For anyone who's looking at buying a power meter for the first time: (1) do it; if you're at all serious about biking, it's the most important upgrade you can get for your bike and (2) be aware that Shimano's meters (feature in this video) leave a lot to be desired. There are several better and cheaper meters out there. DC Rainmaker has some very good reviews that you probably should go through first before making a purchase.
Best piece of advice I’ve gotten is don’t look at the power when you’re out with friends. Keep the numbers for your solo and structured training sessions. Best of both: fun and improving
riding with friends is when you hit your PRs, as you desperately hold onto the wheels, while they surge up kickers at 40k an hour at least in my experience lol
Video idea suggestion: A comparison of the speeds of different kinds of bike when you put in the same power. E.g. how fast is a race bike at 250W vs how fast is a mountainbike with the same power, how much faster is a lighter bike, how much influence does tire pressure have, and so on.
It'd be nice if it included other types of bikes too that aren't performance oriented but instead are more commonly used by commuters and casual riders, like folding bikes, cruisers, dutch bikes, etc.
We like this bloke but this business is pre-internet style and is a terrible 1 way show. They should STOP looking to get money out of the poor general public cause Warren Buffet has all our money. Just make shows specificly for Warren buffet and only Warren buffet. Don't give us another version of neighbours. All our $2 have gone. Go Away GCN. Warren has over 90 billion dollars. Go pester him.
I ride with a power meter, Stages left crank arm. They're a useful tool for pacing and climbing. Do an FTP to find your zones and then on your head unit work to power zones 1-6. You then have "gears of effort" to ride in. Just like HR zones but more accurate. I climb in 3-4 and 2-3 in endrance. It's like cheating
@@Markhypnosis1 it's as opposed to someone who isn't using one at all or not using zones but fluctuating watts. Zones take away the guessing of effort needed. So on climb you can sit in zone 2 or 3 gear of effort and know the time and pace you will need to cover the climb without say burning out at the bottom. You can pre plan knowing which zone to apply on a particular route or race too.
@@parenthlete HR is great for steady efforts, but the lag makes it useless for short intense intervals. Using both is the key, because you can hit the same numbers at a lower HR and know your body is adapting (or, if a higher HR, maybe you need more recovery)
@@gcn very, it is something that I noticed a while back early on in riding with power and HR. Did wonder if others are better at the other way around. Spinning over grinding, with a lower HR. all fascinating stuff.
Personally, i do my relatively strict training in the winter months (mostly on zwift) and I use those fitness gains during the summer months to hang with strong group rides and power through long Fondos...
As a numbers geek, I love my power meter and do a lot of structured workouts. However, my favorite rides are the long moderate intensity rides where the computer is showing only the navigation screen.
Warren buffet is a numbers geek too. How does your 90 billion dollars compare to his? He doesn't need a power meter, he can buy the whole power station.
I have a left crank power meter, but dont really use it for training by power. I use it more for pacing, so i dont overdo in the beginning of a climb or for a strava sector PR. It works really well and by time you just know how hard you can go. All my PRs improved by a lot, on climbs and flats! Can very much recommend to get a power meter if you are into data and numbers.
i don't have a power meter and typically just go by vertical ascent speed for pacing climbs. is a power meter somehow better for that? (i get that it is better for pacing also for doing sprints on the flats)
@@sbjf it's absolutely better for that. Given how inaccurate some altimeters are, your VAM isn't going to give you a great idea of your exertion. Also, consider that a punchy climb is easily going to put you over 500W--are you going to trust an altimeter to tell you when you're about to blow up when that effort is likely only sustainable for around a minute? Another nice thing a power meter will do is let you accurately calculate your FTP, so you'll know that you can climb at at least that figure without exploding. Accurate FTP calculation can also give you a W' (W prime) calculation, which lets you know how much anaerobic "burst" power you have at a given time. It's like a battery gauge for your body! All of these cool metrics are only available with power meters, and the great news is that you can get one for under $400 these days.
Si , that Peloton bike has gotten me fit . Fit enough to start commuting and to purchase power meters . Different paths to a healthy life. Don't knock it till you try it ... Stroke survivor , now a biking enthusiasts .
@@johnnymcmurdo The original Bike's power numbers were off 10% or more, just as Si said, but the newer Bike+ model is basically as accurate as the power meter pedals on your road bike.
I was tempted to get a power meter, but in the end bought a Kikr to use for winter training and learn about my power through that. As an older rider, probably a good way for me to test the waters b
I don't understand why no one is in my situation where they just want a power meter for very accurate calorie tracking. I am trying to lose weight, to have a device that is able to track almost exactly how much calories you burned during a session is insanely valuable for people who care about weight loss, which I imagine is a MASSIVE amount of people. If someone can make a cheap cheap pedal power meter for the masses, and now with the ability to connect power meters to apple watches, that would be a very good selling product in my opinion. I don't think people in the cycling community see the value of this outside of their own training needs. Really really hope a product comes out soon like this.
I'm a mechanical engineer. I'm not only a slave to numbers, they are my livelihood, I serve the numbers, they serve me. I'm so into my numbers, I'm going to try Best Bike Split to get my coveted PR this weekend, by riding exactly to the numbers. Did I mention I like numbers?
