Cycling Analytics users can see all this data for all times between one second and two hours with a chart like the one below, and It’s important to keep in mind that this data represents what people have actually done, and because most people haven’t attempted a maximal effort at all durations, these numbers are lower than the true potential maximums of the population it represents. Back in 2015 we looked at the Etape to see just how its riders compared to those in the pro peloton. If you ride your standard circuit and average 160 watts where before you only managed 125, you have gotten stronger, she indicates.
The first rider across the line in the amateur sportive was France’s Jeremy Bescond in 4h52m44s. Five days later Vincenzo Nibalitook the spoils as the Tour passed through, covering the stage in 4h22m53s at an average speed of 31.5kmh – that’s 11% quicker. Measuring power allows you to monitor your training, characterize your practice course, assess your aerodynamic sleekness and drag, and assist in pacing. This post should answer some of those questions based on data from thousands of people who have used Cycling Analytics.In this post, we’ll look at what people say their FTP is, and then look at the best efforts that people have actually achieved for a handful of durations. More watts or power conversion is a good thing, as it demonstrates more reliably than other methods increases in your fitness.For decades, cyclists measured their performance by looking at miles per hour or heart rate. LIVESTRONG.com may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. On the other hand, if someone sustains >250 watts avg output, their ride data often indicates a) an athlete who trains regularly, or b) a miscalibrated bike. Be prepared to see a lot of charts and tables and numbers.Firstly, let’s look at what people say their FTP is. Notably, the median (50th percentile) twenty minute effort in watts per kilogram for males and females is exactly the same at 3.80W/kg, which means the average male and female Cycling Analytics user should be able to ride up a mountain at about the same speed. A handlebar computer displays and stores the data. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM There are similar jumps in power between the 80th and 90th percentile, the 90th and 95th, the 95th and 98th, and the 98th and 99th, despite the declining number of people in each of those groups.There are a lot more males than females using Cycling Analytics, so the top percentile listed here is the 95th.This table shows the difference between the numbers for males and females at equivalent percentile ranks relative to the female numbers, so “15%” means the male number is 15% higher. Wattage figures stay exact, unlike heart rate. When Lance Armstrong trains, for example, he uses a device to provide a more accurate gauge of exactly how much force he is applying to the pedals. But the term, derived from Scottish inventor James Watt, measures rates of energy conversion, whether they be created by electricity in a glowing filament or your legs pumping the cranks to bring a bicycle up a hill, ramp or mountain pass. Leaf Group Ltd. Since the late 1980s, companies including SRM, Powertap and Ergomo have made these devices, which measure the deflection of the crank arm using minuscule gauges or in some cases employ a specialized wheel hub. An award-winning writer and editor, Rogue Parrish has worked at the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun and at newspapers from England to Alaska. 2020
You reduce that number by 5 percent to arrive at your lactate threshold power, which is the wattage you can maintain for about an hour. So what is a good rate of power for a solid amateur cyclist for say 2 hours? This is probably especially true for the lower percentile levels.In addition to the best efforts for five seconds, one minute, five minutes and twenty minutes, 95% of the twenty minute best effort is shown because it’s a common estimate for FTP. Good power for 5 seconds is far different than for 5 minutes is far different than for an hour. A cyclist is riding his road bike in the mountains. Speed is a poor measure, as it relates more to terrain and wind. All the data below and more is shown to Cycling Analytics users in interactive charts on the athlete statistics page, so consider Just like 5‘11” males on dating sites, it looks like a lot of guys don’t want to admit that they have an FTP of 190W or 290W when it could be 200W or 300W instead. She's also a property manager and writes on DIY projects. LIVESTRONG.com may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Cyclists are about 21 to 24 percent efficient in converting chemical energy to mechanical energy during cycling, he writes, so a cyclist riding at 250 watts is expending metabolic energy at a rate of nearly 1,000 watts, or 1 horsepower.The advantage of power monitoring is that "watts don't lie," writes Selene Yeager in "Every Woman's Guide to Cycling." I read somewhere that an average pro rider can hold somewhere between 200 and 300 watts for 4 hours of riding. Broker notes that wattage figures measure the work of applying energy to the pedals but not the total physiological energy expended to perform the task. Heart rates provide a rough gauge, but they vary in response to temperature, humidity, altitude, hydration, fatigue, caffeine intake and exercise duration.Energy delivered to the pedals and measured in watts measures the intensity of your work. Keep in mind that these numbers are based on the people who use Cycling Analytics, and aren’t necessarily representative of the broader cycling community or people overall.Overall, males have higher absolute power outputs, but this gap is narrowed when taking weight into consideration, when looking at longer efforts, and when looking at higher percentile levels.