pearcem

so here's my situation. i am a cat 4 road racer, and have raced for about a year. at then end of last summer, i got pretty fast and could ride with all my 3 and 2 team mates when we did our hard training rides, attacks, etc. . . I have since had a rough winter and spring health wise, including a 6 week bout with the after affects of multiple infection from appedicitis (apr. 1st was when i had surgery, got back on the bike about 2 weeks ago). Now i am trying to get more involved in racing again, and try and give back to my team that has helped me so much. I want to race again at the end of the summer and the fall. I hate getting on my bike and being slow and out of shape, and while i am seeing improvements in my form, due to work, i don't get a lot of riding time, so the quality of my training needs to be top notch so that i can get the best results out of the least time.

like i said, i want to race, and i want to get a couple of wins (esp. a state championship) before the end of next season and cat up to a 3. i am a decent all around rider, and as odd as this may sound, i am a pretty good sprinter and a decent time trialer (i would say those are my two biggest strenghts), and i would really like to work on those two to see which one i am naturally stronger at. while i do want to focus on those two fields, i also want to improve all around (climbing, tting, crits, sprinting) and just get in better shape so i can enjoy going riding with my team and friends who race.

I have the money to buy a power meter, but i am in college, and no matter how much i have saved, that is a lot of money to spend. I have a team mate who helps coach me, and i have a pretty good understanding of training with heart rates, but from what i have read, power training could really help me get into the top racing shape i want to. so based on my situation, does it sound like it would be a worthy investment? thanks for taking the time to read everything

WarrenG

Really good coaching, and/or a really good understanding of training will help you more than using a powermeter. Given your situation I'd pursue that first. Using a powermeter correctly will help you evaluate the effectiveness of your training, but you still need to figure out what training to do. If you can race frequently and/or do group rides you'll get some relevant feedback on the effectiveness of your training.

Powertaps are on eBay at some reasonable prices. If you want new, Analyticcyling.com is good.

bigskymacadam

watts don't lie. there's a lot of variables attached to hr training that if you have an oppurtunity to get one AND have a good training program and reasonable goals a power meter is the next step in advancing. that said i don't have one, but will consider it as i get better.

plus you need good coaching which can cost money too.

costs are a pretty big factor when you want to get to that next level.

Jim Bonnet

I have one. I also have a coaching plan. Best investments I ever made in cycling. You wont be sorry.

tekhna

fixt

ranger5oh

I'd "powertap" Shakira...

tekhna

God, I knew that one was coming!

edzo

ride your ass off and worry about it when you break cat 2


just ride hard as hell man !

edzo

ummm...yeah ride hard as hell 2 times a week, then ride easy the rest of the week.

your wattage will go up if you bust your ass

xcmntgeek

A powermeter and a good coach, or some study time and an understanding of the concepts behind training will help you a lot. To be honest "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" by Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan and a power meter will help you more than most of the coaches I know in the sport. As long as you're the kind of guy who will see the numbers for what they are (usefull data) and not just a target to shoot for every ride and you train intelligently training with power will pay off.

Not being honest with yourself and getting to caught up in the numbers game are the biggest pitfalls to watch out for. Just Hammering won't make you as fast as training smart (although hammering certainly has its place )

Cheers,
J