blutow wrote: ↑October 22nd, 2024, 2:21 pm
Cyclist here who is brand new to the erg (I just got my used c2 last week). 342w is legit power for 2+ hours. I raced Big Sugar last weekend and my NP was about 240w for just over 6 hours with lots of punchy climbing. Decent off season power for me, haven't really done any intervals since July and the race was more for fun than trying to compete.
So yeah, I thought I might be able to jump on the erg and knock out a sub 20' 5k with no experience since it only requires ~200w to hold a 2' pace. 200w is casual Z2 on the bike and I can hold that kind of wattage basically forever. But 200w on the erg for me feels pretty damn hard and I don't think I could hold it for 20 minutes. I'm really just focused on form right now, so trying to resist the urge to see what I can do, but still humbled by the wattage difference.
I've researched it a little and it seems there are a few things that make it an apples/oranges comparison of erg vs. bike watts. First of all, the erg is only measuring the work related to the pull while a bike is measuring power at the crank. There is a lot more "unaccounted" work going on during a rowing stroke (outside of the pull) compared to non-pedaling work on a bike (MTB could be an exception to this). Also, pedaling is a continuous effort that doesn't start/stop and allows for an efficient steady state. Rowing has constant significant variations of power output making it less efficient. Finally, my understanding is that the c2 wattage calculations are simply a bit low based on at least one study where actual strain gauges were used to measure the work being done. The number I see thrown around is at least a 20% drop between cycling and erg wattages and some say more like 25-30%. Again, I'm totally new to the erg world and might be way off base with my take (I'm just regurgitating some stuff I read on the interweb).
As a total beginner, I'm feeling like there is ~50% drop between my bike watts and erg watts. I'm hoping that gap is reduced pretty quick with some newbie gains in the next couple months. I did a 5k on the erg this morning at ~155w. On the bike, that would be soft pedaling, easier than walking. On the erg, I wasn't breathing hard at that pace, but it felt deliberate and I was sweating and feeling it afterwards.
Welcome to the forum and welcome to rowing mate
Big Sugar looks like a cracker of a race - well done for the effort!
I'm just a very big guy - big power is mostly just to overcome my 101kg bodyweight. NP today was 366w.
Very interesting insight into why rowing produces less power than cycling. I think that they both compliment each other well, but rowing does (as you suggest) feel very inefficient.
My feeling is that as well as the unaccounted for power loss, your legs aren't necessarily the primary drivers for rowing. Yes, they provide much of the force and yes, your CV system will be very well developed, but your entire upper body is effectively untrained when you jump onto a rower for the first time.
All those slow twitch muscle fibres, capiliary development and mitochondrial adaption that you've built in your legs over years on the bike don't count for very much on the rower. You have to be careful to ease yourself into it really slowly, as your leg strength and CV system will allow you to push much harder than your upper body will tolerate. Injury is a big risk. That's how I messed up 3.5 years ago, coming from weight lifting into rowing. Too much strength, not enough condition.
It'll be really interesting to see how you adapt to the rower over the coming months.
40. 203cm. 101kg. Road/gravel cyclist with an occasional rowing habit.
100m - 15.0. 500m - 1:22.5. 1000m - 3:02.5. 2000m - 6:33.9. 5k - 16:44.2. 6k - 21:00.2. 30 minutes - 8636m. 30r20 - 8538m. 10k - 35:37. HM - 1.16:06.5