I'm a 65yr. woman who TT's and I finally saved enough money for the PM. OMG. I thought I was training hard with my HR monitor, but I just got my STAGES PM 1 week ago. I must have been slacking before this tool. I got on my trainer and did a 20m warm up 4 x 4 Vo2max x 2RI, 5m spin and a cooldown at endurance/ Tempo...and I was slammed. As you say there is no better training aid available. I am looking forward to my times in three months.
A great intro to power meter. Have been without power for the last month because I thought my Stages had died (since it stopped working without the "low battery" symbol coming up). Replaced the battery today, and voila it works again!! During the non-power period I began to realise how "blind" you feel without power; my workouts became unstructured, began to fatigue from too many unintentionally hard efforts. Perhaps knowledge is power, but POWER is definitely POWERRRR. Edit: thank god I have power again because I have a TT tomorrow and trying to pace without power was like trying to learn stuff without the internet.
Man...so great to find this channel! I've been cycling for about 6 years, each year growing in the challenges I give myself. Last summer was Ride the Rockies...as a jump start to the new year, I've given up alcohol and started eating vegan. I've been feeling amazing! Thanks for all your videos, especially this one....you've demonstrated on a real, relevant level how power meters can help. i'm going to pickup a Stages meter this afternoon! Thanks for your authentic videos. - Justin
Thanks. This confirms what I've been doing since getting my power meter and your video gives some more insight on using them. I did the FTP test when I first got the Stages PM '17, but because the unit was not working correctly (i.e dropping in and out every few seconds) with the Garmin (a known issues), I gave up on doing it and was just riding along with the PM and even had taken it off the bike. I almost sold it. However, Stages replaced my Gen2 with the newer Gen3 and what a difference, no more drop outs. I am more confident in the numbers now. I've since remove avg. speed from view on my computer as I am only concerned with Power, Cadence and HR now: all else will fall in place. Now, I find it funny when the guys asks about speed as we are riding and I say - I don't know the speed, but my power is....silence. They haven't figured it out yet as they are still stuck on avg speed. The PM definitely helps with my warm ups as I know when I am pushing too much too early (breathing is off) and when I look at the power numbers it verifies my thoughts, so I let off and get back down to my warm up power number. Once my breathing, heart rate and legs feels good, I slowly ramp up power. I have always been good at pacing myself, but the PM has given me power numbers that I can now use, where before I was gauging how I was feeling, which I still do, but I now know a specific power number that I feel good using until I am ready to increase my efforts. I will not have a bike without a PM. Btw, I am not training to do any racing or TT as I am not interested in none of that. I am just your avg cyclist that ride either alone or with small or large groups.
Getting back into cycling after a lengthy break. Bough a new bike about a month ago. I had started the process looking to get a Giant with one of the main reasons being that the bikes at the level I was looking at came stock with a power meter. Alas COVID had something to say about it and there wasn't a bike in my size to be had anywhere near my price range. So SystemSix it is....I just ordered the stages power meter from my LBS. Can't wait for it to come in. Started looking around at videos explaining some Power Meter training methodology and this one is a great starting out from scratch look at how to begin using power in your training strategy. Thanks for the great info!
Great video! I've watched several of GCNs vids on power meters and they really only explain the technical end of using power meters. Your video really explains how you should be using it. I'd like to see some more examples of using it in solo training rides.
Even though this video is older, it is still golden information. I just ordered a power meter and trying to find any information on how to use them and how they help you its almost impossible. So glad I came across your videos. I have watched some of your other videos but never saw the power videos.
Probably the most informative video i have watched based on power. You covered a lot of aspects in one, great job dude. I have been using power indoor for a while now but have no gauge when I'm out on the road, so its my next upgrade.
How do you like the 4iii? I've got a powertap hub currently but want something not restricted to one wheelset. Have you compared left sided only to a different power meter? Any issues?
Yes I've been using it for some time now and pleased. I am not sure of its accuracy but the reviews seem to state they are accurate. To be honest I am using it as a gauge to see whether I am gaining or losing power so relative. Overall pleased but be aware that its only recording the left side and therefore I believe they are going to produce a right side crank only version to make a pair
Excellent Video (great back ground and music, very chilled). Planning on adding Power meter to my regime and your approach is perfect for the first timer. Based in Vancouver where there are plenty of great climbs, so looking to understand more about wattage per Kilo. Cheers
I've watched quite a few videos on this subject, and this one is by far and a way the best, and easiest to understand on how to start getting the benefit from a power meter. Especially for people that don't have a lot of time to train and want to make the time they do have count. This one's added to my favourites for sure. Thanks!
Awesome video, thanks much for sharing. Was training with a Newton Power Meter but it died on me and went for RMA. Considering a direct force one, Stages or those new PowerTap P1 Pedals. Blind training really sucks, your video did help. Keep it going!
As a competitive age group runner I wanted to mix biking in to take some load off my ageing legs. I'm used to training in heart rate zones but couldn't figure out how to do a consistent workout on the bike due to hills, corners etc. My ride power zones (as per Strava estimates) are all over the place exactly like you showed. Watching your video was an eye opener, I need power instead of heart rate to properly train on my bike. Ordered one! Thanks VC!!
