Power at Altitude
05-10-11, 10:28 PM
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Power at Altitude
My first training ride with the Powertap took me to my regular ride: warm up, start climbing at about 3K ft, climb at about 5-6% for 19 miles to 8K ft or so and head back. (11 mile warm up ride to get to the base of the mtn. btw)
So I posted my chart below (just the climb)showing heart rate and power. I am wondering how to interpret the slow decline in power. Specifically, is it expected that I should lose this amount of power due to the altitude and lack of O2 or do I need to just HTFU?
So I posted my chart below (just the climb)showing heart rate and power. I am wondering how to interpret the slow decline in power. Specifically, is it expected that I should lose this amount of power due to the altitude and lack of O2 or do I need to just HTFU?
05-11-11, 06:47 AM
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fuggitivo solitario
05-11-11, 08:15 AM
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Depending on what your power profile is and where you're riding in it, it can decline exclusive of altitude; altitude will have some effect also depending on how high you're going.
05-11-11, 08:36 AM
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Thanks for that article. It looks like I should expect about a 10% decrease.
Of course, that was my first data set. We'll see where this goes.
Of course, that was my first data set. We'll see where this goes.
05-11-11, 10:27 AM
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fair weather cyclist
This is a cool article. interesting to see how as elevation increases beyond 10k+ , the difference between acclimatized and not, decreases while overall power still decreases , with a peak at 9000 feet of 4.6% difference.
05-11-11, 11:10 AM
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fuggitivo solitario
one thing to note is that you never reach your sea level VO2max level no matter how acclimated you are because the partial pressure of O2 is lower at higher altitudes
05-11-11, 02:23 PM
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Sorry, I wasn't blessed with an extra helping of funny. I can make some badass spreadsheets though!
I read the Coggan/Hunter book before deciding to get my powermeter and the first few weeks of files were still meaningless. It took me two months before I was able to do a proper 20 minute rep. Of course, I was also new to cycling...probably had something to do with it.
I read the Coggan/Hunter book before deciding to get my powermeter and the first few weeks of files were still meaningless. It took me two months before I was able to do a proper 20 minute rep. Of course, I was also new to cycling...probably had something to do with it.
12-08-11, 02:35 PM
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I recently moved to Denver and here's the difference I've observed (been here for 3 weeks).
Kurt Trainer in NY: 60 mins @ 20.5 was my best time
Kurt Trainer in Denver: 60 mins @ 19.3 was my best time
around 5% seems to be in line with what Friel says in the post.
Kurt Trainer in NY: 60 mins @ 20.5 was my best time
Kurt Trainer in Denver: 60 mins @ 19.3 was my best time
around 5% seems to be in line with what Friel says in the post.
12-08-11, 02:50 PM
#14
Making a kilometer blurry
20.5 and 19.3 look more like speeds than times... and the times both look like 60 mins 
Seems like tire pressure and trainer tension might impact in the ~5% range too though.
Seems like tire pressure and trainer tension might impact in the ~5% range too though.
12-08-11, 02:53 PM
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Def avg mph's :-) for 60 mins. Of course I could just say x mph for an hour. I usually pump the rear to 120 psi and am very 'clinical' about tightening it the same amount each time. There's no way I could hold 20mph notwithstanding a gun to my head.
12-08-11, 04:25 PM
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Making a kilometer blurry
Cool. Numbers seem to match expected anyway.
12-09-11, 05:14 AM
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just back from spending a month at 2,600. no charts, or bells & whistles.
that said, even after several weeks acclimation, my HR (only measuring device that had) was still much higher than it would be for a similar ride/effort at/below sea level.
on a 12km, that finished at 3,365 meters, my HR was a few beats below my max for the last 15 minutes.
so yeah... altitude sucks.
that said, even after several weeks acclimation, my HR (only measuring device that had) was still much higher than it would be for a similar ride/effort at/below sea level.
on a 12km, that finished at 3,365 meters, my HR was a few beats below my max for the last 15 minutes.
so yeah... altitude sucks.
