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Watts. What?

Old 08-06-16, 05:32 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by bobwysiwyg
So, my last ride resulted in me producing 18.5% of a horsepower.
Does that mean your are equivalent to "the horse's _$$?"
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Old 08-06-16, 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
Does that mean your are equivalent to "the horse's _$$?"
It's a matter of perspective.
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Old 08-06-16, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by bobwysiwyg
It's a matter of perspective.
Just in case, I'll make sure NOT to be behind you when cycling.
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Old 08-06-16, 07:26 PM
  #29  
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I don't put much store by the Strava estimates. Strava doesn't know what bike I'm on or how windy it is.
FWIW though, I'm 54, 165 lbs., and avg. watts according to Strava vary from 146 to 161.
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Old 08-07-16, 02:33 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by bruce19
...Just curious to see where I'm at compared to my "peer group
+1

Originally Posted by bruce19
... Until now. Apparently Strava, which I joined last season, gives estimated watts for each ride you do. Today's 6.4 mi. TT showed an estimated average of 162 watts for me. I'm just wondering how that compares to others who are age 70 or thereabouts."
I am rapidly approaching 70 but use RidewithGPS.
I have no idea how their calculation compares to Strava, but my last three 100km solo rides each show 188 watts.
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Old 08-07-16, 06:58 AM
  #31  
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I saw one of these at my gym yesterday Stages Indoor - Stages Cycling - Global - Stages Cycling ? Global

Since I ride a bike as my primary form of transportation, I don't really like the idea a riding a stationary, but may have to do a few turns just to get an idea of my power...
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Old 08-07-16, 10:49 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by texaspandj
+1
Yes I did google it.
Seeing how my bikes are vintage and I'm vintage I'm not hip to what is watts.
So correct me if I'm wrong. Is it possible for someone on a 150 lb bike and and is able to put out a high wattage number, can he still be slow? Or what if someone has a light bike and put out average watts can he be fast?
If the answer is yes, then I officially don't care about watts.

I'm assuming you got an extra digit in there because I think a 150 pound bike is a dirt bike without a motor
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Old 08-07-16, 11:06 PM
  #33  
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I'm nearly 62. I've enjoyed comparing my various routes on Strava with different bikes (road, fat, MTB suspension hard tail). The hills are really key because the algorithms for weight-speed and output are more accurate when climbing. Anyway, I can roll for 2 hours at 200+ watts and 4 hours at 150 watts. I've gone 1 hour at 234 watts. I use a heart rate meter so my calcs are based on that as well as age, weight, heart rate, speed, ascent, bike weight, time, are all part of the calcs.

I've also used the bike calculator app and that is very interesting to consider. I'm I fast? Hell if I know. I rode the STP on a fat-bike: 205 miles, average speed of 12 mph, bike weighed just under 40 pounds loaded out. I can cruise 4+hours on my road bikes on the hoods, a bit stretched out, at 16 mph solo. There's a huge difference in short term power and endurance power. I will say that my goal is 3 watts per kg and I'm within 40..... Lose 40 pounds or add 40 watts LOL.
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Old 08-08-16, 08:44 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
Watts is work .. those fancy power meter cranks are a direct reading of your effort in that unit of measure.
Power (watts) = Work/time
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Old 08-08-16, 09:59 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Biker395
Power (watts) = Work/time
Exactly, if you really want to know how much energy was expended, you need to know the work, which would be in watt-hours, or kW-hrs, or joules, or calories.

A 1/2 horsepower engine could pull a 100 ton load up a hill....very slowly, if it was geared low enough. "Power" by itself can be rather meaningless term.
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Old 08-10-16, 09:37 PM
  #36  
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Out of curiosity (the only watt meter I own measures electricity), do you adjust your target watts for temperature? Where I live, there can easily be a 40 degree difference between morning and afternoon.
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Old 08-20-16, 05:11 AM
  #37  
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I just installed a pair of Garmin Vector2 Power Peddles on my Emonda SL6 and for the first time this morning i used them. I have it paired to my Garmin Edge 1000 Feedback came back as average wattage output was 184 watts ,peak for 20 minutes was 200 something etcetc..There was a standing wattage of 435 ..There is lots of feedback that i have no idea on what it means etc.
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Old 08-24-16, 01:04 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Rollfast
I still have no clue what watts are for here.

Here's Bud and Lou to explain.
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Old 08-24-16, 02:19 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by bobwysiwyg
So, my last ride resulted in me producing 18.5% of a horsepower.
FWIW, when we first learned about HP back in Jr. High School science, I remember being told that 1 HP grossly overestimated the sustained power capabilities of a typical actual horse. So, assuming that my old teachers knew what they were talking about, you can guess that your 18.5% is an underestimate of the power of one actual horse.

