Tuesday, 26 January 2010

I'm a 2.5

Just read an interesting piece by Joe Friel called Climbing like a Tour Rider. He says that those with a 'mass' of 2 lbs per inch of height tend to have better potential for climbing than those at the other end of the scale with > 2.5 lbs per inch.

So nothing really surprising about that but the calculation did get me thinking. I'm a whisker under 5'11 and currently weigh 191 lbs. So that gives me a current ratio of 2.7. The best I could hope for by the summer is to hit my target of 82kg (which I haven't been for years btw) which would bring me down to a 2.5'ish, still at the wrong end of the Friel scale.

Another measure he provides is the following estimate: 1kg of excess flab on a moderate gradient has a cost of about 3 seconds per km. So if I lose 5kg and the Tourmalet is 19km [and my fitness was the same] I'd be about 5 minutes quicker. Whoopie-doo.

Conclusion: I'm not expecting to climb like a tour rider but if Joe Friel's right I think I'll just get fitter and carry on eating all the pies.
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5 comments:

  1. Rob26 January 2010 at 09:36

    Oh dear, I've got another 10 pounds to shift to even get to the 2.5 mark.

    I like the conclusion you have reached - pass me a meat and potato

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  2. Clive Handy26 January 2010 at 09:46

    Good idea. I'm currently a 3.48. When I did the Etape in 2008 I was a 3.17 and still beat the broom wagon by an hour. To reach 2.5 I would need to lose 32 kilos (nearly 5 stone). Ain't happening.

    When you're buying a car to get you around, what's most important? Bodywork or engine?

    As for fuel, be prepared for a Datameister lecture nearer the time.

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  3. Andrew26 January 2010 at 18:09

    We're about the same then Rob on that measure. I reckon I can do it but I'm not too stressy about it if the potential benefits are so small.

    Looking forward to the Datameister fuel guide for sure. One thing's for sure - going up Westerham Hill on Sunday made me realise my fitness can be improved a lot.

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  4. Anonymous26 January 2010 at 18:46

    Hi there

    So I am 5'8 thats 68inch, x2 = 136lbs. I am 176lbs at my best. I would be good to lose 2 stone though.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Andrew26 January 2010 at 20:16

    So at 176 you'd be a 2.6 (176/68). Lose a stone under that and you'd be a 2.4...flying up the hills like Lance - he weighs about 165 at 5'10 so he's just under a 2.4. good all rounder at that weight. Contador is a 2.0 and really does fly up the hills.

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