Power meter advice please!!

[Marius]

Yes, you'll definitely need a Powertap. 

[Jocklaw]

Thanks guys! Sounds like the best is to put one on the MTB and then decide if putting more on the other bikes/trainer is worth the cost. Your help is appreciated.

[Jimmy 2.0]

SRM, Quarq or Powertap(the cheapest)

 

if you are a serious mountain biker then get it for your mtb. the only use is for after racing analysis. 

 

i use a powertap and the more i ride with it the more i love it!!!!!

[BMWGSADV]

You could use an iBike Newton PM with PowerStroke. Costs 50% less than anything currently available ( around R5500 with HRM and second bike mount kit). It does not use strain gauges but applies Newton's Third Law of every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Cadence and air movement through the front sensor is calculated using complex logarithms to determine watts. The beauty of the solution is that it is transferable between bikes as easy as moving a Garmin from bike to bike. The head unit is the size of a Garmin 800.

 

PowerStroke measues the wasted watts in terms of left and right bike movement (lean) and forward and aft wasted movement and then plots this on a graph against an ideal shape. It also plots your cadence (pedal stroke) against an ideal stroke. This helps you improve your pedal stroke by knowing exactly where you are 'flattening' out in your stroke.

 

The only draw back is that it does not fit on Spez 29ers with a narrow Q factor. The cadence magnet (which is a key part of the power calculation) sits on the pedal and touches the frame with a narrow Q.

 

I tested it on a MTB with a Powertap and the numbers were insignificant in their difference. It does lag slightly (micro seconds ) when the watts change but you will have that when no strain gauges are present. If you can ride on rough technical terrain looking down for more than a second... then you are a very good rider. The only time I look down is usually just before I fall and I am looking for the softest landing place.

The kicker for me was two things: 1) the Isaac software that comes with the unit is WOW and you can export files to Training Peaks and 2) you can get it with software that is used on an Indoor Trainer ....as if you were on the road. That means three solutions in one unit. you just need to check the website for the list of supported IDT's - I use a Tacx.

 

I agree that the readings are not always accurate on a MTB but you will always have variability on a MTB because of the terrain... Wheel in the air, slipping back wheel ....etc etc but overall, if you use it to train with it is more than accurate enough. Statistically the difference between IBike and all the others is less than 2%.

 

The issues here are affordability and functionality. It has many other features. My personal negative is that it does not have a built in GPS but has the usual cycle computer features...speed, distance, averages etc etc

 

Check out www.ibikesports.com for more technical detail and testimonials. I brought in a couple for myself and local riding buddies and they are happy for what it provides at the price it provides it.

[Bike Mob]

Powertap in my experience has always over-read, and need the most calibration. plus is a serious drag as you're limited to one wheelset, and you have to choose to build a race wheel or training wheel and if you get a training wheel you lose all the vital race data.

 

If you will buy one PM only then start with the road bike one and not the mtb one.

 

Road intervals are far easier to control zones, MTB terrain is terribly fluctuating which makes it harder to focus on an effort.

[Jocklaw]

Powertap in my experience has always over-read, and need the most calibration. plus is a serious drag as you're limited to one wheelset, and you have to choose to build a race wheel or training wheel and if you get a training wheel you lose all the vital race data.

 

If you will buy one PM only then start with the road bike one and not the mtb one.

 

Road intervals are far easier to control zones, MTB terrain is terribly fluctuating which makes it harder to focus on an effort.

Thanks - I probably should have mentioned that I will do most training on tar on the MTB so will put the PM on the hard tail. 

[Patchelicious]

Powertap in my experience has always over-read, and need the most calibration. plus is a serious drag as you're limited to one wheelset, and you have to choose to build a race wheel or training wheel and if you get a training wheel you lose all the vital race data.

 

If you will buy one PM only then start with the road bike one and not the mtb one.

 

Road intervals are far easier to control zones, MTB terrain is terribly fluctuating which makes it harder to focus on an effort.

Life is too short to use a set of training wheels.

[Patchelicious]

Thanks - I probably should have mentioned that I will do most training on tar on the MTB so will put the PM on the hard tail. 

Good to have a read here too:

 

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/09/buyers-guide2014-edition.html

[Jocklaw]

Good to have a read here too:

 

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/09/buyers-guide2014-edition.html

 

Thanks. V12 man put me onto a very interesting app - ithlete HRV app for overtraining. R 120.

[V12man]

Thanks. V12 man put me onto a very interesting app - ithlete HRV app for overtraining. R 120.

Plus an analog Heart rate strap....

 

Personally - I would rather buy the polar watch that has the same functionality - it costs more though.... but I do like what it looks like....

[Jocklaw]

 

Plus an analog Heart rate strap....

 

Personally - I would rather buy the polar watch that has the same functionality - it costs more though.... but I do like what it looks like....

 I'm sure I have an old Polar strap lying around somewhere ( Garmin fan these days ). Would that do ?

[V12man]

   I'm sure I have an old Polar strap lying around somewhere ( Garmin fan these days ). Would that do ?

Should do - I also have an old one around - just no iphone....

[Joe!]

I do mostly road and some MTB. Considering powertap for the road bike and did some research.

 

I found the cycleops ipad software most beneficial (its free) and there are great training videos from sufferfest and other great climbs. It measures power based on the trainer resistance, cadence etc without having a power meter, so estimate but apparently 95% accurate. Good enough for me on interval training!

 

I have a cycleops jet fluid pro indoor trainer.

 

http://www.cycleops.com/support/getting-started

[Jocklaw]

I do mostly road and some MTB. Considering powertap for the road bike and did some research.

 

I found the cycleops ipad software most beneficial (its free) and there are great training videos from sufferfest and other great climbs. It measures power based on the trainer resistance, cadence etc without having a power meter, so estimate but apparently 95% accurate. Good enough for me on interval training!

 

I have a cycleops jet fluid pro indoor trainer.

 

http://www.cycleops.com/support/getting-started

Thanks. Yeah, it seems intervals need to be done on resistance trainer, which is something that does not excite me at all. 

 

Are good old hill intervals not good enough anymore, I wonder ???

[Joe!]

Sure, ride up a hill. Point is with stationary trainer you can train anytime in safety, with all the stats you need, in aircon environment with entertainment.

[Ryinc]

I bought a stages (road) and happy with it. I think if I was in your position I would really consider buying 4iiii precision meter for both road and mtb - looks to be the same thing as stages pretty much but about half the price (ok you dont get crank though). Each powermeter has pros and cons. No perfect solution.