Power Meter vs TurboTrainer
mrpbennett
Posts: 102
I am in a slight pickle. I haved asked for £500 on my cycle to work scheme, now I dont know if it would be beneficial getting a Turbo Trainer or some power meter pedals. I have been looking at the Favero Assioma Uno ones.
I have never owned a power meter but have been training with power for some time now, so I know all my numbers and what I can hold for said time.
The pickle is....Which will bring me the most benefit, a turbo because "winter is coming" also gives me a chance train inside when the weather is kack and to do recovery rides indoors whilst watching the tv instead of avoiding busses on London roads...or a power meter to train outside as well as know what i am capable of and be able to measure performance increases.
Something you can also do on a trainer?
If you had £500 burning a hole in your pocket, would you get a Turbo or a Power Meter?
I have never owned a power meter but have been training with power for some time now, so I know all my numbers and what I can hold for said time.
The pickle is....Which will bring me the most benefit, a turbo because "winter is coming" also gives me a chance train inside when the weather is kack and to do recovery rides indoors whilst watching the tv instead of avoiding busses on London roads...or a power meter to train outside as well as know what i am capable of and be able to measure performance increases.
Something you can also do on a trainer?
If you had £500 burning a hole in your pocket, would you get a Turbo or a Power Meter?
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I think a lot of it will depend on what your objectives are in terms of racing. Both would be ideal - and if you are at the stage where you are considering buying a PM, I'm surprised you don't already have a turbo, tbh.0
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How have you been training with power up until now?
From what you're saying it sounds like you live in London, so yeah, unless you're close to a decent park for riding (eg Richmond/regents) or somewhere else that you can do focused efforts without having to dodge traffic then you might well be better with a turbo.
More generally though, get the power meter, as even with a £50 turbo it'll give you numbers to set your training by.0 -
How have you been training with power if you havent had a power meter yet ?
Personally all my power training is done on the turbo inside. Outside is for fun or racing. It's so hard to work to power levels outside with traffic, lights, hazards etc. You get a much better session inside - safely with no distractions.
So get a turbo that has an accurate power meter on.0 -
TimothyW wrote:How have you been training with power up until now?
Lucky enough to have GymBox membership with work who have a selection of WattBikes, so been hooking up TR to those. Good use of my lunch break ha.
Yeah London roads are shit for training, not too far from Richmond but getting their is a ball ache.
In terms of progression, i have thought about racing eventually. I just want to become a better / faster rider.I'm surprised you don't already have a turbo, tbh.
I use to share a turbo with my dad but moved out and he kept it...
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Power meter paired with a cheap turbo is your best bet.
You get to use the PM outdoors that way, and train with the same numbers indoors and outdoors year round.0 -
If your intention is to get fit over winter, get a turbo trainer that supports "virtual", power. It's all you need. Sure, the watt figures won't be spot on as per a PM, but it doesn't matter in the first instance, as all figures will be relative to each other.
I've used a Kurt Kinetic Rock n Roll last few years using virtual power, and it's great. You'll need to sign up for Trainer Road/ Zwift or whichever you prefer (I prefer TR), and you'll need the speed/ cadence/ HR sensors for the static bike. Oh, and an ANt+ received for your laptop or whatever you're running the training software thru.
Then save for a PM for next season0 -
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for thinking ahead, but today's headline is "Temperatures reach 30C on the UK's hottest day of the year"mrpbennett wrote:a turbo because "winter is coming" also gives me a chance train inside when the weather is kack
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jeatsy wrote:
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for thinking ahead, but today's headline is "Temperatures reach 30C on the UK's hottest day of the year"mrpbennett wrote:a turbo because "winter is coming" also gives me a chance train inside when the weather is kack
LOL!!! I know, i just had to use a GoT quote...I just thought of upping the cycle 2 work scheme to £1000 and getting both! lol
With a limit of £1000 i could save £350 with 12 monthly payments of £85 according to the T&Cs0 -
mrpbennett wrote:jeatsy wrote:
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for thinking ahead, but today's headline is "Temperatures reach 30C on the UK's hottest day of the year"mrpbennett wrote:a turbo because "winter is coming" also gives me a chance train inside when the weather is kack
LOL!!! I know, i just had to use a GoT quote...I just thought of upping the cycle 2 work scheme to £1000 and getting both! lol
With a limit of £1000 i could save £350 with 12 monthly payments of £85 according to the T&Cs
It would be extremely irresponsible for us to recommend anything other than 'do it'*
*this is not financial advice.0 -
My thoughts would be:
- Are you going to carry on using the Wattbikes? If you can get good quality workouts in during your lunch break, how often are you going to be using the turbo?
