"Sammy Shuford" <
[email protected]> wrote in
news:
[email protected]:
> I would think that most software uses standard date tables or
> calculations for determining calorie burn.
>
> My Polar CS200 knows my resting heart rate, and can measure the
> duration and intensity of my ride.
>
> Should I trust the Polar's data for calories burned as more accurate?
>
> (Yes I'm tracking calories to get a deficit of 500+ calories a day)
>
My own plan of attack is to use the calcs from the Power and Speed
section of Bicycling Science in a spreadsheet to make my own table of
calories burned vs. speed for a general circuit, and then control speed
on the speedometer to control for calorie burn.
That works if you have a fairly well known circuit as the calcs take into
account mass, grade, rolling resistance, aero form drag, headwind, etc.
in addition to just speed.
The spreadsheet makes it easy to alter parameters as physical conditions
change. You could also make your own family of curves with various
combinations of constraints. (Finally a truly useful application of
Microsoft Excel in the home environment!)
But, you need to have a somewhat known circuit, and the numbers are
somewhat too post facto if you want an instant readout with changed
conditions. I've used the county-wide GIS system to get my gradients and
distances, which is truly handy if it's available.
I've also dabbled with putting together a database application which
includes class objects to do the calculations, based on segment
characteristics rolling up to circuits rolling up to individual daily
sessions, but it's been too much like work for home, and too busy at
work.
