PowerTap - Should I or shouldn't I ??

RidwarePhil

am considering investing in a PowerTap.

- I have been using HR based training for the last 3 years

- I purchased a polar S725 and power module last year and spent more time trying to get the power module to work correctly than training with it-

- The polar unit was fiddly to set up
- Didnt work on a trainer
- Kept dropping out during road rides
- Gave inconsistent power results

How much better is a PowerTap and will I spend as much time messing around trying to get it to work?

I am looking to buy second hand as I cant afford a new one but which model should I get? What should I look out for when buying?

Is the PT software any good or should I just et cycling peaks from the off?


I ride a great deal on the turbo due to work and family commitments and 2 wheels 1 for road and 1 for turbo with a turbo specific tyre. I have 2 bikes race and training with different wheels.

How does everyone else manage this situation? i.e. run the same tyre on turbo and road?

Do you bother with PowerTap on your race bike?

Sorry for so many questions ;-)

hangsheadinshame

Righto, I'll do my best to answer from my own experience.

Never used a Polar but the power tap is almost zero maintenance and config. Just press a couple of buttons to zero offset your torque before a ride.

When buying second hand go for the most recent model you can afford as they are the most reliable. Check out the special TdF offer that Ric Stern Coaching has on Power Tap SLs (20% off I think). If you do get second hand then the only worry I have is that the freewheel bearings get graunchy if not cared for.

I use cycling peaks. It is brilliant software. Your PT is of limited use without it.

I use the PT wheel for all bikes. I do turbo in the winter on last summer's race tyre. When the race season starts I might do my first few races on a new tyre that gets a little loght turbo abuse until the weather is good. Thereafter i train on the road. For road races I use the PT wheel as is. For TTs I put a wheel cover on it. I got the wheel cover from Ric Stern. So yes...I race with PT and train with PT.

Is it worth it? Well all my PBs are from racing and training with HR (but only by a few seconds, and I have not trained as many hours this year)...I do love the PT for pacing, especially on windy days. In fact I am faster than before in windy TTs and I think it is down to the mental peace knowing that you are on pace gives you.

Considering all I know now after a years PT use I probably buy one if I was starting again. At the bottom line it costs only a little more than a top end bike computer and with cycling peaks you get a great training log. If you have a coach then I think a PT becomes even more valuable.

Let us know what you decide, good luck.

Russell

PhilBixby

I don't have a Powertap but a clubmate has been using one this year and has been highly chuffed with it - he's been training and racing with it.

Two thoughts really:-

-If you're happy training with heart rate but are just exasperated by the Polar, then the Garmin 305 is an excellent alternative which you can get for under £200 new if you look around. Very easy to set up and have had no problems with mine; get the HR/CAD model and you can use it on the road or on the turbo. Software that comes with it is adequate and there's even more comprehensive stuff available at reasonable cost on the web.

-If you want to learn more about training with power, I'd recommend http://www.flammerouge.je/content/0_home/home.htm - very useful website with stacks of factsheet info on training with power.

Either way, have fun.

Phil B
Clifton CC York

hangsheadinshame

Hi Phil,
You are exactly one point behind me in the Chevin Cycles TLI series! We both still have to marshall too. Which event are you marshalling? I'm racing Milby so marshalling next week...are we going to be racing for 8th place on the last week of the series?

Cheers

Russell

PhilBixby

I'm racing next week and marshalling the last one - I'm off for a week's climbing with me daughter just prior to the last one and knew I'd have lost a bit of form so thought I'd do some flag-waving at that one! No trying to send me down the wrong road next week - I know that circuit

I suspect that unless we both get a good placing in our remaining race we'll get overtaken by some of the quick riders who have only done 3 or 4 races so far. So it'll be all guns blazing - see you next week!

You're not the other fella with a Cervelo are you??

hangsheadinshame

PhilBixby wrote:

You're not the other fella with a Cervelo are you??

That's me. I did the website too. Clifton CC and Yorkshire RC (my club) are equal for the club sheild too. Is a good end to the series.

PhilBixby

Excellent website, top man.

Should be a good tussle for the club shield, I'm cranking our mob up good and proper! Say hello next week, I'm the old bloke on the other Soloist - aren't they *lovely* bikes?

Phil B

hangsheadinshame

Yeah I thought that was you. I'll say hi. Good luck on Tuesday!

Love my Cervelo. Feels very fast.

mac220

The Powertap SL is amazing, as mentioned little effort. The battery life for both the computer and the hub seems excellent. I got a 28 hole hub and wish i got a 24 hole hub, you can get some nice DT swiss rims for it and if you want to make it into a special road wheel buy a carbon 24 hole rim.

