Everyones focus is on watts (comparable to horsepower), but how about torque? Is it measurable on the bike?
What set up would give a rider the most torque/least torque numbers? Im thinking long cranks and large front gear, smallest rear. And then there is fit, road vs tt bike. That new quarq gear might change things too.
Would focus on high torque make you a better rider? Better runner? Difference between hill climbing and TT’s ? I have a feeling it builds fast twitch fibers the most.
Hmm… in mechanical terms torque x cadence equals power, so torque is already kind of built into your power readings. I’m trying to parse out your statements–it seems like you’re talking about torque which is a mechanical term (newtons*meters) that doesn’t really “exist” physiologically.
I have a few suggestions: could it be that you’re really talking about " muscular force", as Joe Friel would say? It’s your muscles ability to overcome resistance while contracting; think leg presses or high gear work. In this case, I’d say yes, working on muscular force is an important component of especially off-season training. It’s instrumental in building muscular efficiency for aerobic exercise, not to mention the obvious gains in short speed (like you said, builds fast-twitch). According to Friel, muscular force and speed skills determine a fast sprint, but also have auxiliary gains with respect to aerobic endurance.
Conversely, with regards to torque as a mechanical phenomenon: it’s watts you should really pay attention to in general, because of the torque*cadence relationship. Basically, you need to put a lot of force on the pedals and turn them quickly in order to go fast. Mechanical means of increasing torque–that is, increasing leverage–really only help you in sharp accelerations but not necessarily in a tri, for instance.
Does that help?
As BoywithaCoin stated, power is Troque x RPM, so a power meter actually measures Troque and then converts it to power mathmatically.
To convert it back to Torque you reverse the math (watch the units).
Here is a very good explination:
http://www.epi-eng.com/piston_engine_technology/power_and_torque.htm
The trend has actually been going the opposite way lately. Shorter cranks that open your hip angle allowing a more aero position and stressing run specific muscles less. Using shorter cranks is overcome by either pushing a little harder, or by increasing RPM (using a shorter gear ratio).
I think the OP has been watching too many pick-up truck commercials. Torque in passenger vehicles gets overblown. What matters is the overall spread of gear ratios, the final drive ratio and then torque curve of the engine. Peak torque isn’t a terribly useful number in a motor, sicne it often occurs above the RPM where its’ actually useful during 99% of daily use. Same with peak power.
The trend has actually been going the opposite way lately. Shorter cranks that open your hip angle allowing a more aero position and stressing run specific muscles less. Using shorter cranks is overcome by either pushing a little harder, or by increasing RPM (using a shorter gear ratio).
I think the OP has been watching too many pick-up truck commercials. Torque in passenger vehicles gets overblown. What matters is the overall spread of gear ratios, the final drive ratio and then torque curve of the engine. Peak torque isn’t a terribly useful number in a motor, sicne it often occurs above the RPM where its’ actually useful during 99% of daily use. Same with peak power.
LOL true dat.
Torque is a red herring.
And what about cadence? 
All jest aside, i am somewhat curious as to what happens in a large gear workout. Say my ftp is 300 W, i could do this by twiddling ina small gear at 95-105 rpm or pushing at 65-75 rpm.
Iirc, one of the definition of ftp is the power at which significant fast twitch muscle recruitment begins, so i’d presume right out of the gate we can toss out the hackneyed fast twitch slow twitch thing. But that said, what difference are there as far as contraction and substrate utilizations are concerned?
i am somewhat curious as to what happens in a large gear workout.
Why would you do large gear workouts? Just for the halibut?
i am somewhat curious as to what happens in a large gear workout.
Why would you do large gear workouts? Just for the halibut?
Acclimation for one. There’s a local race that has 1.1 miles at 12%. Unless you have a 400w ftp and a 11/32t, its’ not possible to go above 75rpm on most of the climb
i am somewhat curious as to what happens in a large gear workout.
Why would you do large gear workouts? Just for the halibut?
Acclimation for one. There’s a local race that has 1.1 miles at 12%. Unless you have a 400w ftp and a 11/32t, its’ not possible to go above 75rpm on most of the climb
Sounds crappie, but at least you have a porpoise in mind. If you want to mimic the pedal forces I guess that can be a reasonable goal but it will be difficult to mimic both the pedal forces and the pedal speed at which you’re making that force. Same problem the other way: it’s easy to mimic pedal speed but it’s hard to mimic both pedal speeds and pedal forces.
The trend has actually been going the opposite way lately. Shorter cranks that open your hip angle allowing a more aero position and stressing run specific muscles less. Using shorter cranks is overcome by either pushing a little harder, or by increasing RPM (using a shorter gear ratio).
I think the OP has been watching too many pick-up truck commercials. Torque in passenger vehicles gets overblown. What matters is the overall spread of gear ratios, the final drive ratio and then torque curve of the engine. Peak torque isn’t a terribly useful number in a motor, sicne it often occurs above the RPM where its’ actually useful during 99% of daily use. Same with peak power.
so high cadence is conserving oneself on the bike for run (im thinking itu guys, luke mcken. going higher rpm this year - who have had good runs) . Im kind of getting frustrated with tri on the bike portion as it is all about minimizing effort - a race should be hard.
truck comment, if I remember that is in regards to horsepower… as they say “horse power is how fast you go into the wall, torque is how much of the wall you take with you”
i am somewhat curious as to what happens in a large gear workout.
Why would you do large gear workouts? Just for the halibut?
helps with efficiency/neuromuscular recruitment? just a guess. halibut isn’t bad either however.