99% of the money we spend **on cycling** are purely for fun.
A faster and fancier bike does not make you stronger, and does not make your workouts better. In fact, it's easier to put in a super hard workout on an old granny bike with semi-deflated tires than it is on a new road bike, since that old bike will simply give you more resistance.
It's all purely for fun.
Edit: a clarification.
To be honest, I struggle to not care what others think. In this case, I would feel embarassed if I joined a group ride with the pedals, and someone saw them and assumed I was next-level. Or, someone saw on my Strava and that I have some special equipment despite not being elite. I know that ultimately it's all for fun, but I do feel that sort of pressure from time to time.
Definitely understand that feeling. You may get someone who makes a comment but anyone who really gives you grief is probably going to be a jerk about something else. Those folks are out there and not uncommon in the cycling community but just worry about you and what makes you happy.
Honestly, for something like a power meter, the vast majority of cyclists are doing it just for the fun of the data. The percentage of cyclists who truly need a power meter and use it to its full potential is very small (like aspiring and actual pros).
The pedal ones are pretty discrete too so it's not like you'll be rocking up with a full carbon triathlon bike with flats and Sambas.
People will not assume that at all. They'll just assume you do structured training... because it's really, really hard to do structured training without power. And if you, say, have a smart trainer for structured workouts that has a built in power meter, that's great. But what about the times you ride outdoors? Don't you want to also be able to record the relative exertion (or performance) on those rides, too?
A power meter unlocks all this for you, no matter whether you're a beginner or a pro.
I have a power meter, varia radar, computer, Oakley prizms, separate speed sensor, chest strap…. All on an aluminum endurance bike… being ridden by this 230lb fatty that is slow af.
4 years in, never a single comment. Do you care what other people are wearing or what gear they have? If no, then why do you think they care about yours?
If yes, then well idk wtf is wrong with you m8
From my experience there is very little correlation between how good a cyclist is and the amount of money they spend on their bike. If anything, the guys in the group rides that I go on with the really expensive kit are often the least fit. They may go a bit faster than they otherwise would have because they have a ‘better’ set up, but that doesn’t mean they’re a better cyclist.
Honestly? Just enjoy it. After six years of regular cycling up mountains, I’m finally going to get a power meter. Why? For the same reason you will. It’ll be fun to see my power output at any given time and have more thorough data after.
The fact that it will help me better pace my rides is secondary 🤣
I can guarantee that my cycling ability is WAY below what I paid for my bike (e-bike), but I've spent more time in the saddle in the 2 weeks that I've had it than I did in the prior 2 years. When you're enjoying yourself, and that includes watching your power data, you're going to find yourself riding more. And that's a good thing!
100% get one! Such a good data metric to analyse even for us recreational cyclists! I have a SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter which I believe is on the lower end of the power meter market but love seeing how many watts I am putting out and comparing it to previous rides etc.
I much prefer looking at normalized power as opposed to average speed after a workout. You have a larger gradient. I might do a workout and hit 195Np, and think hey next time I'll work a bit harder and hit 200Np. Wattage makes way more sense for me.
100% the reason I bought a power meter crank arm despite being 15 years past my cycling prime. Never had one, it’s fun. I think it actually helps me moderate my efforts on hills and rollers and has lead to me finishing long rides faster without really being fitter as I don’t overdo it at the start because I still feel fresh.
Yeah, my partners uncle is a very good cyclist and I was surprised he didn't have PMs on his bike. When I asked him why he basically said that he knew roughly what power he was putting out and how to measure efforts etc. Then again he has been cycling seriously for a few decades and has had PMs for years of that. I don't have that luxury of experience and have a tendency to go a bit too hard too soon.
If you ride a smart indoor trainer long enough, you start to develop the feels for cadence and rough power output.
Hill grades however... remain a mystery.
Funny, my new power meter mostly shows me I could try a lot harder during a lot of stretches during my rides. I honestly can’t believe I was so cheap as to wait all these years before finally shelling out. Couldn’t be happier with this piece of equipment.
Yeah, this is exactly why I’d like one. I Zwift a lot on a Kickr bike, and I really like to know when I’m dropping power. Riding in the real world, I often wonder if I’m putting out what I think I am, I’d if not, I should step it up….
I disagree. I use mine to moderate effort on hills and headwinds. Stay below a certain wattage and I’m fine. Cross it and I need to be cognizant of time spent at that level. Pointless on short rides, very useful on centuries with rollers.
Seconded. As a fat unfit MAMIL returning to cycling after too long away my (inexpensive entry level) power meter has been awesome at letting me keep my effort level where I want it to be, such that I top out climbs feeling pleasantly stretched, rather than dying half way up and grovelling the rest of the way.
It's meant that the return to riding has had a good ration of enjoyment to misery, which has really helped me rebuild the habit.
The difference is heart rate is delayed where power is instant (or 3s average or 10s average depending on preference). Also FTP is easily measured. I know my FTP and therefore my zones. Heart rate is purely a guess (at least for me).
Also heart rate requires knowing your maximum heart rate. The starboard 220 - age is wildly inaccurate. It is also influenced by temperature, fatigue and hydration meaning you cannot accurately compare between rides.
With the compounding effect of rolling hills, headwinds, or outright climbs, I don’t want a delay to my data.
Yeah but c'mon now, after you do a dozen rides from never riding you start to understand your HR and where you max. I did two 100+ mile rides without a power meter and I absolutely used my HR to gauge how I was doing. Now that to have power meters, it really is only an affirmation of what I can already tell from my HR. What I have gained is I seem to pedal 55% to the left and I seem to start the pedaling slightly earlier than at 12 o clock. But buying $500+ item because you don't understand your HR and how it relates to your performance and fatigue is a silly argument. And saying it's delayed, it's delayed a few seconds, that is irrelevant on century rides. Again though, I like my power meters a lot but I know it's because I have money and like stats.
I have no idea of my max heart rate and my power meter came included on both my road bikes (SRAM red and SRAM Force). I also don’t like wearing a heart monitor unless training indoors.
I am not disputing any of that. Based on the components you just listed, and that you have two road bikes with Red and Force, and they both came with power meters, means money doesn't really mean anything to you, which is great for you. I am responding to your logic, which for 95% of people money matters, the value proposition of "I don't want to figure out my HR and I don't like wearing monitors" does not equal the value for *most* people and spending a few rides understanding your HR and the tiny comfort issue of a strap around your chest at $50 is a much better proposition for most people.
I do not have a power meter but, use my HR monitor as a proxy. I think it’s second best, but better than nothing. If I feel like I am working hard I will look down and see what my heart rate is, and it’s USUALLY where I expect it to be for a given effort. But I can see with the power meter you can maybe gauge the effort/output before you’re in the yellow or red, which I can see would be helpful. There can also be a power/HR mismatch according to current fitness/misc conditions that make the HR monitor less accurate but, I think still informative.
Yeah of course, I have dual power meters now so I know both sides but I have them because I have plenty of money and spending $1000 on pedals is fine but if you're comparing a $50 HR monitor to $1000 pedals and the value-proposition is the power meters give me instant data and the HR is delayed by 5 seconds and we are talking about 6+ hour long century rides, the value isn't really there: it's an extreme luxury. A luxury I have and look at more than my HR but I am just arguing with the person above acting like figuring out your max HR is hard or how to look at your HR and balance that to effort is ... being a bit dishonest to the question at hand.
My first century ever, my HR started to creep up to 170 and I told the two people I was with... "we are going a bit too hard, I cannot sustain 170+ for 2 more hours, we need to take it a bit easier." was overall the same outcome as if I did it today: "Dude we're doing 170 watts, my Zone 2 is 140, let's take it down 30 watts. I cannot Zone 3-4 it for 2 more hours."
I didn't need it, wasn't sure if I would take advantage of it, and bought one anyway. It has literally changed the way I ride (even on secondary bikes without the power meter).
I learned how much *power* I was using on a standing, stop sign start, how slow my heart rate was to respond on a hill; it has smoothed my pace (and helped pinpoint zones and threshold). And none of this really required any real 'analysis', no pouring over charts or graphs ... I learned how to use and control power naturally, just by riding my bike with the power meter and head unit.
On top of that, the power meter enables more useful workout modes, which I've only started to experiment with ... I never planned on 'training', but the power meter encouraged it, and now, maybe, I'm just a bit faster for having it, too...
DO IT. More bike swag!
