# How does 3.25 Watts/Kg compare?...



## TFerguson (Jan 31, 2004)

3.25 Watts/kg doing 10k (6.21 mi) on a Computrainer averaging 298 Watts. Weight compensated. No wind, hills, etc. Racing 50+ and/or Cat 4/5. If I got down to 2.5 lbs/inch, it would be 3.75 Watts/kg. Can anybody give ma anything to compare these numbers to?

Thanks,
TF


----------



## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

TFerguson said:


> 3.25 Watts/kg doing 10k (6.21 mi) on a Computrainer averaging 298 Watts. Weight compensated. No wind, hills, etc. Racing 50+ and/or Cat 4/5. If I got down to 2.5 lbs/inch, it would be 3.75 Watts/kg. Can anybody give ma anything to compare these numbers to?
> 
> Thanks,
> TF


http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/profile.html

From there, you can download an Excel file with a table, but read the text before using the tables.


----------



## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Here's some comparison numbers*

Per Jonathan Vaughters, a top 50 tour climber will need 6 watts per kg body weight, and top climbers need 7-7.5.


----------



## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Ugh. I did my end-of-base test with my coach last month, I was 4 W/kg. Needless to say, he's got me right into intervals for February. 

Keep up the training, build that MAP Watts, and keep trim!


----------



## JPRider14 (Feb 9, 2004)

3.8 for me last year in February when weighing 165. I raced at 152-158 during the season and had a successful campaign as a Colorado 4. I gotta get my test done for this year soon.


----------



## lread (Apr 23, 2002)

*?Test*

I don't understand how a Computrainer test that probably lasted less than 20 minutes can be predictive of maximum aerobic power.


----------



## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

lread said:


> I don't understand how a Computrainer test that probably lasted less than 20 minutes can be predictive of maximum aerobic power.


see, for example, 
http://www.velo-fit.com/articles/critical-power.pdf


----------



## lread (Apr 23, 2002)

*but*

Doesn't Ferg need to test his cp1, cp12 , and cp30 as well? Seems like everyone's CP curve would be a bit different depending on where you fall in the spectrum of anaerobic/aerobic capacities.


----------



## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

lread said:


> Doesn't Ferg need to test his cp1, cp12 , and cp30 as well? Seems like everyone's CP curve would be a bit different depending on where you fall in the spectrum of anaerobic/aerobic capacities.


No this is the mistake in Joe Friel's presentation compared to the what was found in ex. phys. labs. The plot of total work vs. time is a straight line with a non-zero intercept. The slope of the line is the critical power (power that can be sustained for a very long time, i.e., aerobically). The intercept is the anaerobic work content (AWC) - the work that can be performed anaerobically. Each individual will have a different critical power and AWC, but once these two values are known, the entire power vs. time curve can be generated. Eddie Monnier explains this better than I can.


----------



## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

My wife puts out 4.1 w/k at 275....she is 125 and is currently in the process of trying to move up to 3 after 4 races. She wants to be a 2 by the end of the year.


----------



## Squint (Jan 22, 2004)

Jed Peters said:


> My wife puts out 4.1 w/k at 275....she is 125 and is currently in the process of trying to move up to 3 after 4 races. She wants to be a 2 by the end of the year.


4.1 W/kg, depending on duration, would put her solidly in Cat 1 for women, if we were to misuse the power profiling table for this purpose. Dede Demet-Barry's race winning move at a world cup race was 296 for a 18 minutes and I think she weighs 135. Your wife should've easily won all four of her races so she shouldn't have to try to upgrade, it should be fairly automatic.

Edit: 275W for 125 lbs is over 4.8W/kg which is nearly world class for women, assuming a duration of 20 mins.


