This is always fun: Bicycling Mag has a piece up comparing the habits of an amateur shlub (I'm looking at YOU Sui Juris) to a TdF-level pro. Suffice to say that the results aren't pretty. That said, I would like to add in my own version. On da fleep:
 |
YOU | |
TDF Rider | PdC Comments | ||
| Average speed on flat terrain | 17–18 mph | 25–28 mph | The You number seems a tad low, unless we factor in the six hours thing | |||
| Average speed on mountainous terrain | 9–10 mph | 21–25 mph | Hm, can we include the descents in this figure? | |||
| Estimated average watts at threshold3 | 170–220 | 405–450 | Feh! I'm all about wattage. If wattage meters have taught me anything, it's all about wattage. Per-kilogram denominators be damned! | |||
| Calories consumed on a ride | 200–450 | 4,000–5,000 | 200 calories? Who am I, the Buddha? My energy drink has more than that, let alone the mid-ride latte. | |||
| Bottles of water consumed during a ride/stage | 2–3 (on a 3-hour ride) |
4–20 | This assumes the rider remembers to drink. My next Garmin will have a built-in alarm reminder. | |||
| Cost of a race bike | $2,000–$7,000 | $9,000–$14,000+ | $7000... why? | |||
| Chain replacements | Maybe once a season | 2–3 per Tour | Is that what that weird noise is? |
Check out Bicycling for the rest of the table.