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Power and Incline

 I am just now figuring out the world of power.  I have a tacx i-magic which has a power function.  Though not as slick as a "true" powermeter it does give me data.  I just figured out how to get average power for different intervals from the software.  Now my question.

I can change the grade of the ride.  When I first started doing this I would take a course which had varying grades and the trainer will give me different amounts of resistance based on the terrain (just like outside), but when I started attempting to train by power I am setting the grade at a constant so I have constant resistance.  This helps me to keep a constant effort and try and maintain constant watts.  Make sense?

So:  My understanding of power is that it doesn't matter what the grade.  Power is power.  But I think I notice that it is harder to keep my power up at a higher grade.  I say I think, because when I have had tough workouts and haven't been able to keep up my wattts, there seems to have been a fatigue factor (not enough sleep, too close to another hard workout), etc.

So..To put it another way:  Is there an ideal grade.  Obviously I can just pick a grade and always use this grade and compare, but I had started to experiment with other grades and see what would happen.

 

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • I don't think there's any special grade to pick. As you stated, power is power. Seems the only thing that is changing is the resistance to reflect a different grade. If you were outside you would shift accordingly to maintain the same watts and the increased grade (and usually cadance too). I'd say the "ideal" grade for you to pick is the one where you can get a rolling resistance where your cadance and effort match the cadance and effort you'd feel outside. A little hard to do since you don't have the power meter to validate the watts- but you should be able to get close.
  • I would think grade would be a factor. Yes, power is power, but cadence is part of the power calculation to derive watts. For myself, I find it easier to maintain a high wattage level with a high cadence. When my cadence slows (e.g. think of a hill) I find it more challenging to hold the same watts. I contribute this my muscle memory and usage being more adapted to lower force per pedal stroke with high RPM, rather than greater force per stroke with lower RPM. Don't know if my thinking is really accurate but that is my thought process at the moment.
  • Jon,

    Bottomline is go to with whatever combination of grade, watts, stars, etc gets you the most watts and the least mental cost. That said, I suspect the resistance that the trainer adds/subtracts isn't 100% reflective of how it works in the real world so I would recommend you not try to derive outdoor riding conclusions from what you see/feel on this trainer.

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