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Post by tptmuso on Jun 18, 2020 13:07:47 GMT
After several months of enforced turbo riding on an In'Ride 100, I'm now contemplating buying a smart trainer for hooking up to zwift, Sufferfest or similar. I'm still riding on the T3a that has served me well so wanted to keep the cost/value side of purchasing a turbo in a similar area.
I'm trying to calculate what power range I might need for the resistance, working on the assumption that I don't want to pay for features I won't use, but I can't find any calculations I can use to estimate the power I'm producing as they all assume I'm outdoors. For example, my HIIT sprints are showing 135rpm cadence, speed of 40mph/64kmh, which then gives a power figure of c.1600W, but as I'm indoors I'm presuming it's significantly lower.
If anybody can point me at a site to get a more accurate figure or recommend a trainer that might do the job the I'd be grateful.
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Post by Rocket on Jun 18, 2020 19:59:24 GMT
We could estimate your power if you gave us some examples of your outdoor riding and your weight and height.
How fast can you ride on the drops for a couple of miles continuously? How fast can you ride up a local x% hill for at least 5 minutes? What is your top speed in a sprint on the flat?
My own preference was to keep my basic trainer and add power meters to my bike. That way I get power figures outdoors as well as indoors as I don't see the point of training to power if you can't then have those same numbers Infront of you on the road. I realise this may mean you need to purchase a head unit as well as the power meter. Favero Assioma pedals are my current power meter.
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Post by tptmuso on Jun 19, 2020 7:59:43 GMT
Thanks for the suggestions. The bike (and myself) haven't been outdoors to cycle for over 12 months due to a combination of shoulder and elbow tendon damage and then this lockdown so I'll have to spend a little time working them out. I did think about getting external power meters instead, but wondered if the interactivity of having the software increase resistance as it goes along might be entertaining, given how much time I'm having to spend indoors at present.
I'll have to take a few days getting the figures together while I drool over the pedals as well ;-)
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Post by chas on Jun 19, 2020 20:45:20 GMT
If you add cheap speed and cadence sensors to your inride zwiftpower will work out the power for you. I'm afraid your 1600 watt figure is meaningless if it was on the inride as it's only rated at 500watts. I bought a smart trainer in Jan (Tacx Vortex) and find the interactivity very engaging and workouts using erg mode really good. I used it a lot during lockdown but must admit to slacking a bit now I'm back at work.... You don't need to worry too much about the power rating unless you are going for sprint efforts of just a few seconds in which case you'll need an expensive direct drive turbo.
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Post by tptmuso on Jun 20, 2020 20:42:49 GMT
Thanks Chas, I was taking the 1600W with a big pinch of salt, along with the fact that the calculators online say I am putting out 17W/kg for 30 second sprints. No wind resistance indoors of course, so I know they're skewed and inaccurate and I'm pretty certain I'm not really that good! Hadn't thought of using zwiftpower; I've got speed and cadence sensors so might give that a go first then decide what to buy.
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