Power meter question

[moose8]

I was wondering about whether installing a power meter would be worth it for me. Unlike most people who seem to use them, I don't race. I like to ride by myself and see how hard I can push myself though, which seems like one of the things a power meter could help me actually measure, at which point I could then focus on improving (I would buy one of those training guides if I do keep it). I actually already bought a power meter, but haven't decided if I will keep it - it got scratched in shipping, so the store said I could either return it or keep it and get a slight discount (they don't have anymore at the sale price to exchange), hence the reexamination of my purchase. I was already planning on buying a new crank, so the power meter part tags on about $800 to what I was going to spend. It is an SRM 975 BB30 that I got on competitive cyclist for $1098, which seems to be way cheaper than that particular model normally sells for. That being said, it still represents a significant sum of money, and would be the single most expensive part of my bike, including the frame and wheels, both of which I am happy with and have no desire to replace.

On the one hand, I ride a bike at least 5 days a week year round, which is how I often rationalize my bike related purchases, while on the other hand $800 (the amount over what I was going to spend on a crank) to get something that will likely just show me how weak I am may be kind of dumb. But I do like seeing how I am doing, and have enjoyed being able to see my heartrate info on my garmin. Also, I have plans to do a lot of riding this year as my significant other works for a professional bike team, and I am learning that virtually every bike race occurs on the weekends, so I will have lots of weekend time to myself. As an aside, part of her job involves using training peaks, so she could help me figure that part out. I thought it might be fun to try to see how much I can change from now through the fall with a power meter.

So, from anyone who has used one, do you think a power meter would be worth it for someone like me?
Thanks for any input.

[gavingould]

simple answer... "depends"

i'll give you my spiel. i race a little (90% cyclocross) and "train" loosely up until right before the season.
there are a few different ways you can come at this, here are two:

1. ride like normal, don't look at the numbers until post-ride. likely you will see gradual improvement.

2. do some benchmarking tests, create some specific goals, and train specifically for those goals. involves a lot of time and concentration on hitting/maintaining numbers throughout rides.

if you're into numbers and the mathematic approach, having a power meter is very fun/cool. but you can definitely get burnt out on watching the little screen so much and riding by/for numbers. there's a serious pitfall of over-analyzing everything and no longer enjoying riding.

seems that right after 'cross season finishes up, i start getting on the trainer with good intentions to build fitness through winter. but i end up getting bored and take time off the bike before the weather gets decent enough to ride outdoors again.
i end up back at square one every March, could be worse...

[firerescuefin]

Given your penchant for liking numbers and improvement...I think you'd dig it. There are a couple of books you could pick up that I'd recommend that would give you a little more insight into how you would use it...I think if you read through them, you would answer your own question really quick.

Racing and Training With a Power Meter

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1934030554

Power Meter Handbook

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Meter-Handbook-Cyclists-Triathletes/dp/1934030953/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365000997&sr=1-1&keywords=friel+power+meter

Friel's book is a little easier to get through/digest, but they're both good

[FlashUNC]

If you geek out on the numbers, there's no better way to chart your improvement.

Are there any goals you have for the year on the bike? That can help make the training a bit more focused.

[Z3c]

I recently started riding with one after buying a used bike that had an SRM. My intent was to sell the SRM but I rode with it a few times since I was curious. I do not consider myself to be much of a gadget/tech person in general. I'm not a racer either. I am hooked on the SRM; it is a much more consistent way of knowing what you really do while riding. I no longer care about average speed, no longer try to figure the effect of the day's conditions. I look at my avg & peak watts and know how hard I worked. It sounds like you bought at a good price; I would say try it knowing that worst case you can probably ebay it for really close to your purchase price if you sell it within the first 1K miles or so.

[laupsi]

besides the campy cranks SRM, what other PM works w/Campy?

[slidey]

A powermeter without doing FTP tests is as good as having a $800 cadence sensor, i.e worthless.

Therein lies the catch, worthy FTP tests are solo tests that are either 20min or 60min in duration. And the way to go about those tests are to go as hard as you can go without passing out or throwing up, i.e. positively no holding back. If you can imagine yourself going hammer down for 60min and know that you've given it everything, and can repeat this process at least once a month, then get the powermeter. Else use a cadence sensor and upload stuff to Strava, and use their faux power approximation figures.

[rockdude]

The most important thing is a plan or coach. Without one of the two, its just a an expensive toy. You don't get stronger just because you have a PM, you get strong with a PM because you can better control and plan workouts. With that in mind, Are you willing to get on a plan and stick to it day in and day out. That mean all your fun rides of doing what ever you want are gone and every ride you will have work to do. I don't leave the house without a plan, I don't do group rides and I don't ride with friends. I do follow my plan to the "T", I do get stronger every year, I do have a PM on every bike I ride (5 of them).

FYI- Most of the improvements you make with a PM can be made with a HRM but the shorter and high intensity intervals is where the PM shines.

[rockdude]

besides the campy cranks SRM, what other PM works w/Campy?

All of them...

[gavingould]

besides the campy cranks SRM, what other PM works w/Campy?
i would think pretty much any. cranks are about the least manufacturer-specific component in the gruppo

[christian]

A powermeter without doing FTP tests is as good as having a $800 cadence sensor, i.e worthless.

Therein lies the catch, worthy FTP tests are solo tests that are either 20min or 60min in duration. And the way to go about those tests are to go as hard as you can go without passing out or throwing up, i.e. positively no holding back.
I just do FTP tests on a known route. I know how much I'm improving by how far I get in 20 minutes -- basically go like hell until the watch beeps. Sure it's a bit imprecise with wind and weather. But I'm bagging at least a couple more mailboxes a month.

At the end of the day, training with power is clearly a better way to train, but as an amateur, I think you can get pretty far by just using a structured training plan.

