Stationary roller versus velodrome for maximal cycling test: A comparison

Authors

  • João Brito Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Portugal
  • Luis Lopes Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Portugal
  • Ana Conceição Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Portugal
  • Aldo M. Costa University of Beira Interior, Portugal
  • Hugo Louro Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4100/jhse.2014.91.02

Keywords:

Cycling, Oxygen consumption, Heart rate, Power output, Cadence

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare the acute cardio-respiratory responses of elite cyclists to a maximal progressive exercise carried out in two different conditions: in a laboratory (using a braked roller) and in an uncovered velodrome. In both testing conditions, ten elite male cyclists (age, 22.3 ± 3.9 years) performed a maximal discontinuous progressive test of 6 minutes per level with 150 W of initial load and increasing 50 W at each level until exhaustion. The heart rate and the ventilation parameters were measured breath-by-breath using a portable metabolic cart gas analysis system with telemetry data transmission. In the first 4 levels of effort, no significant differences were found between the two test conditions regarding VO2, (p=0.193), heart rate (p=0.973) and pedaling cadence (p=0.116). Comparing the maximum values achieved by each athlete in both exercise conditions, significant differences were found for heart rate (p=0.008) and pedaling cadence (p=0.005) but not for VO2max and peak power. Each variable showed a strong correlation between both assessements (VO2, r=0.984, p=0,000; heart rate, r=0.944, p=0.005; pedaling cadence, r=0.900, p=0.014). The amount of variability explained by the linear regression model for both cardio-respiratory parameters also showed a good fit value close to one (VO2max,r2=0.968; heart rate, r2=0.892). Our results suggest that identical cycling protocols conducted in different testing conditions with the same bike leads to equivalent performance but significantly different pedaling cadence and heart rate responses.

Funding

NSRF-InALENTEJO, Portugal (ALENT-07-0262-FEDER-001883)

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abbiss CR, Laursen PB. Models to explain fatigue during prolonged endurance. Sports Med. 2005; 35(10): 865-898. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200535100-00004

Adams WC, Mack GW, Langhans GW, Nadel ER. Effects of varied air velocity on sweating and evaporative rates during exercise. J App Physiol. 1992; 73(6): 2668-2674. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1992.73.6.2668

Aisbett B, Le Rossignol P. Estimating the total energy demand for supra-maximal exercise using the VO2-power regression from an incremental test. J Sci Med Sport. 2003; 6(3): 343-347. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1440-2440(03)80028-2

Amann M, Subudhi AW, Foster C. Predictive validity of ventilatory and lactate thresholds for Cycling time trial performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2006; 16(1): 27-34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.00424.x

Belli A, Hintzy F. Influence of pedaling rate on the energy cost of Cycling in Humans. Eur J App Physiol. 2002; 88(1-2): 158-162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-002-0674-5

Bertucci W, Grappe F, Groslambert A. Laboratory versus outdoor cycling conditions: differences in pedaling biomechanics. J Appl Biomech. 2007; 23(2): 87-92. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.23.2.87

Bertucci W, Taiar R, Grappe F. Differences between sprint tests under laboratory and actual cycling conditions. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2005; 45(3): 277-283.

Cheuvront SN, Carter R 3rd, Sawka MN. Fluid balance and endurance exercise performance. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2003; 2(4): 220-208. https://doi.org/10.1249/00149619-200308000-00006

Heil DP, Wilcox AR, Quinn CM. Cardiorespiratory responses to seat-tube angle variation during steady-state cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995; 27(5): 730-735. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-199505000-00016

Dias MC, Silva AC, Júnior JM, Lima JR, Novaes JS. Effect of pedal cadence on mechanical power output and physiological variables. Rev Bras Cineantropom Desempenho Hum. 2007; 9(3): 271-276.

