First rides with power - learnngs and questions??
Last week I did my first ride with a power meter – my ftp test on a trainer. My results were very disappointing (ftp 151 indoors), but I’m bought into the ideas that the “numbers are my friend” – no matter what they are.
This weekend I finally got out on the road. Did that ever prove to be an eye opener!!! Here is what I saw: 1) holding constant watts is really hard – it takes practically nothing in the way of a hill to shoot up 40-50 watts 2) I left a lot of power on the table on downhills – one area of the ride I typically would ride 6-8 miles per hour faster than going out – slightly uphill on the way out. What I found was that even going that fast I was way below the 85% FTP that I was supposed to be riding. 3) I think my first and only FTP test was off. On my 30/30’s I was able to hold 140-150%+ of my FTP, and was able to hold 100%+ FTP for most of the way home even after 20 minutes of 30/30’s.
Now I have a couple of questions. What numbers are useful for monitoring power during a ride? Power changes so much that it is not real useful. I had 30 sec average showing – that seemed more useful, but changed more slowly that I would have thought. Are 3sec averages good? Since I had so much trouble holding steady power, should I work on that now, or wait until race prep?
I think learning how to use power is going to be a process. But even after one outdoor ride I can see how easy it is to ride too hard on hills and too easy on down hills.
Comments
Welcome to power fun! You'll get lots of input, but here are a few things that jump out at me.
1. You're indoor and outdoor watts are completely different. It is perfectly normal for the indoor watts to easily be 10-15% below the outdoor watts. Retesting outdoors is always a good idea so you can have both parameters. But whatever you do--DO NOT try to ride our outdoor watts indoors. It will be impossible and then it messes with your head if you don't know that's how it is.
2. Over time you develop the uncanny ability to dial in those jumping watts. The watts jump all over the place, and it happens all the time. I never look at averages, just what I'm riding in real time. At this point, I know what it takes to get to the overall effort I need for a specific interval. I only look at the average after I get home. This takes time and practice, but you'll get there.
3. Depending on what terrain you're riding, sometimes you just have to get up the hills and you will spike it. Not good, but it happens. Again, hill climbing takes time and practice. Learning to pedal downhill, and keep a constant power, will have you passing people left and right. Again, however, sometimes you just can't make proper power if the downhills are too steep. I call them "watt killers." Just carry on, since there's not much you can do about it.
Every ride for a while will be an adventure!
The lower the number you have on the watt display time, the more that little watt number will jump around. I frankly can't even remember what mine is set at! I'd say pick something sorta in the middle and don't worry too much about it- you are going to get used to that jumpiness the more you ride.
Bob, I've been there - literally, see my post from a few months back here: http://endurancenation.us.dnnmax.co...fault.aspx
You're going up against a few things here.
So don't worry, train with your new power zones as they are now. GIve it a few weeks, if the long 100% intervals seem to easy ask one of the coaches if it's okay to bump it up a few watts and try it from there. Your next test is going to be soooo much better.
You want a 3 sec display rate at a minimum. 3 - 5 sec is probably ideal. Something like a 30 sec display rate is probably fine for training but would be useless for racing so get used to a faster display rate. 1 sec display rate is way too bouncy as I'm sure you already realized. Also, I'd make sure your record rate is set to 1 sec. Longer record rates potentially impact the calculation of normalized power. Anything over 3 - 5 secs makes the algorithm mostly useless.
Thanks, Chris
Thanks everyone. I like the 3 second average for the display. I like the idea of trying to saty in a 20 range. The way I'm riding now there is now way that I could execute the powerr guidance from the spreadsheet. It really is a learning curve. Glad I have until mid July for my first A race. I'm sure that will be enought to get better. Too bad it's a reasonbly hilly race- i'll really have to stay focussed.
As everyone said, it's a combination of learning how to ride my smoothly (power application-wise) and getting used to the numbers jumping around. In a week or two you won't even notice it.