iBike power meter

[BikeMax]

 

 

 

 

Optimal cadence has been shown to be the cadence at which you develop

the most power given the duration you are riding. Your cadence will

have dropped because you find it easier to develop more power at this

cadence.

Or it is because I did most of my L4 intervals on hills and not enough on flats?

 

 

 

I don't think so - it is the intesnity that matters and not the modality. Your CV system does not know if you are climbing or not...

 

 

Why do we need to know what your HR is doing at FTP -  if you

can ride at that power for the necessary duration then surely that is

sufficient information ? (As we know already' date=' HR at FTP may be

influenced by many other things and so we cannot make a meaningful

comparison)[/quote'] Well if you agree that riding at different cadences does impact on heart rate and if it is accepted that you can't maintain a HR that is above a certain value then there should be a "sweet point" where both power output and heart rate are matched?

 

 

 

 

 

Lets turn that back around - if a higher cadence increases HR without increasing power, then by riding at the self selected best cadence then you are already finding the sweet spot and riding in it...

 

 

I would suggest that you get dropped' date=' not because of

the cadence you are racing at but because you are unable to make the

necessary power over the duration you need - your increased cadence may

simply be an attempt to output more power.[/quote'] But I know that I can maintain, for example, 285w on a 20min climb, but I sure as hell can't do that on the flat in a race for a full 20min (even when it is in the early stages).

 

 

 

 

How many times is there a steady 20 minute effort in a race (where you get dropped) ? I think that you get dropped in these scenarios beacuse of the constant surges or shorter peaks into higher power - not because you can't ride  at FTP on the flat.

 

 

 

For the same I tend to do all of my L4 intervals on a hill - because it's easier and I wonder if it is a self fulfilling cycle. (when I am training that is)

 

The basic premise that I am considering is that if HR is a measure of physiological response (again assuming that you can account for the other influencing factors) and power is an accurate measure of load and cadence is the actual mechanism then you should be able to match the three measurables for max efficiency.

 

 

 

Over complicating things for no gain IMO - if you can output more power at a given duration then you will ride faster at that duration. Training those durations using established principles is the way forward.

 

[whitesox]

HR and Power don't measure the same thing!!!

If you are going to spend the effort and money to train scientifically, which you are when buying a power meter. Then you may as well do it properly and combine it with HR. If you know what HR means. My point.

 

Nuff said....

 

So, Bikemax, are you going to sponsor me that power meter so I can test your/my theory? HAHA

whitesox2007-06-12 09:43:26

[BikeMax]

 

79-slightly heavy for me at this time. but jo'burg season still 13/14 weeks aways so not too worried.  goal weight is usually 74/5.

 

4.3 w/kg at threshold (60 min power) is not going to see you with the top elites at this point - 4.6 w/kg at your goal weight is getting closer but I would suggest that to be competitive it is necessary to be about 5 w/kg or better.

 

Some of the top vets are at this level.

 

[kempo]

Ja i know.  Man but to get that damn weight down is a bitch.  But like I said-got 13/14 weeks til Dome 2 Dome. 

[morrgreg]

Bought one and now it's a great doorstop. I think it's only useful if you ride on really smooth roads. It's too inconsistent, innacurate etc, etc. I wouldn't waste any money on it. It's worth saving up for an Ergomo, Powertap or SRM. I bought the Ergomo, to my mind the best bang for buck. Best computer interface, lightest and as accurate as the really expensive SRM.

 

 

 

Having trained with power for about 4 months it is clear to me that repeatability is key i.e. what shows as 300watts today should be the same tomorrow and so on since the difference between training within threshold and blowing is a fine line. The Ibike just gives you a vague idea of your power numbers and is so influenced by surface quality change - which we all know is an issue in S.A. - that consistency is a real problem.