Powertap- yea or nay?

There are numerous posts on this subject but yes they are worth it if you are willing to use it correctly.

I would recommend getting a copy of http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794

Before getting the PM to see if it looks like something you would be able to keep up with.  If not just buy a regular bike computer and save the $$

x2 it's a pretty expensive tool but is it worth it?

Well, it estimates the power you are putting out--the best way to measure the work you are doing.  So, it is the best way to monitor progress, training loads, etc.  If you are into it, it can be used to help estimate all kinds of other things (like your positional drag).  It can be used to help pace time trial efforts (especially longer ones).  It can be used to motivate you to maintain or increase your effort.

"Worth it" is an individual thing.  It is to me.

I would say that anyone who is considering training with power should invest the time to do some reading before their purchase to decide if using power to guide their training is something they are willing to tackle (or hire someone to tackle it for you).

IMO this is a great place to start (in part because it is free ): http://www.freewebs.com/velodynamics2/rcgtp1.pdf

This should give you some insight into whether or not power is right for you and if so, I would suggest Dr. Phil Skiba's book, The Triathlete's Guide to Training with Power (http://physfarm.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=20&zenid=a65ed4883cd0af608e807fb8136bd36a) for further reading.

Good luck,

Shane

I've done a ton of reading about powertaps and have NEARLY bought 1 a couple of times, but haven't bit yet (so many things to consider for purchase) but the long and short of a power meter is:

a) it's a tool that helps you gauge performance. If you don't know what to do with the data then it's not going to help. It doesn't make you faster just for having it

b) The reason they are cool is they take out all of the variables of the course profile (hills, etc), wind, how you're feeling, and even some stuff about your bike. In that way the power number you get is pretty "pure". You can ride 2 courses one that's a mountain and average 12 mph and another that is all downhill and average 22 mph but the power meter will tell you what your body is actually producing.

HTH

Edited by merlin2375 2009-07-24 1:21 PM

Except that they don't take aerodynamics into consideration. I guarantee you that if I'm out of the saddle 30% of the time I'll push more watts than being in the saddle all the time, but I may not actually be faster.

But they do take aerodynamics into account.  If you are going 25mph standing up and cranking 320 Watts and then sit down and go 25mph and only crank 264 Watts, you are more aerodynamic seated if all other conditions are the same (grade of pavement, wind speed and direction).  I think it is a very useful tool if used properly.  It is perhaps most useful in the winter when doing intervals on your trainer.

It is true, of course, that power is not the lone factor in determining speed.  But, it's not supposed to tell you if you are going faster or not.  It's supposed to tell you if you are doing more work or not.  Which it would.

I have had one for 3 years. I have a training power tap wheel and Zipp 404s. Recently upgraded my training wheel to wireless..so I guess I can say I've had 3.

What I like above what others have said above, is it has taught me how to execute/pace better on race day. Most folks me included push to hard early in a race and fade over time. The longer the case the more helpful I think it can be to learn to keep power level or even push up watts a bit last half of the race. Over last couple years I have learned how to evenly pace on longer races and negative split on Olys or shorter races.

I've had a coach for last 5 years. Having a power meter allows me to send him my files for him to review so it helps him coach me better.

Makes me work harder on the trainer and keeps me honest. Before PM I think I went way to easy on the trainer. Now I know what hard work really can be while training indoors.

There is a time investment in learning and if you are willing to do that you will have more than a real expensive bike computer.

living in florida, i think it would be an awsome tool for me.

its suprising how windy it gets here and that can definitely give you false feeling of speed and power.  i would love to be consistent in a race.  if i can comfortably put out 250 watts, i would like to do it for the entire race.  but instead what i do, is i put out 300 into the wind, which kills me, and then i slow down. 

to answer the OP, its probably one of the better tools to get for a bike, even moreso then aero wheelset. 

I believe that this really depends on the athlete; if you get a powermeter and learn how to use it to guide your training, then the powermeter should allow you to make consistent improvement with your cycling (provided of course that an athlete is consistent in their training).

However, if someone is simply going to look at the wattage as a cool number to know but not to guide training, then I would argue that a pair of aero wheels would be a better purchase.

Shane

A power meter is almost cheating in long course racing....

The big question to ask yourself is whether you want hub-mounted, i.e. Powertap, or crank-based, i.e. Quarq/SRM. There are some others, like the iBike and Polar, that use other indirect measures of power output, but they're frought with inaccuracies and need lots of calibrating.

For me, I went crank-based because eventually I'd like to have 3 rear wheels in the arsenal--training, disc, and a deep-rim race wheel for hilly courses or the occasional road race. All you need to do is price a Zipp disc wheel with a Powertap hub to see what I mean... Buying several powertap hubs gets expensive fast.

After deciding on crank-based, I went with the Quarq Cinqo. It's a very similar design to SRM but with (IMHO) a simpler design that's more user-serviceable. It's ANT+ Sport compatible, so the Garmin 310XT is an option for a headunit (I've been using and Edge 705 but my 310XT is on the way!), which is a great solution for triathlon. Quarq, while a small upstart of a company and the David to SRM's Goliath, has great service and has built a product that's gotten a lot of praise, so I took the chance.

I have a powertap and really like it.  But one other issue is that it does add some weight to the wheel.  It is in the middle but does add weight.  

I am looking at purchasing a crank solution.  One downside is that now I move my powertap wheel from my tri bike to road bike.  This will not be possible with a crank solution.  But I also don't have a powertap with my race wheel.  So I loose powertap when I race.

I have a Garmin 205 and a powertap.  WIth the crank solution you only need one head unit instead of two.  Another plus about the crank solution.

 

Moving my Quarq--a crank-mounted option--from one bike to another is almost as easy as changing a wheel. One bolt, two minutes or so--assuming you have the BB already installed. All you need is an 8mm Allen wrench. Others may be different in terms of installation, but mine is the SRAM version with a GXP bottom bracket...



Edited by DrPete 2009-07-25 6:13 PM

I also have a Quarq/705 setup and it's easy to move from one bike to another bike. And I LOVE the Garmin Display.

And yes it's worth it, if you learn how to use it.  Buy the Training with Power Book and give it a read.

Edited by BamaDC 2009-07-25 10:22 PM

Folks,

How do the prices compare for the different options?

Kevin

This is for brand new... Powertaps can be had used for somewhat cheaper.

SRM: $2500-4000 depending on the model

Quarq: $1800 plus the head unit -- $350 for a 310XT or $350-500 for the Edge 705

PT: $1400-3500+ (totally depends on the powertap model and the wheel. A Zipp Sub9 disc with a PT SL+ hub is the $3700 option)...