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Power meter
Bristolsparks
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in Triathlon
Hi All
Im looking at getting a power meter in the next month or 2 to get stronger on the bike.
there are so many out there i was hoping for some guidance from people how have them
Thanks in advance
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Comments
Then I'd only be missing out on racing with the powermeter - but you do save ??100s..
Mine is a powertap and I have a disc cover to go over it for racing.
In reality I don't use it out on the road apart from races - its so tricky to keep to levels with traffic and riding with others.
I have started to think about this. I have a Wattbike and I plan on doing quite a lot of indoor work to power over the winter. It would be useful to continue this in the spring summer. Most long rides in the winter will be group rides and the rest is commutes and I don't think putting a power meter on my commute hack is worth it!
Sorry that my reply has no response to your actual question.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/10/buyers-guide2015-edition.html
Price is one of the first things you should consider, and hand in hand with that, is how many you need. Personally, I think you miss out (and hence, is it worth the financial outlay?) if you can't train and race with a power meter. So if, for example, you have a turbo bike and a race bike, you're looking at two power meters, which bumps up the cost significantly.
I have 2 Stages power meters. Happy to answer specific questions about them, but suggest you do some general background reading as above and work out your budget first.
I'm kinda in the same camp as Cougie. I have a powertap rear hub, but most of my gains come from using the turbo bike with trainerroad over the winter on virtual power mode.
Because you can't directly translate virtual power to real power (although I know they say you can - trainerroad overestimates mine by a good 10-20%) I end up then racing to HR instead of watching my watts. I still record races, but its the HR I end up pacing to - which I know isn't ideal.
Flyaway - If I may ask - when racing what do you set your head unit to display? just average power, or 3s average? or something else? I've set it to 3s average, but that still varies wildly and is very hard to keep within the range set for the race / outdoor traning session.
I have 3sec average and average power for the whole race. You should be aiming for a 10w ish window, because yes, the 3sec average varies, but a a couple of miles, the average power should be at what you're aiming for.
I've always been a bit anti technology and use feel for races. I did find at the end of the two middle distance races that I was fading a little on the run though.
Up to standard I don't feel the need as it's pretty much full gas anyway. However next year I am thinking of going long and that's where maybe I'd consider it a worthwhile investment.
just bought 2 stages power meters for my winter and race bike (thanks to my departed dad - he hated me cycling so I am buying lots of kit with some inheriatnce money
)
anyway - they were DC rainmakers best buy last year - but not this year - as things like the powertap pedals guve great results... etc
Ive had a quark (flaky in the rain)
missus had a powertap - bomb proof but issues with wheels for racing etc)
ive had a stages v1 - failed in the rain.......
i've heard great things about the stages g2 so will return them asap if I get any issues at all.
oh. and I sooooo miss power once you are used to it. Such a great measure esp looking at hr needed to produce a set power over time
Turbos just get brutal, and some of my hardest sessions at T20 tests to set your FTP.
Have I got stronger over the last 4 years I've had a power meters - no, - my best power was 4 years ago......but at least I know how crap my training is now