Equinox

First time using a power meter. I find it usefull and effective on the trainer, but having a hard time transitioning to real life. I find myself pushing harder gears at lower cadence in order to achieve my power goals. There's so much variability in real life. What power numbers are most important? I'm thinking TSS might be more important.

RChung

It's really not *that* complicated. If you're a sprinter, short term power is most important. If you're a long distance rider, long term power is most important. If you race in crits, burstiness and ability to recover is most important. If you're a climber, watts/kg. If you're a TT'er, watts/CdA.

apn

The power meter is the gold-standard of athletic performance testing, since it measures the actual training work, not the effects of same e.g. HR.

What you measure depends on your style of riding, as RChung points out. There are tests to measure your various power numbers and categorize yourself as a sprinter, climber, TT'er etc.

If you just want to be an all-rounder i.e. General Classification, then you could do a power test, identify your weakness(es) and work to improve those. Many cyclists start by establishing their FTP and work to improve that.

BTW, 'Training Stress Score' (TSS) is simply the ratio of the intensity at which you trained relative to your FTP. In the absence of a PM, hrTSS is similarly derived from your average HR relative to LTHR (HR @ FTP).

gregf83 

TSS also includes time. You can have the same TSS score with a 2 hr easy ride or a 1hr hard ride.

TCR Rider

I have a question in calculating average power. Is it more common to include zeros in the average power, coasting ,downhills etc., or only use the time you are actually generating power. I noticed there's an option on the Garmin to include zeros or omit them.

jsk

You should include zeroes, especially if you're going to use the training metrics popularized by Hunter/Coggan and used in apps/services like WKO+, Training Peaks, Garmin Connect, Strava, etc (talking about TSS in particular, which is a way of measuring training load).