pros/cons of training with power on your bike

Pros: There is not guessing in terms of intensity and it allows you to have specifc target goals for your training. It allows you to go back and anaylze data to learn when you made a mistake. It allows you to quantify your training load and learn how much is too much for you or when it is not enough. You can also use this to plan training (periodirize), plan tapering and peaks.

Cons: They are expensive and you need to learn how to use it or have someone who does. Otherwise it becomes an expensive cycling computer

Remember: A power meter will always be a complement to RPE and not a substitute.

Books I would recommend 1st The Triathlete's Guide to Training With Power by Phil Skiba, 2nd Training with a power meter by Coggan and Allen

I would get the books Jorge mentioned first and read them then decide if you want to train with power.  I've been reading the "training with power by Cogan" for a few days now and my Powertap should be arriving by the end of this week.  Reading about it first helped me decide how it would best help me.

One other pro that I didnt' see listed is if you are using a coach then they can see exactly what you are doing,  which also might give you more motivation while riding. 

I am the one who gets all geeky with the data and use it to enhance their training, plan peaks, tapering, etc. They just get the easy orders: go fast, go easy, go long, repeat

Get a PT training wheel and add a disc cover for racing.

there is also a new player in the powermeter market. It works similar to a SRM in that it is part of the crank spider, so you can use whatever wheeels you want. It is also cheaper than a SRM (actually a F22 Fighter jet might b echeaper than a SRM)

It is called Quarq CinQo (www.quarq.us)

 I have been trying to find out a little more about it, as I would like to look into training with power and would like to make the best bang for buck purchase, so if anyone has any info or experience with this please post.

Unless you really like to change wheels on your bike, I would still suggest the PT.  The Quarq is intriguing, but so was the Ergomo before the company went bust and users left without any support (for a product that apparently needed a lot of it).  If you wait a few years, you'll have much better data to decide if the Quarq has enough staying power to warrant the sizable investment.

 Powertap is pretty clutch if you have 2 bikes or more bikes, as myself. (Tri and Road for now, Cross and Track to be added soon-ish). And the only extra part I'd have to order is another mount (as long as you get the wireless model). Then you can also rent race wheels that have Powertaps for your big races. I'd suggest Echappe mainly because I work for them haha. We offer an American Classic 58, Zipp 808, and Zipp Sub 9 all in powertap.

But truth, don't get it unless you know how to use it or have a coach that does and can process all the weird squiggly lines.

Shanks