How many train with power?

[Michele]

Im on the market for a powermeter (probably a used SRM) and was curious to see how many in here are training with power and their experience with it (improvements/getting used to it/etc).

 

[craig1985]

Had a look on the Cycleops/Powertap website and you can get one for €1 899.00. Not sure what your budget is though. I would like one, but out of my price range.

 

[Christophe]

I'm using a Quarq Cinqo crankset. I find it helps a great deal in structuring training weeks, tapering for big events properly (bit of a learning curve to find where you perform best) and in moderating effort to sustainable levels during races.

Also, if you're inclined to seek coaching from time to time, you can send them data and they can get a pretty good idea of how you ride and what will help you.

I've found it very much worthwhile.

 

[STODRR]

Had a look on the Cycleops/Powertap website and you can get one for €1 899.00. Not sure what your budget is though. I would like one, but out of my price range.

You can get a PT on a wheel without the head unit for under 700 e. If you already have bike computer that has ANT and can read power it is a good option.


I can't imagine training without power now.

 

[brianf7]

I been using isport it works OK with a bit of fiddling not perfect but power is improving lots.

I just got sick of not having any sprint in the crits so decided to have a go with this. it stops time wasting in training I can use any energy to improve and not waiting for Hr to come up in intervals.

I is well worth the $200

 

[TopCarbon]

Using a power meter is useful if you are going to race. I use a meter and it has improved my efficiency. I have a limited schedule, and knowing where I am at for power, heartrate helps me achieve this.

 

[Martin318is]

You might also consider renting a power meter for short to medium term.
When I was in the UK I rented a powertap and headunit from a company. It was comparatively very cheap and was a great way to decide whether it was the right way to go.

You can rent a powertap built into anything from a standard box section wheel through to Zipps and from anything from a weekend to rolling monthly rental. I had mine for nearly a year and it was way less painful than buying (also have the option of buying later with a big discount).

THe other thing is you can try them all that way - SRM, Quark, Powertap.

anyway, for the training i was doing and on the roads I was on, training with power seemed way more useful than previous year's of training on HR. But that was just my reaction to it, yours may vary

 

[durianrider]

I got a powertap. Best piece of equipment I bought for my bike. It takes a bit of reading and riding to get used to what the numbers mean but after that, you know the basics. I used my garmin HR strap as the powertap one is rank I reckon. Some people say 'I just want to make riding more fun and not about numbers all the time..' I say numbers are just numbers, its your choice if you let them decide if your not having fun or not..for me, its fun to train proper and avoid overtraining and get more out of my training..

Its great for improving your pedaling style, gear selection etc. As you can grind big gears and think your putting out heaps of power and then you put it in a 'wussy gear' and your actually putting out more watts now!

If I had to choose between a a 10kg road bike with a power meter vs a 6.8kg bike with no power meter,Id go the 10kg clunker for sure.

One of the reasons Lance and Cadel are so good is they starting training with power over a decade ago. Thats a lot of good data to use to see how the body is responding.

They are so cheap on line now..anyone in a western country can afford one. Ride to work for a few months and youve already paid it off!

 

[mattfatcyclist]

Best piece of gear you can buy to actually make you faster. But be warned, you need to follow the numbers and hit the zones or it's a waist of money. Have had my SRM for six months and can't say enough good things. Also if you are spending the money get at least a proper Lactate Threshold test done to set your zones. Most people discover that when they are supposed to go hard they do not go hard enough, and when it's time to take it easy they don't go easy enough. Hope this helps.

 

[redtreviso]

Best piece of gear you can buy to actually make you faster. But be warned, you need to follow the numbers and hit the zones or it's a waist of money. Have had my SRM for six months and can't say enough good things. Also if you are spending the money get at least a proper Lactate Threshold test done to set your zones. Most people discover that when they are supposed to go hard they do not go hard enough, and when it's time to take it easy they don't go easy enough. Hope this helps.

and you need 3000 dollars worth of PM to figure this out???

 

[Tapeworm]

Yes you do need a 3k device for this.

I have 3, SRM for road/TT bike, Powertap for the mtb, Tacx Fortius for indoor training. Will be getting a Powertap for the track bike next.

 

[redtreviso]

Yes you do need a 3k device for this.

I have 3, SRM for road/TT bike, Powertap for the mtb, Tacx Fortius for indoor training. Will be getting a Powertap for the track bike next.

and you'd have no clue otherwise? are you a 99r?

 

[Tapeworm]

99r?

Human perception and feel can be wildly inaccurate. Stopwatches were the first performance measuring devices. Then HR. Powermeters are the next phase. People have trained well and received results without these tools. But these days there is a reason why their use is becoming more prevalent.

