It just says that there is no power data in them, maybe I need a PM for this to work?

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Possibly and in fact most likely as the system is based on Cda and Watts mainly I think.

210w is probably about right - on a reasonable basis of staying aero for most/all of the ride and average/above average aero position I'd say.
Hilly courses may require a little more depending on your weight.

Well that's the nature of BBS. It asks for where in the pack you typically are and then it uses that information to guess your CdA. Alternatively you can test your CdA (search Platypus thread here on Slowtwitch) and you can determine your CdA rather than having BBS guess.

For what it's worth I found BBS fairly accurate when I used it but stopped using it once I switched from Tri's to cycling since my TT's I don't need to worry about saving reserves for the run. When I was using BBS though-- the first time I uploaded a few race courses I had done and I played around with my rider profile and "simulated" those races I had already done. Once I found where I was able to have X number of watts and Y time in BBS that matched what I had actually done then I knew that BBS was at least somewhat close. Then in future races I found that it was fairly accurate in predicting times. Of course, all that is still guesstimating and ultimately these days I much prefer calculating CdA myself via Golden Cheetah Aerolab.

VE is unfortunately not that helpful since I don't have a PM.
BBS is good for playing around, but without a PM I will go after HR and PE.

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Sh*,
another thread where I'm only allowed to read.

I would listen really carefully to some of the others in this thread.
I would NOT try for some time goal of sub 5 hrs. There are loads of other factors that come into play.

One year in Penticton i rode sub 5 in training and thought i would do roughly the same in the race. On race day i executed my 5 hour split but on 15 extra watts as it was very windy and very hot. I was taken away by ambulance later in the day at about the 3/4 mark on the run course....

As I've already said, won't be going just for a time goal in my first full, when racing I always pace according to weather/ how my legs feel etc. 5 hours is just a goal I have and wanted data from others from when they broke it.

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Seriously. Sign up for Barcelona.

Getting a new bike fit in a few weeks so hope to get both more aero and comfortable. //

Add in more powerful with those other two and this is the most important thing in this thread so far. If you do this properly, and the training, the times will come as they may. If you go to courses like Lanzarote you will never break 5 hours. If you go to Florida(or apparently Brasil) you can break 5 hours on watts that seem impossible..(-;

On all but a few of my IMs I have gone under 5 hours. The first was a 4:57 or so and I was on a P3 with a disc/H3 and a good aero position. Over the years, my position has improved some and my power has varied with fitness so I have done bike splits from 4:40 (Boulder) to 5:17 (St. George in terrible wind) with most others around 4:45-5 hours.

Get a wheel cover for the rear, it will help you a lot (and is very cheap). Keep building your FTP to north of 300 and you will be sub 5 for sure.

Jack

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"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
Sponsors: SciCon | | Every Man Jack

Your first IM should not be about time. It should be about finishing and having fun. If it is not fun you will
leave the sport. Most of the guys that bike under 5 hours for their 1st IM are the same guys talking about
what a great ride they had while they are walking after 10 k into the marathon.

Well since you already have a Cervelo, lower your seat?

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Brian

Read my posts. As I've said several times, I won't be going after a time but will try to enjoy myself. 5 hours I just a goal for the future

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Shhhhhh, let's see if he can break 6 hours first.

The day I decide it's okay to walk for 7 hours will be the day I break 5 hours on the bike.

I've done 2x IM and gone just sub5 both times: 4:56 and 4:52. Power has been about 210w or exactly 3w/kg. Done my best aero-wise but there is still some work to be done in terms of actual testing, not just setting it up and hoping its good (which is what I did earlier). Training wise I did a 20 min effort at 299 (lol) watts just before the 4:52-ride.

Sub5 is, imo, not that hard. Push 3w/kg, be somewhat aero, pick a fast course.

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Endurance coach | Physiotherapist (primary care) | Bikefitter | Swede

I've heard 3w/kg from several people, im 79kg and slim now but will prob be 77 on race day, lower than that wont work for me. This would mean almost 230 for me, which would require an ftp of 300-320

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

My first one was 5.01 and year later same course, although in opposite direction 4.53

2009 standard P2c, first time with HED Jet 60 wheels, second with firecrest 808's. FTP 280ish at about 67kg (I only test in the beginning of the season, no idea how much it increases in the 4-5 months leading upto a race).

btw. I've never run a 50mpw, even a single one, I think I got to 40 once, so you should be good there.