I got the stages for a great deal of $400 and I had no idea what to do so thank you so much dude for your help you have been my go to guy for anything from eating to training so thank you so much for taking the time !! Cheers
Good video, thank you! I've had a power meter for a whole year and I've never really taken advantage of it yet! Now I need to find a place to do my VO2 test. Is your trainer in the same city you live or do you work with him remotely? Is he vegan too?
such a good video man. Been training with HR, but power meter comes tomorrow, excited to get out and start training even more efficiently. Great advice with the different work outs! cheers dude
Yay old skool VC! Just got my first power meter, this video was super helpful, a lot more in depth and also less confusing than some other videos I've been watching. One question, what do you use to analyse your power data?
The Vegan Cyclist absolutely! I'm a very new to cycle racing... and I choose to start with crits. TBH... your crit racing vid gave the confidence to just say fuck it.. and go do it. I've only done one race so far, got dropped at 40min of 45min... my training consisted of CAT6 racing (commuter racing) and full smash solo riding around my house. So I'm very satisfied for my first effort, but now I know I need to focus my training if I want to see some 'quick' speed gains. During my first race I had NO idea how to pace myself. I was so overwhelmed with understanding pack riding and the stratgies there that pacing went out the window and I blew up after a series of a couple mental breaks leading up to me being dropped. I cannot wait todo some local riding and seeing what numbers I'm able to sustain... and then to use this info during my next race. I hope they will show me when I'm redlining and when I can go a bit harder. Going to be such a fun experience!
Thanks for such a straightforward and informative video! I noticed you stressing the importance of 40/20s. Could you talk a little more about the benefits of each workout you presented here? thanks again!
For sure, I have a video about my training program, but I really want to do one on each workout and it's effect on your motor. I will make it, just need to find the time edit the bad boy. Takes me about 10 hours from start to finish to produce a video. So bare with me bro,
Just got a power meter and was just experimenting with it on my first real ride, and the whole "400 watts up the hill and 50 down" is like the first thing I noticed! Feels like I'd have to crawl up the hill and absolutely blast down it to maintain the same power!
Except for my bike(s), the Stages power meter has been my best investment so far. After learning how to use it, I cut down 2 whole minutes on my PB up a local climb. I improved my time on an epic sportive by 3 hours (over 430 km) this year. I recommend it to everyone when the topic comes up.
I want to get a power meter, but I have been riding based on how my body feels and what my heart tells me. When I ride alone I like attacking/doing hard out of the saddle efforts on every single hill. Even on centuries/double centuries I like to do that just because it's fun for me. When I try pacing myself I feel like I do a pretty consistent job (about same average speeds on 50mi as 100mi rides). My biggest issue is that I feel like with a power meter I will stop being so aggressive. When I hooked up a cadence sensor I was so focused on keeping the right cadence that I lost track of everything else. When it broke I went back to smashing hard gears on lower cadence and having fun rather then focusing on numbers.
+bloodsord9 So a power meter, if used right, WILL TAKE THE FUN AWAY from cycling. But to be an elite level rider its the best possible tool ever! You also need to know your zones though because I will still attack but only if I know I can, your body lies, it LIES HARD! Without Power, you will feel great because the actual power is low, so many times I will be " man I feel good, I am crushing it" only to look down at a zone 1 effort. Thanks for the comment and keep crushing those hills bruh!
Is there a difference between an Indoor FTP test ( On the Trainer) and outdoor FTP test. I can't find a place around my area to ride with no stops for an hour. Thanks
+The Vegan Cyclist so true! Proper lactate-test followed by a 20min-ftp-test some weeks later was a blast for my first season in racing! Greets from germany!
I run out of praising adjectives when explaining why people should buy a power meter instead of any other upgrade on their bike, nothing compares to a power meter for getting the best potential out of yourself... And TTers who don't have a power meter but have a 5k bike must indeed have a screw loose! The beauty of, for example, peddling into a head wind with a power meter is you don't sit there maxed out running deeper and deeper into debt, you just sit at your FTP or maybe 90% of it and know that you're doing what you can....Or maybe chasing someone down, the same thing, it tells you what you can do. Sell your sofa, sell your telly, sell your Zipps, sell your Di2, sell everything you need to and get yourself something that will actually make you a better rider. Then watch these videos from "Training Peaks" (youtube): Benefits of training with power, Getting started with power training and Advanced training with power. They are long and informative from the expert in the field. The worst thing about a power meter; having to do a functional threshold power test, a most ugly experience. Power meter and bananas 4tw (and occasional clif bar ;) )
+Pineapple Your preaching to the quire my friend! You are so right about people having expensive bikes but then no PM, I always say I would rather have a steel frame bike WITH a PM, over a carbon frame and NO PM. You really said it well :)
+The Vegan Cyclist im a noob and just bought a specialized diverge. i had to upgrade cranks so stages power meter would be compatable. now im considering a between a garmin and a "quadlock out front mount" for my phone. can you give me your two cents on wheather a garmin, or my phone would be better, or which computer is the best bang for your buck?
just found your channel and checked out some of your videos. really good contents from a non-pro rider perspective, man! keep them coming. ps, you just convinced me to buy a power meter, too...
great video, i am in the market for a power meter, i am not a racer but an ex triathlete, just cycle now, not sure what type of power meter to buy, when you do your 4 blocks of 40/20 are they done on flats or rolling hills or where ever your riding just do them?
Really good, I done a fast group ride (30mls in all its a 2hr effort) a few days back 25mph/30mph speed and in the past I've done 250-350w on the wheel, but last Thurs I was doing 400-450w...not a good day lol I've an FTP of 291 PM's are worth their weight in gold. its like when you get a HRM for the 1st time and your freaked - well a PM I like your soul talking to you LMAO...
