Hi
I need to know how much discrepancy am i getting on my watts reading if I am constantly changing position on my typical ride
I am NOT a flat terrain rider. I live in mountainous and rolling hill where is it up, down, flat and I change my position from hoods, to drops, to hoods elbow bent, to off the saddle (a lot)
I am really worried that the ibike may not be recording the right wattage as the profile is set to "hoods" but I am not as I explained just on "hoods"
Can someone from velocomp tell me if the PROFILE position affect the wattages? If yes, then what do i do?
Thank you
Wrong wattage with different riding position set in profile?
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Drissmalet
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 10:53 am
- Location: Colorado
Re: Wrong wattage with different riding position set in profile?
I'm not officially from Velocomp (though I do a lot of beta testing for them) so I will try and answer your question.
Generally, you make your most common riding position the one for the profile. For most amateurs that's on the hoods. Sitting up and clasping the center section of the bars is when you're climbing and at that point your CdA or aero effect is negligible. One of the reasons we tend to sit up on hills is that we can breathe better, hence more oxygen to the legs and more power up the hill. The opposite would be when going into the drops where you are more aero. In my experience the average rider doesn't spend a lot of time in the drops. Sure you'll drop for a mile or so (at least in my experience) but soon enough you pop up where it's easier to breathe. The difference in wattage is not significant since it's a relatively small amount of the total ride. For me personally, I have never seen where going into the drops is a benefit since I give up a fair percentage of power, so much so that the drop in power is more of a loss than the gain in aero is a power saver. Did I say that right?
When out of the saddle to get up and over short climbs, bridge gaps, etc., these are usually very very short hard efforts and again, aero is not the critical factor. The bottom line is you can use your "hoods" profile with confidence. It's what I do and it works well.
Generally, you make your most common riding position the one for the profile. For most amateurs that's on the hoods. Sitting up and clasping the center section of the bars is when you're climbing and at that point your CdA or aero effect is negligible. One of the reasons we tend to sit up on hills is that we can breathe better, hence more oxygen to the legs and more power up the hill. The opposite would be when going into the drops where you are more aero. In my experience the average rider doesn't spend a lot of time in the drops. Sure you'll drop for a mile or so (at least in my experience) but soon enough you pop up where it's easier to breathe. The difference in wattage is not significant since it's a relatively small amount of the total ride. For me personally, I have never seen where going into the drops is a benefit since I give up a fair percentage of power, so much so that the drop in power is more of a loss than the gain in aero is a power saver. Did I say that right?
When out of the saddle to get up and over short climbs, bridge gaps, etc., these are usually very very short hard efforts and again, aero is not the critical factor. The bottom line is you can use your "hoods" profile with confidence. It's what I do and it works well.
Fernando
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Drissmalet
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 10:53 am
- Location: Colorado
Re: Wrong wattage with different riding position set in profile?
Thank you very much Fernando. Your inputs are always well detailed and very helpful
I totally agree on everything you said.
I am just a bit of a different rider and I climb a lot and just can;t stand long rides on flat terrains as I get bored quickly
. I do about 30% of of out of saddle during climbing, expecially here in North Gerogia where tour of Georgia use to be . We have steep climbs and according to the pros very tough. HC, Cat 1, cat 2 etc...So due to my physiological make up (short torso and rider light rider, I am 5.11, 148 pounds) climbing out of the saddle about 20%/30% on a long climb...I can get into a rythm where I feel light and not really hammer (contrary to a lot of bigger riders that get out of the saddle to just fight the gear. To me it gives relief to muscles)
On drops, I love to go down on drops when pulling, or getting from hoods with elbow bent. I don;t use it a lot but for a change it does help (maybe 10-15% on a ride) the rest is hoods either elbow bent or not, depending on speed, what i am feeling, trying to make myself as aero as possible or on the hood regular siting position , whenjust relaxing behind the group and not going crazy.
Again
Thanks a lot
Driss
I totally agree on everything you said.
I am just a bit of a different rider and I climb a lot and just can;t stand long rides on flat terrains as I get bored quickly
. I do about 30% of of out of saddle during climbing, expecially here in North Gerogia where tour of Georgia use to be . We have steep climbs and according to the pros very tough. HC, Cat 1, cat 2 etc...So due to my physiological make up (short torso and rider light rider, I am 5.11, 148 pounds) climbing out of the saddle about 20%/30% on a long climb...I can get into a rythm where I feel light and not really hammer (contrary to a lot of bigger riders that get out of the saddle to just fight the gear. To me it gives relief to muscles)On drops, I love to go down on drops when pulling, or getting from hoods with elbow bent. I don;t use it a lot but for a change it does help (maybe 10-15% on a ride) the rest is hoods either elbow bent or not, depending on speed, what i am feeling, trying to make myself as aero as possible or on the hood regular siting position , whenjust relaxing behind the group and not going crazy.
Again
Thanks a lot
Driss