- Wouldn't bother with the Favero Assioma Uno, save you money. Single sided powermeters have quite a design issue in just doubling one side (given everyone's symmetry is different, and is often different at different intensities and fitness levels). Given for a powermeter to be AT ALL useful it needs to be accurate going for the cheapest option is often a waste of money.
- If you do get a poweremeter don't necessarily expect it to line up with the wattbike. From what I've read and know many gym neglect the calibration of the wattbikes. And on to that the number of people that neglect to properly check the calibration of their own poweremeters are they will likely be discrepancies.0 -
joey54321 wrote:My thoughts would be:
- Are you going to carry on using the Wattbikes? If you can get good quality workouts in during your lunch break, how often are you going to be using the turbo?
Good point, I can increase the work out frequency with a turbo as well as increase winter training. I only do the lowest volume TR plan because i cant fit in 5 wattbike sessions a week. Turbo will mainly be for winter training. With a bit of social Zwift.0 -
You could get a Direto and a Power2max ngeco for a grand...in fact I did. 0
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well now im screwed...
Just got this from Sigma Sports...
"Unfortunately Cycleschemes are only possible on 'essential' items and so a power meter and a turbo trainer would not be available for purchase with a CS Voucher."
Dont they know who i am?! LOL they're essential to me.... haha 0 -
Surely a PM is more useful, no? Just in terms of versatility0
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Earlier this year, a certain on line retailer was selling the Direto for under £400. I think it was the back stock of all the cancelled orders when they failed to deliver to customers on time and who ended up going elsewhere. Now, you'll be lucky to find it new for under £600. But, it is still the best bang for buck direct mount turbo with an inbuilt power meter. If it were me, I would go with the smart trainer where I can accurately train to power. On the road, there are too many obstacles to be able to consistently stick to targets.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0
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kimchiwitrice wrote:Surely a PM is more useful, no? Just in terms of versatility
No I'd go for the turbo if you want to get better. Using a turbo with consistent virtual power will let you train to a high standard. Out on the road you don't want to be looking at your computer all day and you can't train properly with traffic and hazards around.0 -
cougie wrote:kimchiwitrice wrote:Surely a PM is more useful, no? Just in terms of versatility
No I'd go for the turbo if you want to get better. Using a turbo with consistent virtual power will let you train to a high standard. Out on the road you don't want to be looking at your computer all day and you can't train properly with traffic and hazards around.
this massively depends on where you live and what sort of riding you do. Many people do good quality training outside and having a powermeter doesn't you mean "looking at your computer all day". You can use it to inform your training, you can look at data after, you can ignore it, but the key is you have all of those as options each and every time you ride.0 -
Are you training to get better at riding the turbo or at riding the bike outside?cougie wrote:kimchiwitrice wrote:Surely a PM is more useful, no? Just in terms of versatility
No I'd go for the turbo if you want to get better. Using a turbo with consistent virtual power will let you train to a high standard. Out on the road you don't want to be looking at your computer all day and you can't train properly with traffic and hazards around.
If you are training for certain disciplines (eg time trial & triathlon) a power meter is a very important tool in performing to your best when you're out on the road, means you have that pacing data while you're competing, instead of having to try and do it by feel or HR.
And buying a power meter doesn't stop you from buying a dumb turbo to use with it for intervals, at a fraction of the cost.0 -
Both, clearly.0
