Originally Posted by
Kaben
Is there a “simple” way of estimating how many watts a particular gear inch requires to turn over at a specified rpm?
im trying to set up some training plans on the ergo (kickr), but want to set the resistances in a custom workout on trainer road rather than change chain rings manually.
thanks for any help!
No "simple" way. Turning over the pedals requires overcoming resistance. The source of that resistance is what is going to determine how many watts are required to turn a given gear at a given RPM. In the real world, this resistance is largely supplied by the rider's CdA. Rider with lower drag will be able to turn over X Gear at Y RPM with a lower wattage than a rider with a higher drag coefficient. You can set up a trainer with 50 watts resistance and turn over any gear at any RPM you want.
What you need to do is try and get an RPM:Watts plot for yourself. In other words, you will need a PM that tracks cadence and wattage, then pick a gear that you normally race in, and do a standing start to top speed. You can then use that graph to plot the resistance curve in your trainer program. You can do graphs for different gears, or different scenarios (Like an F200), as well as mix and match various protions of curves to get multiple graphs to use, and do your workouts based off of the appropriate wattage curves.