Max Power Output...

tomUK

I'm certain I'm low on the list but what is the max power people have been able to achieve on their bike? I believe the PowerTap maxs out at 2000W. My largest figure is 1106W. I'm 66kg.

Would be just interested to know - assuming people don't mind posting.

ric_stern/RST

you've a higher peak (sprint) power than some Euro pros... and my peak power is 842 W (in a seated ergometer sprint, using a 20 strain gauge SRM).

ric

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acoggan

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/profile.html

Woofer

One thing to consider that there are artifacts that appear due to the measurement method that are masked when looking at longer periods of time (which is where power meters are more useful) so a max figure should be taken with a small grain of salt.

Having said that, I've done 1250 watts/70kg a few times and can't win anything because my FTP is so low. One of our regional sprint specialists weighs 70kg and his peak is around 1700 watts.

Download the SRM software from the SRM website. It has some example files from MTB pros, track pros, road pros, and is pretty humbling.

tomUK

I just wish I have the endurance to boot. Recently I read about Floyd Landis's power at the Tour de Georgia - I think on one of the tougher stages he put out an average of 247W. I think it was a 4-5hour stage. Maintaining that output for 30 minutes might be reasonably achievable but 4 hours, no way for me.

biker-linz

It's also worth bearing in mind that average power can be a little misleading. Most road races involve surges well beyond many riders' performance thresholds meaning that the actual demands of the race are well in excess of a steady TT ridden at the same average power.

L.

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biker-linz

What's with the BIG RED LETTERS Ric!??? You gave me a scare!

L.

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ric_stern/RST

it's to help with your dicky eyes...

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velomanct

If you do a search on this forum, I started a thread on this exact subject.

this kind of info is mostly kept "classified" by elite sprinters and their coaches. For some reason these people do not like dispersing such info. All I know is, if I could crack 2500watts, I would NOT be keeping it a secret! (btw, from my digging on this subject, that above figure is about the highest I have ever heard of)

the top of the 5 second column on the power profile is 24w/kg. so take a 95kg track sprinter, that's 2280watts. since absolute peak power is usually ~10% higher than 5 second power, that gives you about ~2500-2600.

Marty Nothstien was stated his peak power was 2300watts, back when he won Olympic gold.

how ironic for this subject to come up today....I did a personal best of 1556watts peak IN the saddle, out on the road today. (powertap)


BTW, my powertap doesn't max out at 1999watts in the downloaded data view. the computer display only goes to 1999, but I have seen 21,856watts after downloading a rainy ride. imagine that power for real! ouch!

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biker-linz

Do you have anything for my dicky brain??

L.

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lescor

I read an interview with Zabel who said he can still put out 1200W in a sprint, which is what he did 10 years ago. But he said to win the big sprints today you need to put out 1300W, which is why the younger guys like Petacchi and Boonen are beating him.

My peak is about 1250, so I assume Zabel is talking about a sustained 200 meter effort?

velomanct

I also read in Velonews that Petacchi puts out 1600watts over the last 200 meters.
Cyclosport reported that his max was 1800, so it makes sense.

Cipo has said his max is 2000

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wilmar13

Well it is a little less than 30hp, so imagine your avg off-road motorcycle and there you go. It always makes me feel pathetic when I think about how my 1200 watt sprint is only a little over 1.5 HP, I think my pushmower is rated higher

velomanct

you can't really make that comparison though. If you put 30hp to the back wheel of a road bike, you would accelerate A LOT faster that any off-road motorcycle. okay, lets see... It takes me about 3 seconds to go from 20 to 30mph, and that's with exactly 2hp going to the back wheel. Multiply that by 15 and you got some SERIOUS acceleration, the kind of power that would probally keep you up with a real fast car in a drag race, until maybe 60mph.

also, combustion engines are not that efficient. In a 30hp motorbike, 20hp might get to the back wheel.

I'm looking at a kilometer race file of an elite track racer (from the downloads on the SRM site, download the SRM software, the file is in it) The guy goes 0-33mph in 9 seconds, with a peak wattage of 2008. That's about the same acceleration of normal auto traffic.

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"friendship, family, religion. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business!" -Mr. Burns
The faster you go, the fewer passing cars