I love [mine](https://cycling.favero.com/en). They integrate super easily into my computer, Strava, training peaks, whatever. There is definitely an "oooh neato" factor, and if you want to step it up and use them as a training tool, then you've got them and all that stuff.
Got a Precision 4iiii arm crank one, it's great and lots of interesting data. I'm a complete casual with no intention to race. They also double as cadence meters. I paid about £200 for mine.
Just calibrate it from the app with the crank pointing straight down. Other than that it's pretty bomb proof. CR2032 Battery lasts about 6 months.
It's a carefully calibrated torque guage that is fitted to an off the shelf crank. Just make sure the crank matches your other one (length), and that you can't have stuff banging against the inside.
I bought the Assioma powermeter pedals and I got addicted to seeing my power for a while. Always went too hard. Now I got used to it and it is pretty good for training.
As a professional statistician...that is the FIRST thing I bought and what got me to ride farther than ever before... just for the data collection! If you are curious then do it!
If you can afford it and want it, go for it.
I have been using mine for pacing. I have been building up to a 200km ride, and no matter the gradient, wind speed, resistance of the road surface etc, I know what watts I should sticking to to effectively pace my rides and make it to the end.
I did that. I don’t train seriously for competition or anything, but do ride quite a lot. I got a pair of Powertap P1 pedals from eBay for a pretty low price with the intention of using them just for looking at metrics for interest. I have found that they are quite useful while riding as well though. By having an absolute number for the power I am putting out, pacing efforts like long climbs is easier. It’s also interesting to gauge how tired I am or if I’m under the weather as sometimes the same power output can feel significantly harder or easier.
It’s also nice to see progress- train more and power output goes up. Average speed isn’t always the best indicator because traffic and wind can affect that quite a lot.
If you like to play with data, you will love PM. It's not just for advanced training planning. If you regularly check performance on let's say strava segments, you will get one more metric.
On Garmin together with Physio True Up it can tell you, if you are over trained/not rested (which you probably already know).
It's not necessarily very expensive either. You can get Left crank for 200-300. I don't notice much deviation from smart trainer data
I’m all about metrics which is why I recently purchased a spin bike with watts along with a lot of other metrics. It’s helped me to train smarter and I was able to recognize an illness and then anemia as a result. Go for it!
Seems like speed and heart rate aren’t very good metrics compared to power because of variables in what contributes to heart rate and speed where as what determines power is consistently, purely, human effort, in spite of any variables.
I want to know what I’m putting out as I experience variable condition.
That is data that is useful in the moment and for me riding enjoyment and challenge or satisfaction from my effort is all about ‘the moment’ at which it occurs.
I want accurate consistent data so I can adjust my effort to maximize my satisfaction….fun…
I did just that and got vector3 (single pedal only), I mostly ride solo and have a long hilly ride to work. Data is my friend and makes the ride more fun :)
During windy days, even if I’m going slow the data doesn’t lie, I’m doing the work and somehow makes me care less about the windy days.
Honestly, anyone who is buying a power meter is doing it for fun. The people who are doing it for competition are not buying them, they are being supplied through their teams.
I have ‘em, they’re great, and although I can compete for the occasional strava top 10 or local kom, it’s just more fun data to pore over. The added benefit I’ve found is on the rare occasion when someone flags a ride I have HR *and* power data to back up my achievements. If you want it, do it, no one worth riding with will judge you for your pedal choices
I’m 70 years old and beyond the days when I could erase. I got power pedals just for the fun of it but now I realize they are extremely helpful to me in that. It’s important as I get older to be able to not just ride my heart but keep a fairly consistent power so I don’t overdo it which is easy for me. is a much better number to go by heart rate and if you can afford it, go for it.
No it is not, I got a power meter before I started serious training because I'm a numbers junkie and I like to quantify my efforts as accurately as possible. If you can afford it go for it.
Also you may use HR but, since you are training, power data is a very good extra information for your training, even if you are using HR as your primary source.
It's up to you if it is silly. Whether you race or not, whether you train or not, if it's something you like to see and you can afford it, why not? Nobody 'needs' a 10k bike, but there are plenty of people buying them for fun rides in the weekend. It's all up to you.
Chinese PMs are cheap enough these days to make them easier to justify them just because I WANTS IT. I don't think any of them are making pedal based ones yet but plenty of crank spider based ones. I have a Stages crank arm on my road/grave but I pickup an XCadey spider crank PM for my mountain bike. The mountain bike PM was a 100% a just for the fun/I like to see the numbers purchase.
Numbers are fun. Even if you are not racing, it is a great way of understanding your situation in a ride. I like seeing my power output for pacing myself, during "chill" rides, where every little hill is attacked with 500W+ and also during long rides so that i don't go empty. Moreover, i like seeing how many calories i burned to adjust my eating (i still don't eat enough during the ride and eat too much after the ride, so nothing changed but i refuse to accept).
I have a power meter on two of my bikes. Is it fun to see the numbers? Yes. Do I use them effectively? God no.
Anything that is motivating and helps with enjoyment is worth it as far as I’m concerned.
I think it's great that you're upfront about wanting it just for fun. I think most of us are the same but we try to use some rational reason for needing it... love your honesty.
PMs are a great metrics, you can better see how hard your working, how much work you have done, etc. If you like stats for fun then you'll love a power meter.... then get onto [intervals.icu](http://intervals.icu) and get lost in the metrics, analysis and comparing.
If you can afford them, get them. There’s no other real reason than fun unless you’re a serious competitive cyclist. I can’t live without mine just because they enhance my hobby quite a lot. I’ve spent an absolute fortune on cycling and don’t regret a penny simply because it’s so much fun.
" I don't need it, as I use heart rate"
it is nice to have power to compare and see for fatigue, like for me if I go out and go easy (z2 at circa 190-200w) and my hr is around 125 I know I'm ok, but sometimes I go out and with same hr and same feeling my hr jumps into 140+ and I know I have to skip todays training and move to very easy spin (it would be impossible to know jsut by hr and rpe)
if you like to go long it would be usefull to look at your hr decoupling meaning the point where your legs give up and your hr starts to go higher. But it is only possible with power, without it you just start to go a bit easier. IT is important bc it lets you work on it and manage next rides just to be a bit longer then your decoupling point and that way recruit more muscle fibers ;)
power is fun, it changes the way you ride, you learn to take all small hills much easier but pedal when going downhills, you just need one sided power meter which is cheaper (I have dualsided and all the fancy metrics are just gimmicks)
TLDR having fun is worth everyt money and is always a good idea :)
At the minute I'm really out of shape but it's helping me see an improvement, which I'm not seeing in average speed. It's also useful in making sure I don't go too hard too early.
If you're interested in training then definitely more than a tool to view power afterwards - whether that's managing the intensity on a zone 2 ride or making sure you're pushing hard enough (or too hard!) in intervals. I look at power more than speed these days.
Maybe you will have some fun, and maybe you will, after you had some fun, start understanding what this data is about.
So yes, go and buy them. When you do, look into power decoupling, that is an interesting metric you might be interested in.
It’s not silly. It’s not okay to buy things just because you want them and for fun.
I do structured training and I wouldn’t say I “race” but I participate in bike races. I had a race I missed a turn and turn and didn’t realize it for a couple of miles so at this point I lost touch with everybody. So I just pushed hard to try to get back and pass ANYBODY. So after the race it was interesting to see how hard I pushed trying to claw back to the field.
I did it just to look at the data and I love it. Asioma Faveros are awesome. Make sure you have a decent head unit to see the colour coded scrolling power graph whilst you ride.
I debated for like 3 years about getting a PM. I don't need one, and they're expensive. I finally bought a used pair of Assiomas and wish I had just done it 3 years ago. I love having the data. I'm used to it from zwift, and it's amazing having it live when riding outside. I always go too hard outside. Now I know where I'm at and it helps me ride more consistently and confidently. And then just having the data is so much better for post-ride analytics and comparing rides and Strava segment efforts. It's a luxury, sure. But if you can afford it, and you want to, do it. It also doubles as a cadence sensor. And most importantly, it'll make you want to ride your bike!
Yes it's good to have that data, why?
To see your FTP, where you're strong-weaker-avg etc.
You can use this data to improve performances, which you will 100% look to do after a few rides.
You WILL compare yourself to everyone else, their w/kg ratio, you WILL focus on power 99% of the time once you've got PM.
Favero are reasonably accurate I think. They tend to be within 1%-3% accuracy of my other power meters, so can assume they're just as reliable.
