How Much Power?

Wouldn't it be nice to know just how much power you are producing during the difficult sections of a race.. or for the entire race? Well, all you need is a powermeter. I use Saris Powertap hubs to record my training, but due to the weight of the Disk Brake MTB version of the Powertap, I leave it at home when racing. But now that has changed, I've built up a few MTB's over the years that use the road version of the Powertap hub along with old fashioned V-Brakes on the rear. The road Powertap is fairly light, not quite as light as a racing wheel, but getting close. Built with light rims and spokes, I can get a MTB Powertap setup that comes pretty close to the feel of a full on lightweight racing wheel. Now, I just need a bike with the same feel as my race bike, but capable of utilizing V-Brakes.. and now we have it:



This frame is built by Rock Lobster Cycles, and it features Scandium Aluminum for a nice lightweight feel, and a fit/geometry that is a carbon copy of my (carbon) race bike.. SWEET! Schoolbus Yellow is the color, it really looks great. Notice no Disk Tabs? Just V-Brake Posts!

With the "Bavarian Bike and Brews" race on the calendar, I decided that would be the perfect race to use a Powermeter, for a couple reasons. #1, I just want to gather some race files, and #2, this race features 3x 1800ft ascents! Yep, a pure climbers race where steady power, and a lot of it, will be required to stay in contention with the NW Pro's. I raced the Pro class cause the field is smaller, less traffic, better and faster riders (to watch and learn), and also because I can usually hold my own quite well.

So I built the bike, but with only 2-days to get it together, test ride and race, I opted for stuff that would be quick to assemble, including a full rigid fork that was ready to go. Full rigid is great for climbing, but definitely horrible for the 1800ft decent that followed each climb. Oh well, I am more interested in the race file for the UPHILLS, I can sacrifice the downhills.

I was able to get the bike together, but couldn't get the rear brakes to work.. so those 1800ft descents would now be with a rigid fork and virtually no rear brakes! Oh well again, we're doing it anyway!

The Pro field of 18 toed up to the line, which was at the foot of the first run up the climb, the gun went off and oh my.. this is fast! I look down at the Powermeter to see we are holding pretty steady at 400watts.. and I weigh 152lbs. This is serious business, and more power than I can hold to the top, so I dial it back to what i know I can do and settle into my rhythm. Of course that places me DEAD LAST, but remember, we have 3 trips up this baby. Now here's the part to think about: I doubt that anyone in that field was able to hold 5.8watts/kg (400 watts divided by 152lbs) for the 25min climb, and for sure wouldn't be able to do it 3x, so whats the point of such a brutal pace? That's just the way MTB races start, happens every race.

Anyway, I rode my pace and by the mid-climb was bringing guys back. By the top I had passed a few and then on the descent, well I got passed back. That's OK, those young bucks are willing to take risks I can't even imagine, and in addition, I'm on a rigid fork with no brakes, and these repeated waterbar jumps are pretty scary at high speed!

So 2nd time up the ascent I bring more guys back, and of course lose some places on the descent. But, whats exciting is my average power for climb 2 was 10watts higher and a minute faster than climb 1.. and I still feel good! Can I top the power for climb 3? YES! 8 more watts to the average, a bit quicker and more riders passed. Of course I get passed back on the descent, but when it's all said and done.. I placed 7th.. not bad! Worked from last to 7th with the help of a pacing tool and a strategy, and in spite of the rigid fork and no rear brakes.. which by the way turned out to be the lever bottoming on the shifter. My friend Dan Cooley grabbed an allen wrench, twisted the shifter.. fixed! I felt dumb!