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60 minute avg watts.

Greg LewisGreg Lewis
in General Training Discussions

When I uploaded today's ride to WKO+, I noticed it said my peak 60 minute avg was 245 watts. When I did my last 42 minute test a couple weeks ago, my avg power was 226. Today's ride was 3:30 all climbing/decending, if that matters. 

Should I do another 42' test, or use the 245 number, or knock the 245 down because of the climbing? 

Thanks!

 

Comments

  • Peter GreaggPeter Greagg
    The EN 42 min test is a way of estimating your FTP, which is (by definition) the power you can sustain for 60 minutes.
    So, I would use 245 and see how your Z4 intervals go.
    Others may have a different view?
  • Joseph LombardiJoseph Lombardi

     Are you sure that was Peak 60 min or Peak 60 sec.? Just checkin ... I wouldn't change my FTP based on one ride....you just tested 2 weeks ago...

     

  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    If your 60 minute best segment was mostly uphill, you'd expect a slightly higher average number. Take a guess of somewhere in between, and see what the workouts feel like for a week or two. You will know if it's too high pretty quick!
  • steveperxsteveperx

     What was your Normalized Power for the 60 minute section?

  • Greg LewisGreg Lewis
    Joe -yes it was 60 minutes, not 60 seconds.

    Steve- the normalized power for the 60 minutes was 254.

    For me, holding 240 or 250 watts for an hour climbing is much easier compared to holding 215 for an hour of flat riding. Is that typical?

    Thanks for everyone's input.

  • MattAaronsonMattAaronson
    I was going to say that given the climbing and descending you should check the VI because a really high VI ride won't give you a great read on an FTP. But based on the numbers you put above, it looks like the VI was 1.04...actually quite low despite the ride being all climbing and descending. Probably a bit high compared with most folks when they test (1.00 or 1.01), although I'm sure some who don't ride as constant power do test with a higher VI.

    Overall I'd be quite suspicious of the new number from the climbing ride. I am a complete flatlander who happens to be on vacation in Colorado at this moment. Yesterday I did an 83 mile, ~4.5-hour ride with ~6k feet of elevation gain. My peak THREE HOUR power corresponded to an IF of 0.80...in other words, a three hour z3 ride. Physiologically impossible on my tri bike on a flat course!!!
  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    If the number are correct, and they probably are, 60 minutes of pushing watts is 60 minutes of pushing watts. The bike/PM does not know if you are going up hill, or downhill or sideways. The only numbers impacted while climbing are speed for sure and likely cadence. Since we are focused on watts, who cares about speed. On a flat you will need a bigger ring/ small cog combination and likely higher cadence, but again pushing watts is pushing watts

    I always do my testing and FTP intervals on the same 3.5 mile long 8-10% grade behind my house. It is a great way to build power.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Very common to have larger numbers climbing vs flats for a number of reasons.

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