As to Si's first point, I don't know about other brands of power meters, but you do not have to zero out Assioma power pedals. One of the benefits of those pedals, as well as their cost. Also, while no power meter is perfect, as long as whatever power meter you're using gives you consistent results, it doesn't matter. One last thing, Si references polarized training, which only has three zones, and the methodology is that you spend 80-90 percent of your time in zone 1 (base), and the rest in zone 3 (intervals), spending as little time as possible in zone 2. He says zone 2 base training during the video, which is probably because most people do a 5 or more zone training program, and zone 2 usually means base training effort.
Not sure which gospel you quote to say that polarized training has three zones. Afaik it's just a term. A synonym would be barbell training. The idea being you avoid the middle and you focus on the extremities of a barbell / poles of a sphere.
This winter i bought a kickr and after two years of hearth rate based training this was my first time with a powermeter. Did an FTP test which was 253 at the time. Being able to train this specific felt great made me buy a crank based power meter. Now in less than 6 months i increased my ftp to 300 which feels like more progress then the two years before. Indeed the best investment i did to my bike.
You know all this tech is great an all. But man, it's so much extra mental effort. Espeically for those of us that aren't elite athetes (i.e. everyone who is watching this video). Here's a simple cheat that will save you all the headache, time, and money of a power meter. Find a nice 1/2 to 1 mile climb that's around 5% grade. Power up it. What speed can you hold up the hill? 8mph? 11mph? Whatever, doesn't matter. Let's use 8mph as what you were able to hold. Now every week go back and try and hold 'just a bit more speed'. Once you hold 8.5mph, move up to trying for 9mph. Then 9.5mph etc etc. Cheap, easy, free, effective. This also works on your flat speedwork. Mark off a quarter mile section of road, see how fast you can hold. Then come back and work on going just a bit faster every week. Done...
Close, power is force times distance divided by time. The distance is related to number of rotations but also crank arm length. Therefore crank arm length also matters. As a measurement, Torque itself has the crank arm length in it but force does not…
Don’t have a power meter, yet with the type and amount of riding I do , I really don’t need one. But if I was truthful to myself, I would like one just to see what actual numbers I can put out. I am a bit of a stats geek/ nerd.
I was thinking about doing clubrides during racing season and threating them as C races (A being the most important, C being the least) and also sometimes during base/build season threating them as an unprecise but hard intervall training ride. Most of them happen of Saturdays and on Sunday I can go out for my long endurance ride.
As a triathlete I really love the data. At some point you really get a feeling for the different pace zones which really helps not getting to fast. Also it's important if you do polarized training, as most people just naturally go too fast and too slow most of the time. Especially if you coming from a HIIT background, the numbers really help going slow.
One thing my coach emphasised is to not just track the numbers but also use them to try to feel what a particular effort feels like, so like what does zone 4 feel like and can you run/cycle in zone 4 by feel, for example. The more you can do that the better in tune with your body you can be as to how an effort should feel and whether you're out of your normal range and may need to alter your race Strat a little.
I am glad I'm retired and don't have to worry about riding by numbers. Maths was never my best subject anyway. I'm old school and just ride my bike on feeling ;)
Don't you have these "oh, this feels really hard today" moments? Then I see the watts and know if it IS really hard or if I'm just lazy today. If lazy: Get yourself together and do your watts! ^^
Can't ride to power when racing, learn how to listen to your body so I totally agree. started racing in 1976. still no power meter on my bike. Also can't use one on the track
I rode on feeling but when I got a power meter it showed I'd been using the wrong cadence. Even though the cadence felt the best, the power meter showed that I made the same power with less fatigue if I raised the cadence 15 rpm. It felt odd at first but the numbers do not lie, and now this is my preferred cadence.
I find if my head unit (cycling) or watch (running) displays my power zone or my heart rate zone, it is easier to follow than trying to follow fluctuating numbers.
Correction, your power is not force multiplied by rpm, it is torque multiplied by cadence in radians-per-second. Which means your power = force X crank length X radians-per-second. There are 2*pi radians in one revolution and 60 seconds in a minute, so your power (watts) is force (newtons) multiplied by (crank length in metres*rpm*2*3.141)/60 or approximately: force multiplied by (crank length*rpm)/10. With a bit of mathematics and this correct formula, one can calculate how much force they put on the crank. It turns out you can't put much more force than your own body weight (newtons) due to the need for gravity to keep you planted. A little more force can be gained by bracing against the handlebars. To get more power past the maximum possible force you need to raise the other variable, the cadence.
Yes, the Bike+ power numbers are extremely accurate. DC Rainmaker's video showed they matched data from the power meter pedals he put on the bike almost perfectly. I've been doing Powerzone training inside on my Bike+ for over a year and it has improved my outdoor cycling immensely.