(And I still remember the archaic units. 550 ft lb/second^2)

I have no idea, really, what power your typical quarter horse, mustang, belgian work horse, etc. actually sustains. I guess it's kind of hard to put a power meter on their hubs.

Last edited by MinnMan; 08-24-16 at 02:29 PM.
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Old 08-24-16, 02:22 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by nashvillebill
Exactly, if you really want to know how much energy was expended, you need to know the work, which would be in watt-hours, or kW-hrs, or joules, or calories.

A 1/2 horsepower engine could pull a 100 ton load up a hill....very slowly, if it was geared low enough. "Power" by itself can be rather meaningless term.
Sure, it CAN be rather meaningless if one chooses to make it so, but relative to cycling, it CAN be quite useful, and it ain't that complicated to get the basic idea... Each to their own,

Taking one's average output in watts, and multiplying it by the time spent gives that measure in watt-hours... if that is what you want to know.

I use my powermeter and the other data produced by my cycling computer just to have a detailed record of how my riding strength is coming along.

It can be used in very sophisticated training programs, or just to give "ballpark" numbers for those of us who like that sort of thing.

Cheers, Eric
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Old 08-24-16, 03:06 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by work4bike
Looking at watts seems useless unless you want to spend the money to actually measure it and incorporate it into your training. Even if you have invested in all the equipment to measure your wattage, it takes time (learning curve) to incorporate it into your training.


I just don't see how it can be useful: https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/...measures-Power
Well, for one, calorie measurements from pretty much most other sources are really guesses until you know how much work you've done. A power meter gives you that with significant accuracy. Bike computers without any sensors other than speed and cadence can be 100% off on calorie burn. With a HRM added it's still way high. With a power meter it's generally a lot lower and much more accurate.

So if you think measuring calorie burn is useless then, I guess you're right. For a lot of us, it's pretty critical information for a whole lot of reasons.



Originally Posted by Gerryattrick
Measuring watts via estimate algorithms as on Strava or other apps is as accurate and useful as taking calories used as an accurate figure on similar computerised algorithms.

If you want to use watts in your training program get a power meter and do it properly.
Exactly. With current power meters, pretty easy to do. I started riding with a power meter this year and I learned a ton about my form and what works and what doesn't. A power meter doesn't lie.

FWIW, I've seen calorie and power measurements estimates vary by as much as 100% from actual data. They always estimate too high leading you to believe that your burned far more calories than you really did.

J.
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Old 08-24-16, 03:17 PM
  #42  
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Looking in to this some time ago, I stopped when I realized that power meters cost ~$1000. I understand the value of measuring power accurately, but I just wasn't interested to the tune of $1k. But that was a while back. Are reliable power meters still that spendy?
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Old 08-24-16, 10:11 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by MinnMan
Looking in to this some time ago, I stopped when I realized that power meters cost ~$1000. I understand the value of measuring power accurately, but I just wasn't interested to the tune of $1k. But that was a while back. Are reliable power meters still that spendy?
No. Half that or less including the crank arm. $400 from 4iii if you send in your crank arm.

Here's a good synopsis Power Meters | DC Rainmaker, but check mfg web sites for pricing. It's coming down with increased competition.

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Old 08-24-16, 10:53 PM
  #44  
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Picked up my Stages on a DuraAce 7900 arm for $340. Shopped for almost two months to find it, but there are definitely deals to be had.
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Old 08-25-16, 07:07 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
Picked up my Stages on a DuraAce 7900 arm for $340. Shopped for almost two months to find it, but there are definitely deals to be had.
Yep. I'd also guess that with Shimano announcing a DA 9100 crank with integrated power meter, that also will put further pressure on power meter prices. They dropped very fast over the last couple of years, they'll still continue dropping but the rate of drop is going to be slower. Either way, power meters are getting pretty affordable and you don't need a separate wheel set anymore.

I bought one because the calorie burn numbers variation in all the different estimation methods bothered me and made it difficult to manage on my training plan. I also was interested in seeing what happened to my power output during training. What I didn't expect is the large impact it would have on my form and especially my pedaling technique. Learning what worked well through the numbers was pretty amazing.

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Old 08-25-16, 07:15 AM
  #46  
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I see it as just another metric to keep in your quiver. If you find it useful, go for it. My Garmin 520 is PM ready but I really don't think I need that much information at this point in my life. Maybe I will and if so, I'll give it a try.
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Old 08-25-16, 09:39 AM
  #47  
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I figure if you're out riding at 70 years old (or 56 in my case), you're way ahead of your "peer group" anyways...
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