Why power measurement is important
- Alex Simmons/RST
- Expert
- Posts: 4997
- Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:51 pm
- Contact:
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:46 pm
http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/store ... ---non-us-
- twizzle
- Posts: 6402
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:45 am
- Location: Highlands of Wales.
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby twizzle » Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:54 pm
4 Feb, 374W, 39.3km/h avg.
11 Feb, 392W, 39.4 km/h avg.
18 Feb, 377W, 38.7 km/h avg.
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
- twizzle
- Posts: 6402
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:45 am
- Location: Highlands of Wales.
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby twizzle » Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:56 pm
Feck - I only got my first edition copy two weeks ago.Alex Simmons/RST wrote:There are a host of other benefits as well, probably best to read about them:
http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/store ... ---non-us-
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
-
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:41 am
- Location: Maroubra
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby donncha » Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:06 pm
Feck - me too.twizzle wrote:Alex Simmons/RST wrote:Feck - I only got my first edition copy two weeks ago.
- ft_critical
- Posts: 2099
- Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:06 pm
- Location: watching the 11
- Contact:
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby ft_critical » Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:23 pm
Thanks Alex, okay, I'm convinced. Those wind stats are really surprising.Alex Simmons/RST wrote:There are a host of other benefits as well, probably best to read about them:
http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/store ... ---non-us-
- Alex Simmons/RST
- Expert
- Posts: 4997
- Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:51 pm
- Contact:
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:34 pm
Yeah - well to flip it around, that same rider on flat road at 275 watts with zero wind -ft_critical wrote:Thanks Alex, okay, I'm convinced. Those wind stats are really surprising.Alex Simmons/RST wrote:There are a host of other benefits as well, probably best to read about them:
http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/store ... ---non-us-
In order to ride the same speed:
with a 0.5 m/s tailwind - 254 watts
with a 0.5 m/s headwind - 297 watts
- JV911
- Posts: 5458
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:22 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby JV911 » Mon May 03, 2010 7:31 pm
-
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:18 am
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby 1q2w3e4r » Mon May 03, 2010 7:33 pm
- twizzle
- Posts: 6402
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:45 am
- Location: Highlands of Wales.
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby twizzle » Mon May 03, 2010 8:19 pm
Well, you don't get the HRM strap with the PT unless you drop some cash, and the built-in cadence detection is... interesting... so you might as well buy the package with the Garmin.JV911 wrote:if i'm looking at getting say a garmin 500 to use with a PM, am i correct in saying that i don't need the extra cadence and HRM functions with the garmin (as the PM will have cadence and HRM is redundant) ?
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
- ft_critical
- Posts: 2099
- Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:06 pm
- Location: watching the 11
- Contact:
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby ft_critical » Tue May 04, 2010 9:16 am
The main lingering concern was that of relative performance. You need to know what performance level you need to achieve to realise your racing goals. You might be smashing the numbers relative to yourself, but not relative to the people you will meet in your race. Same, you might have the power to hang on in the climb, but not the leg speed to hold the break.trainingpeaks.com wrote:
Training Opportunities in Which to Train Using Your Power Meter
• Trainer- Easy to regulate your wattage as there are no external influences.
• Flat Roads- utilizing a specific wattage protocol
• Time Trials -Pacing tool and to select the best cadence.
• Hill Climbs-Pacing tool and to select the best cadence.
• Specific Intervals and training protocols.
• "Race Winning Intervals"
What to Look at in Your Downloads
• Periods of significant efforts. For example: A 15 minute interval that you did at Sub LT HR.
• Significant fluctuations in power and count them.
• Cadence when you have time periods of high power output.
• How many kilojoules of energy did you put out?
• MAX wattage, and average wattage for selected duration of interest.
• Heart Rate at significant time periods.
• Try to pinpoint areas of a race that have significance and look at them to see what made or broke that part of the race.
• Look at the area of time that you got dropped and see what happened. Maybe your cadence was too low for 10 minutes before. Maybe your pedaling stroke became sloppy as you got more fatigued and your torque got too high compared to the power output.
I certainly see that Powermeter PLUS coach is a must combination. It allows coaches to assess your performance on their plan. But what about for a self-coached rider?
Conclusion:
1. You need to combine the powermeter with a structured training program and racing regularly to determine relative performance.
2. THEN you analyse your race data and look for where you had blown/used all your matches etc. And these become your training benchmarks.
3. IMO race the highest grade you can to capture those benchmarks. Not everytime, just to set and re-set your benchmarks.
e.g., for a one hour race I need to be able to soft pedal at 260watts for 40min, perform 10 x 1min at 320 working in the break, 1 x 5min at 400watts to make the break, and whatever for the sprint at the end.
It does occur to me that consulting a coach (around $100 a month online + phone for example) would also be really beneficial in setting up your training programme and getting those initial benchmarks in place – assuming you have your goals, strengths and weaknesses sorted that is.
