Power Meter -- Is It For Wussies, Too?
05-28-08, 04:47 PM
#26
Killing Rabbits
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A good coach is like the master carpenter; he can use what he has and get a good result. The self coached athlete with advanced tools can also get a good result. However, TSTWKT is having a great carpenter with the best tools at his disposal.
Stopwatch / speedometer etc.
HRM
Powermeter.
Last edited by Enthalpic; 05-28-08 at 05:25 PM.
05-28-08, 05:03 PM
#27
out walking the earth
I'm sorry you took my initial post regarding the plethora of PM opinions as some kind of personal insult and saw fit to fire back with sarcasm and condescension. I think you'll find my statement to be true though. And considering you use power it's puzzling you consider it good enough to use, but not good enough for the OP?
I think there's a progression where it becomes useful, and then important...but for someone with limited training time, modest goals, and just starting out the value isn't there. There are more important things to focus on, like simply putting time in the saddle.
05-28-08, 06:10 PM
#28
Resident Alien
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OP may have a big upside and the quickest way to maximize that would be a structured training program using power. Saddle time is useless if it's doing the wrong workout. Also, track racing workouts really fit well with a PM and his limited time.
As someone who started this sport well late in life and made it to Cat 2 in two seasons of USAC racing at 47, my own experience was that my biggest gains in transition from pudgy guy and best racing came from use of the PM and having training structure. I self coached through part of that process using the available literature, I hired a coach once I realized how crazy my racing schedule was.
OP's question wasn't whether he needed a PM, but rather if he would benefit from the use. Applying the caveat of proper and diligent use, I'd say yes. Had you posted the question I'd have said you'd likely not see as much benefit from a PM given your years in the saddle.
Last edited by Racer Ex; 05-28-08 at 06:18 PM.
05-29-08, 02:41 AM
#29
out walking the earth
actually I was mostly addressing this part...Or is it, frankly, not a wise use of money for a guy at my present level and with my future aspirations? ...We're not going to see this in the same way at all. I think the gains a newbie make are exponential anyway, thus the value being elsewhere.
Last edited by gsteinb; 05-29-08 at 03:34 AM.
05-29-08, 06:39 AM
#30
Slow'n'Aero
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Assume that:
1) I am about to be forty years oldI have been cycling for just over two years -- a hobby I selected to lose weight, but then got addicted -- and racing for about a year. By racing, I mostly mean weekly events at the Velodrome: other than that, I have three USCF Cat 5 criterium starts, a handful of 20K time trials, and a few short, non-sanctioned road races.
2) I'm not that fast. My three criteriums have been (a) a DNF, (b) getting pulled with a few laps left while in about 25th place out of 50 starters, and (c) a back-of-the-pack finish. I do better at the track, with some "podium" finishes against a 20+ person field that is usually guys who are Cat 4s.
3) My priority will always be track racing -- I like it best. My ultimate road racing goal is to be "competitive" in Cat 4 criterium-like races and 20K time trials (meaning, for example, that I don't finish every criterium at the back of the pack). I have no aspirations to do longer road races. I doubt that, at my age and weight, and with my limited time, I will ever see Cat 3: if I do, it's gravy; if I don't, I'm won't be disappointed.
4) I ride/train on the weekends, about 35 hard miles on Saturday with a group ride, and 50 miles or so on Sunday on my own or with a friend or two. I track race on Tuesday nights through the summer. My work and family commitments prevent me from riding more. While I enjoy racing, and would like to be better at it, it is not enough of a priority for me to sacrifice the work or family time.
At each of my Cat 5 criteriums, I have seen many in the field pull up to the line with PowerTaps on their Zipps. That seemed, to me, overkill. But what do I know?
Would riding/training with a power meter be that much help to me? How would it help? Or is it, frankly, not a wise use of money for a guy at my present level and with my future aspirations?
1) I am about to be forty years oldI have been cycling for just over two years -- a hobby I selected to lose weight, but then got addicted -- and racing for about a year. By racing, I mostly mean weekly events at the Velodrome: other than that, I have three USCF Cat 5 criterium starts, a handful of 20K time trials, and a few short, non-sanctioned road races.
2) I'm not that fast. My three criteriums have been (a) a DNF, (b) getting pulled with a few laps left while in about 25th place out of 50 starters, and (c) a back-of-the-pack finish. I do better at the track, with some "podium" finishes against a 20+ person field that is usually guys who are Cat 4s.
3) My priority will always be track racing -- I like it best. My ultimate road racing goal is to be "competitive" in Cat 4 criterium-like races and 20K time trials (meaning, for example, that I don't finish every criterium at the back of the pack). I have no aspirations to do longer road races. I doubt that, at my age and weight, and with my limited time, I will ever see Cat 3: if I do, it's gravy; if I don't, I'm won't be disappointed.
4) I ride/train on the weekends, about 35 hard miles on Saturday with a group ride, and 50 miles or so on Sunday on my own or with a friend or two. I track race on Tuesday nights through the summer. My work and family commitments prevent me from riding more. While I enjoy racing, and would like to be better at it, it is not enough of a priority for me to sacrifice the work or family time.