First, thank you very much for making your videos. I find them helpful. As an aspiring cyclist I had a quick question for you on this video in particular. You mentioned at one point how the power will basically jump around (150, 250, 600, etc.). That is exactly my experience. :( I have a Quarq power meter on my Venge. I feel like it is really difficult to stay in a zone without jumping around, and not to mention constantly looking down to see if I'm in the right zone, blowing up on a hill, etc. What tips can you share to help someone stay riding in the proper zone and to address this issue? Thank you.
+j bee If you have only had the power meter for a few months, it will take time to learn what zone 2 or zone 3 actually feel like. After you have had it for a year or so you will have a good idea on what you can and cant do, and how much your fitness will fluctuate throughout the year. Like mid race season I can do 310 for an hour, but Saturday I was blowing up at 260. The first time I saw that I thought my PM was broken, but its just how my body reacts to off-season training. I run the 3s avg which helps keep it a little smoother, but it will never be like 259-258-259-260. Even with a smooth stroke a Zone 3 effort will be like 270-259-281-278-243-270..... What helps for me is when you see the power drop a little dont SMASH the pedals to get it back up, just slightly increase the power to bring it back in the right zone. Also, make sure your zones are set right. Dont try to bite off more then you can chew. You can WANT an ftp of 350 all day, but you may just not be able to do those numbers. Dont let the ego get to you and work in your zones and you will improve quickly. Thanks for comment bro! Hope this helps.
what a great advice, subscribed for sure. I'm planning to get a power meter also. Now I know what to do with it, thank you so much! but which one should I get? which one would you recommend? I'm riding a canyon with ultegra groupset
+Alex Miles Thanks bro! Here is another video about power meters i just did ► ua-cam.com/video/Etz3pyOhHK4/v-deo.html As for which brand. I would go with powertap pedals. Thats what I really want. But for a tight budget stages is the way to go.
+Alex Miles Hey! I'm riding a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 7.0 with ultegra. Just got Stages rev 2.0. I really like it because there is only a small weight penalty and you get cadence + power. Also it is one of the cheapest options ;)
currently trying to justify spending alot of money on a quarq crank so this info could come in handy! would get the stages but have sram force so don't really wanna go back down to rival to be able to have a stages set up
+Martin Giles I did a video more on how to use a PM in training here ►ua-cam.com/video/Etz3pyOhHK4/v-deo.html - But for me on hill repeats I try to set a power number I know I can hold for the whole time. Say my best power on a climb is 330, I may do 300 on the hill 2-5 times.
My first year with a stages. This will be interesting this winter. Should I try and hit the same summer numbers in the winter before the start of the year? I race some p123 early in the year in your area -ish Fremont early birds. My tt is about 310-293 ish for our course during summer 40 minutes. Any help would be cool as I'd like to upgrade to a 2 sometime
+mindciller I wouldn't, in the winter I usually stay in z2-3. I dont really start messing with z4 or higher till about February. Just dont worry about your high end over the off-season. worry about building a base to work off of. Your high end stuff will come fast if you do your winter right, but if you keep your efforts high , you might enter the season tired.
***** Thats so sad you think I live in the desert LOL. I live near Yosemite national park in Central California, its usually really green but we have had a huge drought.
If you have the money, a pedal based power meter would be the best. So you can swap them from a tri bike to a road bike. But honestly anything that measures power will pay heat dividends.
Great video. I see why everyone says to get one now. Now only if they didnt cost as much as my road bike and i would get one. Hopefully they come down in price. They really shouldnt cost more than 125 bucks.
What software are you using to display your power with the background shaded for the different zones (zone 1, zone 2, zone 3, etc.)? Is there anyway I can do that in Golden Cheetah?
How can a person get a VO2 Max test? I don't live on flatlands nor, am i close to 20+min. climbs. How can get my FTP with my Power meter? My area has straights but, it also goes into rollers so could i use a 20min. effort on these type roads to find my FTP?
You are going to have to do with what you have available to you. Just make sure when you hit the rollers you keep the power consistent and you don't surge. If the downside of the rollers is pretty steep try dragging your brakes a little bit and sitting up so you don't run out of gear and can keep your power consistent. Let me know how it goes.
I have an idea so it will help to do the test and know the FTP so fast and is to combine power meter with heart rate monitor, like VO2max is above 90% of heart rate and then it will give a close idea of what power of the cyclist is, bcz I know HR is not correct like power meter and doesn't give correct HR immediately is this right ?
+Red Ben If you have a PM, you really dont need a HR. Power takes away all the variables. But I know guys who like to watch their HR or have it for more metrics to anaylize.
+The Vegan Cyclist yeah but just to determine the power or ftp without even doing a test or will help to do the test & to determine zones ? and do you have any recovery systems like normatec or marc pro ?
+The Vegan Cyclist I don't have a power meter yet and the problem I wonder how to determine exactly my ftp & how to set the right zones even if I did the tests and we don't have labs where I can test my VO2max
+The Vegan Cyclist sorry for asking too much but I just need help coz it still a lot to understand, I looked for some articles and I found that to miltiply ftp to 0.95 not 95 as I thought and is there any other effective way than 20 min, however I determined my ftp I will stay always having doubt
Great video! :D ill re do my FTP test this week. My current results are so inaccurate Edit: Scratch that loo.... My stages has died after a having a lot of problems... took it back to the shop and they are sending it back. On the bright side i did my normal ride today in my fastest time :)
Watt is the power measurement , vo2 max is your maximum volume of air your body can process (basically your motor), TT is time trial, FTP is functional threshold power or what you can hold for an hour .
