Is my goal to increase power?

CleeRider

A typical training ride for me...
Distance: 25 miles
Avg Speed: 17.5mph
Avg Cadence: 90rpm
Avg Power: 115watts (according to Strava)
Rider Weight: 68kg

If my goal is to get faster, I'm guessing I need to increase my (leg) power???
How's best to do this?
I've been working on my cadence which has come up from around 80 a few months ago to 90.
Should I continue increasing this or lower it to build more muscle through pushing a higher gear?
Any other tips?

imposter2.0

CleeRider wrote:

If my goal is to get faster, I'm guessing I need to increase my (leg) power???

No. Leg power is not relevant. You need to increase your aerobic capacity, which will improve your sustainable power. But that's not the same as 'leg power'.

beams87

Ride your bike more

Grill

Strava power calculations are clownshoes. You'll need a PM if you want to see actual power.

pride4ever

To improve your aerobic and anaerobic capacity your better doing interval training on a turbo. If you want to build your leg muscles up you can lower your seat a tad so your legs are more bent at the fullest extension (when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke) and therefore your quadriceps will get a fuller load. Be careful not to lower too far though and put the load on your knees. If you do this correctly you will notice an almost immediate difference.

danlikesbikes

Grill wrote:

Strava power calculations are clownshoes. You'll need a PM if you want to see actual power.

^-^ Agreed

Don't use Strava myself & not possessing a brain like that of carol vorderman but even I can see those power figures do not add up for a true reflection of power.

diy

build some intervals in to your training ride. you don't mention HR, or climb, so we have no idea if this is an easy cruise for you. I would aim to build at least 3 sprints in to your ride and try to extend the duration of the sprint as you capabilities comes up.

imposter2.0

pride4ever wrote:

If you want to build your leg muscles up you can lower your seat a tad so your legs are more bent at the fullest extension (when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke) and therefore your quadriceps will get a fuller load. Be careful not to lower too far though and put the load on your knees. If you do this correctly you will notice an almost immediate difference.

don't do this please - it's nonsense.

danlikesbikes

Imposter wrote:

pride4ever wrote:

If you want to build your leg muscles up you can lower your seat a tad so your legs are more bent at the fullest extension (when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke) and therefore your quadriceps will get a fuller load. Be careful not to lower too far though and put the load on your knees. If you do this correctly you will notice an almost immediate difference.

don't do this please - it's nonsense.

Agreed, much better off to ride in a harder gear and lower your cadence if thats what you want, but not to mess up an assumed perfectly good bike set up.

CleeRider

diy wrote:

build some intervals in to your training ride. you don't mention HR, or climb, so we have no idea if this is an easy cruise for you. I would aim to build at least 3 sprints in to your ride and try to extend the duration of the sprint as you capabilities comes up.

My HR is always high as I always try to go as fast as possible (while ensuring I can actually complete the ride). It's in Strava's 'threshold' zone for almost all of the ride.

The figures posted in the opening message are from a flat route but with a fair amount of head wind. They would probably also reflect a hilly ride with no wind.

jgsi

Few things you can do
Read this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-Racing ... inw_strp_1

Hire a power meter for a bit this spring from here http://www.cyclepowermeters.com/powerme ... l-24-c.asp

Be able to laugh at posts frm certain muppets on here who have been cycling for all of 2 minutes and seemingly have a font of all there is to know... lowering your seat ffs :roll:

Lazybike

I would start by calculating your zones using lactate threshold....strava uses HR max calculated on your age.

Cleat Eastwood

Imposter wrote:

pride4ever wrote:

If you want to build your leg muscles up you can lower your seat a tad so your legs are more bent at the fullest extension (when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke) and therefore your quadriceps will get a fuller load. Be careful not to lower too far though and put the load on your knees. If you do this correctly you will notice an almost immediate difference.

don't do this please - it's nonsense.

I've tried it and it works - the only down was when the seat was hired again it felt like starting over - which was kind of counter productive.

imposter2.0

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

Imposter wrote:

pride4ever wrote:

If you want to build your leg muscles up you can lower your seat a tad so your legs are more bent at the fullest extension (when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke) and therefore your quadriceps will get a fuller load. Be careful not to lower too far though and put the load on your knees. If you do this correctly you will notice an almost immediate difference.

don't do this please - it's nonsense.

I've tried it and it works - the only down was when the seat was hired again it felt like starting over - which was kind of counter productive.

sorry, just to be clear - are you joking, or being serious?

Cleat Eastwood

serious - try it -

imposter2.0

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

serious - try it -

if it worked, why didn't you leave the saddle where it was?