VO2 Max
Handlebar Chewer
Posts: 9
Hello,
Does anyone know of a reliable manual cycling test which gives an approximate VO2 max figure. I know of 2 running tests, such as the Baulke Test, but none for cycling. Any help would be much appreciated.
Does anyone know of a reliable manual cycling test which gives an approximate VO2 max figure. I know of 2 running tests, such as the Baulke Test, but none for cycling. Any help would be much appreciated.
0
Comments
-
I have a heart rate monitor which has a V02 max test function. It's the Polar 610i. You just lie down for a few minutes and it estimates your V02max0
-
sounds highly accurate.I have a heart rate monitor which has a V02 max test function. It's the Polar 610i. You just lie down for a few minutes and it estimates your V02max0 -
I got mine measured for free at the University of Birmingham, as part of some research that I volunteered for. You basically sit on an exercise bike with a powermeter and a mask that captures your breath for analysis. The resistance is increased by 20 Watts every certain number of minutes (can't remember the exact protocol) until your oxygen uptake has been determined to have stopped increasing. Try seeing if you have a local unversity or sports college that require cyclists for their experiments, they're always asking for people in Brum....
The VO2max test was great, I just didn't like the way they measured temperature during the rest of the research :oops:0 -
Wittgenstein wrote:
sounds highly accurate.I have a heart rate monitor which has a V02 max test function. It's the Polar 610i. You just lie down for a few minutes and it estimates your V02max
I've just ordered one 
0 -
Thanks Edwin,
I'll check around my local colleges etc. I'm still interested in a manual test though as I'd assume if you can do a guesstimate for running then there should be one for cycling.0 -
0
-
BeaconRuth wrote:
I just want a general idea of what could be achievable with a certain amount of training, as my understanding is that VO2 max is linked to genetic inheritance and there are limitations on its improvement. Ruth, have you got a manual test that can be used ?0 -
Handlebar Chewer wrote:BeaconRuth wrote:
I just want a general idea of what could be achievable with a certain amount of training, as my understanding is that VO2 max is linked to genetic inheritance and there are limitations on its improvement. Ruth, have you got a manual test that can be used ?
VO2max is about 50% genetic, and is therefore quite trainable. It is, the rate limiting mechanism in endurance exercise, for which a well trained cyclist can exercise maximally for ~ 1 hr at ~90% VO2max.
The % that you can sustain maximally (which i just mentioned was about 90%) is fairly standard across a wide range of cycling abilities (e.g., cat 4 to TdF winner). However, the actual % *does* vary.
We use TTpower and MAP as proxies for sustainable % and VO2max respectively (hence you don't need gas analysis, and power is more important anyway), and the range that we find (n=>200 riders) is 72 to 77% of MAP for TTpower (this is the proxy for 90%).
So, if your TTpower to MAP is low (e.g. 72%) you'd be looking in training to increase that sustainable % if that fitted with your training objectives. On the other hand if it was (e.g.) 77% you'd need to look at increasing MAP (VO2max) if you wanted to improve (and MAP/VO2max was a key metric for wanting to improve in the events you ride in).
There probably are a couple of tests that can be done to estimate VO2max, but they're not really reliable for training/analysis objectives. They're just a waste of time.
If you want to know a key metric but don't have a power meter or don't want to go for actual testing then visit www.analyticcycling.com and the power given speed page. If you have good quality data inputs (especially worthwhile doing this for a hill climb which minimises errors in air drag) you get very accurate data for your power and then could track your power over that climb to see how training affects your power (hopefully positively!).
Ultimately though, if you want to know exactly what is going on and how your training is improving (or not) then you need testing (some labs offer this as part of research studies --- BUT, testing and data is geared towards what THEY want, rather than what you want), paying for testing will get you data that you need (or at least it should, it does with RST/cyclecoach.com). In preference to testing is actually using a power meter to collect all your data and see what is happening.
RicProfessional cycle coaching for cyclists of all levels
www.cyclecoach.com0 -
Why do you need power to track your climbing here? I know it's better but for most riders, if they can compare times for the climb, it gives a good indication of power. Find a steep and sheltered climb and your time will be closely linked to power, maybe every ride might vary with the wind conditions etc, but then power varies according to fitness and feeling on the day, the gear used. Powermeters have a margin of error too of +/- 2-5% depending on the model.What matters is the trend to measure improvement and wattage and time are fine for measuring this."Ric_Stern/RST wrote:If you want to know a key metric but don't have a power meter or don't want to go for actual testing then visit www.analyticcycling.com and the power given speed page. If you have good quality data inputs (especially worthwhile doing this for a hill climb which minimises errors in air drag) you get very accurate data for your power and then could track your power over that climb to see how training affects your power (hopefully positively!).
On margins of error and since we're talking VO2 max, I have done VO2 max testing in different places and the figures vary a lot, it seems the calibration of the equipment can vary. It might suit the lab to have riders coming back to the same place but for two guys to compare VO2 max numbers when they did the test in two different places could be meaningless.0 -
Titanium wrote:"Ric_Stern/RST wrote:Why do you need power to track your climbing here? I know it's better but for most riders, if they can compare times for the climb, it gives a good indication of power. Find a steep and sheltered climb and your time will be closely linked to power, maybe every ride might vary with the wind conditions etc, but then power varies according to fitness and feeling on the day, the gear used. Powermeters have a margin of error too of +/- 2-5% depending on the model.What matters is the trend to measure improvement and wattage and time are fine for measuring this.
Power meter's accuracy is within that range, but there reliability is better (presuming that they are regularly calibrated). On the other hand unless the climb has to be really well sheltered and very slow (<20 km/hr) you're going to be introducing even bigger errors (environmental conditions). Some of the climbs i regularly do, are severely affected by environmental conditions.On margins of error and since we're talking VO2 max, I have done VO2 max testing in different places and the figures vary a lot, it seems the calibration of the equipment can vary. It might suit the lab to have riders coming back to the same place but for two guys to compare VO2 max numbers when they did the test in two different places could be meaningless.
Yes, sure, it's perfectly possible to go to different institutes and companies that offer testing. Go to a reputable place. For e.g., in the UK, a BASES registered lab for gas analysis (which isn't to say that labs that aren't BASES accredited aren't good, as some are).
RicProfessional cycle coaching for cyclists of all levels
www.cyclecoach.com0 -
Sure. Didn't want to slam your ideas Ric, they make good sense of course. Just wanted to point out to some riders that time (and so VAM) can be a good way to measure progress before spending the money on power meters.
Also the altitude where you sit the test affects the results too, but I think you can use a table or function to correct this.0 -
Do you mean that you're looking for a general idea of your cycling potential from finding out your VO2max? Even if you did know your VO2max, given that it is to some extent trainable, and it is only one predictor of cycling performance, my feeling is that you wouldn't be able to conclude a great deal just from that figure in isolation.Handlebar Chewer wrote:BeaconRuth wrote:
I just want a general idea of what could be achievable with a certain amount of training, as my understanding is that VO2 max is linked to genetic inheritance and there are limitations on its improvement. Ruth, have you got a manual test that can be used ?
Anyway, no, sorry, I don't know of any simple manual test. I believe there are predictive formulae based on maximum aerobic power (MAP) but I couldn't vouch for their accuracy - do you know your MAP?
Ruth
www.rutheyles.co.uk/0
