I think it could suit me.
Back racing as a 2nd cat next year, should be interesting
- think my 5 min power is better too, now instead of 450 feeling like its really hurting its more like 500, did 500 for 3 mins in a club run yesterday and it felt doable, so reckon I may probably be able to do over 500 for 5 mins now, doesn't matter much, but a fair improvement.ALawson said:
Okgo I saw you time on the Bentley TT very impressive even if that only bagged you a 2nd. I hear the chap with the xmas tree was a DNF. I assume it was out into the wind with a bit of a tailwind coming back?
Ha there were some good costumes!Yeh though not as rapid a return as it was this time last year
okgo said:
Anyone seen any increases?
After having a month or two of actual training without constant tapers for races and such I seem to have kicked on a bit, managed 390W for a 10 mile TT on Saturday which in past years has traditionally been about 15-20w below what I go on to produce in the summer, got another session in the velodrome to try and get more slippery so I can push for podiums in the national TT's, but will have to see how that goes. I'm going to try some 50 mile TT's as I think it could suit me.
Back racing as a 2nd cat next year, should be interesting - think my 5 min power is better too, now instead of 450 feeling like its really hurting its more like 500, did 500 for 3 mins in a club run yesterday and it felt doable, so reckon I may probably be able to do over 500 for 5 mins now, doesn't matter much, but a fair improvement.
I feel like I'm finally back to where I was around this time last year maybe a little higher/better. CTL went from 125 in March down to 54 in Aug. I have scrapped the easy longer winter rides and just done loads of Z3/SST/Z4 1 1/2 to 3 hour rides and feel great for it and CTL hovering around 100 at the moment.After having a month or two of actual training without constant tapers for races and such I seem to have kicked on a bit, managed 390W for a 10 mile TT on Saturday which in past years has traditionally been about 15-20w below what I go on to produce in the summer, got another session in the velodrome to try and get more slippery so I can push for podiums in the national TT's, but will have to see how that goes. I'm going to try some 50 mile TT's as I think it could suit me.
Back racing as a 2nd cat next year, should be interesting
- think my 5 min power is better too, now instead of 450 feeling like its really hurting its more like 500, did 500 for 3 mins in a club run yesterday and it felt doable, so reckon I may probably be able to do over 500 for 5 mins now, doesn't matter much, but a fair improvement.I only recently bought a power meter (Garmin Vector 2S) and I think I may have botched the FTP test on my turbo. It was the second time I'd used the power meter and I forgot to calibrate it. Only after two months of getting into some Sufferfest videos do i finally feel that my FTP might be about right. I'm going to re-test again using The Sufferfest's Rubber glove video in January and see what i get. Last time the 20 minute peak was 292 giving a 277 FTP.
One thing i've definitely found the power meter good for is making the msot of the turbo. it has shown me that your mind can definitely convince you you're giving it 8/10 when in reality you're aren't even riding at threshold power. It has also shown how some technique improvement can generate more power. Still a long way to go on that front though.
One thing i've definitely found the power meter good for is making the msot of the turbo. it has shown me that your mind can definitely convince you you're giving it 8/10 when in reality you're aren't even riding at threshold power. It has also shown how some technique improvement can generate more power. Still a long way to go on that front though.
fromage said:
I feel like I'm finally back to where I was around this time last year maybe a little higher/better. CTL went from 125 in March down to 54 in Aug. I have scrapped the easy longer winter rides and just done loads of Z3/SST/Z4 1 1/2 to 3 hour rides and feel great for it and CTL hovering around 100 at the moment.
Yeh its a tough one isn't it, the balance of what to do!I've just downloaded a free trial of WKO4 and while I can't work out how to use most of the functions, its telling me I have a CTL of 82 currently.
okgo said:
Anyone seen any increases?
After having a month or two of actual training without constant tapers for races and such I seem to have kicked on a bit, managed 390W for a 10 mile TT on Saturday which in past years has traditionally been about 15-20w below what I go on to produce in the summer, got another session in the velodrome to try and get more slippery so I can push for podiums in the national TT's, but will have to see how that goes. I'm going to try some 50 mile TT's as I think it could suit me.
Back racing as a 2nd cat next year, should be interesting - think my 5 min power is better too, now instead of 450 feeling like its really hurting its more like 500, did 500 for 3 mins in a club run yesterday and it felt doable, so reckon I may probably be able to do over 500 for 5 mins now, doesn't matter much, but a fair improvement.
Ballsed up my last FTP test in November (cocked up the timing) but managed 288 watts for 25 minutes which is a few watts up on my summer 10s. Considering its winter I'm thinking that's a good sign.After having a month or two of actual training without constant tapers for races and such I seem to have kicked on a bit, managed 390W for a 10 mile TT on Saturday which in past years has traditionally been about 15-20w below what I go on to produce in the summer, got another session in the velodrome to try and get more slippery so I can push for podiums in the national TT's, but will have to see how that goes. I'm going to try some 50 mile TT's as I think it could suit me.
Back racing as a 2nd cat next year, should be interesting
- think my 5 min power is better too, now instead of 450 feeling like its really hurting its more like 500, did 500 for 3 mins in a club run yesterday and it felt doable, so reckon I may probably be able to do over 500 for 5 mins now, doesn't matter much, but a fair improvement.I did a huge amount of mileage in November (around 37 hours, which is huge for me at least) in prep for next year. In to some sweet spot work and some Z6/7 intervals now to get me in shape for winter crits. I was 2 points short of 3rd cat this year (my first) so I'm keen to make a good start to 2016!
