Wattage help

bramstoker

Cant afford a power meter but i noticed that the fancy new exercise bikes at the gym give watts in the readout, trouble is that it can only be set to the watts required and not reading the watts produced.
Given the above, what would people consider the best use of this, my primary goals are weightloss and speed. ?

Murr X

Hi bramstoker,

I cannot understand how the watts are set and not displayed as this would seem to cause you to ride at a constant power level? Gym bikes are notoriously inaccurate in their readings and are rarely a substitude for a road bike powermeter like an SRM or a Powertap so don't worry about what it displays.

If you want to lose weight then ride at a brisk pace over as much time as you have available. Of course you must be strict with your calorie intake to be successful. Try eating less later on in the day relative to the mornings and going to bed feeling somewhat "empty." Do not go overboard when attempting weightloss, have a good sized breakfast and never try to lose too much too quickly. It requires patience and takes time but you will get there.

Increasing the intensity you ride at will enable you to ride faster. If you want to ride fast over shorter distances then ride short durations fast, likewise if you want to ride faster over longer durations then ride hard over longer durations. Don't be afraid to mix it up.

Murr X