----------



## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

*I guess I'll wait till next year for the tour. (nm)*

12345


----------



## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

Squint said:


> 4.1 W/kg, depending on duration, would put her solidly in Cat 1 for women, if we were to misuse the power profiling table for this purpose. Dede Demet-Barry's race winning move at a world cup race was 296 for a 18 minutes and I think she weighs 135. Your wife should've easily won all four of her races so she shouldn't have to try to upgrade, it should be fairly automatic.
> 
> Edit: 275W for 125 lbs is over 4.8W/kg which is nearly world class for women, assuming a duration of 20 mins.


Clarification of mistakes I made:

She was 132 for today's "Conconi" test. Wattage at max/threshold was 260 of 4.30 w/kg

Sustained wattage below threshold (AnT. Power) 200 Watts or 3.31 w/kg.

She pretty easily won last weekend (1/51); before that was climbing race (she sucks) 8/20, before that 3/18 (Elite women), 1st race 6/46; all in Women 4.


----------



## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Time to upgrade! She won't get any faster leading around a pack of wheelsuckers. Upgrade to 1 and spend half the season suffering at the back of the pack and she'll see amazing improvements.

She won't win any races, but she'll see amazing improvements nevertheless ;-)


----------



## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

Spunout said:


> Time to upgrade! She won't get any faster leading around a pack of wheelsuckers. Upgrade to 1 and spend half the season suffering at the back of the pack and she'll see amazing improvements.
> 
> She won't win any races, but she'll see amazing improvements nevertheless ;-)


Don't know where you are, but you need points to upgrade....she's planning on moving to 2 (hopefully) by the end of the season...she needs to earn it though


----------



## Asiago (Jan 28, 2004)

*Using this process..*

Using this process of estimation for various power outputs, do you have to use the 6 min or 12 min or 20 min intervals? Could you use 6min, and 10min or 30min intervals? I just got done with a serious of tests that included 6minute, 4 minute and 30 minute...


----------



## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

Spunout said:


> Time to upgrade! She won't get any faster leading around a pack of wheelsuckers.


One other thing...she's like the biggest wheelsucker around! She's all about the pack and the final sprint...she says "I'm like Cippo!" LOL.


----------



## Squint (Jan 22, 2004)

Asiago said:


> Using this process of estimation for various power outputs, do you have to use the 6 min or 12 min or 20 min intervals? Could you use 6min, and 10min or 30min intervals? I just got done with a serious of tests that included 6minute, 4 minute and 30 minute...


There's formulas out there but a safe way to go about it is to use the closest longer duration because if you can do X W/kg for 30 mins, you can do it for 20, obviously. So use your 6 for 5 and 30 for 20 mins.

However, the purpose of power profiling is to determine your relative strengths and weaknesses, not to predict your category or results. The best way to do that is to race...


----------



## niteschaos (Apr 19, 2002)

Dittto, don't put your hopes into those number too much. I can only put out 4.2 W/kg, but I clean house in the time trials and do well in the crits. Can't seam to climb worth a snit though.


----------



## lavamantis (Apr 6, 2004)

*Newbie question: how do I determine watts/kg?*

I'll have access to a Computrainer for about 2 more weeks. I just set it up last night and don't know much about measuring fitness yet.

How do I go about determining my watts/kg? Is VO2 max possible to determine too?

Thanks in advance.

John


----------



## Kieran (Jul 2, 2004)

These numbers doo seems strange- three years ago i could do 425 at 73 kg's, which gives a little under 6 - but i was certainly not world class. After three years off the bike- (i got totalled in an accident) i am 275 at 82, which is 3.35, and I feel real slow. These are for 20 mins. Maybey that exercise bike is inaccurate.


----------



## 53T (Jul 20, 2002)

*Bad Data*



Kieran said:


> These numbers doo seems strange- three years ago i could do 425 at 73 kg's, which gives a little under 6 - but i was certainly not world class. After three years off the bike- (i got totalled in an accident) i am 275 at 82, which is 3.35, and I feel real slow. These are for 20 mins. Maybey that exercise bike is inaccurate.


I don't think you did 425 for 20 minutes. The 275 is believable, but only if you have been training.


----------

