Hi there,
Is there an equation for converting the Full Frontal MAP wattage to an estimate of Relative VO2Max. I have searched the web and found one reference to calculating it from 6 minutes of power but nothing for 5 minutes. Given there is a 20% difference in time I am guessing that the 6 minute calculator will not be suitable.
I am interested because VO2Max is supposed to be a good indicator of longevity and as a new cyclist in my 60s I want to see how I stack up.
Thanks,
Phil
I believe there is an algorithm for estimating VO2 max, however, it is fairly complicated. Sorry I cannot reproduce it for you here.
Do you use a Garmin head unit? Mine (Edge 820) reports estimated VO2 max based on my ride history. It’s not perfect but I think it’s a decent indication. Other brands might do the same.
I use an ELEMNT Roam and I don’t think it reports VO2Max, though I will have a look through the data that is available.
Google led me to this:
Thanks,
For anyone else who finds this question interesting. The page referenced my JohnK is using a calculation based on this research paper:
The researchers came up with the following equation as a good predictor for VO2max in place of a full laboratory assessment…
VO2max = 16.6 + (8.87 Ă— 5-min relative power output)
So the Full Frontal MAP (5 minute) value / your weight in Kg could be used as the value for the relative power output making the equation.
VO2max = 16.6 + (8.87 * MAP / Weight in Kg)
Taking this one step further (for those like me who want to see how their VO2max value compares to the general population) you can use the calculator on this page to get your percentile rank.
Unless I’ve messed up the calculations that page gives me a fitness of 99.1% which seems extraordinarily high to me. 
What sort of value are others getting?
Compared to the general population remember. Perhaps you are in the 1% club if you cycle a lot. The fact you are on here suggests you use your bike for more than just transport.
FWIW it put me at 96.7%, which I too thought was high.
I also did one of the 3 minute step tests you can find on the web to estimate VO2max and that also had me in a good position compared to the general population. The actual value is different as it depends on the test used so you can only compare to others tested using the same method.
I think the web site I referenced uses data from treadmill tests rather than cycling. Other information I found suggested that a treadmill test would result in a value 7-18% higher than the same person on a bike test so any difference would work against us in this instance. It suggested that upper body movement when running/walking could account for this.
Personally I don’t think any of this is an exact science and can only really be used to see how to are progressing by testing yourself in the same way every few months. My interest was to get an idea of how I compare to the general population and since they don’t do Full Frontal tests I wanted to convert to a roughly comparable VO2max figure.
I have used various algorithms and website questionnaires. They all give different results, some of them appreciably different.
In any measurement scale there are two variables that are important - accuracy and consistency.
For example, for a weight scale, accuracy means how close to your actual weight is the measurement. Consistency means that varying measurements will be relatively consistent. If you are only interested in weight loss (or gain) consistency is important.
Unless you have a specific reason for an exact VO2 max measurement, what you really want is some meaningful measure where you can watch your improvement (or lack of it).
Is my ego a specific enough reason 
The get a lab test once or twice a year.
I was 97.8 percentile, which isn’t too impressive when you consider that most men my age are in bad shape. But then I subtracted 40 years off my age and I was in the 73rd percentile which I promptly told my wife, who was not impressed. I don’t find the number useful except it did make me feel like my working out is doing something useful 
.
I think you misunderstand “percentile”. It means that 97.8% of the population are less fit that you. It means you are in the top 3% for your age group which I would be pleased with.
Actually, it was a bit of a joke. I was saying that being in the top 3% of my age isn’t all that great. Seriously, I think we sometimes forget that compared to people who don’t regularly exercise that we are all in really good shape. Like a lot of people I’m very time crunched and don’t train as much as I like. I need to remind myself that I’m in a lot better shape than if I didn’t train at all.