I'm curious if anyone knows, or knows of a website, about the fitness level of different category riders. Mainly VO2 Max and average speeds for solo training sessions. I'll be involved in my first session of racing next spring and want to be able to critique my progress.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm curious if anyone knows, or knows of a website, about the fitness level of different category riders. Mainly VO2 Max and average speeds for solo training sessions. I'll be involved in my first session of racing next spring and want to be able to critique my progress.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Those numbers are essentially meaningless. VO2 max has been shown to NOT be the determining factor for racing. It is only one factor, and plenty of people with lower numbers consistently beat people with higher numbers. Solo riding speeds are only meaningful in time trials. There are way to many variables in courses and weather to compare. And again, some people who are fast TTers suck in road races and criteriums, and vice versa. Your progress measure will come from your racing results, where your overall fitness, your explosive power, your tactical understanding, your bike handling, etc. will combine to determine your results.

My question was simply what the median/mean VO2 maxes are for riders in different categories. I was not implying that obtaining a certain VO2 max would make me perform well.

I doubt VO2 max numbers are meaningless.

If you took a sampling of 100 cat 3 riders and tested their VO2 maxes, I'm sure there would be some sort of curve that would do a good job of representing the median/mean of VO2 maxes for equivalent riders.

VO2 max varies widely amoung individuals, even among athletes of comparable performance levels. World class/professional endurance atheletes generally have a VO2 max between 70 and 90, but having one in that range won't make you world class in and of itself...it's just one piece of the puzzle.

Back in the '80's, I used to hear all of my runner friends talk about Steve Prefontaine's (4th place '72 Oly 5000) 88 being the highest level ever tested in a distance runner. I've since heard that Frank Shorter's ('72 Gold Medalist in the Marathon) was only 69.

Personally, I participated in a lab study about 15 years ago that involved testing VO2 levels in the lab as well as a series of time trials. This was a group of good, competitive distance runners though we were all far below the level we would need to "quit our day jobs." Anyway, a handful of us had levels a bit higher than Shorter's, but we were all FAR from world class runners. I was closer to the front of the pack in the lab but only mid-pack in the time trials. I think there were guys as low as about 60, and I think I remember the high in our group was 76.

One more thing to keep in mind is what it actually measures: the volume of oxygen your body can take out of the air per minute per KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT. Translation: just losing weight will increase your VO2 max.

If you're interested in your own, find some place to test you (it will cost $100 to $200, unless you find a grad student researching his dissertation). BTW, it hurts, A LOT.

VO2 max varies widely amoung individuals, even among athletes of comparable performance levels. World class/professional endurance atheletes generally have a VO2 max between 70 and 90, but having one in that range won't make you world class in and of itself...it's just one piece of the puzzle.

Back in the '80's, I used to hear all of my runner friends talk about Steve Prefontaine's (4th place '72 Oly 5000) 88 being the highest level ever tested in a distance runner. I've since heard that Frank Shorter's ('72 Gold Medalist in the Marathon) was only 69.

Personally, I participated in a lab study about 15 years ago that involved testing VO2 levels in the lab as well as a series of time trials. This was a group of good, competitive distance runners though we were all far below the level we would need to "quit our day jobs." Anyway, a handful of us had levels a bit higher than Shorter's, but we were all FAR from world class runners. I was closer to the front of the pack in the lab but only mid-pack in the time trials. I think there were guys as low as about 60, and I think I remember the high in our group was 76.

One more thing to keep in mind is what it actually measures: the volume of oxygen your body can take out of the air per minute per KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT. Translation: just losing weight will increase your VO2 max.

If you're interested in your own, find some place to test you (it will cost $100 to $200, unless you find a grad student researching his dissertation). BTW, it hurts, A LOT.

Thanks for the input. I am pretty well versed with V02 max. I have a BS in exercise science and will be getting a MS in Biomechanics. lowering body weight will increase relative VO2. Not absolute.

I'll be in rainy Oregon during the winter and I'll spend the majority of my riding on a spin bike, so I won't be able to work on other components of riding as much as I would like.

One of the things about Oregon winters is that it rarely actually freezes. You can ride plenty! The PacNW has the nastiest weather that you have no excuse not to get out in.

There are lots of us sickos here, so you can find lots of good group rides.

