I finally invested in a power meter last December. I decided that if I wanted to get faster and stronger on the bike, this was the way to go. I looked at most of the different options.
- SRM: The gold standard of power meters but expensive. Measures torque in the chain ring. ANT compatible. The manufacturer has to replace the battery. Prices start around $3000.
- Powertap: The power meter resides in the rear hub. The wireless version is ANT compatible. Prices start around $1000.
- Quarq: A crank-based power meter. A less expensive alternative to the SRM. I heard rumors that the first model of the Quarq had some quality control or design problems. I haven't heard anything negative about the newer model. Also, SRAM just purchased Quarq, so I suspect that the other versions of CinQo (FSA, Rotor, Lightening, Specialized, Cannondale) will be phased out. the CinQo is NOT available for Campy or Shimano cranks due to the design of these cranks. The cost with the Garmin is around $2000.
- iBike: Measures the different forces and computes the power. Prices start around $250.
- Polar: The Polar CS600X measures picks up vibrations off the chain. Not ANT compatible. A mess to set up. The cost is around $700. Polar is also working on a pedal-based power system with Look. The unit will NOT be ANT compatible and will cost around $2000 minus the head unit. The pedals are due out sometime in 2011. The software for all of the Polar-based systems is proprietary and only Windows-based.
- Metrigear: This is a ANT compatible system housed inside a Speedplay pedal spindle. Garmin bought Metrigear. The system is due out sometime in 2011, but they said that it was due our sometime in 2010 last year. The cost is supposed to be around $1000. This might be one of the best future options.
I decided that the Quarq was the best option for me, and I made the investment. I would have considered the Metrigear pedals were they available. I am using the Quarq CinQo crankset, SRAM S975, GXP, 53/39 and a Garmin Edge 500.
Power Meter Software
I upload the data after each ride to my Mac. I am using two programs---Ascent and Golden Cheetah. Ascent is a Mac-based program ($40) that is good for basic data gathering but has limited analysis tools. Golden Cheetah is freeware and seems to be comparable with Training Peaks (Windows only). Other options are Power Agent, which works on the Mac and is free, and PowerCoach. PowerCoach is supposed to be very good and works on both the Mac and Windows, but it is also very expensive ($580).
Evaluating My Choices
So how has it gone so far? First, the choice of equipment. I like the system, but I have had problems with both the Quarq and the Garmin. The Quarq started getting some bad readings after about 3 months of use and needed to be replaced. I first called Colorado Cyclist, which was where I bought the unit. The person who I spoke with chastised me for not having a receipt although he was able to pull up the receipt on his computer right away. (I did have the order form.) I was told that I needed to send the unit back to Colorado Cyclist and that they would send it back to Quarq. Furthermore, they told me that Quarq would probably not deal with me directly. I complained that this would take 3-4 weeks at a minimum and basically told that there was nothing that could be done. I then called Quarq. The woman who answered the phone told me that a soldering had probably broken loose. She generated a shipping label for me, and I had the replacement unit in about 5 days. Score: Colorado Cyclist -5, Quarq 0, and Quarq Customer Service +5.
I have also had a problem with corrupted data files on the Garmin. I am now making sure to rest the Garmin after each ride, which seems to have helped but has not erased the problem. Gamin customer service has been of very little help although that this seems to be a common problem. At one point, I was told that this will occasionally happen and that nothing could be done. I suspect that this is a bug in the Garmin. Score: Gamin 0 and Garmin Customer Service -5.
Between Golden Cheetah and Ascent, I have more software analysis tools at my fingertips that I can possible use at the moment. Score: Ascent +5, Golden Cheetah +5.
Has Measuring Power Made a Difference?
In short, the answer is an emphatic YES! At the beginning of December I could average about 240 watts for 20 minutes. I can now average over 280 watts for 20 minutes (although I haven't done any testing lately). That's about a 17% increase in power, and I don't think that I have peaked yet.
I am now looking at power when I ride and not heart rate. It's a good thing too. My heart rate has dropped about 10 bpm, but my power has gone up. I am able to analyze my power output during training rides and races. I essentially know what I can and cannot do now. I know how hard to go during a 4-5 hour endurance ride. I also know if the power drops too much, I should end the interval workout. I can measure my effort in races when crunch time comes. I know that it is not the number of watts that I can average over a time period and that it is the number of watts per pound of body weight that is important. NOTE TO SELF: LOSE WEIGHT!
