Power output

[RedBike]

Does anyone know their power output in watts?

I've just done my first turbo trainer session in months. I managed to average 280watts over an hour with a max power output of 540watts.

I've been able to find a little information about the power putputs of pro riders (and it's depressing reading) but how does 280watts compare to 'mortal' riders?

For example what sort of power output is needed to maintain say 15mph on a road bike? (flat ground, ideal conditions....etc)

(I'm using a tacx I-magic. I've taken the time to calibrate it correctly but I haven't a clue if it's accurate or not!)

 

[RedBike]

280watts on a road bike / tops = 20.8mph.

- Considering I was trying hard thats very depressing

 

[sloe]

That's an impressive depression.

 

[LeeW]

You must be more powerful than me.
According to that site 280w will give me 33mph on my bike. I cannot manage that in an hour, I can only do about 30mph for an hour which works out at about 223 watts.

 

[marinyork]

When he was visiting planet earth Jimboalee in another thread briefly touched on this sort of thing and reckoned an average speed of 12.5mph and 80 cadence was 100Watts and a beginner should do that. The best person to ask is probably the superhero himself.

 

[jimboalee]

Yes I did touch on this.

12.5 mph, 80 Cadence at 100 Watts wasn't discovered by me.

John Kemp Starley himself had one of his bikes on a small version of William Froude's new fangled hydraulic dynamometer, in about 1890 ish.