Power chart...this is just depressing

[Pierre]

Came across this recently, some things are just better left unsaid or unexplored.

I always wondered where I sat...well now I know. There are some strong/light cyclists out there!!!

http://d4nuk0dd6nrma.cloudfront.net/...rprofiling.jpg

[drewellison]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Came across this recently, some things are just better left unsaid or unexplored.

I always wondered where I sat...well now I know. There are some strong/light cyclists out there!!!

http://d4nuk0dd6nrma.cloudfront.net/...rprofiling.jpg

Best unsaid and unexplored ... so you say it and then you give us the link to explore it?

I think I'll pass!

[donevwil]

Only max power test I've done was 18 years ago and lasted 30 sec. I'm sure it's perfectly fine to round that up to 1 min, if memory serves I only threw up a little bit after 30s so 30 more would have been easy. That made me exceptional once upon a time.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by drewellison

Best unsaid and unexplored ... so you say it and then you give us the link to explore it?

I think I'll pass!

Thank you for the laugh...yep, I guess I am guilty of that.

[MattTuck]

The only saving grace is that it is unlikely that the rider gifted with exceptional FTP/kg is the same one that maxes out the 5 sec power/kg.

In other words, I'd like to see the numbers for Greipel, Cancellara and Froome for those durations.

[wasfast]

The chart is from the Racing and Training with a Power Meter. Andrew Coggan is the author of the chart I believe. There's certainly some tolerance around the exact values but from my own performance, it's pretty much right on. Depressing/deflating but right.

[nooneline]

Originally Posted by wasfast

The chart is from the Racing and Training with a Power Meter. Andrew Coggan is the author of the chart I believe. There's certainly some tolerance around the exact values but from my own performance, it's pretty much right on. Depressing/deflating but right.

Take this chart with a grain of salt. If I understand right, it was created by getting some w/kg values for top-tier cyclists, assuming some w/kg values for non-cyclists, and then just filling in the area between in a linear way.

I know a ton of people who have values that are higher than their category - and a bunch that have a category that's much higher than their values.

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

The only saving grace is that it is unlikely that the rider gifted with exceptional FTP/kg is the same one that maxes out the 5 sec power/kg.

In other words, I'd like to see the numbers for Greipel, Cancellara and Froome for those durations.

I'm pretty sure the max 5 sec was someone like Chris Hoy. I did a bit of back of the envelope power/weight ratios and Sir Chris was pretty close.
As Caleb Ewan and Cavs would tell you; power is only one part of the speed formula. Power + Aero = fast.

[christian]

Originally Posted by nooneline

I know a ton of people who have values that are higher than their category - and a bunch that have a category that's much higher than their values.

Well, you do still have to race the bicycle race you're in, so that makes sense.

[Macadamia]

am I reading that right? a 90kg rider with no training should be able to put out +1000 watts for 5 seconds?

[sandyrs]

Originally Posted by Macadamia

am I reading that right? a 90kg rider with no training should be able to put out +1000 watts for 5 seconds?

Sounds about right to me?

[DfCas]

Age? I assume this chart is for young people in their prime. What about us old geezers?

[makoti]

I once saw one of these weighted for age. Made me feel SLIGHTLY better.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Macadamia

am I reading that right? a 90kg rider with no training should be able to put out +1000 watts for 5 seconds?

Sure, why not? Cycling speed isn't about pure power, it is about the ratio of power-to-size. A large non-elite athlete may not have a good ratio of power-to-size, but that doesn't mean they can't have a large absolute power output.

I wonder what the 5 second power of Sumo wrestler is?

[kgreene10]

Based on my experience in Central Texas, the chart may be outdated. Many racers I know have power numbers higher than their predicted category. So, it's worse than you thought!

A friend who is a trainer and consultant in Spain just posted an analysis of pier files for a rider for the whole Vuelta 2016. All the categorized climbs were done at above 5.5 w/kg. More striking still is that the rider's ftp is 5.7 w/kg! That's just astounding. I can only hold that for 5 mins!