Did I get it right?
- JV911
- Posts: 5458
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:22 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby JV911 » Tue May 04, 2010 10:01 am
what about quarq/garmin combo?twizzle wrote:Well, you don't get the HRM strap with the PT unless you drop some cash, and the built-in cadence detection is... interesting... so you might as well buy the package with the Garmin.
and does one need a HRM if you have a PM?
- twizzle
- Posts: 6402
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:45 am
- Location: Highlands of Wales.
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby twizzle » Tue May 04, 2010 11:59 am
My bad, I misunderstood what you meant re. HRM being redundant.JV911 wrote:what about quarq/garmin combo?twizzle wrote:Well, you don't get the HRM strap with the PT unless you drop some cash, and the built-in cadence detection is... interesting... so you might as well buy the package with the Garmin.
and does one need a HRM if you have a PM?
IMHO - no. It's still a good measure of cardio fitness. No point hammering out the watts you used to be able to do when your HR is showing that you are about to blow up.
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
- Alex Simmons/RST
- Expert
- Posts: 4997
- Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:51 pm
- Contact:
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Tue May 04, 2010 12:14 pm
In what way?twizzle wrote:IMHO - no. It's still a good measure of cardio fitness.
Don't need HRM to know when that's about to happen. When you blow, you blow.twizzle wrote:No point hammering out the watts you used to be able to do when your HR is showing that you are about to blow up.
- JV911
- Posts: 5458
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:22 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby toolonglegs » Tue May 04, 2010 3:52 pm
Plus I always hated wearing the bloody uncomfortable things!.
- twizzle
- Posts: 6402
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:45 am
- Location: Highlands of Wales.
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby twizzle » Tue May 04, 2010 7:42 pm
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
- Alex Simmons/RST
- Expert
- Posts: 4997
- Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:51 pm
- Contact:
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Wed May 05, 2010 10:24 am
So we didn't scare you off? It's a tough session that one. They vary week to week. All quality though.1q2w3e4r wrote:I am off to get smashed by Alex tomorrow night with a mate at the turbo trainer sessions... Looking forward to it!
Do you like the set up? (BTW - am bringing over a 3rd BF fan tomorrow to add more breeze)
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby toolonglegs » Wed May 05, 2010 3:39 pm
Nice!.JV911 wrote:quess what i just ordered...twizzle wrote:I'd buy a Garmin 500 and a Quarq.
-
- Posts: 758
- Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:34 am
- Location: Perth
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby Ant. » Wed May 05, 2010 6:49 pm
Guess whos SRM track stopped workingtoolonglegs wrote:Nice!.JV911 wrote:quess what i just ordered...twizzle wrote:I'd buy a Garmin 500 and a Quarq.
Which follows the $650 and seven week turnaround for servicing a wireless SRM professional road I just finished enduring
Cervélo P3C
BT Blade
-
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:41 am
- Location: Maroubra
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby donncha » Wed May 05, 2010 6:56 pm
Nice! My 500 arrived today.JV911 wrote:quess what i just ordered...twizzle wrote:I'd buy a Garmin 500 and a Quarq.
Busy trying to order a Powertap off cyclepowermeters.com but they're being a bit useless
-
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:18 am
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby 1q2w3e4r » Wed May 05, 2010 8:19 pm
No chance! I'll be there Friday if Steve can manage it Just a matter of adapting to the indoor sessions as its a big adjustment from doing all my training on the road.Alex Simmons/RST wrote:So we didn't scare you off? It's a tough session that one. They vary week to week. All quality though.1q2w3e4r wrote:I am off to get smashed by Alex tomorrow night with a mate at the turbo trainer sessions... Looking forward to it!
Do you like the set up? (BTW - am bringing over a 3rd BF fan tomorrow to add more breeze)
My aim is to try and get some adaption to the trainer and bridge the gap to outdoor power. Ultimate aim will be to improve my TT'ing ability for calga/west head
The setup is great, really good format, also good to check out what everyone else is doing and being able to see what is coming up. We'll wind up having a crack at Mt Ventoux yet
- sogood
- Posts: 17168
- Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:31 am
- Location: Sydney AU
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby sogood » Fri May 07, 2010 10:51 am
Saved me $200.JV911 wrote:thanks - just saved me 100 bucksAlex Simmons/RST wrote:Don't need HRM to know when that's about to happen. When you blow, you blow.
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
-
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:59 pm
Re: Why power measurement is important
Postby mianos » Fri May 07, 2010 11:35 am
I've got a HRM and had one for years but I don't use it much outside of intervals up my favorite mountain in Europe and maybe sometimes for laps in the park by myself.
Even though the data does end up in sportstracks and GC I don't go back and look at it much.
I can ride faster than some people who have power meters and I'm slower than others, what does that mean? Maybe I am limiting my potential as a rider but at 47 it's more about the bike for me.
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.