Cold weather affects performance??

Aggerdoo

Hi

Right I know this probably is a completely stupid question to be asking but I've noticed recently that I've been a bit slower and not found it quite as easy to do a couple of climbs near me as I did back in the summer months. I have not changed my bike or anything and the only thing i can put it down to is it being cold (or me eating too much comfort food to keep warm). My legs seem to feel the lactic acid sooner than back in the summer. I've been out the last couple of weekends and tried to wrap up warm, each time i've incresed the layers i had on, but still felt a bit of a chill.

Is it the cold thats getting to me or do i just need to man up and cycle harder and faster?

Cheers

Aggerdoo

Herbsman

not a stupid question at all

viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12892832&hilit=cold+performance

jibberjim

You wear more so you're heavier.
The road and tyres are colder so they roll slower.
The air is colder so it's denser so it's harder to push it out of the way.
Performance does tend to be worse when it's cold.

Yes you're slower in winter, regardless of your fitness.

jgsi

http://app.strava.com/rides/31952007 is my cold weather ride today... was planning further but when ice started to form inside water bottle headed for home... was feeling the cold air too much on my chest anyways
Riding outside is opportunist, nice sunny morning, just take it easy, relax as best you can..

Aggerdoo

So it's not just me, thats good to hear!
So for winter riding would you say just go at a speed that feels comfortable and don't try to race my summer speeds/times? I undfortunately don't have a turbo trainer and therefore can only use the stationary bike in the gym (but thats frankly a bit like trying to immitate riding a horse by sitting on a rocking horse)
What do you all do in winter?

danowat

Just accept you will be slower, and aslong as it's not dangerous, get on with it

jgsi

Aggerdoo wrote:

So it's not just me, thats good to hear!
So for winter riding would you say just go at a speed that feels comfortable and don't try to race my summer speeds/times? I undfortunately don't have a turbo trainer and therefore can only use the stationary bike in the gym (but thats frankly a bit like trying to immitate riding a horse by sitting on a rocking horse)
What do you all do in winter?

Turbo + TrainerRoad

Aggerdoo

Sounds like a plan, I wouldnt go out if it was super icey as I've had a close shave when a car skidded in front of me before thought I was going to have to dive for the hedge, needless to say it's made me a lot more cautious. I'm hoping to get a new Road bike at Christmas so I for one am not hoping for a fully white christmas so I can go for an xmas morning ride to make room for Turkey and xmas pudding!

Cheers for your help/advice it's put my mind at rest and repaired my ego

Trev The Rev

As well as more weight & drag with more clothes there is more drag in the cold and more rolling resistance.

Your lungs are not as efficient in cold weather so you will have to try a little harder to output the same power.

This can seriously mess up your power meter data.

danowat

Trev The Rev wrote:

This can seriously mess up your power meter data.

Yes, I agree, it does, don't forget the affect the cold has on the metal components of power meters too, plus when it's colder the transmission of electrical signals is slower, all leads to problems with power data in the winter.

GiantMike

Trev The Rev wrote:

Your lungs are not as efficient in cold weather so you will have to try a little harder to output the same power.

This can seriously mess up your power meter data.

The power data is still correct, it's just that the effort:power ratio has changed

danowat wrote:

Trev The Rev wrote:

This can seriously mess up your power meter data.

Yes, I agree, it does, don't forget the affect the cold has on the metal components of power meters too, plus when it's colder the transmission of electrical signals is slower, all leads to problems with power data in the winter.

I thought a temperature-calibrated power meter removed temperature-related inaccuracies.

Trev The Rev

GiantMike wrote:

The power data is still correct, it's just that the effort:power ratio has changed



I thought a temperature-calibrated power meter removed temperature-related inaccuracies.

That is my point, effort changes so training stress changes but the power is the same so does not account for the increased training stress. Temperature affects performance - take a very hot humid day, 300 watts is much harder than on a mild fresh day. Power = 300 watts both days but you worked far harder on the hot humid day to produce that power.

Strain gauges are affected by temperature, but if you zero the power meter say when you go from warm garage to below freezing outside you should be OK.

danowat

I find if I can get my cadence up to 110rpm and leave it there, it stops the cold affecting my power meter, it keeps it warm, but I have to be very accurate, and I can over heat it if I got much higher than 110rpm.

GiantMike

danowat wrote:

I find if I can't get my cadence up to 110rpm and leave it there, it stops the cold affecting my power meter, it keeps it warm, but I have to be very accurate, and I can over heat it if I got much higher than 110rpm.

What powermeter do you have? What effects do you observe if you don't maintain a cadence of 110rpm+? What happens when you overheat your powermeter?

I've ridden with my powertap through hot summer days and freezing cold cx races and have never noticed any issues. My cadence is usually 85-90rpm.

danowat

What powermeter do you have? Carlos Fandango SRQuarqPT 3.2

What effects do you observe if you don't maintain a cadence of 110rpm+? 100w power drop

What happens when you overheat your powermeter? Smoke, then flames, then melted metal


(BTW,all this may, or may not, be true, I am not sure.)

