rushbikes

Thinking about making my foray into training with power. So, what are the advantages of the different options: PT vs Quark vs SRM vs iBike?

umd

Relatively inexpensive, fairly reliable, ties to single wheel.

My pick. More expensive than PT, less than SRM. User-replaceable battery, ability switch between different wheelsets.

Expensive, must be sent back to change battery, more popular selection of cranks, considered by some to "the gold standard"

Don't do it!

kleinboogie

Yup.

I've had a PT for about a year and liked it a lot. Recently got my Cinqo Quarq S975 and so far so good. I got it with a 50/34 Red rings and can mount the 52/36 but would have to send it back for recalibration. Interbike rumor is they have an iPhone app coming out in Dec/Jan that will do the recal without having to send the crankset back. GL

patentcad

umd is essentially correct.

I am very happy with the Powertap built into a set of Zipp 404 clinchers. Pretty much delivers what I want in a race-able power meter. I also like the native Mac Power Agent software Saris provides. Works great. The new Joule 2.0 head unit rocks too.

The iBike is an incredible waste of plastic. Don't go there.

cooleric1234

What's wrong with the iBike?

FlashBazbo

The iBike isn't nearly as bad as they try to make it sound. The old version -- three or four years ago -- was wildly inaccurate as you topped climbs, but within fairly close tolerances otherwise. Closer, for example, than a comparison between SRM and Powertap.

Still, I wouldn't pick iBike as the best choice. You can mis-calibrate it and get bad readings. I would put it in a tie for third.

Quarq first (for the reasons stated).

Powertap second (for the reasons stated).

SRM third (for serviceability issues), iBike third (see, above)

wens

You do realize that an SRM and a Powertap aren't measuring the same thing, don't you?

jrobe

I wouldn't even consider the different powermeter options without first buying and thoroughly studying the powermeter bible ($17) - https://www.amazon.com/Training-Racin...4&sr=8-1-spell

Then ask yourself if this is really what you want to do. In fact, one chapter of the book thoroughly discusses the hardware options.

echappist

though to be fair, if you are really up for it, iBike is ANT+ (the wireless communication standard used by all three companies) compatible, and if you calibrate it against a real powermeter, you can get some good estimates on your frontal drag and how aero your position is. on its own, it's not as useful

edit: +1 to the post above. Make sure you really want to mess around with jargons like TSS, IF, CTL, yada yada yada

wacomme

Yes. The book is a must. And if it intrigues you get a powermeter per the recommendations above. I bought a PT last March and have never looked back. It's improved my riding immensely. However, I do "suffer" more while on the bike - -and that's a good thing.

patentcad

Indeed it is.

kleinboogie

You're either a number junky or you're not. If you are then a PM will seem like candy with candy on top. If you're not then it will seem unnecessary like carbon, clipless pedals and index shifting.

Don't settle for an iBike, you'll regret it or you'll make up excuses how it's not so bad. Buddy chucked his iBike because it would go whacko in a crosswind and his numbers didn't seem right or even right-ish. It's measuring everything except power (which to call that power measurement is basically a lie).

Just get a real power meter.

The decision is actually pretty simple. Get the PT to save money but tie to one wheel. Get the Cinqo to use any wheel and save money off an SRM. Get the SRM if the Cinqo doesn't have your crank and you've got an extra $1K. In all cases you'll need a head unit that measures power. Plenty to choose from.

GL

Psimet2001 

Yes...they are. Dec/Jan might seem a bit ambitious at this point though. Hopefully I will be testing it soon.

BarracksSi

To push the discussion along --

What do you gain by training with power versus just HR and/or "by feel"?

Psimet2001 

This is a good question and a common one for the majority of riders out there. All I can say is this in response: It's been covered 1,000 times and no direct forum response can do it justice in 20 pages or less. Those who have witnessed it first hand know all to well. When you go into the winter after having beaten a guy solidly all season and he comes out in the spring and upgrades in less than a month making you feel like you've totally wasted your winter....then you know.

echappist

Your HR is not a direct measurement of exertion, though it's heavily affected by exertion. HR is also a lousy exertion indicator for intervals <5min. It'll take your heart about 5 min to ramp up to that high an effort. Also, HR is affected by other things: hydration, stress, temperature/humidity, etc. It's good for anything up to and including FTP training, but not as worthwhile for anything else.

BarracksSi

Which guy were you?

Well, how about this -- say that I finish a ride, download my data, and check the graphs. What do I look at? Do I compare power output with HR and see where my strongest HR range is? Am I checking to see how it compares to last week (or month), and what sort of changes would it help me make in the coming weeks? I remember that it's possible to see which leg is stronger, too -- right?

patentcad

Some of that is rather obvious. The rest of it you discover as you work with your power meter. I'm learning more about my riding as I continue to ride and use the Ptap, after two years of having one. No regrets about the purchase whatsoever (wireless Ptap and Zipps from Psimet).

Psimet2001 

Even thought I am an advocate of power I do not utilize it fully so I am the guy who "wastes" his winters building wheels.

i have been able to effectively use power to train and peak for certain events and to take my form up several notches efficiently and way more quickly than ever before by not having it. In order to use it effectively you need some guidance. Money spent on a coach that understands power is as valuable as the money sent on the device itself. if not more. If you are a DIY kind of guy then there are plenty of sources online and in books where you can learn.

Like all types of training though there is not 1 way of doing it or a simple plan you can just go to an plug and play. Many people can get frustrated by this - It's not as simple as looking at the numbers and saying "Oh....now I know I need to go do..." until you have a solid base of data and an understanding of what works for you.

umd

If all you end up doing with it is ride around and look at the graphs after, then you would be doing it wrong. The whole benefit is designing workouts around it, and using it to accurately manage your workload.

achoo

Specifically, I learned this thing called "pacing". Prior to getting my PT, I was absolutely horrible at pacing myself. Mostly because I simply can't "feel" the difference between 200 and 250 watts until it's too late - although now that I can tell the difference, my FTP is moving up pretty fast.

FlashBazbo

Yes.

FlashBazbo

This is absolutely true. Get the book and decide whether you really want to make the commitment to TRAIN with power. It is a major commitment to changing how (most) riders would otherwise train.

For example -- if you don't do interval training now and don't have any interest in doing interval training in the future, a power meter is not going to make you faster. A power meter only monitors what you do. It won't make you faster if your workouts aren't designed to make the most of that information.

Can you do this with heart rate alone? 90% to 95% of it, you can. But, if you want/need the other 5% or 10%, you want/need a power meter.

jr59

Psimet, As much as I respect you and your ideas,
And I envy your wheel building skills.

This is the wost answer I have ever read from somebody who knows.

+1,000 on hiring a coach.
MUCH better $$$ spent on a lower rated rider.

kleinboogie

Thanks for the confirmation on the iPhone app.

Great answers above. A coach or the DIY method are great to set and track goals and develop a plan to get there. Data won't mean much for awhile until you get enough rides (samples in stat speak) to see how you do under differing and similar conditions. For instance if you do the exact same route and you see different numbers you can ponder why.

I don't analyze as much as I used to unless I'm looking at TSS numbers for a specific ride. This can tell you when to step it up and when to back-off before a major event.

During a ride I use my FTP and route profile to try to reach my goal by the end without blowing up during it. Like on steeper or longer climbs I know what my climbing repeat power is which is what I can maintain for X minutes and still have enough to power down the other side. If I plan on coasting down the other side then I up the power output. Short bumps more power. Sprint climbs max power. Without a PM I would have no clue and like in the past would just create a small mushroom cloud somewhere before the peak. GL