Power meter setup options?
RedSunshine365
Posts: 189 Member
What are the various options to capture power data? What equipment do you need? And…what is the least expensive option out there?
I’m not a racer (that’s an understatement of the year) but could see how this data could be useful.
My current set up:
Garmin 305 Edge
Cadence transmitter (garmin)
Heart Rate monitor (garmin)
Ascent fluid trainer
I also have an iPhone with the wahoo fitness receiver (that captures cadence and hr if I’m not using the Garmin). I have cyclemeter, strava, and endomondo Pro apps I can use, too.
Given my existing stuff, can I add a power meter? Where does it go? Is for only road riding or can it be used on a trainer, too?
I’m not opposed to getting a whole new setup as mine is getting old so those options would be nice to hear as well.
Thanks!
I’m not a racer (that’s an understatement of the year) but could see how this data could be useful.
My current set up:
Garmin 305 Edge
Cadence transmitter (garmin)
Heart Rate monitor (garmin)
Ascent fluid trainer
I also have an iPhone with the wahoo fitness receiver (that captures cadence and hr if I’m not using the Garmin). I have cyclemeter, strava, and endomondo Pro apps I can use, too.
Given my existing stuff, can I add a power meter? Where does it go? Is for only road riding or can it be used on a trainer, too?
I’m not opposed to getting a whole new setup as mine is getting old so those options would be nice to hear as well.
Thanks!
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Replies
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There are a few different options out there:
- Hub based (in the rear wheel
- Crank based (in your cranks/front chainring)
- Pedal based
- Calculated/estimated
The hub and crank options are the most common, usually from PowerTap or SRM. The newer ones are ANT+ compatible, so they work with most Garmins (but not many phones). They are also the most accurate (we're talking lab-quality accuracy for both power and calorie output). I think the 305 you have now should work with them.
Working in conjunction with your existing cadence and heart rate monitor, you would get a great combination of data.
The hub-based ones are easier to move from one bike to another (by moving the wheel). Crank-based ones let you change wheels on the same bike, but are very difficult to move from one bike to another.
Pedal-based are relatively new. Initial reviews seem positive, but they are not pervasive enought o say for sure. They are really easy to move from one bike to another.
All of the hub, crank, and pedal power meters can be used on the road and on a trainer.
The calculated ones, such as ones from iBike and Polar (and PowerTap makes one too), guess at your power based on other variables. They all use different formulas, but they are all ultimately a guess. They are decent at giving you an average power for your ride, but training with power requires far more than that. They sacrifice a lot of accuracy and can completely miss short sprints or climbs and have a hard time telling when you have stopped pedaling completely.
I'd really recommend the Hunter Allen & Andy Coggan book: Training and Racing with a Power Meter (2nd edition). It will tell you everything there is to know about owning, training with, and using a power meter. It's a huge topic and can take some time to wrap your head around it. Their work totally changed the way I train. At $20, it's a pretty cheap research option.
To get the benefit of a power meter, you also need to consider analysis software. TrainingPeaks (a website), WKO (the desktop version of TrainingPeaks) and Golden Cheetah (which is free) are all options. They each give you the data you need to best plan your workouts, what your strengths and weaknesses are, and what results you are getting from your training. Strava and a few others offer some basic reporting, but it's not enough for training analysis.
Then there is price. Crank based power meters start around $2000. Hub-based power meters are around $1000. Pedal based are around $1500. Calculated ones are around $500. Accuracy costs a lot
Personally, I think my PowerTap, coupled with WKO+, is one of the best training tools I've ever bought (my CompuTrainer is the only other item I would put in that category).
I'm more than happy to answer more questions if you have them.0 -
I don't think the Edge 305 has support for powermeters - the 500 or 800 do (as do the newly released 510 and 810's)... all 4 of the ones I mentioned will also work with your existing GSC10/HR belts, allowing you to buy just the head unit.
As far as power meters... have a look at this guide - it's billed as a power 101 - http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2009/08/power-primer-cycling-with-power-101.html
Basically, you can go with
crank based solutions - SRM($$$$$) Quarq ($$$$) or Power2max ($$$) - though there is a cheaper one coming onto the market at the moment from StageONE starting around $700
Wheel based solutions - Cycleops powertap wheels - from around £1200 upwards for a pair of wheels.
Indirect Measurment solutions - there's an interesting gizmo called the iBike that actually calculates the power you're putting into moving the bike by measuring the air-flow resistance. Another approach, and the cheapest of the lot (and the least accurate, it has to be said) is the PowerCal which is actually a replacement HRM belt, with some clever software inside that allows it to "pretend" to be a power meter. I'll 'fess up here, and say I've got one (my garmin belt was inadvertently put through the washing machine :doh: - and the powercal was only a few £ more than a replacment garmin belt) and - honestly - it's pretty damned good - in tests against a borrowed powertap wheel it's within 3-4% accurate now i've calibrated it properly to cope with the fact that i'm a "low beater" HR wise... It's not as instantly responsive as the real thing, so it's not much use for accurate "sprint intervals" or similar, but for long, steady state riding (which is most of my cycling) it's accurate enough, and for £30 more than a replacement garmin belt it was a no-brainer.0 -
Look has pedal based too.
I haven't seen very good reviews on the Stages meter, but it's the first iteration so maybe the next version will clean up the flaws.0 -
Oops, you;re right. The 305 is Ant+, but it's not able to handle power data.0
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Have a look at http://www.trainerroad.com/ , they have a large list of static trainers calibrated for use with their program to deliver power readings. If you want to use the reading for training feedback and measurable personal improvement then this way works really well. Worst case is that you buy a new static trainer for a few hundred dollars and away you go.
Cheers0
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