Originally Posted by
Silvercivic27
Unless you're climbing HC mountains, if you're using a 34 cassette, getting stronger at this stage of the game for you just means riding more. If you're hellbent on buying SOMETHING, just get the electronic gruppo. A PM and coach at this stage of your game is likely to just discourage you and to make cycling less enjoyable in the sense that "training" winds up turning cycling into a chore rather than something you do for enjoyment. I should also tell you that I have the Quarq + praxis rings on all of my bikes and "training" and a coach became a chore for me. Also, I don't have any plans for going to electronic in the foreseeable future.
Hmm, I was thinking that for someone who wants to get-- yeah, 'needs' to get if they're running a 34!-- stronger/faster, then a power meter and training regimen is the only way to go, since Di2 ain't gonna do anything in that regard at all. However, your point that there's plenty of headroom for gains (presuming average, healthy male) from simply cycling more, is a good one, and yeah, why not do those rides with a slick electro shift system?
On the other hand, power training can really focus efforts and lead to faster gains in fitness, even when done without a coach, and while training can be a chore, it can also be enjoyable and rewarding. (I'm still in the enjoyable/rewarding phase!)
Most importantly, perhaps, is a that a power meter offers another opportunity to satiate upgradeitis via GPS head units! The new Garmin 1000 looks pretty juicy to this old 500 user anyway!