Originally Posted by patentcad

I often ascribe a good day on the bike to the other riders going easier. How the hell would I know? The PM really confirms that. If my numbers weren't that good (good for me, not good compared to other racers) then I'd know it wasn't me riding better. But today's file confirmed I was indeed somewhat stronger than I typically am. That combined with the Nyack Ride probably being slower than it might be with a few more strong guys who weren't there today.

There is no other training tool out there that can do that for you like a power meter, that's all I'm saying. That's good stuff to know, and when a PM provides you with info like that (or when it helps you do intervals right or TT better), that's why they can be worth the money.