Thanks for your insights on the benefits and use of power meters. Looking at the comments Stages, 4iii, powertap, etc should all be sending you free stuff or a big commission check!😀🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️
Used powertap hubs are an option too. I bought one built into a wheel for 100 bucks last year and have been using it regularly for over a year, no issues. It's heavy though and I want power on my race wheelset, not just the heavy PT training wheel. So I might buy a 4iii precision.
Ok... so... Power meter, AUD$1300, Garmin AUD$800, that's AUD$2100! It really comes down to what level of rider we are talking about here. If you ride less than 3 times a week, then a power meter simply is not worth the investment, Yes you will know your numbers, but you have to be training in order to improve. So in reality, a power meter is only as good as the training you put in. I would much prefer to save the money and just ride. The other factor is the KISS principle. Overcomplicating the sport takes the fun out of it. Remember when you were a kid and just went for a ride and it was fun because it didn't matter where you went, how fast, how long, you just went. I've seen guys stressing when something doesn't work and this distraction means they have a crap ride. I think you really have to be racing and super invested in improvement to spend $2k on power meters. Better to just enjoy riding and wait for the technology to get better, lighter and cheaper.
Hey cyclists, We're a small danish team of engineers trying to bring affordable arm/spindle/spider based power meters to the market (200-300 USD range) and we're looking for cyclists interested in helping us take our algorithms from good to great. Right now we have people testing our products but we want to really crowd-source data from thousands of cyclists once we launch the products. We're going to use the data to make it possible to update the firmware of your power meter through our mobile app. Does this sound interesting? Sign-ups are open here www.teamzwatt.com and there are no commitments required. We've got around 800 people signed up and when we reach 1.000 we launch the campaign.
Love the power meter also makes online turbo training less tedious. You can also see how your watts per kg compare to other riders with my very basic online excel file. Also shows the impact of gaining or hopefully losing some weightwww.epo.me.uk/
I'm a 65yr. woman who TT's and I finally saved enough money for the PM. OMG. I thought I was training hard with my HR monitor, but I just got my STAGES PM 1 week ago. I must have been slacking before this tool. I got on my trainer and did a 20m warm up 4 x 4 Vo2max x 2RI, 5m spin and a cooldown at endurance/ Tempo...and I was slammed. As you say there is no better training aid available. I am looking forward to my times in three months.
A great intro to power meter. Have been without power for the last month because I thought my Stages had died (since it stopped working without the "low battery" symbol coming up). Replaced the battery today, and voila it works again!! During the non-power period I began to realise how "blind" you feel without power; my workouts became unstructured, began to fatigue from too many unintentionally hard efforts. Perhaps knowledge is power, but POWER is definitely POWERRRR.
Edit: thank god I have power again because I have a TT tomorrow and trying to pace without power was like trying to learn stuff without the internet.
Man...so great to find this channel! I've been cycling for about 6 years, each year growing in the challenges I give myself. Last summer was Ride the Rockies...as a jump start to the new year, I've given up alcohol and started eating vegan. I've been feeling amazing! Thanks for all your videos, especially this one....you've demonstrated on a real, relevant level how power meters can help. i'm going to pickup a Stages meter this afternoon! Thanks for your authentic videos. - Justin
Thanks. This confirms what I've been doing since getting my power meter and your video gives some more insight on using them. I did the FTP test when I first got the Stages PM '17, but because the unit was not working correctly (i.e dropping in and out every few seconds) with the Garmin (a known issues), I gave up on doing it and was just riding along with the PM and even had taken it off the bike. I almost sold it. However, Stages replaced my Gen2 with the newer Gen3 and what a difference, no more drop outs. I am more confident in the numbers now. I've since remove avg. speed from view on my computer as I am only concerned with Power, Cadence and HR now: all else will fall in place. Now, I find it funny when the guys asks about speed as we are riding and I say - I don't know the speed, but my power is....silence. They haven't figured it out yet as they are still stuck on avg speed. The PM definitely helps with my warm ups as I know when I am pushing too much too early (breathing is off) and when I look at the power numbers it verifies my thoughts, so I let off and get back down to my warm up power number. Once my breathing, heart rate and legs feels good, I slowly ramp up power. I have always been good at pacing myself, but the PM has given me power numbers that I can now use, where before I was gauging how I was feeling, which I still do, but I now know a specific power number that I feel good using until I am ready to increase my efforts. I will not have a bike without a PM. Btw, I am not training to do any racing or TT as I am not interested in none of that. I am just your avg cyclist that ride either alone or with small or large groups.
Getting back into cycling after a lengthy break. Bough a new bike about a month ago. I had started the process looking to get a Giant with one of the main reasons being that the bikes at the level I was looking at came stock with a power meter. Alas COVID had something to say about it and there wasn't a bike in my size to be had anywhere near my price range. So SystemSix it is....I just ordered the stages power meter from my LBS. Can't wait for it to come in. Started looking around at videos explaining some Power Meter training methodology and this one is a great starting out from scratch look at how to begin using power in your training strategy. Thanks for the great info!
Dude, one of the best vids on power here!
