Jancouver

Was just thinking about trying to race a crit without computer & watch. Somehow during crits I found myself checking my heart rate, power, cadence and time left way too often so maybe I should focus more on racing in stead of the computer data. Perhaps I should just put my garmin in my jersey packet and review the data later.

So the question is: are you (always) racing (especially crits) without computer and watch?

waterrockets 

I always race with my power meter. The only times I look at the power are during breaks, when things have stabilized. That's more of a gut-check to make sure I'm recovering enough in the draft and pulling appropriately on the front (sometimes I want to be drilling it, other times, I want to feign the effort slightly -- 10W can be a life saver).

Other than that, I just like having time (crit) or distance (RR) to look at during the race.

Copperhed51

I rarely look at anything in a crit other than time and HR if I'm off the front. I could do fine without any of that information too. Seems like in a crit you either stay with the group, go with a break, or get dropped. You either have the fitness to do those things or you don't. I can feel myself teetering on the edge of blowing up without looking at the data to prove it. In a road race, having the mileage displayed is pretty helpful. Just set up your computer to only display the things important to that race.

TMonk

I personally don't ride with a cycle computer any more because speed or distance isn't an important metric to me in my training.
I don't ride with a PT because I don't own one; I will some day. When this happens I might tape over the display just for the data during races.

While I train with my HRM I don't race with it. I wouldn't want to psych myself out with a high number display due to nerves or anything.
By this point in the game I can tell how long I can sustain a given effort by RPE.

So I guess I'm just winging it out there... Sometimes I wish I had a simple clock or stopwatch during crits so I had an idea of how much time was left. Might try that out tomorrow.

Creatre

If you feel like it's getting in the way, just tape over it, or tape over the stuff you don't want to see. You should have it on to record the data, and IMO, all of the information is valuable at certain times during the race.

I don't look at mine very much though, just mainly for time and a quick HR check to see if what I'm feeling is accurate.

Brian Ratliff

I race sans everything. My bike is bare. I train with a watch. Gave up the powertap this year; was getting too wrapped up in the numbers. Haven't missed it and I'm riding better than ever right now.

The powermeter was an invaluable tool when I was getting into racing. It enabled me to "calibrate" my feel much quicker by giving me reference points to gauge my efforts. It was basically playing the same role as an old school coach. But the numbers and planning got to be too much for me so I sold it to a teammate. Now I race by feel and train using hours and perceived intensity. Not as scientific, but it's effective for me given my personality.

DRietz

I've never had a computer, heart rate monitor, or special doo-hickie hub thang on my bike.

Ever.

When doing intervals, I just go as hard as I physically can without vomiting. When I race, I just try to stay near the front.

TMonk

Do you do intervals of varying duration?

For example, I do intervals every where from 1'-90'. During a 90' interval, it's impossible to sustain a pace such that you are close to puking.

It isn't necessary, but you might notice some increased physical adaptation and better race results if you succumbed to special doo-hickies and actual race tactics. Again not necessary, just sayin'.

rruff

Yes... if you can't keep from looking at it.

Bob Dopolina 

I really want to data from my races so I have the PM on at all times.

I usually look at distance in a RR and wattage only when in a break or making a long bridging effort, otherwise the race dictates the efforts.

For a crit I look at the lap counter and use the PM for the same reasons.

For a longer RR I will look at time to keep track of my food/water intake. It's just a mental check to make sure I'm getting what I need. It also helps me plan feeds or (if we're feeding from a caravan) to move through the group and take orders for our protected guys.

I will also use distance if there is some element of the course that could be a selector or if we have laid out a strategy that requires certain actions in a certain place. I need to know when these things are coming and be in the right place to execute.

