Originally Posted by
collinullrich
I go to the gym and hop on the trainer and spin easy at 80-85 rpm and average 230-235 watts for 2 hours, which I definitely think is in my wheelhouse as I type this. If I were to hop on my bike and do that same effort, I would average anywhere from 17-19 mph on the flats. Now, if you look at a rider named Brandon Mcnulty for example, I noticed on one of his recent rides he averaged said statistics (85 rpm and 230 watts) yet averaged 27.xx mph for 100+ miles. What am I missing and why is there such a dramatic change in miles per hour. I feel like I do have 20-25 pounds to lose, but still! 27+ for 100+ is ridiculous
Lots of factors.
- drafting a pack makes a HUGE difference. A ride that's around 20mph for me solo would be closer to 25mph in a pack at the same power, I think.
- races don't stop. At all. Every time you brake on your outdoor rides, your average speed tanks
- position makes a huge difference. If you have 25lbs to lose, I can guarantee you that your position isn't as optimized as McNulty's. I have maybe 8lbs to lose and my legs hit my belly.
- equipment makes a much bigger difference than most people realize. Especially at 25mph+. Wheels, tires, bike, speedsuit, helmet etc all adds up. At 30mph you're probably looking at 100W+ between a bad setup and a good one. Dan Bigham just beat Wiggins's 2015 Hour record while doing ~60W less. And that's comparing one top tier pro setup to another.