Way above and beyond those cycling channels doing marketing only!
This is the best explanation I've seen in relation to using a power meter. Thanks.
Glad you dig it bro! Crazy that this was one of my first videos and it still seems to help people navigate the world of Power Meters.
Great video! I've watched several of GCNs vids on power meters and they really only explain the technical end of using power meters. Your video really explains how you should be using it. I'd like to see some more examples of using it in solo training rides.
Even though this video is older, it is still golden information. I just ordered a power meter and trying to find any information on how to use them and how they help you its almost impossible. So glad I came across your videos. I have watched some of your other videos but never saw the power videos.
Probably the most informative video i have watched based on power. You covered a lot of aspects in one, great job dude. I have been using power indoor for a while now but have no gauge when I'm out on the road, so its my next upgrade.
A great video. Just got a 4iiii power meter and read and watches loads of videos and docs. This is a useful video to get started.
How do you like the 4iii? I've got a powertap hub currently but want something not restricted to one wheelset. Have you compared left sided only to a different power meter? Any issues?
Yes I've been using it for some time now and pleased. I am not sure of its accuracy but the reviews seem to state they are accurate. To be honest I am using it as a gauge to see whether I am gaining or losing power so relative. Overall pleased but be aware that its only recording the left side and therefore I believe they are going to produce a right side crank only version to make a pair
Excellent Video (great back ground and music, very chilled). Planning on adding Power meter to my regime and your approach is perfect for the first timer. Based in Vancouver where there are plenty of great climbs, so looking to understand more about wattage per Kilo. Cheers
Brilliant video. Clear and very easy to understand. I hope to get a power meter as soon as I have the cash. Thanks again.
Perfect! Thank you. I'm actually thinking about getting a power meter soon so this video came right in time.
Jade Cleveland Get it, use it, be ONE WITH IT lol. Power is the BEST training aid ever.
I've watched quite a few videos on this subject, and this one is by far and a way the best, and easiest to understand on how to start getting the benefit from a power meter. Especially for people that don't have a lot of time to train and want to make the time they do have count. This one's added to my favourites for sure. Thanks!
Awesome video, thanks much for sharing. Was training with a Newton Power Meter but it died on me and went for RMA. Considering a direct force one, Stages or those new PowerTap P1 Pedals. Blind training really sucks, your video did help. Keep it going!
just got myself a new one, will be awesome to try out some of these sessions. cheers man
As a competitive age group runner I wanted to mix biking in to take some load off my ageing legs. I'm used to training in heart rate zones but couldn't figure out how to do a consistent workout on the bike due to hills, corners etc. My ride power zones (as per Strava estimates) are all over the place exactly like you showed. Watching your video was an eye opener, I need power instead of heart rate to properly train on my bike. Ordered one! Thanks VC!!
Thanks buddy, setting up my garmin to display 3s power average helped me a lot.
super helpful. I've started on power meter focus training and this video (as well as others) helps. Stay healthy!
You just convinced me to buy a power meter! Thanks for the great videos.
Dope! What brand do you think you will go with?
POWERTAP G3 AMP 50 WHEELS
www.powertap.com/product/powertap-g3-amp-50-wheels
Why not just get the stages? 2k is so much to spend on your first. suit yourself though of course.
I got the stages for a great deal of $400 and I had no idea what to do so thank you so much dude for your help you have been my go to guy for anything from eating to training so thank you so much for taking the time !! Cheers
Good video, just bought myself a stage 9000 and need learning. Thanks man
Brilliant intro to power and training. Top job
Thanks your talk and advice helped so much. only i have a campagnolo so models are limited. i hope to get a power meter soon
Good video, thank you! I've had a power meter for a whole year and I've never really taken advantage of it yet! Now I need to find a place to do my VO2 test. Is your trainer in the same city you live or do you work with him remotely? Is he vegan too?
I felt like this was a great video! I'm new to cycling, and you touched on several 'rookie mistakes' I regularly make. Thanks for the great insight!
Dude love this! Just looking at getting my first power meter and this is so so helpful! 👍✌
such a good video man. Been training with HR, but power meter comes tomorrow, excited to get out and start training even more efficiently. Great advice with the different work outs! cheers dude
+matthew benger Congrats on the power meter!
This was really useful thank you! Just getting more into my cycling and with lockdown i now have an indoor trainer that shows power on my Garmin.
Fantastic video buddy. Pitched at a good level for a newbie like me. By far the most helpful I've viewed yet.
Yay old skool VC! Just got my first power meter, this video was super helpful, a lot more in depth and also less confusing than some other videos I've been watching.
One question, what do you use to analyse your power data?
My first used road bike cost less than the power meter on it. :)
Most people can relate
What headunit do you use?
Ordered a power2max crank based power meter today... should have it by the weekend!
Can't wait to focus my training!
binlagin It will change everything! But you have to embrace it, dont just let it be something you glance at, use it.
Let me know how you like!
The Vegan Cyclist absolutely!
I'm a very new to cycle racing... and I choose to start with crits. TBH... your crit racing vid gave the confidence to just say fuck it.. and go do it.
I've only done one race so far, got dropped at 40min of 45min... my training consisted of CAT6 racing (commuter racing) and full smash solo riding around my house. So I'm very satisfied for my first effort, but now I know I need to focus my training if I want to see some 'quick' speed gains.