GiantMike

danowat wrote:

What powermeter do you have? Carlos Fandango SRQuarqPT 3.2

What effects do you observe if you don't maintain a cadence of 110rpm+? 100w power drop

What happens when you overheat your powermeter? Smoke, then flames, then melted metal


(BTW,all this may, or may not, be true, I am not sure.)

I was only asking because if I bought a powermeter that I could only use at 110rpm (+/- 5rpm) or it didn't work I'd take it back to the shop. It might even be worthy of a 'Don't buy a Carlos Fandango SRQuarqPT 3.2 because they're sh!t' post. You raised a point about a practically unusable powermeter.

MInd you, I guess that the heat from the fireball from pedalling at 120rpm would keep you warm on these cold winter days.

danowat

I'd steer clear of anything branded "Carlos Fandango" to be honest.

GiantMike

danowat wrote:

I'd steer clear of anything branded "Carlos Fandango" to be honest.

Is this what happens? I smell seriously-flawed power data!!!

danowat

GiantMike wrote:

danowat wrote:

I'd steer clear of anything branded "Carlos Fandango" to be honest.

Is this what happens? I smell seriously-flawed power data!!!

Similar, except I am not vain, or quick, enough to own a Cervelo.

Dess1e

danowat wrote:

Trev The Rev wrote:

This can seriously mess up your power meter data.

Yes, I agree, it does, don't forget the affect the cold has on the metal components of power meters too, plus when it's colder the transmission of electrical signals is slower, all leads to problems with power data in the winter.

What other physical laws are the opposite in your universe?

Herbsman

Dess1e wrote:

danowat wrote:

Trev The Rev wrote:

This can seriously mess up your power meter data.

Yes, I agree, it does, don't forget the affect the cold has on the metal components of power meters too, plus when it's colder the transmission of electrical signals is slower, all leads to problems with power data in the winter.

What other physical laws are the opposite in your universe?

he's right - despite the reduced electrical resastance ay lower temperatures, the signals slow down to zero eventually, due to increased battery drainage ;-)

nickel

I find in addition to colder air, tyres etc slowing me down I just can't be bothered to ride fast when its cold. I was a full minute slower on a climb today that I last rode in July, despite being about half a stone lighter now. I can't say it bothers me, I know come Spring when the intensity of my riding picks up I'll be fast (for me) again.

rick_chasey

I swear muscles don't work as well in cold too.

Trev The Rev

Rick Chasey wrote:

I swear muscles don't work as well in cold too.

Fact that.

GiantMike

Trev The Rev wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I swear muscles don't work as well in cold too.

Fact that.

Do you mean muscles don't work as well when they're cold or when the outside air temperature is cold?

Trev The Rev

GiantMike wrote:

Trev The Rev wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I swear muscles don't work as well in cold too.

Fact that.

Do you mean muscles don't work as well when they're cold or when the outside air temperature is cold?

The muscles themselves when they are cold, hence sprinters warming up and wearing tights even when it is reasonably warm outside.

In very cold weather on a bike I would reckon it is difficult ever to get the leg muscles up to best operating temperature for sprinting or all out efforts even if wearing tights.

GiantMike

Trev The Rev wrote:

The muscles themselves when they are cold, hence sprinters warming up and wearing tights even when it is reasonably warm outside.

I'll have to go away and find it now but I have seen reference to a report that says that warmer muscles don't perform better, but they are less prone to injury etc. Don't know if it's true.

Trev The Rev

GiantMike wrote:

Trev The Rev wrote:

The muscles themselves when they are cold, hence sprinters warming up and wearing tights even when it is reasonably warm outside.

I'll have to go away and find it now but I have seen reference to a report that says that warmer muscles don't perform better, but they are less prone to injury etc. Don't know if it's true.

Doubt it, certainly not in non endurance sport. Cold muscles are more prone to injury yes, but for maximum speed of movement in a more explosive sport muscles need to be well warmed up. The old expression 'being caught cold' springs to mind.

A muscle may well exert as much maximum force against a resistance when cold (for all I know) Edit it seems they don't), but a boxer or sprinter needs warmed up muscles to generate maximum speed and or power.

This might be what you have seen.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1483770

At a submaximal level it would seem cold muscles work as well as warm ones. I am a little surprised by this I must admit.

Henry Cooper would have delivered his most powerful left hooks when his muscles were warm though.

They say you learn something every day, today that would seem to be true.

keef66

Last time I checked I was still a warm blooded mammal, which means that until hypothermia sets in my body is able to maintain a pretty constant temperature.

GiantMike

keef66 wrote:

Last time I checked I was still a warm blooded mammal,

Hmm, when did you last check?

keef66

Well the engineers have been buggering about with the office heating controls again, so now I'm overheating!