Noob incoming!
I only really got into cycling in August and have only had the ability to measure my power for about 6 week (turbo + trainerroad). My first FTP test came out at 215w. I have since upped this to 240w (3.35 w/kg) although I don't know how much of this is down to improving my fitness vs knowing what to expect from the test.
I'm enjoying the science side of things and I'm just talking myself in to spending lots of money on a power meter :-D
I only really got into cycling in August and have only had the ability to measure my power for about 6 week (turbo + trainerroad). My first FTP test came out at 215w. I have since upped this to 240w (3.35 w/kg) although I don't know how much of this is down to improving my fitness vs knowing what to expect from the test.
I'm enjoying the science side of things and I'm just talking myself in to spending lots of money on a power meter :-D
thiscocks said:
I am going to be getting a power meter for my new bike for next year and wondered what (fairly cheap) turbos people would recommend to train on? I assume using the power meter on my bike on the turbo is the norm way of doing it?
I use a basic Tacx turbo trainer alongisde my Garmin power meter. It does nothing special in the slightest. I do wish i had the money for a direct drive trainer with in-built power meter and the ability for TrainerRoad etc to control the resistance but that was scuppered by an engine rebuild.
m444ttb said:
I use a basic Tacx turbo trainer alongisde my Garmin power meter. It does nothing special in the slightest. I do wish i had the money for a direct drive trainer with in-built power meter and the ability for TrainerRoad etc to control the resistance but that was scuppered by an engine rebuild.
Yeah that's what ill probably do. Guess it should be ok as long as you can do decent efforts on it I won't be that worried as ill use it on the road too. A watt bike would be nice but considering they cost the same as my new bike I don't think I coul justify that!I'm confused. Power output is generally said to be a function of cardiovascular 'fitness' rather than muscular strength, apart from sprinters who need big muscles to generate very high power for short durations. However I've been reading about riders (non sprinters) who say that their power output drops when their bodyweight gets too low. Now, I thought that weight loss for cyclists generally means reducing body fat (which presumably is always beneficial as it's dead weight) and so the reduction in power must only come from a reduction in muscle...and hence we get back to my first point, which is that I thought muscle has very little influence on power output other than neuromuscular sprints?
There are countless threads where it is argued that muscular strength has no bearing and training on the bike gives you sufficient 'strength' without the need for supplementary weight training. Confused !
There are countless threads where it is argued that muscular strength has no bearing and training on the bike gives you sufficient 'strength' without the need for supplementary weight training. Confused !
Lots of people trot out that they feel more powerful at heavier weight because they do not have the willpower required to actually lose the weight or lose weight too quickly which results in them being ill often...
I don't know the scientific reason that would result in you losing power if you really did push for super low weight/bodyfat, I'm sure its something cellular that isn't going to be the staple of any articles Cycling Magazines trot out. I'd also imagine that most people who are not pro athletes, and do not have access to nutritional advice will get nowhere near that tipping point, Wiggins got down to 3 or 4% bodyfat, and in order to do that I read he was doing 6 hour fasted rides, his immune system probably almost not there and even he (and froome, as we recently learned) managed to retain the power they had when they were larger riders, even increase it I would imagine.
I don't know anyone who has lost power when pushing to lose weight, including myself, in fact the only reason I am less worried about getting super lean is that for me I probably can't do it properly as I have a job, so ended up getting ill more than I normally would as I was just not eating enough, and losing lots of days training just to be a bit lighter is not something I am keen on.
I don't know the scientific reason that would result in you losing power if you really did push for super low weight/bodyfat, I'm sure its something cellular that isn't going to be the staple of any articles Cycling Magazines trot out. I'd also imagine that most people who are not pro athletes, and do not have access to nutritional advice will get nowhere near that tipping point, Wiggins got down to 3 or 4% bodyfat, and in order to do that I read he was doing 6 hour fasted rides, his immune system probably almost not there and even he (and froome, as we recently learned) managed to retain the power they had when they were larger riders, even increase it I would imagine.
I don't know anyone who has lost power when pushing to lose weight, including myself, in fact the only reason I am less worried about getting super lean is that for me I probably can't do it properly as I have a job, so ended up getting ill more than I normally would as I was just not eating enough, and losing lots of days training just to be a bit lighter is not something I am keen on.
Thanks for the reply. My weight hovers around the 63kg mark when I'm riding regularly so I have reasonable power-to-weight at threshold (4.1 W/kg) but my absolute power itself is not great (260W FTP), particularly my short-term power (I can barely hit 800W for even a few seconds). I'm hoping to race this year so need to increase my power if I stand any chance of picking up points. Initially circuit races then some road races in the Spring.
I'm going to take a look at the plans on TrainerRoad to see what kind of training will help me adapt and improve.
I'm going to take a look at the plans on TrainerRoad to see what kind of training will help me adapt and improve.
Yes, keep doing sprint drills, and see if they help. A mate of mine who isn't a sprinter managed to put a few hundred watts on his short duration 5 sec or so power by just doing a lot of sprint training.
But it will always be tough being a smaller rider, you will always go better over harder and hilly terrain but there doesn't tend to be too much of that in the UK race scene!
But it will always be tough being a smaller rider, you will always go better over harder and hilly terrain but there doesn't tend to be too much of that in the UK race scene!
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