During my first race I had NO idea how to pace myself. I was so overwhelmed with understanding pack riding and the stratgies there that pacing went out the window and I blew up after a series of a couple mental breaks leading up to me being dropped.
I cannot wait todo some local riding and seeing what numbers I'm able to sustain... and then to use this info during my next race. I hope they will show me when I'm redlining and when I can go a bit harder.
Going to be such a fun experience!
Great vidéo ! Do you recommend to buy stages power meter ?
This is a VERY informative video. Just purchased a Garmin Vector 2S. Excited to try it out. Thanks for the great tips!!!
Thank You so much for making this video!!
now i understand how power meter works.
Thanks bro! Power meters are pretty daunting at first glance.
Thank you so much for presenting this information. Very helpful for an absolute beginner like myself! Excellent channel
im american, so would i buy a power foot?
or like, 3 feet
idk help
+20LetterMaximum wat?
it was a joke XD
@@glhf8756 That just made me laugh out loud :D
@@TheVCAdventures Metric vs Imperial (meter foot)
FINALLY GOT A Power meter this video, over a year after I watched it can finally be USEFUL!!!! YEAH!!!!
Thanks for such a straightforward and informative video! I noticed you stressing the importance of 40/20s. Could you talk a little more about the benefits of each workout you presented here? thanks again!
For sure, I have a video about my training program, but I really want to do one on each workout and it's effect on your motor. I will make it, just need to find the time edit the bad boy. Takes me about 10 hours from start to finish to produce a video. So bare with me bro,
Just got a power meter and was just experimenting with it on my first real ride, and the whole "400 watts up the hill and 50 down" is like the first thing I noticed! Feels like I'd have to crawl up the hill and absolutely blast down it to maintain the same power!
Except for my bike(s), the Stages power meter has been my best investment so far.
After learning how to use it, I cut down 2 whole minutes on my PB up a local climb.
I improved my time on an epic sportive by 3 hours (over 430 km) this year.
I recommend it to everyone when the topic comes up.
Awesome video! Power is where it's at!
VC, you’re super cool but man, what’s with this background music?
I want to get a power meter, but I have been riding based on how my body feels and what my heart tells me. When I ride alone I like attacking/doing hard out of the saddle efforts on every single hill. Even on centuries/double centuries I like to do that just because it's fun for me. When I try pacing myself I feel like I do a pretty consistent job (about same average speeds on 50mi as 100mi rides).
My biggest issue is that I feel like with a power meter I will stop being so aggressive. When I hooked up a cadence sensor I was so focused on keeping the right cadence that I lost track of everything else. When it broke I went back to smashing hard gears on lower cadence and having fun rather then focusing on numbers.
+bloodsord9 So a power meter, if used right, WILL TAKE THE FUN AWAY from cycling. But to be an elite level rider its the best possible tool ever! You also need to know your zones though because I will still attack but only if I know I can, your body lies, it LIES HARD! Without Power, you will feel great because the actual power is low, so many times I will be " man I feel good, I am crushing it" only to look down at a zone 1 effort.
Thanks for the comment and keep crushing those hills bruh!
Is there a difference between an Indoor FTP test ( On the Trainer) and outdoor FTP test. I can't find a place around my area to ride with no stops for an hour.
Thanks
Great stuff! Bought a powermeter 6 month ago - best investment ever!
+keasone Yea, they change everything. If used right, you can make the gains of 3 years, in just one year. Thanks for the comment bro!
+The Vegan Cyclist so true! Proper lactate-test followed by a 20min-ftp-test some weeks later was a blast for my first season in racing! Greets from germany!
I run out of praising adjectives when explaining why people should buy a power meter instead of any other upgrade on their bike, nothing compares to a power meter for getting the best potential out of yourself... And TTers who don't have a power meter but have a 5k bike must indeed have a screw loose!
The beauty of, for example, peddling into a head wind with a power meter is you don't sit there maxed out running deeper and deeper into debt, you just sit at your FTP or maybe 90% of it and know that you're doing what you can....Or maybe chasing someone down, the same thing, it tells you what you can do.
Sell your sofa, sell your telly, sell your Zipps, sell your Di2, sell everything you need to and get yourself something that will actually make you a better rider.
Then watch these videos from "Training Peaks" (youtube): Benefits of training with power, Getting started with power training and Advanced training with power. They are long and informative from the expert in the field.
The worst thing about a power meter; having to do a functional threshold power test, a most ugly experience.
Power meter and bananas 4tw (and occasional clif bar ;) )
+Pineapple Your preaching to the quire my friend! You are so right about people having expensive bikes but then no PM, I always say I would rather have a steel frame bike WITH a PM, over a carbon frame and NO PM. You really said it well :)
+Pineapple Loved that, you so right
+The Vegan Cyclist im a noob and just bought a specialized diverge. i had to upgrade cranks so stages power meter would be compatable. now im considering a between a garmin and a "quadlock out front mount" for my phone. can you give me your two cents on wheather a garmin, or my phone would be better, or which computer is the best bang for your buck?
just subscribed...wow..amazing video..thanks. Getting the Stages Gen 2 model soon!
just found your channel and checked out some of your videos. really good contents from a non-pro rider perspective, man! keep them coming. ps, you just convinced me to buy a power meter, too...
great video, i am in the market for a power meter, i am not a racer but an ex triathlete, just cycle now, not sure what type of power meter to buy, when you do your 4 blocks of 40/20 are they done on flats or rolling hills or where ever your riding just do them?
