What Power / Weight ratio for the Alps?

badgerbeaver

hi there

I'm wrestling with the numbers of Vo2 and Lactate Threshold tests and I am trying to understand relatively what they mean when it comes to the Alps.

What sort of power to weight ratio would you expect at LT to make the Alps a ride and not a crawl?

Specifically what w/kg @ LT ?

I know what the pros go to, but I am way way off that. I've been cycling in the Alps before, so it's not reassurance I am after but a straw poll, an idea of numbers from this group.

Currently mine is at 2.5w/kg at my threshold. This feels low, disappointing if I am honest compared to my VO2 which I think is ok at 54.5
In any case I will be training in the coming months to make it a bigger number. I am interested in what people think expect to be a reasonable number for an amateur club cyclist.

Your thoughts would be most welcome

jibberjim

2.5 w/kg at what "threshold" there are lots of them, it's likely not the "threshold" you've ever heard any one else talk about.

If you have a VO2 number of 54.5 then you have a power @ VO2max ~ 4w/kg, so will be likely able to do ~3.5 w/kg for an hour, so should be climbing alpe d'huez in under 1:10. Of course VO2max figures are very unreliable. 3.5w/kg for an hour is pretty much an average club cyclist in the UK...

cougie

Is that your FTP for an hour ?

I think you're way overthinking things. I reckon I was probably around that FTP/Kg last year doing the Stelvio and it was fine. I passed people. It was tough, but never a crawl.

If you're chubby - lose weight. Train hard and you'll be even better - but as to a specific magic number ? You might as well ask what the best bike is...

alihisgreat

You don't need to be super-man if you've got a 34/28

3 to 3.5w/kg would put you in the region of a strong club rider and I can't imagine you having any problems if you're sensible with your gearing.

This might help you get an idea: http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/trainingpeaks-power-profiles-cyclists

badgerbeaver

Should have added, that I had a lactate threshold test which showed that my "lactate threshold" was at 154bpm when I was putting out 230w. I took that power measure to work out my power/weight ratio of 2.5 w/kg as my max work up a climb where I expect to stay aerobic.

Good advice and underlining what I suspected that

a) I have to lose weight, getting to my target weight puts my ratio to ~2.7w/kg without any assumed improvement to output. Body composition analysis shows I could easily lose 7.5kg of fat (although a little pinch of my moobs would had told anyone that fact instantly and for free, plus

b) I need to train at higher intensity rather than pootling about with the club and doing the occasional spin class and circuits.

thanks again for good advice, the link looks helpful, thank you.

(and yes, you're probably right, I am probably overthinking this...)

manxshred

For my first attempt at the Marmotte last year, I trained more than I have ever done, I dropped about 8kg in weight, and I ran a compact with a 11-32 cassette (ie 34-32 granny gear). I used it on the steep section at the top of the Galibier and on the bottom steep section of Alpe d'Huez and was passing a lot of people who were grinding up at very low cadence.

Drop weight, train hard, and take gears that are correct for the riding you are doing.

trim_shady

Analytic cycling has a really useful resource for calculating speed given power and a number of other parameters (e.g. weight, estimates for drag etc). You can take the speed output from this and plug it into a cadence calculator to find out your cadence at a given gear

From a personal perspective I went to the Pyrenees last year at 75kg and able to hold 4w/kg for an hour. With good nutrition and cooling I was able to hold about 10% less than that whilst climbing for several hours per day without completely burying myself.

This meant I was climbing in the 60-90 cadence range the majority of the time with 34 : 28 as my lowest gear. Personally I like to ride at a higher cadence so would love to have had a 32 on the back for the really steep sections where you just have to grind it out

To get stronger at climbing try to fit in a couple of sessions each week where you ride at tempo pace for a sustained period (the turbo is great for this). This should help improve your power. I'd also suggest you consider taking some fairly low gears, if you don't need them you don't have to use them but chances are it will make your riding a lot more enjoyable