Originally Posted by
ColnagoC40
I use a Cycleops 420 Pro, best cycling investment I have ever made. It's not a "spinning" bike, it is an indoor training bike, but you can spin your guts out, or low cadence climb your guts out, whatever makes you happy. It uses the same PowerTap as in a Powertap wheel. The advantage is you can measure in a conditioned room, replicating exactly the same conditions for each test, which makes it very accurate to measure progression.
On my road bike, the Powertap wheel seems to measure a bit higher, perhaps 10%, but it is a difficult comparison, as there are hills, wind, turns and one is not comparing apples to apples. But if I do a 5 minute interval on a flat road has hard as I can and I compare it to the same interval, same average cadence on the Cycleops, my road power is around 10% higher.
About the original posters question, regarding spinning:
Personally, I peaked in June, racing and training 12 to 17 hours per week on the road and stopped the racing season early. Then followed weight work in the gym and 3 x 45 minute spinning sessions per week, doing 2 minute intervals around 115 rpm cadence and 310 watts. After 9 weeks, my power is up about 30 watts and I have only lost about 25% of my long distance endurance. So, for me, spinning really works well. For those who are high cadence challenged, it is a real bonus!
PS. A Cycleops 100 is just a indoor training bike, no power measurement. The 420 Pro has power and electronic resistance modulation, either to pre-programmed watts, or to gradients on a Google Earth road ride, or an actual recorded ride on Virtual Training.
I use an older Cycleops 300Pro with the Powertap as well, and my power numbers there correlate closely to my Powertap equipped wheel out on the road as well.
My indoor regimen is usually 2 x 60min rides per week, with a third 45min when I can swing it, and I roll that year round, irrespective of my on-road time, primarily because aside from the early spring crits, I don't train to peak for races, just general fitness and enhanced performance during the riding season.
thanks for the clarification on the $100; I just recalled it as a current model from Cycleops and didn't know--wouldn't have imagined-- the make a bike without a power meter! I guess they need to sell the Powercal to someone!