New Power meters for team Sky
Comments
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On any given ride, my left leg power is 56-59%. If my overall power was always measured off that side (as it would be with a Stages, I would have a massive jump in power.
However, even if you have a weakness on one side, you will presumably always have that weakness, so power figures based on one side shouldn't be a problem, as long as you do your testing AND riding with the same unit.
No point testing on a rig that gives you and FTP of X, based on power from 2 sides and then use a PM that gives you an FTP of Y from one leg.0 -
bompington wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but max sustained power is determined almost entirely by the CV system, not the force your legs can exert. CBA to look them up for you but think of all the threads there have been over the years clearly demonstrating that a lot of people have no idea of the difference between power and force...
Essentially, if you trained up the weak leg, it would go no faster because you couldn't supply it with enough fuel.
There's only a case for it if you can show that it is possible to pedal more efficiently, and that's what the tests show doesn't happen however you train for it.
I think the use of watts crept into the debate merely as a measure to illustrate the functional variation in power delivery between one leg and the other - but also, as you pointed out, in confusing peak & sustained power.
If you look on the training help pages of Cyclingnews, "leg imbalance" or "pedalling asymmetry" must be the most common issues. My personal experience with leg imbalance has taught me 2 things:
1. It is a massively involved and nuanced subject with issues that stem from something you may never get to the bottom of.
e.g. It is not that one leg is necessarily weaker than the other, it's that it doesn't deliver the power as efficiently: the subjective feeling is that it compensates at certain points in the pedal stroke by relying on the more dominant muscle groups: this can then have the affect of "pulling" the rider to one side in the saddle, which in turn (as ALIHISGREAT mentioned) can cause aches/pain/injury, etc.
The way I've learned to help "correct" the issue is by a series of stretches that effectively help "unlock" the problem side.
2. Hardly anyone truly knows their sh1t on the matter: there are lots of experts in their niche areas of understanding/ professional interests (I'm thinking some of the bike fit systems, physio's, many coaches...), but very few I've encountered have a holistic/comprehensive grasp.0 -
ddraver wrote:Yes - but if you test on the same rig Colin, would which leg it measured matter?
Presumably they retest fairly frequently
I would suspect they actually DON'T retest frequently. Pre-season and maybe before big Tours, but the rest of the year probably just taking data from races to determine power.
As for testing - I'm saying that if you test using one protocol (power based on l/r combined) but then use those figures on a system based on Left only, it could cause discrepancies. Although I suspect you standard Sky Pro would not have any huge differences in l/r balance.0 -
ddraver wrote:mike6 wrote:ddraver wrote:Yeah but, no but
logic and your head says yes, but the lab tests say no. Same with pedalling style...
Lab tests? Dont talk to me about lab tests. The lab said Cavendish did not produce the numbers to become a pro cyclist, never mind WRR champ or green jersey winner.
I maintain. If one leg can produce a given power, the other, weaker leg, can be trained to produce the same power.
Depends if you work off data or imagination innit - The variables tested in the lab were not the be all and end all of sprinting - hence the innacuracy over Cav
What usually happens in the lab tests on imbalance is that by concentrating on pushing harder on one leg you push less hard on the other - hence no gain.
Not if you "Train" the other leg properly. These guys are pro cyclists, they have all day every day to work on even the smallest of improvements. Also, you just proved my point about lab testing. Its not real. Sprinting is about power, and the lab said he could not produce the power.0 -
No sprinting, as is all cycling, is about pushing air out of the way. One way to do that is to produce a shed load of power like a massive German, another way is to make yourself super aero like a small Manxman.
Anda again, your better off training the whole of yourself properly rather than working on one leg. Sorry dude, that's the way it is, its like the capital punishment is/isnt a deterrent thing.
Pokerface - Yep, regularly as in a couple a times a year is what I meant...So they ll do an FTP test in Tenerife with Stages and just use that number this year. They'd have to do that if they went from, say, Quarq to SRM too no?We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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ddraver wrote:No sprinting, as is all cycling, is about pushing air out of the way. One way to do that is to produce a shed load of power like a massive German, another way is to make yourself super aero like a small Manxman.
Anda again, your better off training the whole of yourself properly rather than working on one leg. Sorry dude, that's the way it is, its like the capital punishment is/isnt a deterrent thing.
Pokerface - Yep, regularly as in a couple a times a year is what I meant...So they ll do an FTP test in Tenerife with Stages and just use that number this year. They'd have to do that if they went from, say, Quarq to SRM too no?
All cycling is about pushing air out of the way. Cavs low position will help a little but without the massive power he can produce he would be an also ran.
As I say, they have the time to train every aspect, they do specific gym sessions for leg strength. It is no stretch at all to do some work on a weak leg. Capital punishment??? And I'm not a "Dude".0 -
All these power meters and measurements!!! Pah!!
Why can't they go back to playing cards fixed on with clothes pegs?!...did wonders for my cadence 0 -
nic_77 wrote:I'm surprised that we haven't yet seen, for want of a better phrase, a bike with an automatic gearbox. I should think it would be possible to use information like power and cadence to determine optimal gear ratio... and then use electronic shifting to adjust accordingly.
This latest technology is a slight move towards that I guess.
Ayone fancy an auto shift in the middle of a sprint? In any case is there really such a thing as a known optimum cadence which remains the same whatever the terrain, level of fatigue and power output? I just think the idea of autoshift is something that only a non bike rider/racer could think would work.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
Pokerface wrote:whiteboytrash wrote:Here's a closer look at the head unit. Modified.
That's just a Garmin 810 with a Stages sticker on the top to cover up the Garmin name and Wiggins' name added to the bottom.
I like his top cap
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http://www.kapz.co.uk/kapz---mod-or-raf-roundel---full-colour-headset-cap--bolt-17486-p.aspMacaloon wrote:
It's the detailsMartinGT wrote:I like his top cap0 -
nic_77 wrote:I'm surprised that we haven't yet seen, for want of a better phrase, a bike with an automatic gearbox. I should think it would be possible to use information like power and cadence to determine optimal gear ratio... and then use electronic shifting to adjust accordingly.
This latest technology is a slight move towards that I guess.
@dcrainmakerblog: Spent some quality time today riding new automated shifting system. You just pedal, it shifts. Pretty cool. http://t.co/QB4hkw55DY0 -
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