Power Meters

[Cassandra_Cain]

Hi...

So I've decided that a power meter is in my future. I'm sure some may find them unnecessary and of course, I respect that point of view. For me though, and my goals, I think it would be very useful.

My question to the fabulous gals of the TE forum is:

Do you own a power meter? If so, can you tell me about your experiences - installation, use, insight, advice, suggestions, tips, etc?

For the record, I'm leaning towards getting a custom wheel made with a Powertap unit built-in.

[limewave]

Sounds cool. I had to google a Power Meter because I haven't heard of them. Let me know how your training goes once you start using it.

[Cassandra_Cain]

hey lime :)

I'm sure I'll babble on incessantly about it once I get started. That is almost a promise :D

[Kalidurga]

I'd love to see your stats. From the sound of your ride reports, they should be through the roof!

[han-grrl]

I am looking into the Ibike power meter, it seems the one i could afford...

if you want to advance, power meter training is definitely the way to go. HR and RPE can only take you so far i think...

i've been testing for Power output, but never trained...

good luck with it!

let us know how it goes!

[velogirl]

I've been using PowerTap (http://www.cycleops.com/c-11-power-meters.aspx)for four years now. I also coach most of my athletes using power. I've got two PowerTap Pros and a PT SL. I'm a big fan of PT. One of the nicest features is that I could have one PT and multiple mounts and just move it from bike to bike (it's a wheel).

iBike is bogus. No one who really uses/understands power for training purposes would use one. I've got pretty much the same opinion about Polar. I've never used Ergomo, but have heard mixed reviews (better than iBike and Polar). SRM is insanely expensive and not portable (you can't move it from bike to bike easily since it's a crankset).

If you choose PT, wait until they release the wireless unit this fall. The price on all the other models has already dropped. My prediction is you'll be able to find a lot of used PTs on eBay once the wireless comes out (including mine).

Remember, power is simply a tool. You won't improve as a cyclist just because you have a power meter. You need to understand how to use that information. If you don't have a coach, you might consider it. If not, join the watts list -- http://lists.topica.com/lists/wattage/prefs/info.html and get a copy of Hunter Allen & Andy Coggan's book.

If you want to chat, email me off the forum. I'd be happy to answer your questions. Lorri <at> velogirls <dot> com

[Cassandra_Cain]

Kali - heh...you are kind, thank you. I'm sure my numbers are anemic, but we all have to start somewhere along the path of improvement :)

han-grrl - hmmm, i thought about the iBike unit, it definitely has a high coolness factor. I decided against it because I think its usefulness is limited....except for say steady climbs where I think it would probably be a good ballpark tool. Then again, I can use analyticcycling.com

Velogirl - thank you for sharing your experiences. I can comment on this now...i actually already ordered the 'training with power' book you mentioned. Highly recommended I've seen, so I'll digesting it soon as amazon delivers. I totally agree with what you said about power being a tool. I absolutely don't think in of itself, I'll go faster...but as you alluded to it, it will give me the most value for my training and a real route to getting better and better. I've pondered maybe entering a race in the future, it all depends. I'd really enjoy chatting with you about this topic more if you'd be open to it :)

For those of you wondering....I ended up getting a new wheel built with the powertap pro installed. It is supposed to get to me in about 2 weeks or so. I'm anxious to say the least!

If you are even a bit curious, here it is:

http://www.all3sports.com/product_info.php?pName=powertap-pro-complete-system-velocity-deepvhttp://www.all3sports.com/images/images_med/PWTWDVPS.jpg

[madisongrrl]

Here is a review I found for the ibike...not too many reviews out there right now.

http://www.westwoodvelo.com/showthread.php?t=535

I'll might get a powertap if I can find an inexpensive/used one...maybe ebay or some local connections.

[khgulledge]

Cassandra_Cain -

I guess you got your PT and have been using it? How do you like it?

I'm considering the purchase of a PT SL later this spring/early summer. Just wanted to see how it's been.

Thanks, Karen.

[aggiecorgi]

My DH had the Polar one for a few months and returned it. It only worked spotty at best, and was difficult to set up. He's looking into getting one that integrated with a wheel, but I'm not sure if it's the powertap model or a cheaper similar type.