Need help figuring a math problem out.

NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm going to ride up Hurricane Ridge. Somebody is going to meet me at the top with electrolyte water and carbs. :)

This is a bit more sustained climbing that I've done before. The road is 17 miles long, and gains 5,240 feet. I'd like to have some idea how I'm going to pace myself, it'll help me make sure I'm ready.

Given my and the bike's weight, can Excel tell me how long it'll take to get to the top at a specific power output? I'd like to see a graph of my options.

With that, it should be pretty obvious how much training I'll need to make this comfortable, if any.

Replies

  • anaxmann
    anaxmann Posts: 103 Member
    Basically you are converting work to potential energy. Here is a paper about walking up a hill, which is basically the same thing.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    I don't know the answer to your question , but I'm familiar with the road (from a car lol). Have fun and be prepared for any kind of weather!
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    I know there is a way, because the same works backwards. That's how they used to say things like Contador needed 1400W to climb Alp D'huez in 15 minutes.
    Its also how Strava's virtual power works.

    I don't know it though.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited June 2017
    Does this give you what you need?
    http://bikecalculator.com/
    or
    http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Power-Output
    You might be able to figure out the formula from this one.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, everyone!

    @lorrpb the bike calculator worked. :smile: It gives me numbers very very close to what I've recorded in the past on big hills around here, so I trust it pretty well. I was hoping for a formula I could plug into Excel and chart a lot of different power levels, but instead I wound up having the bike calculator site come up with estimates for me at 20 watt intervals and, well, it's a little daunting.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited June 2017
    Yes, Hurricane Ridge is one big "hill" lol. Glad the calculator helped! You are so cool, maybe we'll get to meet sometime.

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