That's a good improvement in the same year! Not worried about the run, can run a sub 3 open so hoping i can run/stumble/crawl a 3:30 in an IM ;)

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Don't let any guys on here put you off if it is likely to be feasible. I went 4h46 off 230w in IM Copenhagen and ran 3h14 off it. Shame I'm pitiful at swimming. It was my 2nd tri.
My first was 5h05 done off 210 IM Frankfurt the year it was 40C and I was scared, having not ran long off the bike before.

I think picking a fast course and the 3W per kilo depends on how big you are. A 48 kilo athlete will still have a tough time breaking 5 hours on 3W per kilo vs a 75 kilo athlete.

I have ridden several half IM's at 3-3.5W per kilo at 63 kilos ranging from 500m to 1000m of vertical and going in the 2:15 to 2:35 range. But on a 1000m vertical course with some braking (technical) and rolling at 3.3W per kilo, barely coming in at 2:29. I don't think 5hours off 3W per kilo is a slam dunk if you are a small athlete and the course is harder.

AND OF COURSE IT DEPENDS ON WHICH DRAFT FEST YOU SIGNED UP FOR.

Lanzarote, Lake Placid, Tremblant, Whistler, Tahoe, Hokkaido, Old South Africa course, Nice....not a hope in hell.

....and just to be clear, some of us don't have the engines to ride an IM at 3W per kilo. For a 4W per kilo athlete, riding an IM that hard is borderline. I would say 90% of athletes in most fields are not 4W per kilo FTP people.

First time I broke 5 was IM Florida in 2013. Flat course. We had good conditions that day. Rode a 4:48 with an 808/super 9 combo on a Speed Concept. Then I rode 4:47 at IM Chattanooga in 2015 with same wheels and new gen SC. Four extra miles and more of a rolling course. 265 watts (3.5 watts/kilo). Went 4:37 at IM Cozumel last year on 808s. 3.5 watts/kilo again. Hot and windy.

My advice is not to chase that time though. It's not worth it. You'll just be setting yourself up for a long, long walk. I do a lot of 15 minute intervals with short rest on the trainer at 90-95 percent and recommend riding long on the weekends. While some might argue raising your FTP is the key to faster riding, I submit that in IM there is a lot to be gained from getting your body used to a longer time to exhaustion. I haven't FTP tested in a long time, but I know what power I can hold for 2-2.5 hours easily twice a week from my intervals. I'm about 168lbs when in race shape. I can send you some files if you want them, but I'm not sure how much you'll learn from it.

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Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

To solidify the importance of a fast course to go sub5 easily: 2.62w/kg was worth 7+h in Lanzarote and 2.35w/kg was worth 5:40 in Kalmar. Small athlete.

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Endurance coach | Physiotherapist (primary care) | Bikefitter | Swede

I'm about the same as you - 192cm and 80kg and did 5:02 in Copenhagen on around 201W NP (in near perfect conditions on a flat course) - time was within 90 secs of what BestBikeSplit predicted, IIRC. If you're reasonably aero, I don't think you'll need 230W for a 5h split on a suitable course.

Edit: Course was 177km on my Garmin, that may have helped ...

Some benchmarks for you.

6'2 (189 cm), 75kg. FTP of 4w/kg? Dunno, don't test it.
Full aero wheels and aero helmet, no super bike.

5.14 on a full distance race in Florida 5yrs ago when I was a relative beginner. Pancake flat but windy. 175NP.

2.26 on a flat half. 222NP. Totally unaero position, no wind, and wet conditions (less rolling resistance). 2.20 on the same course several years later, this time with wind on 228NP (good aero position)

2.21 on 252 NP for a flat course, non aero position.

Fully agree with other comments, focus on holding certain power or speed numbers for 2 to 4hrs to get good HIM (and IM?) fitness. At least that is what I do, and it seems to be working ok.