@@BikePappy tbh, I currently struggle to find out which cleats i have :D Just started 7 months ago, only used my roadbike with a smart trainer at home the first 5 month and I've never been on a group ride yet. I googled the Look/KEO cleats and found mine advertised as SPD. I google for SPD and they look like the MTB cleats (I use 3 point roadbike cleats/shoes). That got me confused :(
Things I wish I’d known, don’t buy a garmin one……garbage. Struggles connecting, eventually a new door came out changed the battery door as per garmin, won’t connect at all now, also the pedal body wore out inside two years, which garmin wouldn’t warranty. Took me a lot of time and money to work that out, spread the word.
Fellas at Garmin have become way too comfortable in their office chairs as they think simply because they built up a famous brand they will be able to sell only crap in the future for fortunes lol.
I would really like it if people on "social" group rides would just put their head units in their jersey pockets and download stuff when they get home. Between power obsessions and strava segments, I don't know how many friendly group rides have been ruined by " I've got to watch my numbers" or " sorry, I have to try for a PB on this segment."
Not all us are big-shot GCN presenters, and can't afford Dura-Ace. However, I did just buy the SRAM Rival crank based power meter. How are those "zero'd out?"
Something interesting from the recent Giro was a poll amongst riders about their computer. Most said they only really check distance remaining and that the power meter can be quite disheartening for them ;)
It's really interesting, Tadej Pogacar famously climbed La Planche des Belle Filles without a computer during his Tour de France Winning Final TT in 2020
@@gcn Makes total sense in a TT though, but Pog is another animal entirely - oh that constant lone struggle to get the right balance between effort and pace. PS: The final showdown between Pogacar and Roglic was one of the best I've ever seen.
I would love a power metre just to see if the feeling of getting fitter actually translates to real number improvements. Unfortunately they are too expensive for my budget.
Excellent job explaining using the power meter. I was hoping you would have a bit deeper, and explain the benefits of having two vs one power meter (other than the significant cost difference)? I have gone back and forth on Whether to install just one in the beginning and later install a second, or do I really need to have two? Any advise?
I cycle to visit places, shop, and just enjoy the views on a mamachari. That said, I've been interested in getting a power meter just because I'm curious about those various values I've heard about and think it'd be interesting to see more stats regarding my trips other than just distance and speed. It's a bit of a shame though, since my bike is probably cheaper than the cheapest power meters out there, so I'll probably just hold out for a while instead.
@@MrLEGONATHAN Assuming you apply high torque as well as high rpm. Most people struggle to do this, the ability to do it is what separates the pros from everyone else.
@@Ed.R it’s like driving a car really: diesels produce more torque (force) than a petrol but at less RPMs for the same power. Petrols produce less torque but higher RPMS to produce the same power
I just noticed that I always zeroed my PM in horizontal and not vertical haha When he zeroed it, I was like: Is he doing it wrong or me the whole time?
My spider power meter (Quarq DZero) specifically said to zero it in the vertical position (drive-side crank at 6 o’clock). But fortunately it also auto-calibrates so I don’t do that often!
how about riding because you enjoy it. Does every ride have to be a workout for the next tour de france? Enjoy your rides and stop tracking everything you do you will enjoy it more and you can check any stats later when the ride is over or dont. Just have fun with riding you will get more out of it.
Or we can all do ourselves and be happy 😃 I personally love data. I still enjoy my rides with my friends or solo, but I like seeing my data after my rides.
Question, the power meter. It measures cadence for the calculation of power, but will it also output cadence data? So that ur wahoo for instance will get cadence data from the power meter and also show that on the screen? Or u need a diffrent thing for that. (Sorry for possibly a dumb question, but is pretty new to road cycling myself and data. Been watching ur channel for years and also diffrent tours. But never thought/cared abour data) Also sorry if my English might be a bit of, its my second language 😅
Most important upgrade to a bike, along with the wheels. Power meter first though! Can't imagine not riding with one. When I first started, I only had a heart rate monitor. This was years ago, and there weren't many good power meter options. It's so fantastic that there are plenty available now.
As a regular 59 year old rider using a 2011 Specialized Allez, a Power Meter is a NICE TO HAVE and expensive add-on to your machine. Since I only ride just for the sheer joy of riding (100 kms in 4 hours), I can put the cost of that add-on to something else....just my 2 cents....
This stuff fascinates me but I'd never be able to justify the cost of a power meter. I'm going to try to work it out without one 🤣 That's impossible but maybe if I throw enough variables at it, I can come up with some sort of very rough calculator in Excel. Factoring in things like wind speed and hills is basically impossible, but what if you purposely rode a flat bit of road taking X time at X average speed when you weigh X amount yourself on a bike weighing X amount with X width tyres at X pressure, when there's no wind... I'm going to have a crack at making a calc lol
That it was pointless waiting a few years for prices to come down (for such a cheap product to manufacture - “R&D” etc etc) as promised as it was never going to happen.
They've simplified the explanation here - Kickr measures power off the cassette - I have the powertap hub powermeter for my back wheel & that does the same, so no need to measure cadence separately.
It measures your cadence by detecting the pulses of power as you turn the pedals, if you are coasting (turning pedals slower than the flywheel) it will not work; but in that case your power is 0 anyway. You cannot apply constant torque like a motor would, which is where the pedaling smoothness metric that some meters provide comes in, it's usually about 25%.
Thanks for viddeo, just what i needed! But do i ride with 3 seconds average power or do i just set the zones. And do you use average normalized power after you are done training to find the zone you have trained in?
You ride with 3 sec average, raw numbers fluctuate way too much. You do not find the zone you have trained in by taking the average or anything else from an entire ride, for seeing in which zone you are training the same 3 sec average is the best measure too. On Strava for example you can then see for an entire ride how much time you have spent in which zone.
Just got a left sided Dura Ace 4iiii power meter and it’s not connecting well to Zwift or my watch. I have been using Garmin speed and cadence meter but I wanted accurate power reading. I downloaded the 4iiii app and calibrated the pm but it did only connected a bit to zwift but didn’t read. Do I need to remove the speedmeter or what could be the problem? All the reviews are saying that it easy too install and connect with zwift, not for me
Do you ride with a power meter?
No but I have been saving to buy one
Just got a 4iiii dual sided crank, this video couldn't have come at a better time, cheers guys
Hell no.
Just bought a pair of used dual pedal meters 2 weeks ago.
Up to now I've been using the one between my ears.
For anyone who's looking at buying a power meter for the first time: (1) do it; if you're at all serious about biking, it's the most important upgrade you can get for your bike and (2) be aware that Shimano's meters (feature in this video) leave a lot to be desired. There are several better and cheaper meters out there. DC Rainmaker has some very good reviews that you probably should go through first before making a purchase.
I'm studying the favero Assioma... Any thoughts?
I just bought the Stages power meter. So far so good
Any knowledge of the Quarq ones on the new Sram groupsets?
You mean serious about racing! For regular biking, why would I care?
Agree about D C Rainmaker reviews!
Best piece of advice I’ve gotten is don’t look at the power when you’re out with friends. Keep the numbers for your solo and structured training sessions. Best of both: fun and improving
riding with friends is when you hit your PRs, as you desperately hold onto the wheels, while they surge up kickers at 40k an hour
at least in my experience lol
@@neelsahay5227 You are certainly not alone...
See it as a recovery or base training and you are fine.
Video idea suggestion: A comparison of the speeds of different kinds of bike when you put in the same power. E.g. how fast is a race bike at 250W vs how fast is a mountainbike with the same power, how much faster is a lighter bike, how much influence does tire pressure have, and so on.
And use the cheap bikes/old bikes...
It'd be nice if it included other types of bikes too that aren't performance oriented but instead are more commonly used by commuters and casual riders, like folding bikes, cruisers, dutch bikes, etc.
Si has always been my favorite presenter.
Nice just to have a classy, informative video from Si every once in a while to set GCN straight. 👏
We like this bloke but this business is pre-internet style and is a terrible 1 way show.
They should STOP looking to get money out of the poor general public cause Warren Buffet has all our money.
Just make shows specificly for Warren buffet and only Warren buffet.
Don't give us another version of neighbours.
All our $2 have gone.
Go Away GCN.
Warren has over 90 billion dollars. Go pester him.
@@dreyn7780 Dude...
@@dreyn7780 what you on about you silly sausage
I ride with a power meter, Stages left crank arm. They're a useful tool for pacing and climbing. Do an FTP to find your zones and then on your head unit work to power zones 1-6. You then have "gears of effort" to ride in. Just like HR zones but more accurate. I climb in 3-4 and 2-3 in endrance. It's like cheating
Can someone please explain power zones or link a reliable video about it. Thx
Cheating? How is using power zones like cheating? It doesn't make it easier you know!
@@Markhypnosis1 it's as opposed to someone who isn't using one at all or not using zones but fluctuating watts. Zones take away the guessing of effort needed. So on climb you can sit in zone 2 or 3 gear of effort and know the time and pace you will need to cover the climb without say burning out at the bottom. You can pre plan knowing which zone to apply on a particular route or race too.
How is it better and more accurate than using HR? Does HR give better info as it takes account of fatigue
@@parenthlete HR is great for steady efforts, but the lag makes it useless for short intense intervals. Using both is the key, because you can hit the same numbers at a lower HR and know your body is adapting (or, if a higher HR, maybe you need more recovery)
Lot of people Will Come for the powermeter info, but most Will be stunned looking to Simon Bike! ! !
So glad you did the "same power, different effect" segment... Thanks for another great video
Hope you found it interesting
@@gcn very, it is something that I noticed a while back early on in riding with power and HR. Did wonder if others are better at the other way around. Spinning over grinding, with a lower HR. all fascinating stuff.
Personally, i do my relatively strict training in the winter months (mostly on zwift) and I use those fitness gains during the summer months to hang with strong group rides and power through long Fondos...
You're not allowed to introduce yourself to me.
GCN must get the 90 billion dollars out of Warren buffet's hands.
As a numbers geek, I love my power meter and do a lot of structured workouts. However, my favorite rides are the long moderate intensity rides where the computer is showing only the navigation screen.
Warren buffet is a numbers geek too.
How does your 90 billion dollars compare to his?
He doesn't need a power meter, he can buy the whole power station.
@@dreyn7780 you again. Go away and chat Warren buffet nonsense elsewhere
@@dreyn7780if you had half of his IQ maybe you could have made a lot of money also.
@@dreyn7780 this is easily the weirdest comment I've read in a very long time
I have a left crank power meter, but dont really use it for training by power. I use it more for pacing, so i dont overdo in the beginning of a climb or for a strava sector PR. It works really well and by time you just know how hard you can go. All my PRs improved by a lot, on climbs and flats! Can very much recommend to get a power meter if you are into data and numbers.
i don't have a power meter and typically just go by vertical ascent speed for pacing climbs. is a power meter somehow better for that? (i get that it is better for pacing also for doing sprints on the flats)
@@sbjf it's absolutely better for that. Given how inaccurate some altimeters are, your VAM isn't going to give you a great idea of your exertion. Also, consider that a punchy climb is easily going to put you over 500W--are you going to trust an altimeter to tell you when you're about to blow up when that effort is likely only sustainable for around a minute? Another nice thing a power meter will do is let you accurately calculate your FTP, so you'll know that you can climb at at least that figure without exploding. Accurate FTP calculation can also give you a W' (W prime) calculation, which lets you know how much anaerobic "burst" power you have at a given time. It's like a battery gauge for your body! All of these cool metrics are only available with power meters, and the great news is that you can get one for under $400 these days.
Si , that Peloton bike has gotten me fit .
Fit enough to start commuting and to purchase power meters .
Different paths to a healthy life.
Don't knock it till you try it ...
Stroke survivor , now a biking enthusiasts .
He didnt say the peleton idea was bad, he just said the bike itself isnt accurate
@@johnnymcmurdo The original Bike's power numbers were off 10% or more, just as Si said, but the newer Bike+ model is basically as accurate as the power meter pedals on your road bike.
@@davidfry3912 Wrong. The Bike is basically a random number generator. The Bike+ is accurate within +/- 10%.
I was tempted to get a power meter, but in the end bought a Kikr to use for winter training and learn about my power through that. As an older rider, probably a good way for me to test the waters b
Two winters on a Kikr now I'm outdoors with a power meter, and love it! (Assioma)
Beauty of a bike btw, quite perfect in my view
My first power meter literally arrived today. Thanks for the personalised vid, GCN!
Literally ordered mine yesterday and should have arrived today.... now tomorrow, however great timing!
I also just order my first powermeter!! Unbelievable timing 👌🏻
I don't understand why no one is in my situation where they just want a power meter for very accurate calorie tracking. I am trying to lose weight, to have a device that is able to track almost exactly how much calories you burned during a session is insanely valuable for people who care about weight loss, which I imagine is a MASSIVE amount of people. If someone can make a cheap cheap pedal power meter for the masses, and now with the ability to connect power meters to apple watches, that would be a very good selling product in my opinion. I don't think people in the cycling community see the value of this outside of their own training needs. Really really hope a product comes out soon like this.
I'm a mechanical engineer. I'm not only a slave to numbers, they are my livelihood, I serve the numbers, they serve me. I'm so into my numbers, I'm going to try Best Bike Split to get my coveted PR this weekend, by riding exactly to the numbers. Did I mention I like numbers?
I’ve got the favero assioma duo, interchangeable on any bike, just got them a few weeks ago, great timing on the video!
I have been riding them since Nov 2019, switching between my road bike, CX bike and TT bike. No issues so far. The numbers delivered are consistent.
Just brought my duo’s 4 days ago, gonna test them out and start my trading plan.
Bought them 7months ago just got them 15days ago very happy
i have them myself, really like them.
jist bought the new version, the gravel powermeter. Love it!
As to Si's first point, I don't know about other brands of power meters, but you do not have to zero out Assioma power pedals. One of the benefits of those pedals, as well as their cost. Also, while no power meter is perfect, as long as whatever power meter you're using gives you consistent results, it doesn't matter. One last thing, Si references polarized training, which only has three zones, and the methodology is that you spend 80-90 percent of your time in zone 1 (base), and the rest in zone 3 (intervals), spending as little time as possible in zone 2. He says zone 2 base training during the video, which is probably because most people do a 5 or more zone training program, and zone 2 usually means base training effort.
Not sure which gospel you quote to say that polarized training has three zones. Afaik it's just a term. A synonym would be barbell training. The idea being you avoid the middle and you focus on the extremities of a barbell / poles of a sphere.
@@pierrex3226 I have no idea what you’re trying to say. Polarized training only has three zones, look it up.
This winter i bought a kickr and after two years of hearth rate based training this was my first time with a powermeter. Did an FTP test which was 253 at the time.
Being able to train this specific felt great made me buy a crank based power meter.
Now in less than 6 months i increased my ftp to 300 which feels like more progress then the two years before. Indeed the best investment i did to my bike.
Lmao with Si’s trip to the gym what a legend looking that ridiculous and clearly still enjoying himself 🤣🥰
Favero have auto calibration
Power meter is a great tool, to train diferents metabolic body systems
Talk about timing! I just got my first power meter today! Thanks for the tips!
You know all this tech is great an all. But man, it's so much extra mental effort. Espeically for those of us that aren't elite athetes (i.e. everyone who is watching this video). Here's a simple cheat that will save you all the headache, time, and money of a power meter. Find a nice 1/2 to 1 mile climb that's around 5% grade. Power up it. What speed can you hold up the hill? 8mph? 11mph? Whatever, doesn't matter. Let's use 8mph as what you were able to hold. Now every week go back and try and hold 'just a bit more speed'. Once you hold 8.5mph, move up to trying for 9mph. Then 9.5mph etc etc. Cheap, easy, free, effective. This also works on your flat speedwork. Mark off a quarter mile section of road, see how fast you can hold. Then come back and work on going just a bit faster every week. Done...
Close, power is force times distance divided by time. The distance is related to number of rotations but also crank arm length. Therefore crank arm length also matters. As a measurement, Torque itself has the crank arm length in it but force does not…
Si just demonstrated my gym routine on video!
Look at Si working those buggy whips in the gym! Well done you!, 💪🏻🏋️
Si in a gym... - Si, who told you where to find a gym? ^^
Don’t have a power meter, yet with the type and amount of riding I do , I really don’t need one. But if I was truthful to myself, I would like one just to see what actual numbers I can put out. I am a bit of a stats geek/ nerd.
A lot of content here to enjoy... and yet I was constantly distracted by Si's DMT shoes! 😍
That burn on peloton was beautiful hahaha
I was thinking about doing clubrides during racing season and threating them as C races (A being the most important, C being the least) and also sometimes during base/build season threating them as an unprecise but hard intervall training ride. Most of them happen of Saturdays and on Sunday I can go out for my long endurance ride.
Warren buffet doesn't agree with YOU.
He says we must stay home and make some money just like him.
Damn this Aeroad equipped with the Dura-Ace looks damn beautiful
As a triathlete I really love the data. At some point you really get a feeling for the different pace zones which really helps not getting to fast. Also it's important if you do polarized training, as most people just naturally go too fast and too slow most of the time. Especially if you coming from a HIIT background, the numbers really help going slow.
One thing my coach emphasised is to not just track the numbers but also use them to try to feel what a particular effort feels like, so like what does zone 4 feel like and can you run/cycle in zone 4 by feel, for example.
The more you can do that the better in tune with your body you can be as to how an effort should feel and whether you're out of your normal range and may need to alter your race Strat a little.
I am glad I'm retired and don't have to worry about riding by numbers. Maths was never my best subject anyway. I'm old school and just ride my bike on feeling ;)
Don't you have these "oh, this feels really hard today" moments? Then I see the watts and know if it IS really hard or if I'm just lazy today. If lazy: Get yourself together and do your watts! ^^
Can't ride to power when racing, learn how to listen to your body so I totally agree. started racing in 1976. still no power meter on my bike. Also can't use one on the track
I rode on feeling but when I got a power meter it showed I'd been using the wrong cadence. Even though the cadence felt the best, the power meter showed that I made the same power with less fatigue if I raised the cadence 15 rpm. It felt odd at first but the numbers do not lie, and now this is my preferred cadence.
Si's shoes are 🔥🔥
I find if my head unit (cycling) or watch (running) displays my power zone or my heart rate zone, it is easier to follow than trying to follow fluctuating numbers.
This is the way you should be looking at it
Nice knock against the peloton bike!😂
Correction, your power is not force multiplied by rpm, it is torque multiplied by cadence in radians-per-second. Which means your power = force X crank length X radians-per-second. There are 2*pi radians in one revolution and 60 seconds in a minute, so your power (watts) is force (newtons) multiplied by (crank length in metres*rpm*2*3.141)/60 or approximately: force multiplied by (crank length*rpm)/10. With a bit of mathematics and this correct formula, one can calculate how much force they put on the crank. It turns out you can't put much more force than your own body weight (newtons) due to the need for gravity to keep you planted. A little more force can be gained by bracing against the handlebars. To get more power past the maximum possible force you need to raise the other variable, the cadence.
Dat stealth space gray/black Canyon, tho', . . . 🔥🔥🔥
Fantastic concise vid from Si !
But some one should have told him those horizontal patterns on his GCN socks don't do his ankles any favours , 😂😱😂
2:32 Okay that 'gym workout' made me laugh, I know people like that, but you forgot to *take selfies.* That would make the workout complete
Love the little dig at Peloton Bikes.
great videos, very informative and entertaining (new sub)
Just FYI the peloton bike (at least the + version) does have the ability to calibrate it's power meter.
Yes, the Bike+ power numbers are extremely accurate. DC Rainmaker's video showed they matched data from the power meter pedals he put on the bike almost perfectly. I've been doing Powerzone training inside on my Bike+ for over a year and it has improved my outdoor cycling immensely.
@@davidfry3912 DCR just got lucky with his purchase. Read Peloton's documentation. It is +/- 10% accuracy for the Bike+.
The lap button works great for intervals and holding a specific power output.
But you'll get more praise from making wealth than from cycling.
Please see Dr Stephen Seiler for videos on the 80/20 approach to cycling, where most of your sessions will be in zone 2
Yup, his video was enlightening.
This guy is smashing the pedals, and he is able to talk normally .
This has got to be the first time Simon ever been in a weight Room!
10:10 valve on the front wheel are not alignet with teh tire name. Just nice.
Yes, Rotor 2inpower on Supersix EVO.
Very informative filum :) once I’d re watched the first bit twice but then I am dyslexic 🙂
Currently I am actively looking for a powermeter pedal. So nice timing :) and good video!
Favero Assiomas unless you hate look keo style cleats.
@@talonlan funny enough that you should recommend those. They are my current favorite :)
Agreed. Assiomas are solid. They now have pedal spindles that you can fit your Shimano bodies to - if that is what you prefer.
@@BikePappy tbh, I currently struggle to find out which cleats i have :D
Just started 7 months ago, only used my roadbike with a smart trainer at home the first 5 month and I've never been on a group ride yet.
I googled the Look/KEO cleats and found mine advertised as SPD. I google for SPD and they look like the MTB cleats (I use 3 point roadbike cleats/shoes). That got me confused :(
Great information. 🤟😎
Things I wish I’d known, don’t buy a garmin one……garbage. Struggles connecting, eventually a new door came out changed the battery door as per garmin, won’t connect at all now, also the pedal body wore out inside two years, which garmin wouldn’t warranty. Took me a lot of time and money to work that out, spread the word.
Fellas at Garmin have become way too comfortable in their office chairs as they think simply because they built up a famous brand they will be able to sell only crap in the future for fortunes lol.
Don’t buy a garmin anything experience has told me …
Personally, I would go with the 4IIII left side crank. It has no parts to wear out. It is super reliable, and you can quickly transfer it to any bike.
I would really like it if people on "social" group rides would just put their head units in their jersey pockets and download stuff when they get home. Between power obsessions and strava segments, I don't know how many friendly group rides have been ruined by " I've got to watch my numbers" or " sorry, I have to try for a PB on this segment."
That was a pretty big slam of Peloton you made there and frankly they deserve it.
Not all us are big-shot GCN presenters, and can't afford Dura-Ace. However, I did just buy the SRAM Rival crank based power meter. How are those "zero'd out?"
I have the same power meter. Use the AXS app or a headunit like in the video.
Nice to see a road bike again on GCN. It was turning into GGCN or something.
This one slipped through. Apologies - it won't happen again.
I was just looking at power meter bundles. Specifically Garmin 850 bundle vs Wahoo. Great video!
Don’t get the garmin power pedals. Having those and nothing is about the same thing, they’re really inaccurate
Very nice looking bike 🤩🤩
is gcn also showing sometimes different bikes aside canyon?
Something interesting from the recent Giro was a poll amongst riders about their computer. Most said they only really check distance remaining and that the power meter can be quite disheartening for them ;)
It's not uncommon for pros to train to power to get fitter, but ride entirely on feel during the race.
@@gcn Absolutely hear you. That was specifically for the race. I'm sure they all use power meters for training ;)
It's really interesting, Tadej Pogacar famously climbed La Planche des Belle Filles without a computer during his Tour de France Winning Final TT in 2020
@@gcn Makes total sense in a TT though, but Pog is another animal entirely - oh that constant lone struggle to get the right balance between effort and pace. PS: The final showdown between Pogacar and Roglic was one of the best I've ever seen.
I would love a power metre just to see if the feeling of getting fitter actually translates to real number improvements. Unfortunately they are too expensive for my budget.
Excellent job explaining using the power meter. I was hoping you would have a bit deeper, and explain the benefits of having two vs one power meter (other than the significant cost difference)? I have gone back and forth on Whether to install just one in the beginning and later install a second, or do I really need to have two? Any advise?
I cycle to visit places, shop, and just enjoy the views on a mamachari. That said, I've been interested in getting a power meter just because I'm curious about those various values I've heard about and think it'd be interesting to see more stats regarding my trips other than just distance and speed. It's a bit of a shame though, since my bike is probably cheaper than the cheapest power meters out there, so I'll probably just hold out for a while instead.
Si is great at these
Force X distance X cadence = power. Si left out the crankarm length.
The Canyon bike that Simon rides look amazing!! Could someone please tell me the model of the bike? Thank you!
It literally looks like my dream byke.
Canyon Aeroad Cf SLX older model
@@xXxLegendZoneTVxXx thank you!!
Aeroad CFR not CFslx
I think we have to get a video about Si's gym routine 😂👏
I usually ride a high cadence. I was mortified 😱. The first time I saw my power numbers.
In a good way or a bad way
@@gqh007 They were much lower than I thought it would be. I usually spun the 53-17 or 53-15 at 90rpm. I still do but I mix it up a lil more now.
High cadence wouldn’t lower power, it would lower torque. Riding at a high cadence is a good way to efficiently produce more power
@@MrLEGONATHAN Assuming you apply high torque as well as high rpm. Most people struggle to do this, the ability to do it is what separates the pros from everyone else.
@@Ed.R it’s like driving a car really: diesels produce more torque (force) than a petrol but at less RPMs for the same power. Petrols produce less torque but higher RPMS to produce the same power
Interesting title choice
That Canyon tho 👌
I just noticed that I always zeroed my PM in horizontal and not vertical haha
When he zeroed it, I was like: Is he doing it wrong or me the whole time?
My spider power meter (Quarq DZero) specifically said to zero it in the vertical position (drive-side crank at 6 o’clock). But fortunately it also auto-calibrates so I don’t do that often!
how about riding because you enjoy it. Does every ride have to be a workout for the next tour de france? Enjoy your rides and stop tracking everything you do you will enjoy it more and you can check any stats later when the ride is over or dont. Just have fun with riding you will get more out of it.
Or we can all do ourselves and be happy 😃
I personally love data. I still enjoy my rides with my friends or solo, but I like seeing my data after my rides.
@@Darsithis I love data too: HR, power, cadence, total gradient etc. I don’t race triathlons anymore but I do just love graphs and numbers 😅
It’s almost like you didn’t watch the end of the video. 😉
it's all great ..great info video...but I certainly don't need a power meter to tell I'm getting dropped. 🤣
I find a power meter useful in stopping you getting dropped
Question, the power meter. It measures cadence for the calculation of power, but will it also output cadence data? So that ur wahoo for instance will get cadence data from the power meter and also show that on the screen? Or u need a diffrent thing for that. (Sorry for possibly a dumb question, but is pretty new to road cycling myself and data. Been watching ur channel for years and also diffrent tours. But never thought/cared abour data) Also sorry if my English might be a bit of, its my second language 😅
Yes
Si will do anything to show off those bulging biceps😆. Great video by the way.
Great shoes!!!!
Unfortunately impossible to find in that color 😒
Nice shoes!
Most important upgrade to a bike, along with the wheels. Power meter first though! Can't imagine not riding with one. When I first started, I only had a heart rate monitor. This was years ago, and there weren't many good power meter options. It's so fantastic that there are plenty available now.
Shoes look fast and powerful
As a regular 59 year old rider using a 2011 Specialized Allez, a Power Meter is a NICE TO HAVE and expensive add-on to your machine. Since I only ride just for the sheer joy of riding (100 kms in 4 hours), I can put the cost of that add-on to something else....just my 2 cents....
This stuff fascinates me but I'd never be able to justify the cost of a power meter. I'm going to try to work it out without one 🤣 That's impossible but maybe if I throw enough variables at it, I can come up with some sort of very rough calculator in Excel. Factoring in things like wind speed and hills is basically impossible, but what if you purposely rode a flat bit of road taking X time at X average speed when you weigh X amount yourself on a bike weighing X amount with X width tyres at X pressure, when there's no wind... I'm going to have a crack at making a calc lol
I love your eyebrows Si. Do you shape them?
So canyon gave that aeroad to gcn. Interesting
What's the tyre pressure Simon. Seems a lot of rubber flat on the road
I thought I am the only one who noticed that.
Si Nice shoes...
Also join up to training peaks or todays plan to analyse the data
That it was pointless waiting a few years for prices to come down (for such a cheap product to manufacture - “R&D” etc etc) as promised as it was never going to happen.
1:48
Ouch.
This makes me realize that there's no way the Kickr that I just got can accurately tell my cadence and therefore it can't accurately tell me my power.
They've simplified the explanation here - Kickr measures power off the cassette - I have the powertap hub powermeter for my back wheel & that does the same, so no need to measure cadence separately.
It measures your cadence by detecting the pulses of power as you turn the pedals, if you are coasting (turning pedals slower than the flywheel) it will not work; but in that case your power is 0 anyway. You cannot apply constant torque like a motor would, which is where the pedaling smoothness metric that some meters provide comes in, it's usually about 25%.
Thanks for viddeo, just what i needed!
But do i ride with 3 seconds average power or do i just set the zones. And do you use average normalized power after you are done training to find the zone you have trained in?
You ride with 3 sec average, raw numbers fluctuate way too much. You do not find the zone you have trained in by taking the average or anything else from an entire ride, for seeing in which zone you are training the same 3 sec average is the best measure too. On Strava for example you can then see for an entire ride how much time you have spent in which zone.
I suggest trying training peaks or todays plan as I find todays plan gives me more data
Do favero pedels need to be calibreted for every ride?
Do you have to buy tires separately or they come in with a bike
Just got a left sided Dura Ace 4iiii power meter and it’s not connecting well to Zwift or my watch.
I have been using Garmin speed and cadence meter but I wanted accurate power reading. I downloaded the 4iiii app and calibrated the pm but it did only connected a bit to zwift but didn’t read.
Do I need to remove the speedmeter or what could be the problem?
All the reviews are saying that it easy too install and connect with zwift, not for me
What kind of watts did you produce on your Penny Farthing?
Kind of funny! Hes got a bicycle.... that cost more then the KTM 250 I took out last weekend lol!
SI in the gym...look at those guns ;)
Wow you have got a duraace powermeter. They are so rare 😳….