Duc S, Bouteille T, Bertucci W, Pernin J-N, Grappe F. Comparison of pedalling EMG activity between when cycling on stationary ergometer and motorised treadmill. Sci Sports. 2006; 21(5): 309-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2006.07.009

Duc S, Villerius V, Bertucci W, Grappe F. Validity and reproducibility of the ErgomoPro Power Meter compared with the SRM and Powertap Power Meters. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2007; 2(3): 270-281. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2.3.270

Gardner AS, Martin JC, Martin DT, Barras M, Jenkins DG. Maximal torque- and power-pedaling rate relationships for elite sprint cyclists in laboratory and field tests. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007; 101(3): 287–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0498-4

González-Alonso J, Teller C, Andersen SL, Jensen FB, Hyldig T, Nielsen B. Influence of body temperature on the development of fatigue during prolonged exercise in the heat. J App Physiol. 1999; 86(3): 1032-1039. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.3.1032

Hawley JA, Noakes TD. Peak power output predicts maximal oxygen uptake and performance time in trained cyclists. Eur J App Physiol. 1992; 65(1): 79-83. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01466278

Hunter AM, St Clair Gibson A, Mbambo Z, Lambert MI, Noakes TD. The effects of heat stress on neuromuscular activity during endurance exercise. Pflugers Arch. 2002; 444(6): 738-743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-002-0841-x

Lucía A, Hoyos J, Pérez M, Chicharro JL. Heart rate and performance parameters in elite cyclists: a longitudinal study. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000; 32(10): 1777-1782. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200010000-00018

Lucía A, Hoyos J, Chicharro JL. Preferred pedaling cadence in professional Cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001; 33(8): 1361-1366. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200108000-00018

Lucía A, Hoyos J, Santalla A, Earnest C, Chicharro JL. Tour de France versus Vuelta a España: which is harder? Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003; 35(5): 872-878. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000064999.82036.B4

Lucía A, San Juan JA, Montilla MV, CaNete S, Santalla A, Earnest C, Pérez M. In professional Road Cyclists, low pedaling cadences are less efficient. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004; 36(6): 1048-1054. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000128249.10305.8A

Marfell-Jones MJ, Olds T, Stewart AD, Carte L. International standards for anthropometric assessment. Potchefstroom University for CHE, Potchefstroom, South Africa: International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK); 2006.

Marsh AP, Martin PE. Perceived exertion and the preferred Cycling cadence. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998; 30(6): 942-948.

McCann DJ, Adams WC. A dimensional paradigm for identifying the size-independent cost of walking. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002; 34(6): 1009-1017. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200206000-00017

Millet GP, Tronche C, Fuster N, Bentley DJ, Candau R. Validity and reliability of the Polar® S710 Mobile Cycling Powermeter. Int J Sports Med. 2003; 24(3): 156-161. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2003-39083

Padilla S, Mujika I, Cuesta G, Polo JM, Chatard JC. Validity of a velodrome test for competitive road cyclists. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1996; 73(5): 446-451. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334422

Prins L, Terblanche E, Myburgh KH. Field and laboratory correlates of performance in competitive cross-country mountain bikers. J Sports Sci. 2007; 25(8): 927-935. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410600907938

Pugh LG. The influence of wind resistance in running and walking and the mechanical efficiency of work against horizontal or vertical forces. J Physiol. 1971; 213(2): 255-276. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009381

Rowell LB, O'Leary DS. Reflex control of the circulation during exercise: Chemoreflexes and mechanoreflexes. J Appl Physiol. 1990; 69(2): 401-418. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1990.69.2.407

Sidossis LS, Horowitz JF, Coyle EF. Load and Velocity of Contraction Influence Gross and Mechanical Efficiency. Int J Sports Med. 1992; 13(5): 407-411. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-1021289

Swain DP. The influence of body mass in endurance bicycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994; 26(1): 58-63. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-199401000-00011

Tatterson AJ, Hahn AG, Martin DT, Febbraio MA. Effects of heat stress on physiological responses and exercise performance in elite cyclists. J Sci Med Sport. 2000; 3(2): 186-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1440-2440(00)80080-8

Whipp BJ, Rossiter HB. The kinetics of oxygen uptake: physiological inferences from the parameters. In: Oxygen Uptake Kinetics in Sport, Exercise and Medicine, edited by Jones AM, Poole DC. London: Routledge, 62-94; 2005.

Statistics

Statistics RUA

Published

2014-06-11

How to Cite

Brito, J., Lopes, L., Conceição, A., Costa, A. M., & Louro, H. (2014). Stationary roller versus velodrome for maximal cycling test: A comparison. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 9(1), 7–16. https://doi.org/10.4100/jhse.2014.91.02

Issue

Section

Sport Medicine, Nutrition & Health

Most read articles by the same author(s)