Originally Posted by
asgelle
How are you measuring how much force is going onto your pedals? It's easy to calculate the force required to produce a certain power at a certain rpm (after all power is just force times velocity) and this has been done numerous times. The results show that for sprint powers around 1500W and cadences of around 110 rpm (because I don't know the exact values), the resultant force is around 80 lbs.
O.K. I'll do it again. 1500 W; 110 rpm = 2 m/s; => 750 N = 168 lbf for 2 legs = 84 lbf/leg
You must be a tri-guy who doesn't sprint. Anyone who sprints pulls up on the handlebars to apply more force than available by just standing on the pedal with full bodyweight so it has to be higher than 80 lbs.
Power = ω x Torque
Torque = Power / ω
At 110 RPM and 1500W Torque = 1500 / (2 x π 110/60) = 130 N-m
Assuming you applied constant force and used 175mm cranks that would be the equivalent of approx 75Kg applied at the end of the crank. Since no one actually pedals in cicles the peak load is closer to double or 150Kg (330lbs).
Your calcs were essentially correct but you only pedal with one leg at a time so you should be doubling the 168lbf for the per leg force not halving it.