Climbing Power Strategy: A Scientific Comparison of Steady vs. Variable Power Riding

Introduction

Taiwan’s mountain climbs are sacred training grounds for many cyclists and battlefields for races. Wuling, Hehuan Mountain, and Taroko each have their own unique rhythm of gradient changes. When facing these undulating sections, a key strategic question arises: Should you maintain a steady power output, or adjust dynamically based on the gradient?

This question has been thoroughly studied in sports science, and the answer varies depending on the characteristics of the route, race goals, and individual rider profiles.

Constant Power Pacing

The core logic of constant power pacing is: maintain nearly the same wattage throughout, maximizing the efficiency of the aerobic system.

Physiological advantages:

• Avoids unnecessary activation of the anaerobic system (surges above FTP produce lactate that must later be cleared by the aerobic system—an expensive “cost”)
• Muscle glycogen is depleted most evenly, delaying the onset of hitting the wall
• Heart rate remains stable, avoiding excessive cardiovascular strain from rapid fluctuations

Best suited for:

• Long-distance timed climbs (e.g., Wuling East Route, 29 km in total)
• Individual time trial climbs
• Solo efforts chasing a personal record

Execution points:

• Set target power at 90–100% FTP (adjusted based on distance and individual characteristics)
• Deliberately hold back for the first 1–2 km to allow the body to warm up
• Use the 3-second average power on your bike computer rather than instantaneous power, to avoid constant adjustments from minor road undulations

Variable Power Pacing

Variable power pacing allows different power outputs across different gradient sections, and its core basis comes from physics: increasing power on steep sections yields smaller speed gains, while increasing power on gentle sections yields larger speed gains.

Best suited for:

• Routes with pronounced gradient changes (e.g., mountain roads alternating between gentle and steep sections)
• Group riding where you need to match the pace
• Short, punchy climbing races

What Does the Research Say?

Multiple sports science studies (including computational fluid dynamics model studies) show:

• On routes with pronounced terrain undulations (gradient changes exceeding 3%), variable power pacing can save approximately 0.5–2% of overall time.
• On nearly steady long climbs (such as the uniform moderate-gradient sections of the Wuling East Route), constant power pacing is closer to the optimal solution.
• Psychological aspect: Constant power pacing is more beneficial for the mental stability of amateur riders, making it less likely to surge early and collapse later.

Practical Application on Taiwan’s Mountain Roads

Wuling East Route (Guanyuan → Wuling): The gradient is relatively uniform, so constant power pacing is recommended as the primary strategy. Set target power at 88–95% of personal FTP, and conservatively estimate a 5–8% performance decline due to altitude (high-altitude hypoxia).

Yangmingshan Mountain Roads (Yangde Boulevard → Qingtiangang): The gradient changes are pronounced, so variable power pacing can be used—accelerate on gentle slopes and hold steady on steep ones.

Guguan to Deji (Provincial Highway 8): A continuous climb of approximately 1,400 meters. The first half has moderate gradients and the second half is steeper. It is recommended to hold back to 88% FTP in the first half, then maintain or slightly increase in the second half.

Practical Recommendations

1. Amateur riders should first master constant power: Developing a stable power output is a prerequisite. Discussing variable power pacing while your power output is still inconsistent only adds complexity.
2. Use 3-second average power tracking: Avoid letting fluctuations in the numbers caused by minor road undulations affect your judgment.
3. Recon the course before race day: Familiarize yourself with the gradient profile of the target route so you can make correct power decisions based on the terrain during the race.
4. Record the VI (Variability Index) of every climb: The closer the VI is to 1.0, the more stable your power output. Tracking VI improvements over the long term is direct evidence of improved power-pacing ability.

Conclusion

Constant power and variable power are not mutually exclusive—they are two tools in the toolbox, each suited to different scenarios. For most amateur cyclists in Taiwan, the most practical path of progression is to first master “constant power climbing,” then introduce variable power fine-tuning after understanding the characteristics of the route.

Related Reading

• The Science of Climbing Pacing: Energy Expenditure Differences Between Average Power and Steady Climbing
• Power Strategies for Different Terrains: Principles of Power Distribution on Flats, Climbs, and Descents
• Climbing Race Power Strategy: Power Distribution and Pacing on Uneven Climbing Sections
• Climbing Power Distribution: A Wuling Comparison of Steady Watts vs. Steady Heart Rate