Uphill vs flat Average Power

[JasonW]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2007/letters12-18 

 

This is quite an interesting thread from cyclingnews on the question of why it is generally easier to sustain a certain average power on a hill versus a flat course.

 

What I would like to know is whether one should base your FTP (for cyclingpeaks WKO+) on an uphill TT or a flat TT. It seems to me that if you spend most of your training time on the flats then you will be training in the wrong zones if you use your FTP based on an uphill TT.

[BikeMax]

I would suggest that you test on both and quantify the difference - for me there is not much between the two and so I use a climb for conveniences sake.

 

If your position is not compromised by a TT bike then you may well find the difference is pretty small.

 

[JasonW]

Thanks will try that. I think my problem is staying focused on pedalling at full tlt when I'm on the flats. Its a lot easier on the hills 'coz you can't freewheel as easily.

[ecg15]

i find training more mountains than just flat sections helps my over all watt out put. im a sprinter and hate hills but the more i train on long climbs or even the short power climbs i find that my watt out put on the flats increase. i can sustain longer pulls and harder pace rides. that goes for TT as well.

[BikeMax]

 

Thanks will try that. I think my problem is staying focused on pedalling at full tlt when I'm on the flats. Its a lot easier on the hills 'coz you can't freewheel as easily.

 

That is much more likely to be the explanation (it is for me anyway)

 

[BikeMax]

 

i find training more mountains than just flat sections helps my over all watt out put. im a sprinter and hate hills but the more i train on long climbs or even the short power climbs i find that my watt out put on the flats increase. i can sustain longer pulls and harder pace rides. that goes for TT as well.

 

That is more likely a factor of simply spending more time in the right zones to increase threshold power.

 

[ecg15]

Or it could be that. lol

thanks Peter