power meter users

youhaditcoming said:

hi

any of you guys using power output for training, the power you need to attain a certain speed at the beginning of the season would it be the same power for that speed (assuming the terrain and conditions are the same) 4 or 5 months later with your body weighing 16 pounds less for example ??

thanks

Well, on hills speed is almost directly proportional to power/weight. If you lose 16 pounds you'll go uphill faster for the same power. On flat roads you'll go a bit faster due to reduced rolling resistance which is influenced by total weight. But it's very likely with a 16 pound drop in weight you'll also be a bit more aerodynamic both in terms of slightly reduced frontal area and potentially better flexibility and ability to ride comfortably in a lower position. I know I can hold a lower TT position when I'm not carrying extra pounds.

But on flat roads at least you can't compare how you might ride down in the drops at one weight vs. how you'd ride up on the tops at a lower weight. Well you could compare them, but the results wouldn't be meaningful. Aerodynamics rules on flat roads even though weight still matters a bit. Weight rules on climbs, with the effect becoming more pronounced as the road steepens, your speed drops and aerodynamics loses importance.

But in a general sense, yeah I ride faster for the same power at my in season race weight if you just look at things like average speed vs. average power for typical training rides.

-Dave

ok, thank you ! nice, clear and complete answer.

daveryanwyoming said:

Aerodynamics rules on flat roads even though weight still matters a bit. Weight rules on climbs, with the effect becoming more pronounced as the road steepens, your speed drops and aerodynamics loses importance.

-Dave

Hijack...
I am looking into new wheels, (mine were classified as boat anchors) and in general I am not in need of loosing weight and wondered if there are any guidlines regarding rim weight versus aerodynamics.

Mish said:

Hijack...
I am looking into new wheels, (mine were classified as boat anchors) and in general I am not in need of loosing weight and wondered if there are any guidlines regarding rim weight versus aerodynamics.

Well for most events except perhaps pure hillclimbs aerodynamics is going to trump weight for most high end wheelsets.

Here's some examples:
analyticcycling.comWheelsCritCorner Page.htmlOpen ↗
analyticcycling.comWheelsBreak Page.htmlOpen ↗
analyticcycling.comWheelsSprint Page.htmlOpen ↗
analyticcycling.comWheelsClimb Page.htmlOpen ↗

Sure a boat anchor of an aero wheel might lose out to a light box rim wheel but in terms of commercial high end wheelsets I'd typically take a deep aero rim even if it weighed a couple hundred grams more. Yep rotating weight and all 🙄

'course I'd love a set of really light sewups when we do our local hillclimb in July but Teton Pass is steep and pretty relentless, not your average day to day course.

I don't know what you want to spend, but I sure like my American Classic 420s as reasonably light, reasonably aero and very cost effective wheels. They don't get pushed around in gusty side winds as much as the Zipp 404s or 808s that I've relegated to the TT bike but they sure feel fast.

-Dave

OP, I don't know if you race, or have aspirations of racing, but one more thing to consider is that having less weight when you need to accelerate is significant - especially in shorter criterium races where you're sprinting out of corners repeatedly...my $0.02CAN worth...

tonyzackery said:

OP, I don't know if you race, or have aspirations of racing, but one more thing to consider is that having less weight when you need to accelerate is significant - especially in shorter criterium races where you're sprinting out of corners repeatedly...my $0.02CAN worth...

I don't race. I do 75 to 100 mile rides in the mountains of NC and shorter group ride stuff on mostly flats. I started this wheel search with thoughts of losing weight on the bike but the more I learn the more I think 30+mm or so aero and as light as I can afford will serve me the best.
I have a good wheel builder that I've started the process with.

Mish said:

I think 30+mm or so aero and as light as I can afford will serve me the best.
I have a good wheel builder that I've started the process with.

I am not sure how far you are into the process with the wheel builder, but I thought I would say that I am pretty happy with the 30mm semi aero Kinlin Niobium rim. I have a fairly high spoke count and yet the wheel is still lighter than I was expecting. Of course the rear wheel is heavier due to the Powertap hub, but I am really happy with the wheel components. Wheelset

tonyzackery said:

OP, I don't know if you race, or have aspirations of racing, but one more thing to consider is that having less weight when you need to accelerate is significant - especially in shorter criterium races where you're sprinting out of corners repeatedly...my $0.02CAN worth...

Tony, you might find the first link that Dave posted interesting.

Looks like this thread hijack is complete -- saves on new threads, I guess. 🙄

Mish said:

I don't race. I do 75 to 100 mile rides in the mountains of NC and shorter group ride stuff on mostly flats. I started this wheel search with thoughts of losing weight on the bike but the more I learn the more I think 30+mm or so aero and as light as I can afford will serve me the best.
I have a good wheel builder that I've started the process with.

No prob. Good luck on your wheel search. I was addressing the original poster (youhaditcoming), however...

tonyzackery said:

No prob. Good luck on your wheel search. I was addressing the original poster (youhaditcoming), however...

This is too funny.
I started the hijack by admitting the hijack and didn't even know how good I was gonna be at it
I'm gone. Going back to hand built wheel search in the equipment thread.
Thank you all for your help.

Mish said:

This is too funny.
I started the hijack by admitting the hijack and didn't even know how good I was gonna be at it
I'm gone. Going back to hand built wheel search in the equipment thread.
Thank you all for your help.

LOL! Good luck on your wheel search...😄

Mish said:

This is too funny.
I started the hijack by admitting the hijack and didn't even know how good I was gonna be at it
I'm gone. Going back to hand built wheel search in the equipment thread.
Thank you all for your help.

Heh. I was going to stand firm on principle and withold the information out of spite (😉 😄 ), but then Dave went ahead and spilled the beans..... drats!

We'll be wise to your antics next time! :p

tonyzackery said:

OP, I don't know if you race, or have aspirations of racing, but one more thing to consider is that having less weight when you need to accelerate is significant - especially in shorter criterium races where you're sprinting out of corners repeatedly...my $0.02CAN worth...

hi, i raced in the past, stopped completely for several years and now im looking forward to race at master level !!