Originally Posted by
merlinextraligh
But you want to raise your power a bit above threshold (typically 5%) uphill, or into a headwind, and then reduce it 5% downhill or downwind. This results in a faster average speed, and a lower total time because you're going slower uphill or into the wind and losing more time.
Agreed, but now you have me riding at over 100% of threshold (since the argument I always hear is that you spend more time climbing or into the wind). OK, I'm splitting hairs, but the actual math is too much for me to think about.
Anyway, if I put out 105% into the wind and put out 94% (or whatever to get 100% normalized power), I still think it's more complex than that.
The real world (chuck norris) answer is "HTFU and ride at 105% into the wind and 105% with the wind". That guy will be faster for sure.