it's not a panacea, but I think it's a valuable tool. I like to suggest Training with Power by Coggin and Allen which gives a lot of information on how to make the most use of it. If you're considering a power meter, read the book and it might sell you. If it doesn't you saved a lot of mney, and if it does having read the book will help you take full advantage of the power meter.
+1 on Cycling Peaks. Way more useful than the software that comes with it.
Training with a power meter is a lot like doing a HR based program working specific zones. However, its more precise than HR alone. Also having HR and power data can help identify what's working for you and what's not.
Just as an example, I'm in phase right now where I'm doing consecutive days of steady state intervals. Often on the second day, its very hard to get my HR to the specified range. However, I can still produce the specified power. If I was doing HR alone, I'd either give up on the interval, or I'd push myself too hard on that second day. With the power data, I can focus on the power to guide the effort and hit the right zone to accomplish the objective.
Also if you work with a coach, the file downloads are a great communication tool that will really help maximize what you get from your coach.
Last edited by merlinextraligh; 09-01-06 at 11:37 AM.