would like to see real hard NUMBERS, not ephemeral touch-feely %'s and estimations
I haven’t ridden seriously for awhile and am dismayed as to how low my number came in today’s test
remember? you need a 7W/kg to win La Tour 
I’ve seen 10% decrease due to laziness and burn-out in years past. I’m making an effort to actually keep it this winter so as to build a bit for the start of next season. In the past with a 10% decrease, I’m getting back to ‘normal’ only after 6-8weeks of racing. (roadie here, race season starts in April). 235W FTP using a 20min test down to 210W FTP using same test (I test 1/mos in offseason). Weigh 160lbs.
as a cyclist it doesn’t really fall off, most rides are SS on the trainer for 5-6months. yesterday was 2x30 @ 98.5% followed by 30 @ 90%. rest between was getting off bike to get something to drink let pup out/in and then getting back on
4.78 W/kg at peak, 3.86 W/kg at the beginning of December after a full month off. Now back to 4.13 W/kg after a month of aerobic/sweet spot base training. I like focusing on improving the watts in the winter and shedding the kilos in the spring and summer. Really looking to break 5.00 W/kg in 2014!
The concept of an off season is ephemeral to being with so I can’t help you.
In season 255 W off 136 lbs = 4.13 W per kilo
Now 240 W off 144 lbs = 3.67 W per kilo
Actually thanks for the scare. The denominator is going in the wrong way. I’m not worried about the numerator, as it can come back in 2-4 week with more bike intensity. I’m to busy doing other sports right now, but no excuse about the denominator…need to lose 2 lbs per month before St. Croix…yikes!
Now about 3.5 W/Kg
Highest last season 3.75 W/Kg
The issue I’m concerned with is not FTP but endurance associated with it. FTP comes back quickly. To ride effectively over 4 hours takes work 
jaretj
Umm, fantastic. A sort of backdoor brag for eveyone to talk about ewang.
Peak form, could probably do 315-320 W at 68.5 kg, so 4.65 ish. Did one 20-min climb at 330W, though gluttony of the previous few days had me up to 69.5kg. Oh the horrors.
Somehow got in maybe one or two actual training rides between that 4.75-4.80 w/kg effort.
Restarted in October and could do 215 W for more than two hours. Long (3hr+) endurance rides at 75% FTP or more is a staple of my base building; won’t ve surprised if i were at 285 W. But it’s relatively easier to refind form you once had, and by mid November i was at 300 W and 70 kg. right now i’m at 70.2 kg, and given that i completed an over-under workout that i had trouble completing at 300W FTP last year, i’d guess i’m at 305 W, perhaps even 310 W if i have good training this week and test next weekend. all this is before i truly started base phase as i’ve been averaging little more than 6hrs of training per week, and quite a few hours per week us from commuting.
I’d imagine (and hope) that once i’m at my normal 10-12 hr/week, the weight would drop below 68 kg (targeting 66.5-67 kg), and have my FTP at 330-340 W.
Edit: i should add that i’m slowtwich by nature (despite being a roadie who does fairly well in crits). The long rides come back easier than some of the other stuff, and regardless, the first three week back after you really let yourself go os not gonna be pleasant. Before this past year, i ended my seasons on whimpers and was either mentally or physically spent, so i wanted to take some actual rest. This wasn’t such a good idea in retrospect, and the road back becomes harder for the older athletes.
If i were to do things over next year, i’d have a month or two of JRA at 6-7hrs/week, with some gym work thrown in before restarting training.
My power meter is currently stuck on LOL. I’m not quite ready yet to embark on the suffering it’ll take to get to get back into bike fitness. If I attempted an FTP test, I’d probably DNF.
1 hour threshold is currently 3.85, but when I lose weight for summer, it should go up to 4/wkg.
Now about 3.5 W/Kg
Highest last season 3.75 W/Kg
The issue I’m concerned with is not FTP but endurance associated with it. FTP comes back quickly. To ride effectively over 4 hours takes work
jaretj
x2 on that…getting the 20-60 min power back comes quickly. 4-6 hours take some longer medium distance rides (I can ride well for 4-6 hours off hard 2-3.5 hour rides). I just can’t bear doing anything much longer than 90 min on a trainer. So I need some hard outdoor riding of medium duration to get IM ready.
Umm, fantastic. A sort of backdoor brag for eveyone to talk about ewang.