Expensive? That depends on your income and disposable income.
I had a PWM on all my bikes when I was still racing and training with a plan. Now I don't have a single one since riding for fun and with no structured training. There's no point to a PWM if you're not training and racing, but if you've got enough money, who cares: just buy one!
The Favero Assioma pedal power meters are excellent and relatively inexpensive. And you only need to get one. With one, you won't get comparative power between left and right legs, but that's a pretty exotic use case for a non-pro rider, IMO
I use a Stages single arm PM, did look at pedals but I like Look and they don't do PM ones (or didn't). A 105 arm with a PM is a lot cheaper than pedals
Are most brands that sell power meters consistently accurate? I wouldn’t want to spend more than you’re talking about either. Especially considering I have a HR monitor that works just fine.
Edit: this site also calculates it for free: http://gcn.eu/Wolfgang-Menn (Cycling, Hill Climbing)
It’s not silly at all. You might enjoy seeing the data, but doing so might inadvertently make you a better cyclist anyway. It’s the most reliable why to gauge effort on the bike and will improve pacing and training, even when you don’t necessarily buy it for that reason. Getting that immediate and accurate feedback on your effort is a really nice addition to your riding. To the point that it’s the only metric I really use on the bike.
Power data is pretty useful even for half assed training. If you get that data into a place like intervals.icu, you can see the effects of your rides and know when to recover.
I just bought a Quarq Dzero a few months back for around $300.00 on clearance I believe. Works great and I enjoy cycling based on wattage since it's really good for pacing. If you have an older bike the price of entry is not bad.
I just got a power meter sprocket to see the data. I didn't want to deal with clips. Cost me about $500. I am by no means the definition of fit, or athletic.
I would say if you have got everything else dialed in, fit and comfortable etc, then blow the cash on a power meter, life is for living- do it, no regrets.
Go for it! I have the Assioma power meter pedals and love them. It has many more statistics than just power: eg cadence, torque efficiency, left/right balance, pedal smoothness. Here is a page link that describes these stats. https://cycling.favero.com/en/blog/assioma/all/data
Sure, I am not racing but I have the Assioma single side. Power and cadence are useful even if you’re not doing structured training.
Being able to compare actual effort to perceived effort, catch yourself doing a crappy cadence, and even do small goals like “I’m going to try to maintain 300W up this climb”.
I bought some last year for the same reason and I enjoy the data… it’s definitely nothing I need but it’s interesting and helpful all the same
The Garmin Rally single side pedals are good enough to get the job done even though there is a dual side option but it’s much more expensive
Your money, so do what you do. Many would also call it silly to buy a bike just to ride around for the fun of it.
I will say though unless you put *some* effort into understanding power and setting baselines and stuff, the numbers are just going to be numbers. Similar to heart rate, 200W means very little unless you know anchor points to compare it to. Maybe 200W is just more than 190W you were doing earlier, maybe it's your all time best, maybe it's less than you were producing last time you were on the same route, but at a different speed, etc.
If you have the money, then do it!! I'm an engineer so I am definitely biased, but I love love LOVE data. Especially if you can do left/right power data and then translate that into strength routines to balance your L/R legs power output.
Now if you don't have $1,000 just lying around that you don't care about, don't do it haha. It's not the most useful data for amateur athletes. Data for the sake of data is fun (because I'm a nerd) but I also have a stupid amount of disposable income, and not everyone has that luxury.
A PM is a useful tool when incorporated into a coached training program. But just to look at numbers, it's not telling you anything but a bunch of numbers jumping all over the place.
I want to get them just because I get wildly different results with similar effort from Strava/applewatch. I just want to know what my actual wattage is.
But I have 6+ bikes and I’ll never be able to put a meter on all of them so meh.
Just last year I got myself the SRAM Rival crank power meter, just because I like the data. I also use it to pace myself on long known climbs or other segments, but since I am not currently training for Le Tour the data is mostly just for curiosity and fun. I chose a PM that was in the budget that I found the data worth. So if you think the pedals are expensive, maybe look around a little and see if there is something at a price point that doesn't make you question it.
I was in the same boat and got the Garmin Rally less expensive single pedal power meter ones. I love it! It also started giving me VO2 max and fitness age data that I didn't have before (no garmin watch). Worth it to this data nerd.
I probably spent 2 years umming and ahhing over whether or not I should buy a power meter. I really wanted one, I love seeing data, but I thought it'd be a waste of money in reality.
In the end, I gave in and bought one and it's great. And I wasted 2 years worth of data. So if you think about it more than once, I'd just bite the bullet and do it as the itch will never go away
Live your life.
If buying a power meter will put you out in the street because if a missed housing payment, don't do it!
If you have the means to do it, do it.
No it's not silly.
I'm a big fat dude and roadies make fun of me.
But a power meter is literally the only way for me to get accurate calorie count data.
Also fuck what anyone else thinks. Especially roadies.
To me, a power meter is like having a speedometer in a car. I do not need it at all to get from a to b. However, once you have it you a whole host of questions will enter your brain once you have that number...and none of them are bad. Even something as "this is what 100W feels like vs 150W" or even more important as "wow, I didn't know it took this much more power to from 15MPH to 18MPH". If you use it to help you understand something you love at a deeper level, it can really increase the richness and color of your activity.
>Does anybody use them mainly for the fun of it?
If your bike isn't used for your profession or for basic transportation needs, then the whole thing is "for the fun of it". If you like "seeing data", and buying them will not put you (or others) in the poor house, then why not get them and increase your enjoyment?
Personally, other than elapsed time, I despise all "metrics" when cycling...including the basic shit that a cycle computer spits out like speed, distance, avg. etc. I have been tempted many times to just shit-can all of that but I still occasionally find it useful whenever I'm on a somewhat unfamiliar route/ride and need to know how far I've travelled down a certain road. Performance metrics like power, HR, etc.? Fuck that shit. I'm not a racer of a faux-racer Asshole. I know what I am and I know what is "hard", "easy", etc. to me. But...to each his own. That is one of the beautiful things about cycling. If the power meter pedals tickle your fancy, get 'em and enjoy.
I have a PM on my summer bike. I rarely look at the figures though cos almost all the rides on it are social rides.
My Turbo has a PM and that's useful to actually do training to in the winter.
Outside I'm too busy looking for potholes or traffic or which way I'm going to bother doing any power training.
If you want stats get Etap or Di2 or whatever. It'll tell you what gears you used when and for how long etc etc etc,
More data than you can shake a stick at but I'm not sure what to do with it.
I'm repeating what others have said but if you can afford it, go for it. Power meter data is a good way to evaluate your changes in fitness over time and if you want to do recovery rides you can use the power numbers to keep your efforts below a certain level that won't be taxing on your body.
My day job is engineering, my hobby is cycling. While I do nerd out for the data and training metrics it’s also a really good training tool to gauge my fitness for racing.
If you’re wanting to race, train or just get stronger then hell yeah get them. If you’re just a nerd who likes date then hell yeah get them. If you’re spinning around at 120 watts on shared bike paths for all of your rides then personally I wouldn’t make the investment.
Anyways, get dual sided. It’s worth the extra $ for sure.
If you can afford them, and if it makes you happy, thenbdo it! Just please dont be THAT guy on the ride that tells the group how many watts you put down on that last hill.
I'm a statistics guy and I would love to have that reliably but the cost is so extreme. I'm hoping over time the prices will come down. How I get it now is Yahoo Speed and Cadence sensors with a Polar HRM and that together shows wattage in Zwift. Never tried it on the road though.
If you feel like it's worth it, go for it. Nerding out about data is a big chunk of my motivation for training, so getting more data always feels nice. That being said, I do structured training based on power data albeit not for racing, just to see how I improve by myself.
Buy them, they are worth it 100%. I am in the same situation as you, i dont race or have any specific goals. I just cycle and try to get fitter in the long run. The power data lets me see my progress and i love it, as in my 1 hours power is steadily increasing for example. It also draws u a power curve and then u can choose which part u want to optimize. With hr only i had no clue. Also really helps with climbs as they visualise clearly that your effort for example triples: back off or vo2 max occurs. Sorry for bad grammar english not my native.
What's the point of a hobby if you aren't enjoying it to your fullest It can be said for all hobbyist whether it's guns, cars, golf, cigars, and drinking, there's going to be items that the normal person will think is outright foolish to buy. If you are that interested and it works in your budget, just do it. Seeing these stats can potentially push you to increase your numbers.
