A power meters capability to compute workload in real time has basically changed the way cyclists train. No more making a guess about increases in fitness, no more wildly overblown first intervals wrecking the remainder of the set. With a power meter, you can see the particular quantity of work youre doing in any specific second, measured in watts. Most top pros train with power, and as options enter the market and costs drop, more and more recreational riders are leaping onto the bandwagon.
What’s A Watt?
Simply put , power is torque multiplied by angular velocity. In cycling, that interprets into force on the pedals times intonation. Power is used to overcome the forces of gravity, wind, inertia and friction. Most power meters measure torque, either in the crankset, hub or pedals, and use that figure to calculate power in watts. Another method is to begin with the other side of the equation, adding up all of the forces opposing forward motion and working backwards to calculate power.
Train by power, not just With power
coaching by power instead of with power isn’t a surplus excellence. Unlike a fast set of wheels or lighter bike, simply putting a power meter on your bike and looking at the numbers isnt intending to make you any quicker. Riders need to learn how to make use of the numbers, or hire a coach who does.
Also take a close look at software options. TrainingPeaks WKO+ software is the industry leader, with numerous chances for research, planning and tracking.
Open-source software Golden Cheetah offers plenty of the same features for free . CycleOps own PowerAgent software is also free and offers some of the same features as TrainingPeaks and GoldenCheetah in a straightforward to use interface. The options Crank-based systems are costly and tough to transfer between bikes, but they’re accurate and sturdy. Hub-based power meters bring the price tag down, but glaringly limit rear wheel choice. Power meters that dont measure power immediately are a bit less accurate, but are so much cheaper that the occasional mistakes could be overlooked.
Besides the meter itself, consider the head unit ( the computer that presents and records information ). Most meters come with a head unit, but more and more are ANT+ Sport compatible, meaning you may use them with a Garmin or another 3rd party head unit.
To discover the latest in bike computer and bicycle computer check out http://bestbikecomputer.com.
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February 23, 2011
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