The reliability of a 30-s sprint test on the Wattbike cycle ergometer

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to determine the reliability of a 30s sprint cycle test on the Wattbike cycle ergometer. METHODS: Over three consecutive weeks, 11 highly-trained cyclists (mean ± SD; age = 31 ± 6 years; mass = 74.6 ± 10.6 kg; height = 180.5 ± 8.1cm) completed four 30s maximal sprints on the Wattbike ergometer following a standardised warm up. The sprint test implemented a 'rolling start' which consisted of a 60 s pre-load (at an intensity of 4.5W/kg) prior to the 30s maximal sprint. Variables determined across the duration of the sprint were peak power (Wpeak), mean power (Wmean), Watts/kg, mean cadence (rpm), maximum heart rate (n=10) and post-exercise blood lactate. RESULTS: The average intraclass correlation coefficients between trials (2v1, 3v2, 4v3, 4v1) were Wpeak:0.97 (90%CI 0.94-0.99), Wmean:0.99 (90%CI 0.97-1.00), Watts/kg: 0.96 (90%CI 0.91-0.98), mean cadence: 0.96 (90%CI 0.92-0.99), maximum heart rate: 0.99 (90%CI 0.97-0.99) and post-exercise blood lactate: 0.94 (90%CI 0.87-0.98). The average typical error of measurement (expressed as a CV% and absolute value between trials - 2v1, 3v2, 4v3, 4v1) was: Wpeak: 4.9%, 52.7 W; Wmean: 2.4%, 19.2 W; Watts/kg: 2.3%, 0.18 W/kg; mean cadence: 1.4%, 1.6 rpm; maximum heart rate: 0.9%, 1.6 bpm; and post-exercise blood lactate: 4.6%, 0.48 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: A 30s sprint test on the Wattbike cycle ergometer is highly reproducible in trained cyclists.