I’m looking for some benchmarks on what is considered a good 3 minute power effort on the bike. I know there are a lot of variables out there and people will want to respond with “it depends” – that’s fine. I’m new to power training and am not quite sure what to think of the numbers I’m getting.
new to power training doesn’t imply new to training, so assuming you’ve been riding as a Clyde for awhile, anything North of 400 watts is going to get the job done. Of course if your training is focused on Sprints or Oly’s then it will certainly be higher.
My wattage #'s haven’t changed appreciably in a year and a half, they have just carried out to longer durations (IE. MAP became FTP, FTP became CP150, etc).
But…, If your a clyde and training with power, the real fun is the short course stuff…not this Full dist Nonsense 
cheers,
I used the XLS in this site: Power Profiling
and consider my Power-to-Weight Ratio a tell-tale sign of how it’s ranking.
Granted, 3-min isn’t there, but it’s been fun, easy way to gauge where I am.
i think 4 minutes is a more common number to use.
As mentioned 4 minutes is a more used standard. What is your weight, it will make a big difference on a good power output if you are 225pds versus 175pds. Also, what type of racing do you focus on, I think a good 4 minute power number might be different for someone focused on IM versus a Cat 3 Crit rider.
Yep, I’m right around 200lbs right now and cranking out north of 400 watts in my 3 minute tests. Actually, I’m closer to 450W. Thanks for the responses, I feel like thise helps me gauge where I am and where I would like to be.
Yep, I’m right around 200lbs right now and cranking out north of 400 watts in my 3 minute tests. Actually, I’m closer to 450W. Thanks for the responses, I feel like thise helps me gauge where I am and where I would like to be.
That’s great!
Now continue to train and carry your current wattages out to longer durations. Be patient, training with power is an awfully huge carrot in front of a motivated athlete.
450 gives you ~5watts/kg for 3 minute power. you can decide where you’re at on this table: http://www.truesport.com/Bike/2007/articles/druber/druber15.html
450 gives you ~5watts/kg for 3 minute power. you can decide where you’re at on this table: http://www.truesport.com/...druber/druber15.html
That table is less than meaningless for a Triathlete. It only has meaning for a Competitive cyclist. Now, if someone created a chart like that for Triathletes it would be pretty cool to see.
No offense( really), but a Triathlete gains zero competitive insight comparing themselves with a competitive cyclist, who is essentially (as a group) focusing their entire training load and recovery on the bike (maybe some reinforcement training in the gym, whatever), whereas a Triathlete is focusing on 3 separate disciplines within any given phase of their training.
Additionally, …20mins is the cap on this chart, but do you honestly think anyone training for a full distance Ironman has anything more than a passing interest in any of their critical power values (during the regular season) below CP120? I can see how those 20min or less values could be fun to know during the preseason, but they certainly wouldn’t guide training unless it was specifically for an oly or less, and/or it was a very hilly course.
Someone needs to produce a chart of this type for Triathletes, so we can start comparing apples to apples. Not that looking at this chart isnt potentially flattering, since my #'s are 17.6/8.1/5.4/4.2 , but who cares? I need to be able to swim 2.4, before, and 26.2 afterward.
somebody build a TRIATHLETES wkg chart.
not sure why you’re ranting at me. the op asked about 3 minute power SPECIFICALLY and didn’t designate between competitive cyclist or triathlon. he also didn’t mention racing im distance (you did). since there’s no chart for triathlon, that’s an option to answer his question.
not sure why you’re ranting at me.
I’m not sure why he is ranting at all - that is, I don’t really see any utility in a power profile table just for triathletes.*
*Within a sport, anyway…the proper analogy for a triathlete would be a table that allows you to compare your relative performance across sports, which is something that I imagine already exists.
not sure why you’re ranting at me. the op asked about 3 minute power SPECIFICALLY and didn’t designate between competitive cyclist or triathlon. he also didn’t mention racing im distance (you did). since there’s no chart for triathlon, that’s an option to answer his question.
You are absolutely right, I apologize.
I just figured that the OP was insinuating that he was a Triathlete since he referred to 3 min power on the bike, and therefore thought that there were other places in which to exhibit power, like swimming or running. Also
My bad. I should have highlighted the part where I wrote no offense to make it more obvious, and I should not have taken for granted that since this is a Triathlon focused website, people are looking for Tri specific information and discussion.
oops.
Please step away from the shovel.
You’ve dug yourself in deep enough.
don’t worry, no offense taken.
Please step away from the shovel.
You’ve dug yourself in deep enough.
it’s all good, I already PM’d him some flowers.
*Within a sport, anyway…the proper analogy for a triathlete would be a table that allows you to compare your relative performance across sports, which is something that I imagine already exists.
I am pretty sure that does exist actually. IIRC, it is on each triathlon’s website under the link “Results.”
not sure why you’re ranting at me.
I’m not sure why he is ranting at all - that is, I don’t really see any utility in a power profile table just for triathletes.*
*Within a sport, anyway…the proper analogy for a triathlete would be a table that allows you to compare your relative performance across sports, which is something that I imagine already exists.
Its not a utility, but it certainly is a comparison, however the rantee pulled his link.
in the link, it COMPARED wkg levels of competitive cyclists across 5 second, up to 20min, and then assigned a CAT1/CAT2/CAT3/CAT4/and untrained (IIRC).
I know Coggan is infallible, so someone please set me straight on how being a CAT-anything affects a Triathlete.
so someone please set me straight on how being a CAT-anything affects a Triathlete.
well, chris lieto is a cat 1 so i imagine his cycling prowess impacts his approach to tri (yeah, i realize he was a triathlete first). and to a degree, how some of his competitors adjust their strategy when racing him.
so someone please set me straight on how being a CAT-anything affects a Triathlete.
well, chris lieto is a cat 1 so i imagine it impacts how he approaches each tri, and to a degree, how some of his competitors do as well.
Ok, now I"ll rant.
Dont be obtuse, but in case I am mistaking sarcasm for stupidity:
There is NO CAT ranking for Triathletes. It is a ranking for cyclists, I hope you realize this.
Providing a comparison chart (read again: comparison chart), for cyclists, is great for cyclists comparing themselves against other cyclists.
A triathlete would likely want to compare himself/herself to other triathletes. So, a sampling of Pro/elite/AG, or “whatever you like” Triathletes, and then assembling THAT into a comparison chart would be the correct way to allow Triathletes to compare their own wkg #'s to other Triathletes wkg #'s.
"so someone please set me straight on how being a CAT-anything affects a Triathlete. "
Its simply a benchmark to compare your ability against.
And frankly, if you think 3 (or 4), 20, or even 60 minute power are not of value to an ultra triathlete, I’d suggest you have a lot to learn about physiology and training.