So have a bit of cash set aside initially for a power meter, I would also like other bits and bobs for both my road and mtb which this money could be used for.
Do I stick to the original plan of getting a power meter or should I use the cash for other stuff?
Don’t race so the power meter would be to aid training and to geek out at my pathetic numbers. Probably won’t be in this position again to get a power meter, not sure if I’d regret it or not.

Do you want to train in a structured way and get faster, and are you prepared to put the effort in for a sustained period. E.G. 6 or 8 week training blocks? If so get a power meter

If not, don’t.

If the money is genuinely spare get a power meter. If you can’t replace that money easily and don’t have a requirement for one then don’t get one. They are fun to see the numbers but without commitment won’t help any more than heart rate training – do you currently train with HR?

I bought one as a toy, but I already had everything else I wanted on all my bikes. It’s nice, but it’s a very expensive toy.

In my head I would like to do structured training but looking back at previous attempts to stick to them I’m not so sure, the power meter may be the motivation / tool I need to stick to them though

Yeah already have a heart rate monitor. I think it would be just a toy, already have a Zwift setup which I guess I could use for training with power.
Still a nice toy to have though

If you’re not quite sure why you’re thinking of buying a power meter, don’t buy a power meter.

Waste of money. Spend it on something you need.

If you’re not training in any kind of structured manor I really wouldn’t bother. I train using Trainerroad and wouldn’t be without my Stages Power meter – however if I didn’t use TR I’d have no use for a PM.
If you have money to burn like that spend it on an “experience” rather than a thing – skills sesh or an uplift weekend?

If HR training doesn’t motivate you then a PM won’t motivate you. Training is dull, training with a PM is just as dull. My Vector 3’s don’t even look special on the bike, dull, dull, dull.

If you’re like me though, you’ll eventually need to scratch the itch with a new toy. As I said though, if you can’t replace the money easily you’ll regret it soon enough.

Still a nice toy to have though

It really isn’t. It’s not fancy and shiny. It doesn’t make your bike work or look any better. Probably even add a few grams.

It is however an incredibly useful training tool but it’s not going to do anything for your motivation to train. And you need to do your research to know how to use the data.

I wouldn’t bother again. I got a stages for the road, then MTB with a plan to train with power.
It just never really took off with me, even when training for big events. My XT stages died often, and got a refund.
The Ultegra one is still working, but I don’t use it while riding.
I have a Tacx Flux that I use with trainer road, but I’ve just never found it making a difference for my riding. I usually do long distance events, rather than short events, so look more for sustained efforts, where HR works fine.

but it’s not going to do anything for your motivation to train

Now I admit I’m not a “proper” rider like wot blobbers is but it definitely makes a difference to my riding (which, again, isn’t really proper training).

I’m a lazy bastard with a short attention span and I KNOW that I back right off when I’m just riding; I don’t really spot it at the time but I’m definitely guitly of it, strave tells me that much. A meter (via zwift) made me aware of a number in front of my face and so I ride more consistently and that made quite a difference to my general capacity.

Yeah I’m guilty of easing off without realising as well. Never thought of the power meter helping with that side of things.
I was all set to not bother but now I’m not sure again!

You can certainly use it as a substitute for the old advice of ride with people who are faster than you 🙂 For riding in a zone I usually set the garmin to 5 mile auto laps and keep the lap NP on target.

Real value though is in quantifying your capabilities and being able to measure progress, as well as planning and managing load.

Btw, are we talking road or off road?

Only for road use. I have too much fun on my mtb to even bother with a computer. Having numbers to stare at on the road bike helps the miles pass though

Yeah I’m guilty of easing off without realising as well. Never thought of the power meter helping with that side of things.
I was all set to not bother but now I’m not sure again

well, it might not end with a power meter, the only way to really force yourself to suffer is to run a power meter with a smart turbo in conjunction with a training app. That way it will auto change the resistance to force you to hit power numbers regardless of cadence.

Of course that’s a lot more expenditure and you can still get off the bike 🙂

Virtual Power (ie estimating power using wheel speed, rather than having a power meter)on TrainerRoad is good enough to give you a flavor of structured indoor training… 12USD per month.

the power meter may be the motivation / tool I need to stick to them though

I’ve never contemplated a power meter for one moment, but I’ve used this logic on myself numerous times for other things and, YMMV, but IME it’s bollocks.

HTH

I’ve never contemplated a power meter for one moment, but I’ve used this logic on myself numerous times for other things and, YMMV, but IME it’s bollocks

Agree. I find my best motivation works with having a difficult yet achievable goal. E.G to finish an endurance event, with a stretch goal to say finish in the top 25%.

If you’re going to train for something then I feel that having a method of measuring progress towards that is a great source of motivation. But it could equally be your strava PRs, or distance covered per week instead of a PM.

The only time spending money on something has resulted in greater motivation to train was when I spent it on coaching. Getting a plan every week, discussing the plan, understanding what I was doing, and then reporting back on each ride. Money very well spent.

I find I go a lot faster when I ride my bike that has a power meter on it, compared to the one that doesn’t. I put his down to having a number in front of me that drops to zero *the second* I free wheel down a hill or take a breather. There is no hiding – unlike with say a heart rate monitor which will still be high even if I’ve slackened it off.

I also find it useful for gauging effort – I know if I’m putting down 350w I can do it for a certain amount of time – useful when trying for Strava PRs. Also helpful for pacing when doing long sportives – as long as I keep the power below 230 ish I can go pretty much indefinitely, and if I’m below 170 I need to start trying again.

Can’t say I really do structured training on it, but all of the above I find very useful. Tho I wouldn’t bother with one on an MTB. I may well get a second one for the commuter at some point.

Forgot to mention the real downside of owning a power meter. You get to do a quick FTP test and you realise just how sh*t you really are. Best to stay in the dark imagining you could be great one day

🙂

The best thing about having a power meter is you get to ride around telling everyone how many watts you’re ‘pushing out’ or ‘putting down’ so everyone else can be really impressed and want to be like you.

The best thing about having a power meter is you get to ride around telling everyone how many watts you’re ‘pushing out’ or ‘putting down’ so everyone else can be really impressed and want to be like you.

Before discussing power numbers please consider…

There are no decisions in that decision tree.

And it’s not a tree.

Although you’re correct Bez, it doesn’t stop the diagram being very informative.

Power data are a bit like dreams. They’re interesting to you but not to anybody else.

If you don’t race, wtf are you training for?

If it’s spare cash then spend it on going racing. That’ll make you know how much you suck, but also suck a bit less after a season.