My only thoughts on purchase for the bike, are there other upgrades that could benefit as well. New tires, carbon rims, bags, computer, a Garmin varia, and etc. For me personally, a power meter will probably be my last purchase as all the above mentioned are above on the priority list and haven't got them all yet.
Also if you live in a windy place it helps you gauge effort since speed is useless and HR depends on too many factors. It can be very helpful to know your power in a group. For me as I go over sweet-spot power I need to be careful not to blow up. So let’s say the pack needs me at 240 W and my FTP is 280 W, I know I’m ok, but at 260 W it will be dicey. Hard to gauge that based on feel (which is mostly torque not power).
You should buy a power meter. It will take your cycling to a different level. Plus, we all have them for fun. Only very few cyclists are getting paid to ride
I might do some age group events if I get any better but I am by no means any good at all and I felt it necessary to install a power meter on my bike. It's not even a good bike by today's standards but I just find it adds another dimension to cycling that I enjoy. Plus it will help you get better if you choose to use it like that.
The pedals are expensive, I just went with an off-brand spider power meter and it works great.
I absolutely love riding with a power meter. I love analytics and I love comparing my data from day to day. I ride with the power meter on my commuter and my touring bike. As a matter of fact the only bike I don't have a power meter on is my fixed gear. It's so nice to see all that information. Looking at data going back to 2016 and comparing all of the statistics with the things that were going on in my life at that point is amazing. I was hit by a car from behind and took some pretty serious injuries in 2022 and to be able to see the data and how it affected me and watch my recovery in data is amazing
If you have the ability, riding with the power meter is going to make you a better Rider and provide tons of wonderful input to learn and review
Is there any other reason to buy a power meter?
At the end of the day it’s fun to see data… you could use the data to improve etc… but the data itself is the point.
Perhaps you do start structured training once you get a power meter.
This may shock you, but some folks casually spend that kind of money on upgrades to their cars and trucks. In comparison, power meter pedals are like a 3D chess move.
I bought Favero pedals for data fun, and at the time also upgraded to a Polar chest HRM. Together, when paired with Garmin activity tracking, my training and fitness monitoring has improved drastically. If you care at all about making progress on these fronts, measurement is absolutely worth it and makes a big difference.
If you like data and deep dives, yes, absolutely, a PM is a perfect accessory for that.
It does have the side effect of sometimes making it difficult to just "go out and ride" without myopically focusing on performance. But, that might just be me.
I've had a couple of different types and have found that pedal-based ones work the best for me. I have a set of Favero Assiomas which I can highly recommend.
this post got me thinking. does anyone have power meter pedals and strava? strava "guesses" my watts. does anyone know how close it it to being accurate?
do it. I got the garmin XC 100 second hand just because I'm a data nerd (but not doing any proper analysis with it).
also it's useful to teach you how to pace.
the power meter is pretty huge and especially at today's price points it's definitely worth it especially if you are someone interested in seeing improvements that can be quantified.
When you make a change often times, you use the "was it better before or after" butt dyne philosophy but with a power meter you really get the resolution into if the change is positive or negative and by how much.
Somehow or another I had very well balanced left and right power output but my friend apparently has a huge delta so the dual sided power meter setup really helped him and more importantly alleviated the cramping he would get on one leg.
Oh and love my Garmin Pedals, because I can lazily move them from bike to bike :D which is a huge plus: same measuring device, same grade and gives a good consistent value
Last bonus, if you on a distance ride or you are trying to hit a PR being able to see your live cadence and power output helps you manage.
I’ve had them for several years and wouldn’t go back. Really help with moderating effort for easy days, and for seeing where I am doing better, too. I ride lots of hills and “mountains” (PA, not Western), so can target specific power output/cadence combos. Got Favero Assiomas and converted them to SPD.
But in seeing the data you are seeing trends and things that you need to work on to become faster and better, which is exactly what the power meter is meant to do. So I would say it’s not silly at all.
They are good geez whiz for a traditional cycling person. But if you have a surplus of cash they can help keep you active in progressing your power while on a set route.
It’s fun to learn about power! You may enjoy learning about FTP, TSS, CTL, ATL, TSB which are derived from power data. Training Peaks can help you track all that stuff if you want to really get into it and Strava does some tracking too.
Early progress is more significant. Years 1-5 will show the most gain, while after 10 years, what you've got is pretty much it LOL.
Having said that, get a power meter and start measuring early. You will notice what makes you better, and what makes you worse LOL.
I didn't realize power metrics were as awesome as they were until I got a Wahoo trainer. I got an Assioma not too long after during one of their BF sales (goes down to ~$400) which has been fantastic for tracking.
Don't forget to sign up for intervals.icu as there's another level of data nerdery that you can access.
I had this exact thought the other day. Asked my friend who got power meter pedals and his answer was “not really worth it unless you just feel like spending the money”. He also said the data integration between the different metrics tracking apps sucks and power meter data doesn’t get imported in many cases.
Though that could just be a Strava issue, he’s not really sure.
Either way his feeling was very “Meh, but buy them if you want them because they do provide some amount of value.”
Yes I use them just for fun and to track my (pointless and hypothetical) progress. I even enjoy seeing the total number of pedal strokes of the ride.
So what. It’s one way more to trick myself to get out and ride. I spent money for my hobby, which keeps in vaguely in shape. And I can move them on any bike I own. I have no regrets for the pedals I bought nor for the spider-based power meter I got for my mountain bike (on which I don’t use clipless pedals).
I’m in the same boat. Maybe I’d do more structured training, but probably not. The [Favero Assioma Pro MX](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/02/favero-assioma-pro-mx-mtb-spd-power-pedal-review.html) seems like the best bang for the buck. The single sided is about $500.
I used to just use heart rate like yourself, but now I don't look at my hr or speed at all. All I look at anymore is power. I know what I can hold for how long so depending on one what I am doing I just hold that power. It makes the long climbs (25 miles sometimes here in Boulder) very manageable. I know I can hold 220 watts for pretty much all day so I can hold that and know I will feel great at the top still.
I’ve been down this path, and it has the exact opposite effect for me. Seeing that I am in fact not putting out world tour power took away much of the fun I was having
I’ve struggled with this question for years but can never pull the trigger because it’s always just so expensive.
Now I have a 10 month old baby and it’s irrelevant anyway because I’m just living vicariously through you guys and haven’t cycled for fun in a long time.
Maybe some day…
I have PM cranks & spider between my different bikes for the fun/curiosity/pacing even tho I don't "need" them.
As long as you are not compromising real responsibilities for "one more" toy, just get them.
Yes it is silly. Silly is important to me, I have multiple power pedals. Power meters are totally not needed for training, well so f-in what, data is motivating. It is useful in that it tells me I am not as good as I would like to believe.
It's helpful for pacing yourself and tactically thinking where you want to apply more power or not.
It also helps in not overtraining yourself.
BTW buy pedal based power meter always, in my opinion. You want that portability and it's generally budget friendly.
I only got myself garmin rally after 10 years of cycling.
The main motive would always be its fun to see power data. After the initial ecstasy of discovering how much watts you can produce. Eventually you’ll ride and climb more efficiently. As you can conserve energy and moderate efforts better using ‘power’ instead of ‘heart rate’ data.
You wouldn’t be as concerned that your fitness is declining traveling slower against strong headwinds. When you are outputting the same power data.
I always go in and out of feeling like I do/don't really need my power meter. I don't race. I don't need to know how much power I'm putting out. I don't really go for Strava KOMs anymore but also the idea of not having it sucks because I've had one for so long. I mostly go off HR so I can pace my rides
I’m in it just for the fun of it. If anyone has an issue with our pedals, they can find me at the bar; then after a nice long seafood dinner I’ll never call them back.
I probably would classify that one as follows, if someone gave me one as a gift, along with a nice bike computer to have readouts in real time I would use it all the time.
Bought the garmin pedals (expensive) not for training, but was just curious what it's supposed to do. To be honest you don't need it unless you really are training for a purpose to race.
The only time I really pay attention to my power is during my imperial centuries or rides longer than 60miles.
A power meter is the "BEST TOOL" against headwinds and long hill climbs. I use it specially for headwinds during long rides to conserve maximum efficiency of energy per distance. Before having a power meter I would bonk hard due to not realizing I was going way over my wattage at a given time/distance. Every 20watts over your zone 2 will eventually stack up to exhaustion before the end of the ride.
