Most TT's don't have 8% grades -- you want to pedal both ways. Yes, you go harder up a hill, but you should be pushing something down the hill. If you're aiming for a 320W TT, go 330 up and 310 down. Something like that.
Originally Posted by
ElJamoquio
Going from 340 watts to 350 watts up hill is worth something like 9 seconds up a 8% hill of 1 mile.
Going from 0 watts to 300 watts down that same hill is worth 8 seconds.
Granted, those numbers are extrapolated from Kreuzotter; but unlike Kreuzotter, they do NOT include an improvement in aerodynamics from going from 120 RPM to 0 RPM, and the presumed better position involved. If you include that effect, you're faster going down the hill without pedaling.