This is the first year in 17 years I'm actually "training."

All I've been doing is:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 10m WU, 2x20m FTP, 10 min recovery, 10 CD (@95% of LTHR)
Weds: 2h Z2 endurance (@90-93% of LTHR)
Thurs: 10m WU then either 4x5m @ 103-106% of LTHR, 5 m recovery or 13x1m @ 106+ of LTHR, 1m recovery , 10m CD
Friday: 1h Z2 endurance
Saturday: Group Ride
Sunday: 1h Z2 endurance

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell me this sucks (please do!), but basically, I don't think you need a PM to train to some degree of fitness.

[T.J.]

Like others have said a pm is a great tool IF you are willing to use it the way it is intended. It takes the correct mindset. There are times I head out and have tempo work to do, run into a group and it get spirited time to bail on the group or the workout. Same if you are out for a recovery ride and run into your favorite riding partners etc etc. I do one group ride a week, the local Wednesday night worlds , everything else is solo.

[1centaur]

Paying hundreds of dollars to find out you're weak compared to some standard of pro-ness is too much. Say you find out that the best local riders are doing some long stretch at 330 watts (while chatting comfortably) and you do it at 230 watts. Do you then train like hell, take the joy out of riding as you just become a watt production machine, and 6 months later you find you have increased to 247 watts? At which point you accept your genetic limitations and wish you had not spent the money and could get your 6 months back?

If you are pro you are paid to do that, and if you are the type of guy who finds personal glory in riding rollers for an hour at a time toward a basement wall all winter then doing the PM equivalent of that makes plenty of sense. But if you ride for fun, are not blowing everybody away with your speed, and just want to find out how much power you're putting out over certain sections, then send it back and borrow a Powertap wheel or check your output on a Computrainer and you will quickly find what nature has given you and seeing the same numbers again and again on your usual routes will become dull and/or depressing. However, if you are the 330 watt guy for an hour, a PM can be an amusing brag validation tool and getting to 350 might be worth it.

[shovelhd]

It is an SRM 975 BB30 that I got on competitive cyclist for $1098

That's not an SRM, it's an SRAM Quarq S975. Two different manufacturers. If you decide to sell it, you'll get your money back. Used S975's are in the $900-$1K range and falling. The Riken has driven the bar down ($1495 list).

I ride, train, and race, so I have a powermeter on both bikes. I also have a coach. For me, they are not a luxury, but a necessity. I do know quite a few recreational riders that use a powermeter, understand how to train with power, and benefit from it. They're part of the gran fundo set, a lower level of competition than USAC racing.

So it really comes down to, what do you want from it? Just curious about your output? Want to have more data than just HR? Want to train with power without goals? Want to train with power with goals? It's really up to you. It can become something you won't want to ride without, or just an expensive toy.

[laupsi]

All of them...

let me refine my question: can you use any SRM on a campy equipped crank or do you have to replace the crank as well?

[firerescuefin]

That's not an SRM, it's an SRAM Quarq S975. Two different manufacturers. If you decide to sell it, you'll get your money back. Used S975's are in the $900-$1K range and falling. The Riken has driven the bar down ($1495 list).

I ride, train, and race, so I have a powermeter on both bikes. I also have a coach. For me, they are not a luxury, but a necessity. I do know quite a few recreational riders that use a powermeter, understand how to train with power, and benefit from it. They're part of the gran fundo set, a lower level of competition than USAC racing.

So it really comes down to, what do you want from it? Just curious about your output? Want to have more data than just HR? Want to train with power without goals? Want to train with power with goals? It's really up to you. It can become something you won't want to ride without, or just an expensive toy.

No...that was the SRM...not the Quarq

[shovelhd]

No...that was the SRM...not the Quarq

My mistake. That's one hell of a deal, then.

[Z3c]

let me refine my question: can you use any SRM on a campy equipped crank or do you have to replace the crank as well?

An SRM is a complete crank with the power sensors. You cannot add SRM to a crank. What he is saying is that you don't need a Campy variant SRM crank because you have a Campy drivetrain..

[laupsi]

An SRM is a complete crank with the power sensors. You cannot add SRM to a crank. What he is saying is that you don't need a Campy variant SRM crank because you have a Campy drivetrain..

pity. I love my SR Cranks and cannot come to terms w/the cost of purchasing a Campy SRM or replacing those cranks w/another set simply to get a SRM. thanks!

[fuzzalow]

If you will learn how to use a PM, if you are interested in the structured workouts that using a PM will entail and if you have the discipline to adhere to a structured program, then yes use a PM.

For my purposes, using a PM is tremendously useful because it ensures training time is utilized maximally. The positive impact to time efficiency is very high. It does take the joy out of riding when you have a program to complete and that's all there is time for and all there is to look forward to - another block. Better be worth the sacrifice. All in all it's just another brick in the wall...

Otherwise, it's not that useful as you won't need to know your wattage to know you are slow.

[Z3c]

I certainly agree that a PM is key if you are serious but I find it informative and motivating despite my not being that serious. Is my PM being used to its' capability? No. Do I have fun with it? Yes.

[moose8]

Wow - thanks for all the informed responses. It is an 2013 SRM with SRAM cranks/chainring, though it said you can use any kind of chainring on it. I'll probably end up keeping it but still haven't decided. I definitely will never be as disciplined as some, but I do like the idea of trying to track progress and improve, especially when I know this upcoming spring/summer presents me with a lot of time where I will have no obligations, which is good for riding my bike. I guess if I use it a bit and decide it is useless for someone like me I can sell it without taking too big a hit too since it seems it was priced way below retail for some reason. It sounds like it has the potential to improve my biking experience if I can keep from being too lazy, so I think I will give it a go.

Anyway, thanks again for all the responses.