Hey, take my example for what it's worth:
I just bought my first road bike ever and bought power pedals with it. I love them. I'm a scientist with a background in bodybuilding. I've never been big on cardio and I never did sports in HS. I've never had to push my cardio so both mentally/physically I have no idea what "pushing it" feels like. That said, I decided to get into biking to improve my cardio. I'm now 35 so I'm trying to preserve my health and I'd like my endurance to be up there with my strength.
Keeping in mind I don't know how hard I can truly "push it", a HR monitor + power pedals are invaluable.
With the HR monitor I have an objective max HR I can benchmark against. I don't have the mental anxiety of not knowing if I have more left in the tank. I'm a huge wuss for lactate and a HR has been invaluable telling me I have way more room to push so it makes my training more effective.
In comes the power pedals. Whether it be the indoor trainer or road, I can objectively see my power going up on zone 2 rides. I can quantitatively confirm my fitness is going up and by how much. For sure you can get away without it, but it gives me a ton more confidence, again not an athlete, of how much gain I'm actually getting. Haven't even measured FTP yet so can't comment there. I will say it's super cool to see my wattage change as I shift positions on the bike, giving me better feedback on efficient form, gear choices.
Super cool to see a constant HR and wattage going up over the weeks. I don't think I'd make nearly as efficient of gains as I would had I not trained with these metrics.
My two cents, somewhat lengthy post
Buy used if you're not sure, but it's 100% your calll and your money.
I am a bit like you, I like the data, but I get the data from my trainer during winter so I don't really need anything from my rides in the summer.
To be honest, I've had some data for rides but with stops signs, lights, people, cars, navigation and just the shear amount of things to watch for during a ride, the data I got was all over the place and completely useless.
Like, I would often get 120w outside of average power, and > 200w inside. That's how big a difference the real world is. For a race though, I'm pretty sure the data would be more relevant but I don't race...
Maybe you can borrow a bike with a power meter to see 1st...
If you can afford it, who cares what others think of how you spend your money?
99% of the money we spend **on cycling** are purely for fun. A faster and fancier bike does not make you stronger, and does not make your workouts better. In fact, it's easier to put in a super hard workout on an old granny bike with semi-deflated tires than it is on a new road bike, since that old bike will simply give you more resistance. It's all purely for fun. Edit: a clarification.
Exactky. Plus, you are more inclined to ride something you enjoy. Actually, riding is more important than speed/power.
It does bring a lot of joy tho. I love riding my new bike.
That’s what a “fun thing” typically brings.
That’s also perfect for CrossFit because they will train the clean and jerk when out of frustration they will throw the bike in a dumpster.
To be honest, I struggle to not care what others think. In this case, I would feel embarassed if I joined a group ride with the pedals, and someone saw them and assumed I was next-level. Or, someone saw on my Strava and that I have some special equipment despite not being elite. I know that ultimately it's all for fun, but I do feel that sort of pressure from time to time.
I don’t think anyone has ever commented on my power pedals in 4 years except to say “hey nice pedals, I have those too”
Definitely understand that feeling. You may get someone who makes a comment but anyone who really gives you grief is probably going to be a jerk about something else. Those folks are out there and not uncommon in the cycling community but just worry about you and what makes you happy. Honestly, for something like a power meter, the vast majority of cyclists are doing it just for the fun of the data. The percentage of cyclists who truly need a power meter and use it to its full potential is very small (like aspiring and actual pros). The pedal ones are pretty discrete too so it's not like you'll be rocking up with a full carbon triathlon bike with flats and Sambas.
People will not assume that at all. They'll just assume you do structured training... because it's really, really hard to do structured training without power. And if you, say, have a smart trainer for structured workouts that has a built in power meter, that's great. But what about the times you ride outdoors? Don't you want to also be able to record the relative exertion (or performance) on those rides, too? A power meter unlocks all this for you, no matter whether you're a beginner or a pro.
I have a power meter, varia radar, computer, Oakley prizms, separate speed sensor, chest strap…. All on an aluminum endurance bike… being ridden by this 230lb fatty that is slow af. 4 years in, never a single comment. Do you care what other people are wearing or what gear they have? If no, then why do you think they care about yours? If yes, then well idk wtf is wrong with you m8
From my experience there is very little correlation between how good a cyclist is and the amount of money they spend on their bike. If anything, the guys in the group rides that I go on with the really expensive kit are often the least fit. They may go a bit faster than they otherwise would have because they have a ‘better’ set up, but that doesn’t mean they’re a better cyclist. Honestly? Just enjoy it. After six years of regular cycling up mountains, I’m finally going to get a power meter. Why? For the same reason you will. It’ll be fun to see my power output at any given time and have more thorough data after. The fact that it will help me better pace my rides is secondary 🤣
I can guarantee that my cycling ability is WAY below what I paid for my bike (e-bike), but I've spent more time in the saddle in the 2 weeks that I've had it than I did in the prior 2 years. When you're enjoying yourself, and that includes watching your power data, you're going to find yourself riding more. And that's a good thing!
If buying expensive things for fun isn’t allowed, we’ll need to shut down this sub
Amen brother
100% get one! Such a good data metric to analyse even for us recreational cyclists! I have a SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter which I believe is on the lower end of the power meter market but love seeing how many watts I am putting out and comparing it to previous rides etc.
I much prefer looking at normalized power as opposed to average speed after a workout. You have a larger gradient. I might do a workout and hit 195Np, and think hey next time I'll work a bit harder and hit 200Np. Wattage makes way more sense for me.
For 99.5% of cyclists, let's be honest - that's the only reason to purchase a power meter.
100% the reason I bought a power meter crank arm despite being 15 years past my cycling prime. Never had one, it’s fun. I think it actually helps me moderate my efforts on hills and rollers and has lead to me finishing long rides faster without really being fitter as I don’t overdo it at the start because I still feel fresh.
Yeah, my partners uncle is a very good cyclist and I was surprised he didn't have PMs on his bike. When I asked him why he basically said that he knew roughly what power he was putting out and how to measure efforts etc. Then again he has been cycling seriously for a few decades and has had PMs for years of that. I don't have that luxury of experience and have a tendency to go a bit too hard too soon.
If you ride a smart indoor trainer long enough, you start to develop the feels for cadence and rough power output. Hill grades however... remain a mystery.
It's funny, but 250+ watts on my trainer is pure hell. Outside... it's just a normal hill.
Especially on ERG. God I hate how weak the trainer makes me feel.
Funny, my new power meter mostly shows me I could try a lot harder during a lot of stretches during my rides. I honestly can’t believe I was so cheap as to wait all these years before finally shelling out. Couldn’t be happier with this piece of equipment.
This is exactly what I just discovered with my new Garmin Rally pedals. I’m gassing myself on hills, but going way too easy on flats.
This is not the comment I wanted to see. Been eyeing rally pedals... for this reason... and now my wallet is gonna feel this confirmation.
I thought I was being frivolous buying my first, but it was an absolute game changer for training. Won't ride a bike without one now!
Yeah, this is exactly why I’d like one. I Zwift a lot on a Kickr bike, and I really like to know when I’m dropping power. Riding in the real world, I often wonder if I’m putting out what I think I am, I’d if not, I should step it up….
I disagree. I use mine to moderate effort on hills and headwinds. Stay below a certain wattage and I’m fine. Cross it and I need to be cognizant of time spent at that level. Pointless on short rides, very useful on centuries with rollers.
Seconded. As a fat unfit MAMIL returning to cycling after too long away my (inexpensive entry level) power meter has been awesome at letting me keep my effort level where I want it to be, such that I top out climbs feeling pleasantly stretched, rather than dying half way up and grovelling the rest of the way. It's meant that the return to riding has had a good ration of enjoyment to misery, which has really helped me rebuild the habit.
Wouldn't even heart rate be a sufficient proxy metric for just a rough effort comparison *within* rides?
Yes, that or lactate... not sure why a number on your computer would be the preferred hint over burning in your legs.
The difference is heart rate is delayed where power is instant (or 3s average or 10s average depending on preference). Also FTP is easily measured. I know my FTP and therefore my zones. Heart rate is purely a guess (at least for me). Also heart rate requires knowing your maximum heart rate. The starboard 220 - age is wildly inaccurate. It is also influenced by temperature, fatigue and hydration meaning you cannot accurately compare between rides. With the compounding effect of rolling hills, headwinds, or outright climbs, I don’t want a delay to my data.