If you are into scientific training then a powermeter is the way to go. Ok so the wheel is quite expensive, but then how many people would spend over £1000 on a frame or £500 to £600 on a pair of wheels. When what you really need to do is get fitter and using a power meter will allow you to train very specifically and make the most of the time us amateurs have.

I use the same PT wheel in my training and racing bike, the extra weight is minimal, go for some Sapin CX-ray spokes for aero spokes without having do a custom job on the hub spoke holes and invalidate the warranty at the same time. I also use the same wheel in the turbo trainer and have resigned myself to the fact that i'll have to use standard tyres on the turbo, probably have to replace tyres a bit more but, nevermind.

I keep the powertap on which ever bike i'm riding, was fortunate enough to get a 2nd mounting kit for free so it's a very easy switch. I think using the powertap when racing is probably the most important time to use it. You'll get some great data to review and you can also use it for pacing yourself in breaks or time trials.

I'm very pleased with my PT SL and would thoroughly recommend it. I would 2nd the comment about getting the most rescent version, there's a thread on cyclingforums.com where people have had all sorts of problems with earlier versions, stop working etc. Its the best bike bit i've ever bought.

By the way i have nothing to do with Saris, just very pleased watcing my FTP slowly but surely climb upwards.

WKO+ software is they way to go, the powertap software isn't up to much, the cyclingpeaks one really has the data and stats you need. ATL/CTL/TSS etc, i've got mine setup so it tells me exactly how much time i spent in each training zone including sweatspot zone and also how much time i spent between low end of sweet spot and top end of level 5, its so customizable you can get all the stats you want out of it. I'm just waiting for the performance modelling stuff which is on the from one of the contributers on cyclingforums.com and the quadrant analysis that Andy Coggan/Hunter Allen mention in there book.

Regards,

Mark

oldwelshman

I would use the money to invest in planet x carbon wheels. They will make you go faster the power tap will not.
I wonder how cyclists used to anage before power tap?
I don't see huge differences in tt times in last 20 years really ( not top riders but club riders).
Same for racing guys, no huge improvement there, in fact would say it has got worse

hangsheadinshame

Erm...I can see your point a bit but it is sort of a self-defeating argument...if TT and race times haven't come down then clearly Planet - X carbon wheels will not make you much faster either or they would have brought down the times of "the top guys".

That aside, who is to say that the "top guys" aren't getting the same results for less actual hours/effort? And then there is the fact that our OP might not be a "top guy", he might be trying to make the most of limited talent and time and so sticking to a scientific programme might help him more. He might like toys and be a computer geek too.

Let's be clear though: only proper training really makes you faster. A coach is probably the best tool but PT etc surely help you and the coach.

I like a bit of Luddism as much as the next man, especially when it comes from a former talent (as it often does on this forum) but to suggest that power training does not work is a biy short sighted in my view.

I reckomn the OP will thank you for a valid opposing view.

A guy I know has gone old school, no bike computer or anything and his times haven't changed really. I like the graphs. Call me sad. I don't care.

andyBcp

http://www.cyclepowermeters.com/

the above link is a company run by Bob Tobin, who is doing rental terms on Powertaps, SRM and Ergomo systems. This might be a good way for you to decide which way you want to go, and Bob is sure to give you some very good advice.
Power meters wont make you go faster, but they allow you to train very precisely, both on the road and on the turbo. There is no other way that I know that enables you to go out on a 3-4hr training ride, and maintain the same pace(ave.power) throughout. HR - forget it, 'feel' - all over the place after 2-3hrs. Say goodbye to HR drift, monitoring your training definately becomes 'easier' with a power meter.
As mac220 mentions get WKO+ s/ware for analysis.
I use a PT pro/32 hole/open pro wheel for training with a conti ultragatorskin tyre, and this allows me to ride turbo and winter roads without having to change tyres, in fact these tyres last most of a summer also.
If you want to TT, buy some wheel covers:
http://www.wheelbuilder.com/closeup.asp ... 5&offset=0
These have come along way and can be custom fitted to PT hubs and an assortment of rims. A quick turnaround/delivery from what I've heard also.

Hope this answers some of your queries

oldwelshman

Changed my mind, I did not go for cabon wheels, I wnet a step further and getting Pinarello Dogma with cosmic carbons with the money I saved not getting PT and coaching

hangsheadinshame

WTF? PowerTap wheel (2nd hand from USA)= 300 quid
Test and coaching plan from Peter Read=60 quid

Total = 360 quid

Please tell me where you got a Dogma + cosmics for 360 'cos I like a bargan as much as the next man.