TRAINING and RACING with a POWER METER
Power meters have become the ultimate training tool for the pros, but what can one do for you? It’s simple: With every crank of the pedals, a power meter will show you how to improve your performance. But first you have to understand how to use the technology.
If you are training with a power meter or thinking about getting a power meter there is a must read. Training and Racing with a Power Meter
Thinking about purchasing a power meter and don’t know which power meter to buy? The 2 most popular power meters are the Saris Power Tap SL and the SRM.
I have used both the Saris CycleOps Power Tap SL and the SRM. Although the SRM is a great power meter I would recommend the PowerTap SL for the following 3 reasons.
3 Reasons Why PowerTap SL is so Popular
1. Watts
First of all power meters are getting popular because they are way better than heart rate monitors for monitoring your training. Power output is an objective measure of exercise intensity representing the actual work you put in the pedals.
The PowerTap SL collects huge amounts of data during your training ride. These data gives you a great opportunity to optimize your training and analyze your race performance. These analyzes can be time consuming, but it is here you really get the value for your money.
2. Light weight
PowerTap SL is a lighter version of the original PowerTap. The weight is reduced by using a carbon hub shell combined with a new lightweight aluminum axle combine for the hub. The complete system now weighs 480g including computer.
Saving some weight has a lot of attention from high performing athletes, because no one wants to carry heavy equipment that doesn’t provide extra speed for their bike (at least not immediately…) The hub has a weight that is slightly heavier than Dura Ace and Campagnolo Record, but that shouldn’t have much influence on the overall performance and especially not with the current rules weight limits from UCI (minimum bike weight: 6.8kg).
3. Price
In many years SRM was the only provider of power meters, but only professionals (or rather their sponsors) were willing to pay the price of these power meter cranks. Now you can buy a Powertap SL Hub 28 hole Shimano with software
If you are training with a Power Meter and really want to take your training to the next level also check out TrainingPeaks which is the ultimate software for cyclists and triathletes training with power, heart rate or GPS device.
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June 15th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I’d love to try a PowerTap for a few months, how much of a difference would it make in my training??