As I'm typing this I guess I am realizing just how much I use my computer/PM in a race: Lots.

zzzwillzzz

since all of our crits are by time and not laps i use the computer to know how much time is left in the race, other than that i don't use a hr or pm

Out-The-Back

I always have a computer and PT. During a race, I only monitor power on breaks and TT's but used to monitor cadence a bit more. Post race I just compare data to verify my RPE, if I had an issue I'll go back and look at the data a bit more. That's how I found some patterns where cadence was an issue at times and addressed it. Other than that I use power and such a lot during my training rides but don't do a lot of other analysis unless something is going on. No speadsheets, don't even use Training Peaks software. Like any other tool, it won't do much for you unless you use it correctly. Burning yourself out with data overload is no good either. I did this early on trying to maximize my performance as a 5....pointless. There's a reason Friel recommends that you start much of his stuff after you have a couple years under your belt, but of course I thought I knew best....doh...I'm having a lot more fun and success now.

kleinboogie

First race this weekend and I only looked at my 705 twice. I didn't need it to tell me I'm suffering. But, I scoured the data in GC afterwards to see wth happened. Ah, it all makes sense now. I might use it if I ever break or in a road race where there's longer climbs so as to not blow up. Training however it's invaluable to me. GL

Edit: It's absolutely required in TTs for me or I'd blow up for sure.

Creakyknees

I've been riding nekkid this year (since getting out of the garage/off the trainer, anyway).

I miss (a bit) having a watch in timed criteriums, and (a bit) having mileage in road races, but so far it hasn't influenced my racing or results at all.

topflightpro

I've started taping over my PowerTap computer or not racing with it. I find that the minute I look down and see I'm putting out 500 or 600 watts, I'm done. It's all mental.

Creakyknees

This.

On a club ride this weekend, one of the club's cat 1 guys lit the afterburners and the rest of us were just hanging on. Several guys got popped. Later, one of them told me "I looked at my speedo and we were going 39 mph up that hill and that's when I knew I didn't have much longer" My reply: "I was only watching the wheels and the line ahead to make sure guys like you weren't about to pop and gap me."

waterrockets 

That mentality is strange to me. When I see a higher number on the display than I'm expecting, it drives me to push more, not less.

gbot

x2.

brianappleby

We all have different headcases I suppose.

Higher than normal numbers in training: "You're awesome. Look what you can do. You should keep pushing."
Higher than normal in a race: "You're fooked. You know you can't hold this for very long so you'd better start conserving for the suckage cuz you're about to get dropped."

Needless to say, I don't race w/ power that often.

therhodeo

Its common though. Last tuesday night on our group ride one of the guys in the group beside me says "we're doing 29 we can't keep this up" and falls out the back. I hung on and ended up being sheltered into a 20mph headwind for most of the ride instead of mashing alone because the number scared me.

carpediemracing 

I glance at my computer sometimes, just to give me a reference point. But in general I don't look at my computer much at all. I raced for much of last year with no power or HR, just speed, and in the last few races not even speed.

I prefer to see the data after I race, esp if I look back at stuff later (a year later etc).

x514

i have a $7 watch from wal-mart

Brian Ratliff

This is exactly how I react to the powermeter. In training, it's all stars and fairy dust. "I'm so cool, I'm holding 10W over threshold for a 45minute time trial." In a race, if I start seeing numbers significantly above my FTP, I would start getting the mindset of "okay, done, stick a fork in me". Not exactly helpful when you consider that I can easily hold a number much higher than FTP for the length of time most surges last. Eventually, which was last year, I said "screw it" and stopped racing with the powermeter. Then this year, after doing more races than training rides most of the summer, I said "screw it" again and got rid of the powermeter altogether.

HMF

I only train with HR and I almost always use it in races to pace myself if I have to chase something or if I'm lucky enough to breakaway.

That said, I left the HR strap at home for a crit last thursday. I knew that it was going to be fast and hard, and I didn't feel like having the HR strap around my chest to boot. It was nice. I keep the cyclometer on the bike, though I only use it to check elapsed time or distance, depending on whether it's a crit or road race.

aham23

racing or very hard group efforts where i am on the rivet mean i never look at the computer. i know it hurts and i know the numbers are crazy. part of the fun for me is having the numbers for these post hard races and efforts. later.