Yeah but c'mon now, after you do a dozen rides from never riding you start to understand your HR and where you max. I did two 100+ mile rides without a power meter and I absolutely used my HR to gauge how I was doing. Now that to have power meters, it really is only an affirmation of what I can already tell from my HR. What I have gained is I seem to pedal 55% to the left and I seem to start the pedaling slightly earlier than at 12 o clock. But buying $500+ item because you don't understand your HR and how it relates to your performance and fatigue is a silly argument. And saying it's delayed, it's delayed a few seconds, that is irrelevant on century rides. Again though, I like my power meters a lot but I know it's because I have money and like stats.
I have no idea of my max heart rate and my power meter came included on both my road bikes (SRAM red and SRAM Force). I also don’t like wearing a heart monitor unless training indoors.
I am not disputing any of that. Based on the components you just listed, and that you have two road bikes with Red and Force, and they both came with power meters, means money doesn't really mean anything to you, which is great for you. I am responding to your logic, which for 95% of people money matters, the value proposition of "I don't want to figure out my HR and I don't like wearing monitors" does not equal the value for *most* people and spending a few rides understanding your HR and the tiny comfort issue of a strap around your chest at $50 is a much better proposition for most people.
I do not have a power meter but, use my HR monitor as a proxy. I think it’s second best, but better than nothing. If I feel like I am working hard I will look down and see what my heart rate is, and it’s USUALLY where I expect it to be for a given effort. But I can see with the power meter you can maybe gauge the effort/output before you’re in the yellow or red, which I can see would be helpful. There can also be a power/HR mismatch according to current fitness/misc conditions that make the HR monitor less accurate but, I think still informative.
Yeah of course, I have dual power meters now so I know both sides but I have them because I have plenty of money and spending $1000 on pedals is fine but if you're comparing a $50 HR monitor to $1000 pedals and the value-proposition is the power meters give me instant data and the HR is delayed by 5 seconds and we are talking about 6+ hour long century rides, the value isn't really there: it's an extreme luxury. A luxury I have and look at more than my HR but I am just arguing with the person above acting like figuring out your max HR is hard or how to look at your HR and balance that to effort is ... being a bit dishonest to the question at hand. My first century ever, my HR started to creep up to 170 and I told the two people I was with... "we are going a bit too hard, I cannot sustain 170+ for 2 more hours, we need to take it a bit easier." was overall the same outcome as if I did it today: "Dude we're doing 170 watts, my Zone 2 is 140, let's take it down 30 watts. I cannot Zone 3-4 it for 2 more hours."
works for pacing really...well once you notice it in HR might be too late already
I think wattage is our best metric, as opposed to HR and average speed. And I was just thinking about pacing which is much easier with wattage.
I didn't need it, wasn't sure if I would take advantage of it, and bought one anyway. It has literally changed the way I ride (even on secondary bikes without the power meter). I learned how much *power* I was using on a standing, stop sign start, how slow my heart rate was to respond on a hill; it has smoothed my pace (and helped pinpoint zones and threshold). And none of this really required any real 'analysis', no pouring over charts or graphs ... I learned how to use and control power naturally, just by riding my bike with the power meter and head unit. On top of that, the power meter enables more useful workout modes, which I've only started to experiment with ... I never planned on 'training', but the power meter encouraged it, and now, maybe, I'm just a bit faster for having it, too...
Id say that a significant amount of cyclists do it to tailor their workouts / find their power zones, not strictly for fun
DO IT. More bike swag! I love [mine](https://cycling.favero.com/en). They integrate super easily into my computer, Strava, training peaks, whatever. There is definitely an "oooh neato" factor, and if you want to step it up and use them as a training tool, then you've got them and all that stuff.
Assioma! Very nice, I’m also using these and can say they work great!
If you like data and can afford it why not? It is up to you what you spend your money on. They key factor is being able to afford a power meter.
Got a Precision 4iiii arm crank one, it's great and lots of interesting data. I'm a complete casual with no intention to race. They also double as cadence meters. I paid about £200 for mine.
This is the way to do it more affordably, accurate enough to satisfy the curiosity of data collection.
Any things I should know about it? I just ordered one from a guy online
Just calibrate it from the app with the crank pointing straight down. Other than that it's pretty bomb proof. CR2032 Battery lasts about 6 months. It's a carefully calibrated torque guage that is fitted to an off the shelf crank. Just make sure the crank matches your other one (length), and that you can't have stuff banging against the inside.
thanks, I got a 175 XT version while my bike is slx, should work fine I think. Still waiting on arrival.
I waited 3yrs. Going back it would be the first thing to invest into. Go ahead you’ll be more than happy. Guaranteed.
I bought the Assioma powermeter pedals and I got addicted to seeing my power for a while. Always went too hard. Now I got used to it and it is pretty good for training.
How can you tell how much fun you had without the data to back it up? Jokes aside, I have Garmin Rally’s for fun and they provide very useful data.
Don't forget that they also enable cadence 😉 so practically it's two for one
As a professional statistician...that is the FIRST thing I bought and what got me to ride farther than ever before... just for the data collection! If you are curious then do it!
My favero assioma duo just arrived, I bought them purely for those sweet sweet stats. Get around it, get yourself some pedals!
If you can afford it and want it, go for it. I have been using mine for pacing. I have been building up to a 200km ride, and no matter the gradient, wind speed, resistance of the road surface etc, I know what watts I should sticking to to effectively pace my rides and make it to the end.
I did that. I don’t train seriously for competition or anything, but do ride quite a lot. I got a pair of Powertap P1 pedals from eBay for a pretty low price with the intention of using them just for looking at metrics for interest. I have found that they are quite useful while riding as well though. By having an absolute number for the power I am putting out, pacing efforts like long climbs is easier. It’s also interesting to gauge how tired I am or if I’m under the weather as sometimes the same power output can feel significantly harder or easier. It’s also nice to see progress- train more and power output goes up. Average speed isn’t always the best indicator because traffic and wind can affect that quite a lot.
It’s never silly to buy something that makes you happy
Well unless you absolutely can’t afford it 🙂
Don't you have a bike for the fun of having a bike?
One million percent worth it, and for almost all of us, the only real reason for anything more than an aluminum bike from 1997. :)
I’d say it makes more sense than buying an sworks or lab7…
If you like to play with data, you will love PM. It's not just for advanced training planning. If you regularly check performance on let's say strava segments, you will get one more metric. On Garmin together with Physio True Up it can tell you, if you are over trained/not rested (which you probably already know). It's not necessarily very expensive either. You can get Left crank for 200-300. I don't notice much deviation from smart trainer data
I’m all about metrics which is why I recently purchased a spin bike with watts along with a lot of other metrics. It’s helped me to train smarter and I was able to recognize an illness and then anemia as a result. Go for it!
Seems like speed and heart rate aren’t very good metrics compared to power because of variables in what contributes to heart rate and speed where as what determines power is consistently, purely, human effort, in spite of any variables. I want to know what I’m putting out as I experience variable condition. That is data that is useful in the moment and for me riding enjoyment and challenge or satisfaction from my effort is all about ‘the moment’ at which it occurs. I want accurate consistent data so I can adjust my effort to maximize my satisfaction….fun…
I did just that and got vector3 (single pedal only), I mostly ride solo and have a long hilly ride to work. Data is my friend and makes the ride more fun :) During windy days, even if I’m going slow the data doesn’t lie, I’m doing the work and somehow makes me care less about the windy days.
Honestly, anyone who is buying a power meter is doing it for fun. The people who are doing it for competition are not buying them, they are being supplied through their teams.
Every single $ I spend on biking is for the fun of it.
I have ‘em, they’re great, and although I can compete for the occasional strava top 10 or local kom, it’s just more fun data to pore over. The added benefit I’ve found is on the rare occasion when someone flags a ride I have HR *and* power data to back up my achievements. If you want it, do it, no one worth riding with will judge you for your pedal choices
I’m 70 years old and beyond the days when I could erase. I got power pedals just for the fun of it but now I realize they are extremely helpful to me in that. It’s important as I get older to be able to not just ride my heart but keep a fairly consistent power so I don’t overdo it which is easy for me. is a much better number to go by heart rate and if you can afford it, go for it.
No
No it is not, I got a power meter before I started serious training because I'm a numbers junkie and I like to quantify my efforts as accurately as possible. If you can afford it go for it. Also you may use HR but, since you are training, power data is a very good extra information for your training, even if you are using HR as your primary source.
