martialman.45

Been doing some research. I lost 5kg since my last race 6 weeks ago, assuming no power drop I should be about 5% faster? Current weight 80-81 racing in the 5's. Hope to hang on to the lead group this weekend.

Thirstyman

only if it's all up hill. frontal area matters more in most races

martialman.45

Rolling hills on mostly chipseal. I won't be up front, just trying to hang on.

rkwaki

Theoretically yes but I don't think itcorrates perfectly.

merlinextraligh

You can play with this on analytcicycling.com

The answer will depend on what assumptions you make for power input, how aero you are, and the slope of the road.

But the net answer is that 5kg is not going to speed you up 5%, except on fairly steep hills.

On a 6% grade, it's going to be about a 5% increase in speed. On a 3% grade it's going to be abouta 3% increase, and on the flats, it's going to be a mere .3% increase.

And you'll be slight slower on steep downhills.

So overall, on a course with rolling hills, it will help, but you won't be 5% faster.

merlinextraligh

Technique can make as big a difference as the 5kg.

Being still relatively large, you need to use your size to your advantage on a course like that. Use your momentum on the downhill to move up to the front, and carry you up the start of the next hill. Then climb the next hill at your own pace, gradually sliding back in the pack, but staying in contact over the top.

Then move up again on the next downhill, repeat.

Then on the last one, with the aid of your momentum, bury yourself, and solo for the win.


Conversely, if you just sit in the back trying to hang on, you'll find yourself breaking at the bottom of the rollers as the pack stacks up, and having to accelerate up the next hill, chasing little guys. That will get you dropped fast.

ridethecliche

If he's just trying to hang on, I don't think he's thinking about soloing for teh winz.

merlinextraligh

Sometimes if you'r just trying to hang on, it's easier to get dropped than it is riding to try to win.

Besides, its the 5's; the time your suppossed to play with these things.

And on a rolling course, with short power climbs, a relatively big guy, that understands how to use his momentum, and has good one to 5 minute power, can do surprisingly well, against guys with much higer w/kg at ft.

qcwtom

Not even close.

Your weight to power ratio will change, but that it mostly applicable when you are climbing or accelerating. It will not make you 5% faster overall.

kleinboogie

Agree with above. Also, don't assume that losing 11 lbs didn't result in a loss of power. Keep riding. GL

AzTallRider

Forget about the percentages in this situation or that. You will feel the difference the lower weight makes. You will be faster in most situations, and will feel better and be more able to respond to the pack. I'm a big guy (6'6", 85k), and the tactical advice is spot on. Don't sit at the back waiting to be dropped. The back is the easiest place from which to be dropped. In fact, it's the only place from which you can be dropped, since, if you are never at the back, you are never dropped. The "I'll sit at the back and try to finish with the pack" mantra for early races is just not a great approach.

Racer Ex 

No.

wanders

Tell us more about the research you've been doing. What resources did you use?

carpediemracing 

Just as an FYI. Last Sunday I got 5th in the 3-4 race by about maybe 20 feet. I averaged 137w for the race, peak was 1200 or so (just from SRM, as someone showed me how to read the SRM mode stuff after the race, and once you hit the thousands it drops the single digits).

I jumped with 2010 in mind. I thought I had the race in the bag. But I'm 20 lbs heavier (177 vs 158 or so) and even with the same equipment I knew as soon as I jumped that my thoughts of blasting away from the field were mere illusion.

My tactical/race/riding experience got me into position without killing myself. My weight, I think, along with extremely limited training, capped my placing to about 5th (I was a few inches from 4th and the 6th guy passed me just after the line).

Weight helps, yes. But to be tactically astute ("wheelsucker") is just as important.

GirlAnachronism

Wow, you are a much better sitter-inner than me. I averaged 179w in that race and I weigh about 35 pounds less than you.

carpediemracing 

You can say it. I suck wheel better

GirlAnachronism

Next week I am finding your wheel and sticking to it. I can't even imagine averaging 137w in any race, and I'm not exactly a clyde.

AzTallRider

I can't even get the bike rolling with 137w.

kleinboogie

Ditto, I'll use 137w getting out of the driveway.

Racer Ex 

Brain.

martialman.45

mostly blogs and unscientific sites... one exaple
https://cyclingcommentary.typepad.com...dy-weight.html

I have not ridden the bike for a couple of weeks but still manage to get 10 hours on the trainer. I'm pushing one gear higher at the same heart rate, cadence, tire and drum pressure. If anything I would have more power, not less. Thanks for all the tips everyone. Tried the moving forward on the down hill strategy but was boxed in one race and could not move, the other i was just too tired from the up hill to do much. Will give it a go again this weekend as I figure thats my only hope of

shovelhd

I've sat at the back of the P/1/2/3 field with CDR. He is a draft master. Even with a shield of riders surrounding him, he's still following the holes in front of him, trying to get minimal exposure with minimal effort.

carpediemracing 

I just downloaded the data. I have to correct, it was 159 watts for the race. The 137 watts included the clinic. And max was under 1200, 1179 to be exact.

veloboy971

+1

Think of it this way. Take two theoretical individuals. One weighing 10 kg (yes I know highly unlikely) and the other weighing 70 kg. If both their power to weight ratios are 5 w/kg, the 10 kg rider will have an FTP of 50 watts and the 70 kg rider will have an FTP of 350 watts. On a super steep climb (say 8% or higher) both climbing at FTP they will be riding at the same speed, however on the flats, the 10kg rider will be barely moving on the flats while the 70kg rider is flying.

Another example is small, light riders (like myself) that have relatively high w/kg still get smoked in flat TT's by riders who may have as much as .5 w/kg less just because their absolute is so much higher.

merlinextraligh

Or said another way, Climbing is largely dictated by w/kg; TT's by w/frontal area.