The Watt Bike

THE WATT BIKE.

Sub Maximal Ramp Test.

During the week I was asked by the guys at Athlete Service to have a play with the Watt Bike, which has had a new screen fitted. Laurence and Tony were invited to a Watt Bike day explaining the new screen and how to use it and its new functions. One of these many functions is a Sub Maximal Ramp Test, they have algorithms which they claim can calculate all your training zones, from recovery to Threshold to Maximal zones. It can also calculate your Maximal Heart Rate (MHR) and Maximal Minute Power (MMP), along with predicting you Watts per Kilo and estimating your VO2 Max.

The advantage of this test is it will not give you too much fatigue. The test is only meant to be 10-12 minutes long. You start at a reasonably low power, and every minute you step up 15-25 watts depending on a few variables. If you are Male or Female, and your current level of fitness/ past fitness. Also knowing your 3 minute max wattage helps the machine give you an accurate start power.

So given that I already have a good chunk of power data from the last couple of years and know my training zones, I was interested to see what the Watt Bike was going to give me as my training zones. It is beneficial that you should know your 3 minute power, but not essential. There is a page on the Watt Bike website where you can work out the wattage you should start the test. I had a bit of idea where I should start and answering the questions on the site it also agreed I should start around the 160 watt area. The steps in the test range between 15 and 25 watts. Mine were 25 watts.

So on the Watt Bike, you select “workout/Tests”, and then “Tests”, then “Submax Ramp”. Then you are asked about you. Age, Weight, Sex, then your start power and the step jumps. Then you get cracking!

View of the screen during the test.

The test screen will have a countdown in the top left. that will be a minute and then reset for each new step. There is a “Target” power which you will be trying to match, the number beside the “target” wattage is telling you an average of your current 10 sec. As your minute runs out the “target” will change and goes up to the next step. They say if you have set the steps and start power correctly the test should last between 10 and 12 minutes. This with me, was correct. I got to the step just under 400 watts feeling ok ish. Then went up to 410, within 20 seconds I was over the cliff and struggling to turn the pedals…! I just muscled the test to complete that step and then finished!

All the training zones above.

So other pieces of data.

Test done, you get a selection of screens to browse between. Immediately you can view your power zones. You also get your estimated Max Heart Rate (MHR) and Max Minute Power (MMP). If you believe these numbers or not it is almost irrelevant, because if you do regular test on the Watt Bike you can compare like results. All very relevant.

What do I think, well I actually think the zones were pretty comparable with numbers I have previously got. So the algorithms are pretty decent. I was screwed after the test but I definitely didn't feel too much fatigue after. So as a regular test, say once a month, I feel this is a great idea. It can pretty much be popped into your training plan without disrupting it too much. I was a bit sceptical to start with but I will use it to get a gauge of where I am and if certain training is having a positive effect on certain areas of my training.

A little bit of advice for the test itself, for the steps I found for the first few I just moved the “fan” resistance up just under one notch each time. This was ideal for the 25 watt steps, obviously a bit less if your steps are a little lower. If you run out of resistance on 10, then you can start to crank up the magnet resistance too. During the steps try to hold the power as accurately as possible, if you keep jumping above and below the “target” power you will basically be doing little intervals and may effect you when the test gets tough in the final minute or so.

The link for the Official Watt Bike protocol is below (page 28 for Submax Ramp Test).

https://wattbike-media.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/uk/docs/wattbike-full-test-guide.pdf

Thanks as always for reading, hope some of you will get on the Watt Bike and see what you can do….