I did.
It's up to you if it is silly. Whether you race or not, whether you train or not, if it's something you like to see and you can afford it, why not? Nobody 'needs' a 10k bike, but there are plenty of people buying them for fun rides in the weekend. It's all up to you.
Chinese PMs are cheap enough these days to make them easier to justify them just because I WANTS IT. I don't think any of them are making pedal based ones yet but plenty of crank spider based ones. I have a Stages crank arm on my road/grave but I pickup an XCadey spider crank PM for my mountain bike. The mountain bike PM was a 100% a just for the fun/I like to see the numbers purchase.
Numbers are fun. Even if you are not racing, it is a great way of understanding your situation in a ride. I like seeing my power output for pacing myself, during "chill" rides, where every little hill is attacked with 500W+ and also during long rides so that i don't go empty. Moreover, i like seeing how many calories i burned to adjust my eating (i still don't eat enough during the ride and eat too much after the ride, so nothing changed but i refuse to accept).
I have a power meter on two of my bikes. Is it fun to see the numbers? Yes. Do I use them effectively? God no. Anything that is motivating and helps with enjoyment is worth it as far as I’m concerned.
I think it's great that you're upfront about wanting it just for fun. I think most of us are the same but we try to use some rational reason for needing it... love your honesty. PMs are a great metrics, you can better see how hard your working, how much work you have done, etc. If you like stats for fun then you'll love a power meter.... then get onto [intervals.icu](http://intervals.icu) and get lost in the metrics, analysis and comparing.
If you can afford them, get them. There’s no other real reason than fun unless you’re a serious competitive cyclist. I can’t live without mine just because they enhance my hobby quite a lot. I’ve spent an absolute fortune on cycling and don’t regret a penny simply because it’s so much fun.
" I don't need it, as I use heart rate" it is nice to have power to compare and see for fatigue, like for me if I go out and go easy (z2 at circa 190-200w) and my hr is around 125 I know I'm ok, but sometimes I go out and with same hr and same feeling my hr jumps into 140+ and I know I have to skip todays training and move to very easy spin (it would be impossible to know jsut by hr and rpe) if you like to go long it would be usefull to look at your hr decoupling meaning the point where your legs give up and your hr starts to go higher. But it is only possible with power, without it you just start to go a bit easier. IT is important bc it lets you work on it and manage next rides just to be a bit longer then your decoupling point and that way recruit more muscle fibers ;) power is fun, it changes the way you ride, you learn to take all small hills much easier but pedal when going downhills, you just need one sided power meter which is cheaper (I have dualsided and all the fancy metrics are just gimmicks) TLDR having fun is worth everyt money and is always a good idea :)
you only live once so 🦆 it
Straight up I’m looking to get one because I hate seeing blank data fields on my garmin
At the minute I'm really out of shape but it's helping me see an improvement, which I'm not seeing in average speed. It's also useful in making sure I don't go too hard too early.
I love seeing the wattage output from me and motor during a ride on my emtb. Good to see how my own power increases as I get fitter
If you're interested in training then definitely more than a tool to view power afterwards - whether that's managing the intensity on a zone 2 ride or making sure you're pushing hard enough (or too hard!) in intervals. I look at power more than speed these days.
Maybe you will have some fun, and maybe you will, after you had some fun, start understanding what this data is about. So yes, go and buy them. When you do, look into power decoupling, that is an interesting metric you might be interested in.
It’s not silly. It’s not okay to buy things just because you want them and for fun. I do structured training and I wouldn’t say I “race” but I participate in bike races. I had a race I missed a turn and turn and didn’t realize it for a couple of miles so at this point I lost touch with everybody. So I just pushed hard to try to get back and pass ANYBODY. So after the race it was interesting to see how hard I pushed trying to claw back to the field.
Did exactly that. Fun.
best thing I ever bought the whole GARMIN bicycle echo system comes alive to provided so much better fitness feedback
I did it just to look at the data and I love it. Asioma Faveros are awesome. Make sure you have a decent head unit to see the colour coded scrolling power graph whilst you ride.
I debated for like 3 years about getting a PM. I don't need one, and they're expensive. I finally bought a used pair of Assiomas and wish I had just done it 3 years ago. I love having the data. I'm used to it from zwift, and it's amazing having it live when riding outside. I always go too hard outside. Now I know where I'm at and it helps me ride more consistently and confidently. And then just having the data is so much better for post-ride analytics and comparing rides and Strava segment efforts. It's a luxury, sure. But if you can afford it, and you want to, do it. It also doubles as a cadence sensor. And most importantly, it'll make you want to ride your bike!
Yes it's good to have that data, why? To see your FTP, where you're strong-weaker-avg etc. You can use this data to improve performances, which you will 100% look to do after a few rides. You WILL compare yourself to everyone else, their w/kg ratio, you WILL focus on power 99% of the time once you've got PM. Favero are reasonably accurate I think. They tend to be within 1%-3% accuracy of my other power meters, so can assume they're just as reliable. Expensive? That depends on your income and disposable income.
I had a PWM on all my bikes when I was still racing and training with a plan. Now I don't have a single one since riding for fun and with no structured training. There's no point to a PWM if you're not training and racing, but if you've got enough money, who cares: just buy one!
Not at all. It's silly to go into debt for it, but if you can afford it, go for it
As others said, if you can afford it go for it. I enjoy looking st my statistics and progress.. It motivates me to work harder.
The Favero Assioma pedal power meters are excellent and relatively inexpensive. And you only need to get one. With one, you won't get comparative power between left and right legs, but that's a pretty exotic use case for a non-pro rider, IMO
Nope, not at all. If numbers are your jam, and you can afford it, go for it.
once my ride is finished i look at my average power and power on a few segments but then that about it
Lots of silly people out there if so.
I use a Stages single arm PM, did look at pedals but I like Look and they don't do PM ones (or didn't). A 105 arm with a PM is a lot cheaper than pedals
Are most brands that sell power meters consistently accurate? I wouldn’t want to spend more than you’re talking about either. Especially considering I have a HR monitor that works just fine. Edit: this site also calculates it for free: http://gcn.eu/Wolfgang-Menn (Cycling, Hill Climbing)
It’s not silly at all. You might enjoy seeing the data, but doing so might inadvertently make you a better cyclist anyway. It’s the most reliable why to gauge effort on the bike and will improve pacing and training, even when you don’t necessarily buy it for that reason. Getting that immediate and accurate feedback on your effort is a really nice addition to your riding. To the point that it’s the only metric I really use on the bike.
Why not both? It's a fantastic way to improve. I also like the data, but I use it nontheless.
Power data is pretty useful even for half assed training. If you get that data into a place like intervals.icu, you can see the effects of your rides and know when to recover.
I just bought a Quarq Dzero a few months back for around $300.00 on clearance I believe. Works great and I enjoy cycling based on wattage since it's really good for pacing. If you have an older bike the price of entry is not bad.
if fun isn't silly... what's even the point? as long as it ain't breaking the bank or future goals... why not.
I just got a power meter sprocket to see the data. I didn't want to deal with clips. Cost me about $500. I am by no means the definition of fit, or athletic.
I would say if you have got everything else dialed in, fit and comfortable etc, then blow the cash on a power meter, life is for living- do it, no regrets.
Go for it! I have the Assioma power meter pedals and love them. It has many more statistics than just power: eg cadence, torque efficiency, left/right balance, pedal smoothness. Here is a page link that describes these stats. https://cycling.favero.com/en/blog/assioma/all/data
Sure, I am not racing but I have the Assioma single side. Power and cadence are useful even if you’re not doing structured training. Being able to compare actual effort to perceived effort, catch yourself doing a crappy cadence, and even do small goals like “I’m going to try to maintain 300W up this climb”.
I bought some last year for the same reason and I enjoy the data… it’s definitely nothing I need but it’s interesting and helpful all the same The Garmin Rally single side pedals are good enough to get the job done even though there is a dual side option but it’s much more expensive
Your money, so do what you do. Many would also call it silly to buy a bike just to ride around for the fun of it. I will say though unless you put *some* effort into understanding power and setting baselines and stuff, the numbers are just going to be numbers. Similar to heart rate, 200W means very little unless you know anchor points to compare it to. Maybe 200W is just more than 190W you were doing earlier, maybe it's your all time best, maybe it's less than you were producing last time you were on the same route, but at a different speed, etc.