Buy fenders, some good rain gear, and maybe a 'cross bike or something, and have fun!
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I've seen the kind of chart you mention on VOmax, but can't find it right now. The median VOmax of riders definitely increased as race caliber increased, but of course there was a reasonable standard deviation. And, the chart I saw only compared VO2 with respect to body mass, not absolute vo2.

I'm going to try my best to get out and ride, but being my first year of graduate school I don't know if I'll have enough free time to regularly get out on the road. I can get some quick rides in at the Rec center however.

I need to get my VO2 tested so I can use a HR monitor with accuracy.

Thanks.

I'm going to try my best to get out and ride, but being my first year of graduate school I don't know if I'll have enough free time to regularly get out on the road. I can get some quick rides in at the Rec center however.

I need to get my VO2 tested so I can use a HR monitor with accuracy.

Thanks.

You don't need a VO2 MAX to use a HR monitor accurately, you need either a blood lactate test or a submax VO2. You can do a max test if you want, but your training parameters will be determined by your threshold data rather than your max. Power data is also very useful if you are really interested in using an accurate objective measurement of work.

Does VO2 matter? You'd be kidding yourself if you thought it didn't make a difference. The ability to utilize O2 is the ability to stay aerobic. In endurance sports this is of the utmost importance. The only reason it isn't something we dwell on is that it is not a number that is easily changed after several consistent years of training (other than by becoming more lean). But certainly it is a valuable number. And doing a ramped VO2 test provides useful data beyond the maximal number. Monitoring RQ/RER through the course of the test to determine AeT and AT is important for evaluating fitness and form. Blood lactate is also a very important measurement and will help you determine your training parameters. I have performed hundreds of these tests and the numbers don't lie. But it takes a collective interpretation of all the variables. And then it takes proper training, optimal health and recovery, communication and organization, teamwork, and tactics. Many factors.

Also, if you're interested in lactate testing, we're hosting a seminar at my business on this topic.

https://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=5210

One last thing - Max tests don't hurt THAT bad!

Thanks,

RC

I need to get my VO2 tested so I can use a HR monitor with accuracy.

Thanks.


PLEASE Please please.... spend that money on a power meter and learn how to use it instead. You can get a used powertap pro for $500 these days. For an answer to your question, do a google search for "cyclingpeaks power profiling" where you will find an explanation of how to use this chart (hint: VO2max is roughly equivalent to 5m power).

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/images/powerprofile_v4.gif

I'm going to try my best to get out and ride, but being my first year of graduate school I don't know if I'll have enough free time to regularly get out on the road. I can get some quick rides in at the Rec center however.

I need to get my VO2 tested so I can use a HR monitor with accuracy.

Thanks.

What Argentius said. There is a nice climb up to OHSU and plenty of bike lanes in that area. Cross Crusade this fall too: http://www.crosscrusade.com/default.htm

Does anyone have a formula showing how loss in body weight will affect VO2 Max?

Portland is great for riding. The best cycling community in the nation. I grew up in Oregon, so I might be biased. Good riding year 'round but wet in the winter for sure. But at least you'll have company to train with.

No need for a formula. Just take the number and replace the variables. If you know all 3 numbers (mL/Kg/Min) then figure out the absolute number and then switch out the body wt and see how it effects your value. Still, raising relative VO2 isn't the way to target ideal body composition. But for pure inquisition, go for it.

RC

To find relative VO2 max, divide Absolute VO2 max by body mass (kg) and multiply by 1000 mL/L

So, weight loss would influence relative max by multiplying your current relative VO2 max by previous weight/current weight. With weight loss this should be a ratio greater than 1.0.

I'll be going to OSU and am really looking forward to the sheer number of bikers that go to school there.

Portland is great for riding. The best cycling community in the nation. I grew up in Oregon, so I might be biased. Good riding year 'round but wet in the winter for sure. But at least you'll have company to train with.

No need for a formula. Just take the number and replace the variables. If you know all 3 numbers (mL/Kg/Min) then figure out the absolute number and then switch out the body wt and see how it effects your value. Still, raising relative VO2 isn't the way to target ideal body composition. But for pure inquisition, go for it.

RC


To find relative VO2 max, divide Absolute VO2 max by body mass (kg) and multiply by 1000 mL/L

So, weight loss would influence relative max by multiplying your current relative VO2 max by previous weight/current weight. With weight loss this should be a ratio greater than 1.0.

I'll be going to OSU and am really looking forward to the sheer number of bikers that go to school there.

That's right, i completely spaced the whole equation. Thanks! :mad2: