Recently there was an interview with Tom Danielson on PezCyclingNews.com in which he stated that all the best pro cyclists climb at a threshold of 7 watts/kg. And while the Google Wattage Group went through alot of posts about whether this was a realistic power output for a human being, we know that it does give us a chance to make an important point.
When looking at your power data, especially compared to your riding buddies, the important thing to remember it is your power to weight ratio that decides whether you are an official hardman or dangling off the back. Big people = big watts. That doesn’t necessarily mean faster, especially uphill.
So let’s say Andre the Giant (after extensive pro level cycling training and some serious base miles) was riding the same 7 watts/kg threshold on Mt. Ventoux next to Tom Danielson (and what an image that is!). Mr. Danielson would be putting out around 430 watts, while Mr. Giant would be hitting it at 1652 watts, and Tom would still be at the top first.
So when you do a ride that averages 180 watts, and your big friend does it at 280 watts, don’t forget to divide watts by weight to equalize.
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