At each of my Cat 5 criteriums, I have seen many in the field pull up to the line with PowerTaps on their Zipps. That seemed, to me, overkill. But what do I know?
Would riding/training with a power meter be that much help to me? How would it help? Or is it, frankly, not a wise use of money for a guy at my present level and with my future aspirations?
I say yes to power in almost every case. Yours may be an exception.
Considering that, of your three rides per week, one is a group ride (with the group dictating the workout and usually the only goal being "dont get dropped") and one is a race, you are not likely to see structure in either situation which means you get a lot of data at the end for downloading and little else. With your solo ride you could certainly see some improvement if you wanted to structure your workout.
As a pacing tool for TTs and as an analysis tool for your races/rides, it would be excellent. However, analysis without an attempt to address discovered weaknesses? I am not sure that is of much value.
Your stated goals do not indicate a desire for much improvemnt. In that case, keep racing and group riding, have fun, and see some mild improvement. No need for a meter.
If you desire an excellent pacing tool for TTs, or you do want to put any type of "structured training" time (even for one workout per week) in, then you will see great improvement with the power meter. Does not sound that this is your desire.
05-29-08, 07:00 AM
#31
Making a kilometer blurry
The cuts I'm most proud of were done with a $25 Dozuki and a $2 chisel (that I sharpened), for some dovetails I cut for my wife's desk drawer.
What were we talking about again? I dunno.
Last edited by waterrockets; 05-29-08 at 07:11 AM.
05-29-08, 01:39 PM
#32
Just call me Chris
Assume that:
1) I am about to be forty years oldI have been cycling for just over two years -- a hobby I selected to lose weight, but then got addicted -- and racing for about a year. By racing, I mostly mean weekly events at the Velodrome: other than that, I have three USCF Cat 5 criterium starts, a handful of 20K time trials, and a few short, non-sanctioned road races.
2) I'm not that fast. My three criteriums have been (a) a DNF, (b) getting pulled with a few laps left while in about 25th place out of 50 starters, and (c) a back-of-the-pack finish. I do better at the track, with some "podium" finishes against a 20+ person field that is usually guys who are Cat 4s.
3) My priority will always be track racing -- I like it best. My ultimate road racing goal is to be "competitive" in Cat 4 criterium-like races and 20K time trials (meaning, for example, that I don't finish every criterium at the back of the pack). I have no aspirations to do longer road races. I doubt that, at my age and weight, and with my limited time, I will ever see Cat 3: if I do, it's gravy; if I don't, I'm won't be disappointed.
4) I ride/train on the weekends, about 35 hard miles on Saturday with a group ride, and 50 miles or so on Sunday on my own or with a friend or two. I track race on Tuesday nights through the summer. My work and family commitments prevent me from riding more. While I enjoy racing, and would like to be better at it, it is not enough of a priority for me to sacrifice the work or family time.
At each of my Cat 5 criteriums, I have seen many in the field pull up to the line with PowerTaps on their Zipps. That seemed, to me, overkill. But what do I know?
Would riding/training with a power meter be that much help to me? How would it help? Or is it, frankly, not a wise use of money for a guy at my present level and with my future aspirations?
1) I am about to be forty years oldI have been cycling for just over two years -- a hobby I selected to lose weight, but then got addicted -- and racing for about a year. By racing, I mostly mean weekly events at the Velodrome: other than that, I have three USCF Cat 5 criterium starts, a handful of 20K time trials, and a few short, non-sanctioned road races.
2) I'm not that fast. My three criteriums have been (a) a DNF, (b) getting pulled with a few laps left while in about 25th place out of 50 starters, and (c) a back-of-the-pack finish. I do better at the track, with some "podium" finishes against a 20+ person field that is usually guys who are Cat 4s.
3) My priority will always be track racing -- I like it best. My ultimate road racing goal is to be "competitive" in Cat 4 criterium-like races and 20K time trials (meaning, for example, that I don't finish every criterium at the back of the pack). I have no aspirations to do longer road races. I doubt that, at my age and weight, and with my limited time, I will ever see Cat 3: if I do, it's gravy; if I don't, I'm won't be disappointed.
4) I ride/train on the weekends, about 35 hard miles on Saturday with a group ride, and 50 miles or so on Sunday on my own or with a friend or two. I track race on Tuesday nights through the summer. My work and family commitments prevent me from riding more. While I enjoy racing, and would like to be better at it, it is not enough of a priority for me to sacrifice the work or family time.
At each of my Cat 5 criteriums, I have seen many in the field pull up to the line with PowerTaps on their Zipps. That seemed, to me, overkill. But what do I know?
Would riding/training with a power meter be that much help to me? How would it help? Or is it, frankly, not a wise use of money for a guy at my present level and with my future aspirations?
How long (time) is the Sunday ride? 3-4 hours? Cruising? Would you be better off interval/track training for 90 minutes, giving the excess time back to the family and taking one more night a week for interval/track training?
Answers to those questions will tell you if a power meter is helpful or not.
