Reliability of a combined 3-min constant load and performance cycling test

Most fitness assessments either use a constant load to exhaustion (exercise capacity test) or an "all-out" effort (performance test). The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of a high-intensity assessment that combined a constant load element with a performance test. Ten moderately trained male cyclists completed a ramp test to voluntary exhaustion in order to measure maximum minute power output (mean +/- s, 349.3 w +/- 55.0 w). On two other occasions subjects cycled at a constant load at maximum minute power output for 2-min immediately followed by a 1-min performance test. All tests were conducted on the subjects' own bicycles using a Kingcycle trade mark test rig. Power output was measured each second using SRM trade mark Power Cranks. The data were analysed by measuring the reliability of each 30 s of the 3-min test together with the peak power and the peak cadence achieved in the performance element of the test. There was no systematic bias in the data from trial 1 to trial 2 for any of the 6, 30 s blocks of the test, the peak power (mean, 95 % CI, 413.8 w, 357.8 - 469.7 w and 403.8 w, 339.9 - 467.6 w, trial 1 and trial 2, respectively) or peak cadence (95.0 rev x min(-1), 89.5 - 100.5 rev x min(-1) and 95.1 rev x min(-1), 90.0 - 100.1 rev x min(-1), trial 1 and trial 2, respectively). Mean (+/- s) total distance over the 3-min was 2.23 +/- 0.23 km and 2.26 +/- 0.26 km for trial 1 and trial 2 respectively (p > 0.05). The coefficients of variation ranged from 0.9 - 5.4 % and the intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.96 - 0.99. It is concluded that in moderately trained subjects, the 3-min combination test provides reliable data and could therefore be used for short-term, high-intensity cycling intervention studies.