bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
Cracking Sprint and big power. I see you're top 30 A cat
Very impressive. I don’t feel so bad seeing Dave at the top of most of the CC Strava segments now 
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Ohhh no, I'm not going up the Muuren with a minimum of 470 watts, even with fresh legs
.And even if I did, he's still 5 kg lighter than me
.
.chesty cough returned
Do those of you who use a power meter on your road bike find much of a difference between the highest average watts you can maintain on the road in real life versus what you can do on the trainer? I just wonder if the fact you don't have to think about anything else (practicalities like staying upright, steering et. etc.) except putting down the power on the trainer mean you can make higher watts than in real life?
I would say its more difficult to maintain the power on road as you suggest Paul, especially if going at ftp pace or above in a competitive environment. For maintaining tempo or climbing power, I would say its comparable.
Do I sense a PM purchase?
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berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
if i put the powertap wheel on , i find going uphill i produce more watts outside ( i don't know whether its the angle or something but overall at the end of an outside ride i am down roughly 10-15%
I would think some of the difference is that outside, you naturally freewheel at every opportunity, whilst indoors rarely freewheel
Not really - I was just curious having looked at Valgren's figures in that video Lars posted.I would say its more difficult to maintain the power on road as you suggest Paul, especially if going at ftp pace or above in a competitive environment. For maintaining tempo or climbing power, I would say its comparable.
Do I sense a PM purchase?
Having said that, there's 3 reasonably expensive things I'd like to buy, and I can't get them all - not in the short term anyway - so I'm going to have to decide what to prioritise. They are: new turbo trainer; new bike computer/GPS; and maybe a Power Meter for my road bike. I should probably go for the PM first as it's the one thing I don't actually have at the moment, but it's also the one that I'd be least excited to get!
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
Pm on the road is too confusing for me ! To the point where I take no notice of what is happening apart from av Watts - if too low then just try to get them up to normal av
Uphill is different - I know roughly how much watts I can maintain combined with heart rate
Uphill is different - I know roughly how much watts I can maintain combined with heart rate
Aleman
Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
- Location
- Blackpool UK
For me the priorities are a PM for the bike (Vector 3's), and a new Trainer (Neo), although in both cases I balk at paying more for each of them, than I did for my Ultegra equipped Defy 0!!! Being able to monitor Watts uphill IRL would be a big plus for me, trying to judge output based on cadence and HR on a long climb is a bit hit and miss, I often end up going into the red and blowing up on the climb.
One of the things that makes me hesitate about a PM is the fear that I'd get even more obsessed with what my computer says rather than just enjoying riding! Particularly now that I do so much indoor riding, I feel when I do venture out I should enjoy the scenery and just go by feel. I totally get how useful it would be if racing or training for racing seriously, but that doesn't apply to me. In fact I've reduced what I measure on road rides compared to what I used to - I got rid of my cadence sensor and hardly ever use a HR monitor - and I don't miss having that data at all
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
Then I wouldn’t bother with pm ! It’s numbers all the time !
Breedon
Legendary Member
- Location
- Long Eaton, Nottingham
I've decided on a PM so will get that this month mainly for the trip to France but also for rides near me, as I use power meter when on the trainer when I'm outside I find I miss that data especially when going up hill I'm just a data junkie I suppose.
I know I'll never get the numbers on the road as you have to factor in tarmac rough or smooth, head wind and traffic
I know I'll never get the numbers on the road as you have to factor in tarmac rough or smooth, head wind and traffic
Aleman
Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
- Location
- Blackpool UK
I do sort of agree with you to some extent, however, I am somewhat susceptible to testosterone poisoning, and will quite often push on to avoid being passed, or to catch someone, and the concept of looking round enjoying the view when I'm grinding up a 5Km climb @ 7%+ is an interesting concept that I am not completely familiar with
I often find myself concentrating either on the road 6 feet in front of my wheel or my stem bolt, so having some different number to look at while blowing my lungs out my arse would be a bonus 
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
I sort of agree sort of don’t. I know what you’re saying about getting bogged down in data. I’m using my heart strap less and less. I do like having my cadence on screen though. I need the visual prompt to let me know if I’m not spinning fast enough. Not really to shave off time on a segment or ride but more to keep everything ticking over properly.
With the pm I like to look at the data after a ride rather than during it. It’s gives me an idea of where I’m at. And because during the warmer months I do nothing on the turbo if I can help it. It keeps me a little more focussed.
For me it would be PM>computer>new turbo.
Going on the basis that you buy a new turbo for next winter. But it’s obviously different from one person to another. I’m building a new frame up and I was thinking maybe I wouldn’t put a powermeter on it and have the tarmac as my more serious training bike. But I have decided to put a pm on the new build too.