Best video about using power meter!
Great video! This is the type of stuff I'm really in to.
Really good, I done a fast group ride (30mls in all its a 2hr effort) a few days back 25mph/30mph speed and in the past I've done 250-350w on the wheel, but last Thurs I was doing 400-450w...not a good day lol I've an FTP of 291 PM's are worth their weight in gold. its like when you get a HRM for the 1st time and your freaked - well a PM I like your soul talking to you LMAO...
Great video, what's your strava? :) Thank you.
Great video, I'm not understanding when i saw powermeter on GCN tv.. but I have 1 Question, first 20 minutes i can take it Ftb ?
thank you very much for your videos, they are always much appreciated !!
Wow you live in a beautiful area! Weather and roads aren't that nice here in Paris! Great video! Expecting my Garmin Vector 2s any day now :D
First, thank you very much for making your videos. I find them helpful. As an aspiring cyclist I had a quick question for you on this video in particular. You mentioned at one point how the power will basically jump around (150, 250, 600, etc.). That is exactly my experience. :( I have a Quarq power meter on my Venge. I feel like it is really difficult to stay in a zone without jumping around, and not to mention constantly looking down to see if I'm in the right zone, blowing up on a hill, etc. What tips can you share to help someone stay riding in the proper zone and to address this issue? Thank you.
+j bee If you have only had the power meter for a few months, it will take time to learn what zone 2 or zone 3 actually feel like. After you have had it for a year or so you will have a good idea on what you can and cant do, and how much your fitness will fluctuate throughout the year. Like mid race season I can do 310 for an hour, but Saturday I was blowing up at 260. The first time I saw that I thought my PM was broken, but its just how my body reacts to off-season training.
I run the 3s avg which helps keep it a little smoother, but it will never be like 259-258-259-260. Even with a smooth stroke a Zone 3 effort will be like 270-259-281-278-243-270..... What helps for me is when you see the power drop a little dont SMASH the pedals to get it back up, just slightly increase the power to bring it back in the right zone.
Also, make sure your zones are set right. Dont try to bite off more then you can chew. You can WANT an ftp of 350 all day, but you may just not be able to do those numbers. Dont let the ego get to you and work in your zones and you will improve quickly.
Thanks for comment bro! Hope this helps.
Very nice video. Super helpful! Thanks for sharing! :)
what a great advice, subscribed for sure. I'm planning to get a power meter also. Now I know what to do with it, thank you so much! but which one should I get? which one would you recommend? I'm riding a canyon with ultegra groupset
+Alex Miles Thanks bro! Here is another video about power meters i just did ► ua-cam.com/video/Etz3pyOhHK4/v-deo.html
As for which brand. I would go with powertap pedals. Thats what I really want. But for a tight budget stages is the way to go.
+Alex Miles Hey! I'm riding a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 7.0 with ultegra. Just got Stages rev 2.0. I really like it because there is only a small weight penalty and you get cadence + power. Also it is one of the cheapest options ;)
Nice Job
Super helpful, thanks!
Good vid, thanks for taking time to make this 👍🏽
currently trying to justify spending alot of money on a quarq crank so this info could come in handy! would get the stages but have sram force so don't really wanna go back down to rival to be able to have a stages set up
Great video, do you have tips for using the power meter to do hill repeats?
+Martin Giles I did a video more on how to use a PM in training here ►ua-cam.com/video/Etz3pyOhHK4/v-deo.html - But for me on hill repeats I try to set a power number I know I can hold for the whole time. Say my best power on a climb is 330, I may do 300 on the hill 2-5 times.
Really helpful video, thanks a lot! From another vegan cyclist!
+Edin Brothers Awesome! Thanks for checking it out.
I'm just getting my first power meter in about a week. gonna rewatch this vid carefully once I get it. I am only getting the left crank arm
Be curious about your take on the no power meters in the Tour de France
My first year with a stages. This will be interesting this winter. Should I try and hit the same summer numbers in the winter before the start of the year? I race some p123 early in the year in your area -ish Fremont early birds. My tt is about 310-293 ish for our course during summer 40 minutes. Any help would be cool as I'd like to upgrade to a 2 sometime
+mindciller I wouldn't, in the winter I usually stay in z2-3. I dont really start messing with z4 or higher till about February. Just dont worry about your high end over the off-season. worry about building a base to work off of. Your high end stuff will come fast if you do your winter right, but if you keep your efforts high , you might enter the season tired.
Great share. Instead of next year's bike I'll go for power instead. Thanks.
Thanks for the vid. Great info!
Great stuff, again! I'm noticing the scenery...Do you live in a desert?
***** Thats so sad you think I live in the desert LOL. I live near Yosemite national park in Central California, its usually really green but we have had a huge drought.
Nice video! Very helpful!
Thank you so much! Great info :-)
Hi would you recommend a power meter for training in triathlon i mainly focus on half or full distance..Thanks....
If you have the money, a pedal based power meter would be the best. So you can swap them from a tri bike to a road bike. But honestly anything that measures power will pay heat dividends.
Great video. I see why everyone says to get one now. Now only if they didnt cost as much as my road bike and i would get one. Hopefully they come down in price. They really shouldnt cost more than 125 bucks.
Thanks for the info love the video's !!!!!!
awesome video,,, great speaker,,, thanks for explaining,,, now subscribed
What do you use to time the 40/20s
Count them if necessary!
thank you, very helpful
How is a power meter on a mountain bike? Worth it?
