Simon’s a Willesden CC club mate and has written a miserable (ie. accurate) post on turbos..

thefixedfactor.wordpress.com – tyranny of the turbo

Speaking of turbo training, I’ve just got a CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro from The Bike Whisperer. It’s a snazzy fluid trainer unit and I used it last night for a 2x15min session and to compare my wired and wireless Powertap units. Bad news, since my Wired PT appeared to be reporting below that of the Wireless unit. So, I’m not going crazy, they are different. No wonder I struggle to hold my FTP on the Rubble!

I set both PT power averaging for 30 seconds (the slowest updating option) and the speed averaging to 5 seconds. The rough results are below:

39×17 Stealth TT machine

26kph 200W

30kph 260W

40kph 460W

39×17 Ribble Winter/Audax

26kph 170W

30kph 225W

40kph 450W

So, unless I’ve missed some variable (I forgot to even out tyre pressure), it wasn’t in my mind that the Wired PT is reading lower. So when I’m trying to do FTP at 270W I’m actually around 300W. Although, it could be the wireless one reading high.. hmm..

Bring on 2012!

Jack Bobridge – defending national champion in the discipline – rode the third fastest time ever in a sizzling qualifying ride over four kilometres. He posted a time of 4:14.427, knocking six tenths off the time set by Welsh cyclist Gerraint Thomas at the Manchester round of the World Cup in October last year.

It’s also faster than the 4:16.304 time set by Britain’s reigning Olympic Champion Bradley Wiggins during his gold medal ride in Athens.

The only rider who has gone faster than Bobridge over the distance is Boardman, who set the world record time of 4:11.114 at the 1996 World Championships in Manchester. That mark was set using the aerodynamic ‘Superman’ position that has since been banned, which means Bobridge is effectively the fastest rider in the world over four kilometres under the current rules.

www.cyclingnews.com