[rootusrootus]

150W is a pretty good workout sustained for an hour. Humans can do what, maybe 1000W or so at peak? Non-athletes, I mean. But nobody is putting out 1000W for very long. I'd have guessed that over an hour 75W-100W is more realistic. I recall playing around with a bike generator at the local power plant about 30 years ago and it was hard to keep a regular light bulb lit for any length of time.

[matsemann]

I like to bike, but am just an amateur. My ftp is ~280W, which is what I can sustain for a long time without accruing too much lactic acid. I've held 200+W for hours. Just to give a baseline. A heavier person could probably do even more.

A track cyclist can reach 2000+W bursts, but they are freaks.

[thehappypm]

It would be a lot easier today, LED bulbs are about 10x more efficient! Someone outputting 100W could light up an apartment.

[masklinn]

> Humans can do what, maybe 1000W or so at peak? Non-athletes, I mean.

1000W is “trained biker sprinting”.

> I'd have guessed that over an hour 75W-100W is more realistic.

The mechanical output which can be maintained over a work day is generally estimated around 75W. So accounting for losses 100We for an hours is realistic but vigorous effort.