Do pros ride with power meters routinely?

curium
curium Posts: 815
edited September 2011 in Pro race
Just looking at the pictures of Alex Dowsett's bike and I notice that he has an SRM-equipped crank.

I didn't know that they used powermeters when riding. I thought they just used them in training.

What are the advantages to using them in a race? Surely you have to ride as fast or faster than your competitors and the power meter can't help you if you don't have the legs that day?

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,612
    Bikes are so light now that there's no disadvantage of having a powermeter.

    It's useful to see what power you're knocking out in a race > especially stage races.
    _
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    If you're trying to replicate racing in during training, how do you know what to you are trying to replicate without power data from races? Also, it's useful to know the data from races (good or bad days) so that training programmes for the rest of the season (or the next season) can be tailored accordingly to try and train for form or hold onto form.
    VN BMC Cube SS
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  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    schweiz wrote:
    If you're trying to replicate racing in during training, how do you know what to you are trying to replicate without power data from races? Also, it's useful to know the data from races (good or bad days) so that training programmes for the rest of the season (or the next season) can be tailored accordingly to try and train for form or hold onto form.
    Good point. I guess knowing the outputs needed in a race is useful in training.
  • rebs
    rebs Posts: 891
    I think alot of riders use them when they are put on the front to control their effort. HTC use them oten as they were useful to know when they were not burning out the guy pulling the peloton along.

    They would know that they would have to stay within a certain wattage depending on the gradient of the road etc.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Did you not see them all at the Tour ?

    With the minimum weights the UCI have imposed - its either add non functional weighs to the bike - or add something like this that does give you useful information. Plus they get them in team colours now too - so it looks uber cool.
  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    Okay I'm satisfied my question has been answered.

    Another question: Why do they all use the SRM headunit? Is the powermeter not ANT+ compatible? Could they not use a Garmin or are the features the same?
  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    They are sponsored by SRM, not by Garmin or anyone else making Ant+ units.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    curium wrote:
    Okay I'm satisfied my question has been answered.

    Another question: Why do they all use the SRM headunit? Is the powermeter not ANT+ compatible? Could they not use a Garmin or are the features the same?

    They don't ALL use the SRM head unit. But most do. They A. are sponsored, B. buy it as a package and C. the SRM unit provides better information than a Garmin (this from SRM UK - but it's mostly for analysing the data afterwards).
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    Rodrego Hernandez wrote:
    They are sponsored by SRM, not by Garmin or anyone else making Ant+ units.

    I seem to recall an interview with Ulrich Schoberer of SRM stating that they didn't sponsor anyone - if a pro wants a meter, he pays for it, just like anyone else.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    LangerDan wrote:
    Rodrego Hernandez wrote:
    They are sponsored by SRM, not by Garmin or anyone else making Ant+ units.

    I seem to recall an interview with Ulrich Schoberer of SRM stating that they didn't sponsor anyone - if a pro wants a meter, he pays for it, just like anyone else.

    That was in the old days. Check out the list of sponsors on the teams websites and you'll see SRM listed there. They don't list companies that they buy kit from.

    With increased competition in the powermeter market I suppose they have to maintain a presence at the top of the sport.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    In an interview a while back,Schoberer said that he loaned the units to teams and took them back at the seasons end. Don't know if that still holds true but it's clever because it means they don't have to give them away and they can refurbish/move on the units or just modify then recase the electronics in those anodised/team colour boxes
    M.Rushton

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