Loaner power meter

[Lister Farrar]

I'm thinking of buying a power meter to loan to folks that want to understand training intensities, and want to gauge interest. Errinne Willock uses one for all her training and made several comments to the juniors about not really doing what they thought they were doing in terms of training efforts.

Basically, it involves using a back wheel with a power measuring rear hub, and then seeing via a display what your output actually is at different training situations and terrain.

Other indicators of intensity have their drawbacks. Speed is only good as an average over a longer ride. An aerobic interval started too fast can feel just as hard as one at the right intensity, but can have much less time at the desired intensity (the stimulus for adaption to training).

Heart rate can work, but is slower to respond, and you might be half way through an interval before you know you're going the right intensity.

Perceived exertion can be good...once you know what it corresponds to.

So the idea is to have a device that can be used for a week or so, so you can see just how much difference there is between the front and the back in a pace line, how hard you should be going in intervals, how much longer a ride you can do at zone 2 if you don't zone 4 the hills in the first hour, etc.

So, who'd be interested to use such a device, and what's a reasonable fee to help offset the investment? (See Joanna, I am being responsible!)

[beegull]

Personally, I'd find it really useful to have occasional access to a power meter. I've done some interval training lately using heart rate to determine the intensity of the interval, but, like you've already mentioned, it suffers from several problems with the biggest and least avoidable one being the lag between increasing effort and getting to a target heart rate.

My day job is working on software to analyze time series data a lot like the data that comes out of a cycling computer (except for fishing, not cycling), so I'll admit that I'm a data nerd and might be abnormally excited about adding some power measurements to gauge my efforts.

One thing that would be good is for the power meter to have Ant+, so for Powertap, one of the hubs with a "+". I've got a Garmin Edge 500, and it would be great to just instantly have power measurements along with the other data with no real setup needed.

As for a fee, I don't know. Those hubs are definitely expensive, and obviously there would just be the wear and tear on the wheel. I'd personally pay around $20 I think to get some new power readings every once and a while, but I don't know if that's good enough to offset the cost.

Brent

[Quentin]

One thing that would be good is for the power meter to have Ant+, so for Powertap, one of the hubs with a "+". I've got a Garmin Edge 500, and it would be great to just instantly have power measurements along with the other data with no real setup needed.

+1 for Ant+.

I'd also add that depending on the timeline for acquiring a power meter, that you may want to wait to see what Garmin releases later this year. The Garmin Vector (nee MetriGear) is a pedal based power sensor that might be a game changer. There aren't many details on price yet, but the design has many advantages: easy to swap between bikes, works with any Ant+ Garmin and the ability to get power data per leg. The main disadvantage is of course that if it only works with one pedal system, some people will have to change cleats to use the pedals.

http://www.metrigear.com/
http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2010/ ... folio.html
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/09/anal ... n-and.html

The current rumour is that it'll be released Q4 this year.

Quentin.

[Lister Farrar]

Personally, I'd find it really useful to have occasional access to a power meter. I've done some interval training lately using heart rate to determine the intensity of the interval, but, like you've already mentioned, it suffers from several problems with the biggest and least avoidable one being the lag between increasing effort and getting to a target heart rate.

My day job is working on software to analyze time series data a lot like the data that comes out of a cycling computer (except for fishing, not cycling), so I'll admit that I'm a data nerd and might be abnormally excited about adding some power measurements to gauge my efforts.

One thing that would be good is for the power meter to have Ant+, so for Powertap, one of the hubs with a "+". I've got a Garmin Edge 500, and it would be great to just instantly have power measurements along with the other data with no real setup needed.

As for a fee, I don't know. Those hubs are definitely expensive, and obviously there would just be the wear and tear on the wheel. I'd personally pay around $20 I think to get some new power readings every once and a while, but I don't know if that's good enough to offset the cost.

Brent

What's Ant+? A output interface?

Also, the new Garmin will likely not be cheap. Any idea on price? Got a lead on a cheap powertap. Better old technology than none?

[beegull]

Yah, Ant+ is just the wireless output format/specification that can be used with a bunch of existing cycling computers. No wires, and no need for another display specifically for the power. Something like a Garmin will just detect that the power meter is there and start recording the data from it.

[Quentin]

Also, the new Garmin will likely not be cheap. Any idea on price?

No idea on the price; hopefully cheaper than what's on the market now.

Got a lead on a cheap powertap. Better old technology than none?

Agreed.

[Roland]

Last fall I was working on a bulk order deal for Tripleshot on powertap wheels, but I kinda dropped the ball on it. He was offering a powertap Elite+ with computer in a basic training wheel for $850 US.

Not sure if I could salvage the deal now, but it might be worth a try if enough people are interested.

[Lister Farrar]

Got the powertap. It's an older wired one, so it means zip ties and aligning two sensors, but reportedly reliable. Wheel is an open pro rim with more than 80% wear still left. The display unit is downloadable, including to Training Peaks, one of the leading online training planners. Still have to ride with it get familiar.

Thanks to Carolyn Gebbie from Tristars, who tracked down the seller after the ad expired, and swung a better deal for us.

[cashman]

Lister,

If you need some input give me a holler, I can loan you "the bible" to do some reading on. As well give you some input on any issues your PT may have.

Colin

Got the powertap. It's an older wired one, so it means zip ties and aligning two sensors, but reportedly reliable. Wheels is an open pro rim with more than 80% wear still left. It's downloadable, including to Training Peaks, one of the leading online training planners. Still have to ride with it get familiar.

Thanks to Carolyn Gebbie from Tristars, who tracked down the seller after the ad expired, and swung a better deal for us.

[DavidB]

Is this what you were thinking?

http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified- ... p_15253630

[Lister Farrar]

Is this what you were thinking?

http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified- ... p_15253630

Thanks David. I got one. Brenna has at at the moment, but it will be available to others.

L