For me they are now an essential tool especially given the limited time I have available.

 

[python]

i tried them all.

if you are not limited by budget - go with srm professional choices.

otoh, i'm firmly convinced that powertap is the best combination of price, performance, accuracy and stability. my mtb hub is going on it's 8th season.

shop around and get a powertap. don't bother with the power meter if you don't intend to analyse lot's of data and be serious about training.

 

[mattfatcyclist]

and you need 3000 dollars worth of PM to figure this out???

Yes actually!I travel between sea level and 5500ft some times 3 times a month a 5 to 6 days at a clip. Heart rate moves all over. Cracks me up- yes it was pricey, but I know lots of people who drop lots more on new whatever light carbon wonder pro product thinking it might make them faster. But spend on something that can actually help make you faster and fitter and balls get broken. Couple of my riding mates thought same thing till I started dropping them on the climbs!

 

[redtreviso]

Yes actually!I travel between sea level and 5500ft some times 3 times a month a 5 to 6 days at a clip. Heart rate moves all over. Cracks me up- yes it was pricey, but I know lots of people who drop lots more on new whatever light carbon wonder pro product thinking it might make them faster. But spend on something that can actually help make you faster and fitter and balls get broken. Couple of my riding mates thought same thing till I started dropping them on the climbs!

You sound like you are making an excuse to your wife or something..Like there is no way anyone ever found FTs without powermeters. My guess is the "should I get a powermeter" forum question are mostly from riders who don't have a clue of what intervals, minute drills, hill repeats are about much less using a 60 dollar HRM...Sure they could buy carbon rims and all sorts of other stuff that would not help but if they think they can't begin to train without PMs they are foolish. Or the PM is going to make them a GT rider and let them do it with 100k a week..

 

[mattfatcyclist]

You sound like you are making an excuse to your wife or something..Like there is no way anyone ever found FTs without powermeters. My guess is the "should I get a powermeter" forum question are mostly from riders who don't have a clue of what intervals, minute drills, hill repeats are about much less using a 60 dollar HRM...Sure they could buy carbon rims and all sorts of other stuff that would not help but if they think they can't begin to train without PMs they are foolish. Or the PM is going to make them a GT rider and let them do it with 100k a week..

No excuse, trained without a power meter for years. My coach recommended one. And it has not made me a GT rider. But has helped push me from cat 3 to cat 2.

 

[180mmCrank]

Great thread - sounds like those that have converted generally love it - mmm maybe I should think about getting one. One more parcel for Santa's sack perhaps...

 

[redtreviso]

Great thread - sounds like those that have converted generally love it - mmm maybe I should think about getting one. One more parcel for Santa's sack perhaps...

How could they not? or how could they admit it if they did?

 

[Michele]

180 said "generally" and not "for sure".

 

[Polyarmour]

Power meters have gained in popularity for a reason, they work. While the information from HR monitors tell you how your body is performing, ultimately races are won by putting Watts on the road.

 

[Night Rider]

I have been saving up for a power meter for awhile now and should be ready to purchase by December. Originally I had planned on an SRM but now I’m almost certain to go for the Quarq Cinqo instead.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone that has bought from Australia and whether you bought locally or direct from the supplier in the US.

 

[durianrider]

I use a powertap. Its changed the way I train and pedal for the better. I now push easier gears at a higher cadence and can tell if Im really pushing hard/easy or think Im pushing hard/easy.

Watts dont lie..

Get a 1500$ roadie, get fitted up right and slap a powertap on it. It will be better than any $10k **** tank.

 

[STODRR]

I have one and also think it is the best thing I have bought for training. I really like it on those windy days which is most of the time around here. If you are riding a based on wattage output it doesn't matter how the wind is blowing you just stay at that wattage. You can't do that with HR because it lags so much.

Since the price was no factor for me it is not because I bought one that I like it. I would challenge any buddy to accuratly tell if they are putting the same wattage out during every interval when they are using HR or precieved effort.

 

[GiElise]

Three things that helped me decide for myself:

1. What might be really useful is to do some interval training with a rider who has a PM and is of similar fitness. The absolute wattage won't really matter but, you will gain insight as to whether or not you are executing each effort and each set correctly. Your HR trend will most likely be the reverse of what you want to see, but there is only one way to find out. Anyways, understanding pacing is what I'm getting at.

2. Read the book, "Training And Racing With A Power Meter" 2nd ed. by Allen & Coggan.

3. Try and find a retired or injured friend or pro who would let you use their wheel (if PT). Then you could observe the data with a little less bias. But, this assumes you know a little about what to look for.