What software are you using to display your power with the background shaded for the different zones (zone 1, zone 2, zone 3, etc.)? Is there anyway I can do that in Golden Cheetah?
jspaceman71 I just edited that bar in, on top of the graph I get from training peaks. That would be super cool if it did do that though.
The Vegan Cyclist
Actually I figured out how to do it in Golden Cheetah, although I wish I could make the Z1, Z2, etc. fonts a little larger.
How can a person get a VO2 Max test? I don't live on flatlands nor, am i close to 20+min. climbs. How can get my FTP with my Power meter? My area has straights but, it also goes into rollers so could i use a 20min. effort on these type roads to find my FTP?
You are going to have to do with what you have available to you. Just make sure when you hit the rollers you keep the power consistent and you don't surge. If the downside of the rollers is pretty steep try dragging your brakes a little bit and sitting up so you don't run out of gear and can keep your power consistent. Let me know how it goes.
Thanks man!!
I have an idea so it will help to do the test and know the FTP so fast and is to combine power meter with heart rate monitor, like VO2max is above 90% of heart rate and then it will give a close idea of what power of the cyclist is, bcz I know HR is not correct like power meter and doesn't give correct HR immediately
is this right ?
+Red Ben If you have a PM, you really dont need a HR. Power takes away all the variables. But I know guys who like to watch their HR or have it for more metrics to anaylize.
+The Vegan Cyclist yeah but just to determine the power or ftp without even doing a test or will help to do the test & to determine zones ? and do you have any recovery systems like normatec or marc pro ?
+The Vegan Cyclist I don't have a power meter yet and the problem I wonder how to determine exactly my ftp & how to set the right zones even if I did the tests and we don't have labs where I can test my VO2max
+The Vegan Cyclist lets say that I have 200 watt I got for 20 min and multiply it to 95 it will be illogical power
+The Vegan Cyclist sorry for asking too much but I just need help coz it still a lot to understand, I looked for some articles and I found that to miltiply ftp to 0.95 not 95 as I thought and is there any other effective way than 20 min, however I determined my ftp I will stay always having doubt
CP, W' , golden chetaah this IS base ... And heat rate too...
Great video! :D ill re do my FTP test this week. My current results are so inaccurate
Edit: Scratch that loo.... My stages has died after a having a lot of problems... took it back to the shop and they are sending it back. On the bright side i did my normal ride today in my fastest time :)
I'm looking for a bit more help with even understanding the terms you're using. Like, what's a WATT, V02 Max, TT, FTP etc?
Watt is the power measurement , vo2 max is your maximum volume of air your body can process (basically your motor), TT is time trial, FTP is functional threshold power or what you can hold for an hour .
Thanks for your insights on the benefits and use of power meters. Looking at the comments Stages, 4iii, powertap, etc should all be sending you free stuff or a big commission check!😀🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️
good video bud
Thankyou
are you still using stages?
+Kevin Aguinaldo it's still on my felt but I have powertap pedals now, really dig them
What's the power meter you use ?
I have a stages but I would recommended the Powertap pedals , you can switch them between bikes which is a big plus. But they are more expensive.
Thanks ! Do you find that the stages are accurate enough ? Because i don't have the money to get a powertap ^^
@Parkour, did you get Stages? If you did, how is it? I am planning to get one this month too..
Not yet. I still think about it ! The powertaps powermeter look right too.
Used powertap hubs are an option too. I bought one built into a wheel for 100 bucks last year and have been using it regularly for over a year, no issues. It's heavy though and I want power on my race wheelset, not just the heavy PT training wheel. So I might buy a 4iii precision.
Do you live in Texas?
Northern California bro!
The Vegan Cyclist where specifically? Is cycling pretty big there?
Not really where I live, which is Bass Lake, CA. It could be way bigger in the Central California
The Vegan Cyclist cool! Really enjoy your videos man. Keep them up!
Are U like a sience guy?
Ok... so... Power meter, AUD$1300, Garmin AUD$800, that's AUD$2100! It really comes down to what level of rider we are talking about here. If you ride less than 3 times a week, then a power meter simply is not worth the investment, Yes you will know your numbers, but you have to be training in order to improve. So in reality, a power meter is only as good as the training you put in. I would much prefer to save the money and just ride.
The other factor is the KISS principle. Overcomplicating the sport takes the fun out of it. Remember when you were a kid and just went for a ride and it was fun because it didn't matter where you went, how fast, how long, you just went. I've seen guys stressing when something doesn't work and this distraction means they have a crap ride.
I think you really have to be racing and super invested in improvement to spend $2k on power meters. Better to just enjoy riding and wait for the technology to get better, lighter and cheaper.
Hey cyclists,
We're a small danish team of engineers trying to bring affordable arm/spindle/spider based power meters to the market (200-300 USD range) and we're looking for cyclists interested in helping us take our algorithms from good to great. Right now we have people testing our products but we want to really crowd-source data from thousands of cyclists once we launch the products. We're going to use the data to make it possible to update the firmware of your power meter through our mobile app. Does this sound interesting?
Sign-ups are open here www.teamzwatt.com and there are no commitments required. We've got around 800 people signed up and when we reach 1.000 we launch the campaign.
Love the power meter also makes online turbo training less tedious. You can also see how your watts per kg compare to other riders with my very basic online excel file. Also shows the impact of gaining or hopefully losing some weightwww.epo.me.uk/