Stages owners?

timdb

You'll probably get a lot of answers from cleverer people than me shortly but you could try finding a gym with a Wattbike near you that you can have a go on to get an indication of left/right balance?

meanredspider

I think it depends upon what you are hoping to use it for. Normally I'd have no hesitation in saying go for it but, if there are doubts about your knee, that may introduce some doubt here too.

The logic here is this though: as many many threads have argued, leg strength is not the key to power - loads on the pedals are, apparently, pretty low. Power is really a function of aerobic capacity in endurance cycling. If you accept all of this, then measuring left leg power should be perfectly adequate. Even if you produce slightly less power with your left leg, increases in aerobic capacity will show up just as much in your left leg as your right so the percentage improvement will be equivalent. If, however, your knee gives you pain under heavy (climbing) loads, then, inevitably, you'll tend to keep weight off it and it will distort the figures. That said, one would question whether it's sensible to be doing this type of cycling.

In practical terms in your case, if you are being offered a Stages at a cheap price, even if it doesn't work out, I'm pretty sure you'll get most if not all of your money back as there seems to be a real shortage of supply right now.

Stalin

timdb wrote:

You'll probably get a lot of answers from cleverer people than me shortly but you could try finding a gym with a Wattbike near you that you can have a go on to get an indication of left/right balance?

Alex Simmons says Wattbike is not reliable at measuring left right balance as it measures power at the chain.

Best bet would be having a go with some Vectors or Look Keo Power Pedals.

That said my left right imbalance shows the same on Vector as it does Wattbike. Note though, I did not have the Vectors set up on the Wattbike. So I can't make direct comparisons.

Have a word with Cycle Power Meters they might be able to help.

timdb

Agreed - but it'll give you an indication easily without having to track down somebody willing to lend you their expensive set of vectors!

Tom Dean

It would depend on the nature of your operation I would think. Is there a reason why once healed you might be able to put out less power with the leg and why might that change over time?

slowbike

You've just come out of competitive racing because you ended up hating it.

Do you really need a power meter now?

What are you hoping to achieve with it?!

Now, if you were a mid 40's 15 stone dentist/doctor/lawyer with a £7.5k carbon bling bike then by all means - go ahead and put a power meter on it ...

slowbike

madasahattersley wrote:

Slowbike - I didn't hate the competitive racing, I hated the way I was treated and various other things. Now I'm getting back into time trials and as I won't have all the time in the world to train want to make the most out of it. I do have experience training with power in the past.

ok just checking you're thinking about a PM for the right reasons ... chances are they'll come down in price in the next 5 years - but that won't help you now. I rather thought you'd know what to look for when it comes to training with power ...

eddiefiola

I got knocked off last year and broke my right knee so had similar reservations, at the end of the day though i thought well im not going to do anything different even if there is an imbalance so what does it matter, it's just generating a number that you're using as a benchmark for improvement.

eddiefiola

yeah got one direct from Stages Europe, had it for about 10 days so not so much data yet, going to use it for about a month and then start a training plan base on the power numbers.

What can I say, it gives you a number which you then try to improve, not much excitement to it really.

I'm just a beginner but just want to know the work I do is pushing me in the right direction, only just did my first 135km ride yday http://app.strava.com/activities/151385910

already find riding with power a benefit for pacing, being the wrong side of 40, 96kgs and ex 28 year smoker (not a dentist like above though ) I'll take anything I can to help me improve.

Grifteruk

I have had a Stages for approx. 2-3 months now and have been training with power generally for 6 months. I find it very helpful for what I use it for. I primarily use it to judge efforts on my summer bike over specific routes and/or sections of routes (typical 20+min climbs, 8 min climbs, 4 min climbs in my area). For me consistency is key. It shows me my improvement (or not ) on rides or in training plans I undertake regularly. It helps me judge effort whereas previously I would go too hard then crack or think I had nothing left when numbers help guide me otherwise.

It has improved my training a lot and I find it too much of a coincidence that since I started training with power, I have improved to a level I have never reached in the previous 4-5 years. I am presently in the best shape I have ever been in.

About 8 years ago I had an op on my left knee and I am told that my left leg is a bit more well developed than the right. Don't ask me why, but apparently it is. I suppose in theory that could throw up some inconsistency in numbers given the one leg measurement but frankly consistency is the key for me. It doesn't matter if the number shown is 100w or 500w, if I see improvements on the previous numbers over a set period of time/effort, it exhibits an upward trend. I set my Garmin to show 3sec average power which works pretty well for me in smoothing out peaks and slumps on longer efforts (which is what I train for).

As you will see from other posts on this forum, there are loads of arguments over Stages or power generally. A lot of people have strong views on whether it (or power) is a waste of money. I have read a lot of them with interest but in the end come back to the fact that the last 6 months has proven to me that it works. For me, that is the most important thing.

BTW, I am a mid thirties lawyer with a 7K+ road bike who occasionally rides sportives. However to break the stereotype I am also a 65kg climber who has just come back from Tenerife having climbed various routes on Mt Teide in the top 15% timewise. Given that I am presently climbing local 8 min, 20 min and 30 min climbs at times ranking alongside and above Cat 2/3 riders I am quite happy to balance what some see as the negative aspect of a Stages against the results I am achieving

Do a threshold test, enjoy playing around with it to see how it suits you and I suspect you will see its benefits for your own aims and objectives.

paulmon

Grifteruk wrote:

Stuff..

This is good feedback and I have seriously considered getting a stages myself but the thing that's stopping me is I worry I'd get Froome Syndrome and would always be looking at the meter to see if I'm hitting the numbers. This would result in me no longer simply jump on the bike and go for a wander for the fun of it. Don't get me wrong I do "training" rides now but that's only so I can maintain a good level of fitness so I can enjoy the social rides more.

I too am riding quicker and stronger than I have for the last 3 years but it has nothing to do with crunching the numbers. I've simply done more riding than did in previous years.

P

supermurph09

I've had a Stages for 3 weeks and really enjoy using it. All of my rides are hilly and I also do interval sessions too. Whilst there is a lot to be said for riding on feel, having the power meter is really helping with my pacing, I did my FTP test last week so I know what sort of power I can hold, and what I can't!

Went out last night on one of my favourite climbs, (Bank Road, Matlock) and took 15 seconds off my PB. I felt noticebly stronger on the final section of the climb, which I put down to two things, legs getting stronger but definately better pacing as a result of being able to see the wattage I was doing.

For my interval sessions that I do outdoors on a long steady climb the power meter is perfect, if for example I'm trying to average 20% above FTP then I can see that instantly. The more data I collect and the more I learn how to analyse it will only add to make me a better rider.