I was reviewing the power to weight chart on cyclepeaks and noticed that I fall within the untrained/fair level at my current FT level. OK, if this is true and I usually avg about 21 mph in sprint races, what is everyone else that avg below 20 mph, which is usually about 80% of the field? I know that I am no TT specialist but still seems a little out there.
http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/images/powerprofile_v4.gif
I was reviewing the power to weight chart on cyclepeaks and noticed that I fall within the untrained/fair level at my current FT level. OK, if this is true and I usually avg about 21 mph in sprint races, what is everyone else that avg below 20 mph, which is usually about 80% of the field? I know that I am no TT specialist but still seems a little out there.
http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/.../powerprofile_v4.gif
Let me guess: you’re either 1) no longer a spring chicken, and/or 2) bigger/heavier than your prototypical college-aged male.
BTW, I’m not sure that I’d call an event in which 80% of the people average less than 20 mph a “sprint”. 
Just measure the weight of your legs only, then your numbers should look pretty good!
Most of my stuff is in the fair range and I rode a 1:02 in an olympic 2 weeks ago.
jaretj
Let me guess: you’re either 1) no longer a spring chicken, and/or 2) bigger/heavier than your prototypical college-aged male.
BTW, I’m not sure that I’d call an event in which 80% of the people average less than 20 mph a “sprint”.
Damn your good…Lets throw this out in an early season sprint race (in boulder which is highly competitive) I avg’d 21.9 which would put in the top 30% of my age group. so the 80% might be a little over the top but you get the idea.
Damn your good…
Aren’t I, though?
The reason that I mentioned those two possibilities is that 1) the tables make no allowance for age, and 2) for a given power:mass, bigger people tend to be faster, at least in flattish TTs.
Lets throw this out in an early season sprint race (in boulder
So now we can add possiblity 3) you race at altitude, where the lower atmospheric pressure reduces your power but increases your speed.
I was reviewing the power to weight chart on cyclepeaks and noticed that I fall within the untrained/fair level at my current FT level. OK, if this is true and I usually avg about 21 mph in sprint races, what is everyone else that avg below 20 mph, which is usually about 80% of the field? I know that I am no TT specialist but still seems a little out there.
http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/.../powerprofile_v4.gif
Honestly I don’t think that chart is that far off. I was in the same category a few years back and riding 20-21mph in a half, and being pretty tired at the end. Based on minor changes in my CdA I was probably putting out about 180W or so. These days I put out 250ish for 56 milers and can run well. That puts me around 24-25mph for a half and 280-300ish W at 26-27mph for a 20 miler sprint or TT.
I don’t say this to boast, because there are guys around here that can easily go 2-4mph faster than me on local TTs. My power/weight puts me at around 4.3w/kg or the middle of Cat2. I’d have to say that the chart is a bit optimistic really, as the Cat1/2 guys are a lot faster than me, and I guarantee I have better aerodynamics. Based on rough guesses they are doing 350+ easily. That really hit me as to how poor a cyclist I used to be…and I was still top 20% in the bike leg on most races. As triathletes we really do suck at biking fast.
You must be right, as I have never road raced before, they would probably spit me out the back in no time. I know you weren’t bragging but 24-25 for a 1/2 is downright fast, good job! Now if I only weight about 40 lbs less…
Well, as others have said here, it’s not so much power/weight ratio that matters in most flat triathlons…it’s power/CdA. Unless of course there are a bunch of hills. Then both matter. 