5 watts/kilo in real terms.......?

neilr4
neilr4 Posts: 161
edited August 2016 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all,

Up until 2 years ago I hadn't done decent exercise in 12 years and it had been 20 years since my last race!!

Into 40''s and middle aged spread had taken over so time to do something about it whilst I was still able. I'm now averaging 10 hours a week over 5 days including an evening crit during the week where we average 40kph and can mostly get top 10 mostly because of experience (drafting) and positioning.

I took a test in februari to work out my training zones and according to the figures (vo2 max and w/kg) I should be riding in a higher catagory?! Had a chat with a couple of guys I race with and they beat me with lower max output.....

Can anyone shed some light on how this is possible? OK I'm about 6 kilos above my ideal racing weight but surely that shouldn't make a huge difference in a crit for 1 hour?
'REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE
SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM'

Comments

  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Where did you get 5 watts from?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    If they are beating you with lower outputs maybe your positioning and experience is'nt as good as you think it is.
  • neilr4
    neilr4 Posts: 161
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Where did you get 5 watts from?

    5 watts per kilo..... 77kgx5w=385 watts @ max heartrate
    'REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE
    SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM'
  • neilr4
    neilr4 Posts: 161
    Webboo wrote:
    If they are beating you with lower outputs maybe your positioning and experience is'nt as good as you think it is.

    My experience and positioning can get me onto 3rd or 4th wheel in last corner with 150m to finish but I get passed on finishing straight!!!
    'REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE
    SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM'
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,367
    neilr4 wrote:
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Where did you get 5 watts from?

    5 watts per kilo..... 77kgx5w=385 watts @ max heartrate

    ftp - average power over an hour - is the normal reference for the general w/hr calculation, not mhr

    what power do you average over an hour?
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    sungod wrote:
    neilr4 wrote:
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Where did you get 5 watts from?

    5 watts per kilo..... 77kgx5w=385 watts @ max heartrate

    ftp - average power over an hour - is the normal reference for the general w/hr calculation, not mhr

    what power do you average over an hour?

    viewtopic.php?p=19936054#p19936054
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • zefs
    zefs Posts: 484
    It's not only about watts/kg, the other riders may had done better energy savings over the race for example or your were in a worse day than them.
  • gaffer_slow
    gaffer_slow Posts: 417
    w/kg has nothing to do with max HR
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    gaffer_slow wrote:
    w/kg has nothing to do with max HR
    It sounded more like a power measurement at VO2peak than HRmax.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,106
    neilr4 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    If they are beating you with lower outputs maybe your positioning and experience is'nt as good as you think it is.

    My experience and positioning can get me onto 3rd or 4th wheel in last corner with 150m to finish but I get passed on finishing straight!!!


    If they are passing you in the sprint it'd be interesting to have some real world data to see what power you are putting out for how long in those sprints. If your positioning is good then it's unlikely you are mistiming your efforts and assuming you aren't massively unaerodynamic lack of power over sort of 15 seconds sounds the most likely deficiency. it may be that you aren't training for the kind of racing you are doing.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • buckmulligan
    buckmulligan Posts: 1,031
    edited August 2016
    As others have said, power numbers are conditional on context and "Power @ HRmax" (if that is indeed what your numbers are) isn't a particularly commonly used context.

    Most people quote their power output (either raw Watts or Watts per kg) as FTP, or the power output that you can sustain for roughly an hour. Your "Power @ HRmax" (or VO2 max) figure is going to be way higher than this.

    This is a typical chart of the maximum power output (y-axis) a rider can sustain for a given period (x-axis). You're taking your value from the left-hand side of the chart (i.e. short duration) and comparing yourself to other people's values from the right-hand side of the chart (i.e. long duration):

    PowerDurationCurve1
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Also, power at HR max is only going to be sustainable for a handful of seconds at the most. As others have said, average power or FTP is a more useful guide. You're unlikely to be able to hit peak power (regardless of how it is measured) at the end of a race anyway, and sprints are generally won by whoever has the freshest legs, or the best position coming off a wheel, as opposed to the highest theoretical numbers.

Categories