Roller wattage
Author
Discussion

Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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Somebody must have done this already, but I can't find it.

Has anyone plotted approximate speed/power for different sets of rollers?

For instance, what would the speed/power curve look like using a set of Elite Arion non-resistance rollers with decent clinchers (with, say, 100psi in them).

I know it will probably be inaccurate and fairly pointless, but it might be something to while away the boredom of training in the garage this winter.

Dowks

449 posts

275 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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Try www.trainerroad.com that has virtual power from the power curves for each trainer


Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Interesting. Not sure how I haven't seen that before!

okgo

42,127 posts

227 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Lots out there to suggest how good or bad the data is with various turbos in various states of use. Last
I heard when used to a Kurt turbo is was miles out. And as the unit warmed up it changed even more so.

Trainer road and a powertap is probably a good way to go.

GnuBee

1,337 posts

244 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Here's a link to Trainerroad's explanation of Virtual Power (mapping roller/turbo speed > power).

http://www.trainerroad.com/virtual-power

It may not be ideal and those are virtual watts so not nearly as impressive as real ones but if you can get consistency then you can train effectively.


Dowks

449 posts

275 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
quotequote all
okgo said:
Lots out there to suggest how good or bad the data is with various turbos in various states of use. Last
I heard when used to a Kurt turbo is was miles out. And as the unit warmed up it changed even more so.

Trainer road and a powertap is probably a good way to go.
This is exactly what I found with a Kurt turbo. I use Trainer Road with a Wahoo Kickr and that seems to be much better

Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Friday 17th October 2014
quotequote all
I signed up and I've been using trainer road. I like it, it's a very easy way of giving some shape to winter training.

The FTP test came out at 4.64w/kg (339w) which was slightly on the high side (decent 2nd cat on Coggan) but not far out of sync with proper SRM/ergo testing I've done previously.

BUT my 5 minute power is coming out at 450w (consistent 110rpm in 50/11, 36mph ish on the rollers) which equates to 6.4w/kg.

I've got no sprint and no ability in the hills, and 5 to 60 minute power has always been my best suit, but 5 minute power at 6.4w/kg is domestic pro territory on the Coggan chart. That leads me to conclude that the whole virtual power thing is b*llocks!




whatleytom

1,536 posts

212 months

Friday 17th October 2014
quotequote all
Birdthom said:
I signed up and I've been using trainer road. I like it, it's a very easy way of giving some shape to winter training.

The FTP test came out at 4.64w/kg (339w) which was slightly on the high side (decent 2nd cat on Coggan) but not far out of sync with proper SRM/ergo testing I've done previously.

BUT my 5 minute power is coming out at 450w (consistent 110rpm in 50/11, 36mph ish on the rollers) which equates to 6.4w/kg.

I've got no sprint and no ability in the hills, and 5 to 60 minute power has always been my best suit, but 5 minute power at 6.4w/kg is domestic pro territory on the Coggan chart. That leads me to conclude that the whole virtual power thing is b*llocks!
Thing is the virtual power is entirely dependent on the variables you introduce in trainer use. Tyre pressure, resistance applied from tyre to the trainer etc. If you keep all those things in check and the same, then in theory you should be getting a constant output. Doesn’t really matter how high or low that output is, if its constant then you can train from it. I guess where people may get frustrated is translating those results onto an actual power meter on the road.

Ideal situation is using an actual power meter on a trainer/rollers with trainer road.

Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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Yes, agree with that. I still think it's valuable in terms of training and recording progress against objectives, it's just that I will be regarding them as 'trainnerroad units' rather than watts.

okgo

42,127 posts

227 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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Birdthom said:
Yes, agree with that. I still think it's valuable in terms of training and recording progress against objectives, it's just that I will be regarding them as 'trainnerroad units' rather than watts.
hehe

fromage

538 posts

232 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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On my rollers at 100rpm in 52/11 I'm barely at 300 watts

whatleytom

1,536 posts

212 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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fromage said:
On my rollers at 100rpm in 52/11 I'm barely at 300 watts
Similar situation to me, but mines a little higher. Try dropping tyre pressures right down if you want to up the watts on the rollers.

fromage

538 posts

232 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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Rollers never will be a high wattage workout, purely use them for easy stuff

Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Friday 17th October 2014
quotequote all
fromage said:
On my rollers at 100rpm in 52/11 I'm barely at 300 watts
If that's my real 5 minute score then I'm packing it all in now ;-)

fromage

538 posts

232 months

Friday 17th October 2014
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My rollers are the slightly older version of yours, you done any testing with a real power meter ?

Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Friday 17th October 2014
quotequote all
Did quite a bit last year on an SRM and a Monark ergo which came out with an FTP around 320 and MAP of 410. I feel stronger since then but haven't used a meter to test it.

ETA I've never run a power meter on rollers.

Edited by Birdthom on Friday 17th October 20:58

Birdthom

Original Poster:

790 posts

254 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
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Update:

Trainerroad has been in heavy use over the winter, but I have put an old Quarq S975 on one of my bikes and it confirms that the 'virtual power' figures are total nonsense. Still repeatable and very useful for training purposes but it's nonsense to refer to them as watts.