Peak form, could probably do 315-320 W at 68.5 kg, so 4.65 ish. Did one 20-min climb at 330W, though gluttony of the previous few days had me up to 69.5kg. Oh the horrors.
Somehow got in maybe one or two actual training rides between that 4.75-4.80 w/kg effort.
Restarted in October and could do 215 W for more than two hours. Long (3hr+) endurance rides at 75% FTP or more is a staple of my base building; won’t ve surprised if i were at 285 W. But it’s relatively easier to refind form you once had, and by mid November i was at 300 W and 70 kg. right now i’m at 70.2 kg, and given that i completed an over-under workout that i had trouble completing at 300W FTP last year, i’d guess i’m at 305 W, perhaps even 310 W if i have good training this week and test next weekend. all this is before i truly started base phase as i’ve been averaging little more than 6hrs of training per week, and quite a few hours per week us from commuting.
I’d imagine (and hope) that once i’m at my normal 10-12 hr/week, the weight would drop below 68 kg (targeting 66.5-67 kg), and have my FTP at 330-340 W.
Edit: i should add that i’m slowtwich by nature (despite being a roadie who does fairly well in crits). The long rides come back easier than some of the other stuff, and regardless, the first three week back after you really let yourself go os not gonna be pleasant. Before this past year, i ended my seasons on whimpers and was either mentally or physically spent, so i wanted to take some actual rest. This wasn’t such a good idea in retrospect, and the road back becomes harder for the older athletes.
If i were to do things over next year, i’d have a month or two of JRA at 6-7hrs/week, with some gym work thrown in before restarting training.
At a bodyweight of 81 kg I could maintain a constant 176 watts for 1 hour, does that mean I could keep up with you?
Oh you so modest you posted the numbers from only one leg ;).
Oh you so modest you posted the numbers from only one leg 
Bwahahahahaha
In all seriousness sir echappist challenged me to go climb a hill recently. After a year off and putting on 52 pounds I could still climb at 5 w/kg
Power numbers will fall somewhat, I think a safe number will be 10% but truth be told power numbers don’t mean much unless you are only focused on TT type efforts. There aren’t many riders out there that will generate the sheer numbers the way I do (how’s that for modesty Chappy???) but I have been beat many, many times… It’s how you use what you have…
would like to see real hard NUMBERS, not ephemeral touch-feely %'s and estimations
A few years back it actually went up 3%. I tested it twice. Steady SST… 3-5 hr rides 2-3 times a week. TSS around what I normally do. But by the middle of the season it had dropped again… depressing.
I don’t worry about off season form though. That’s why it is called off season. You are supposed to be doing long rides and getting the miles in, not doing FTP tests. I know that after 6 weeks of hard training I will hit that familiar plateau regardless of how much FTP I’d lost or gained.
Unless training hard through the winter actually works for you. Doesn’t for me.
I lose about 20% between the start of offseason base training and peak. That’s really the number you are after, % loss (or gain, depending on how you look at it). Any other number is just an ewang fest. No thanks.
I lose about 20% between the start of offseason base training and peak. That’s really the number you are after, % loss (or gain, depending on how you look at it). Any other number is just an ewang fest. No thanks.
Oh don’t be so modest
Lemme guess, you knew without opening the thread that i particiated, right?
Oh you so modest you posted the numbers from only one leg
Bwahahahahaha
In all seriousness sir echappist challenged me to go climb a hill recently. After a year off and putting on 52 pounds I could still climb at 5 w/kg
Yeah, on a 2-min long climb. you cunning with finding holes in my posts
350W for 47’ in October at about 74kg
382W for 16’ yesterday at about 75.5 kg
Assuming (ass u me…) that the first ride can be call the same as a 1 hour test and that yesterday’s is 20’
350/74 = 4.73 W/kg
382*.95/75.5 = 4.8 W/kg
The assumption above is probably a bit generous, but it looks like my FTP is fairly close to what it was in October. My ability to follow a surge and recover while already close to the limit though is not so hot right now as yesterday’s results show.
Oh you so modest you posted the numbers from only one leg
Bwahahahahaha
In all seriousness sir echappist challenged me to go climb a hill recently. After a year off and putting on 52 pounds I could still climb at 5 w/kg
Yeah, on a 2-min long climb. you cunning with finding holes in my posts
Hehe
Rather be a smart feller than a fart smeller…