FrankDay said:So, you have your athletes spend all that money just so you can tell if they are improving or not?
No.
My riders make the decision to purchase a power meter because they want to know the exact demands of the events they wish to be competitive in.
They want a precise measure of their ability in relation to those demands.
They want a precise measure of how well they are matching those demands in training.
They want a precise measure to ensure they are not overtraining.
They want a precise measure that isn't affecting by other variables.
They want a precise measure that can be used to test equipment and riding positions on the bike.
If I was any less professional as a coach I would tell them not to buy a power meter as they make me far more accountable. I could tell a rider that their time trial times had improved from winter to summer and pat myself back as a coach but the power meter would tell the true story. What other metric would be as precise?
I have never yet told a rider they have to buy a power meter or said I won't coach someone if they don't have a meter. I do show them the data we collect and how it can help them to prepare for events, and prescribing training intensity is only one aspect of that, and they usually make the decision to invest in one. One of my riders just spent NZ$6,000 on a SRM but another spent NZ$800 and brought a second hand wired powertap.