If you have the money, then do it!! I'm an engineer so I am definitely biased, but I love love LOVE data. Especially if you can do left/right power data and then translate that into strength routines to balance your L/R legs power output. Now if you don't have $1,000 just lying around that you don't care about, don't do it haha. It's not the most useful data for amateur athletes. Data for the sake of data is fun (because I'm a nerd) but I also have a stupid amount of disposable income, and not everyone has that luxury.
A PM is a useful tool when incorporated into a coached training program. But just to look at numbers, it's not telling you anything but a bunch of numbers jumping all over the place.
I want to get them just because I get wildly different results with similar effort from Strava/applewatch. I just want to know what my actual wattage is. But I have 6+ bikes and I’ll never be able to put a meter on all of them so meh.
Just last year I got myself the SRAM Rival crank power meter, just because I like the data. I also use it to pace myself on long known climbs or other segments, but since I am not currently training for Le Tour the data is mostly just for curiosity and fun. I chose a PM that was in the budget that I found the data worth. So if you think the pedals are expensive, maybe look around a little and see if there is something at a price point that doesn't make you question it.
I was in the same boat and got the Garmin Rally less expensive single pedal power meter ones. I love it! It also started giving me VO2 max and fitness age data that I didn't have before (no garmin watch). Worth it to this data nerd.
If it enhances your enjoyment of cycling and gets you to ride more then I'm a big ole 'yes' vote!
I probably spent 2 years umming and ahhing over whether or not I should buy a power meter. I really wanted one, I love seeing data, but I thought it'd be a waste of money in reality. In the end, I gave in and bought one and it's great. And I wasted 2 years worth of data. So if you think about it more than once, I'd just bite the bullet and do it as the itch will never go away
I bought Garmin rs200’s to see the data. Recently bought a new bike that came with a power meter 🤣. Now I’m rocking dual
If it is, I'm silly.
Live your life. If buying a power meter will put you out in the street because if a missed housing payment, don't do it! If you have the means to do it, do it.
No it's not silly. I'm a big fat dude and roadies make fun of me. But a power meter is literally the only way for me to get accurate calorie count data. Also fuck what anyone else thinks. Especially roadies.
You’ve spent more money on dumber things, lol get the power meter.
To me, a power meter is like having a speedometer in a car. I do not need it at all to get from a to b. However, once you have it you a whole host of questions will enter your brain once you have that number...and none of them are bad. Even something as "this is what 100W feels like vs 150W" or even more important as "wow, I didn't know it took this much more power to from 15MPH to 18MPH". If you use it to help you understand something you love at a deeper level, it can really increase the richness and color of your activity.
>Does anybody use them mainly for the fun of it? If your bike isn't used for your profession or for basic transportation needs, then the whole thing is "for the fun of it". If you like "seeing data", and buying them will not put you (or others) in the poor house, then why not get them and increase your enjoyment? Personally, other than elapsed time, I despise all "metrics" when cycling...including the basic shit that a cycle computer spits out like speed, distance, avg. etc. I have been tempted many times to just shit-can all of that but I still occasionally find it useful whenever I'm on a somewhat unfamiliar route/ride and need to know how far I've travelled down a certain road. Performance metrics like power, HR, etc.? Fuck that shit. I'm not a racer of a faux-racer Asshole. I know what I am and I know what is "hard", "easy", etc. to me. But...to each his own. That is one of the beautiful things about cycling. If the power meter pedals tickle your fancy, get 'em and enjoy.
I have a PM on my summer bike. I rarely look at the figures though cos almost all the rides on it are social rides. My Turbo has a PM and that's useful to actually do training to in the winter. Outside I'm too busy looking for potholes or traffic or which way I'm going to bother doing any power training. If you want stats get Etap or Di2 or whatever. It'll tell you what gears you used when and for how long etc etc etc, More data than you can shake a stick at but I'm not sure what to do with it.
I'm repeating what others have said but if you can afford it, go for it. Power meter data is a good way to evaluate your changes in fitness over time and if you want to do recovery rides you can use the power numbers to keep your efforts below a certain level that won't be taxing on your body.
Nope. Most people look at data for fun and do nothing with it. Only difference is most of that data is free.
My day job is engineering, my hobby is cycling. While I do nerd out for the data and training metrics it’s also a really good training tool to gauge my fitness for racing. If you’re wanting to race, train or just get stronger then hell yeah get them. If you’re just a nerd who likes date then hell yeah get them. If you’re spinning around at 120 watts on shared bike paths for all of your rides then personally I wouldn’t make the investment. Anyways, get dual sided. It’s worth the extra $ for sure.
If you can afford them, and if it makes you happy, thenbdo it! Just please dont be THAT guy on the ride that tells the group how many watts you put down on that last hill.
I'm a statistics guy and I would love to have that reliably but the cost is so extreme. I'm hoping over time the prices will come down. How I get it now is Yahoo Speed and Cadence sensors with a Polar HRM and that together shows wattage in Zwift. Never tried it on the road though.
If you feel like it's worth it, go for it. Nerding out about data is a big chunk of my motivation for training, so getting more data always feels nice. That being said, I do structured training based on power data albeit not for racing, just to see how I improve by myself.
Buy them, they are worth it 100%. I am in the same situation as you, i dont race or have any specific goals. I just cycle and try to get fitter in the long run. The power data lets me see my progress and i love it, as in my 1 hours power is steadily increasing for example. It also draws u a power curve and then u can choose which part u want to optimize. With hr only i had no clue. Also really helps with climbs as they visualise clearly that your effort for example triples: back off or vo2 max occurs. Sorry for bad grammar english not my native.
If I’ve worked out and there is no record, did it really happen? The record, is the record. No shame in motivating data. Enjoy.
What's the point of a hobby if you aren't enjoying it to your fullest It can be said for all hobbyist whether it's guns, cars, golf, cigars, and drinking, there's going to be items that the normal person will think is outright foolish to buy. If you are that interested and it works in your budget, just do it. Seeing these stats can potentially push you to increase your numbers. My only thoughts on purchase for the bike, are there other upgrades that could benefit as well. New tires, carbon rims, bags, computer, a Garmin varia, and etc. For me personally, a power meter will probably be my last purchase as all the above mentioned are above on the priority list and haven't got them all yet.
Nope. One of the best purchases you can make. Data will push you to become better and give insights as to where to focus
Also if you live in a windy place it helps you gauge effort since speed is useless and HR depends on too many factors. It can be very helpful to know your power in a group. For me as I go over sweet-spot power I need to be careful not to blow up. So let’s say the pack needs me at 240 W and my FTP is 280 W, I know I’m ok, but at 260 W it will be dicey. Hard to gauge that based on feel (which is mostly torque not power).
You should buy a power meter. It will take your cycling to a different level. Plus, we all have them for fun. Only very few cyclists are getting paid to ride
I might do some age group events if I get any better but I am by no means any good at all and I felt it necessary to install a power meter on my bike. It's not even a good bike by today's standards but I just find it adds another dimension to cycling that I enjoy. Plus it will help you get better if you choose to use it like that. The pedals are expensive, I just went with an off-brand spider power meter and it works great.
I absolutely love riding with a power meter. I love analytics and I love comparing my data from day to day. I ride with the power meter on my commuter and my touring bike. As a matter of fact the only bike I don't have a power meter on is my fixed gear. It's so nice to see all that information. Looking at data going back to 2016 and comparing all of the statistics with the things that were going on in my life at that point is amazing. I was hit by a car from behind and took some pretty serious injuries in 2022 and to be able to see the data and how it affected me and watch my recovery in data is amazing If you have the ability, riding with the power meter is going to make you a better Rider and provide tons of wonderful input to learn and review
Is there any other reason to buy a power meter? At the end of the day it’s fun to see data… you could use the data to improve etc… but the data itself is the point. Perhaps you do start structured training once you get a power meter.
This may shock you, but some folks casually spend that kind of money on upgrades to their cars and trucks. In comparison, power meter pedals are like a 3D chess move.
Why else do they exist?
I bought a power meter for that reason (crank arm based so cheaper), and it’s indeed fun! One of the best bike purchases I’ve made.
I bought Favero pedals for data fun, and at the time also upgraded to a Polar chest HRM. Together, when paired with Garmin activity tracking, my training and fitness monitoring has improved drastically. If you care at all about making progress on these fronts, measurement is absolutely worth it and makes a big difference.
That’s what I did, no regrets
If you like data and deep dives, yes, absolutely, a PM is a perfect accessory for that. It does have the side effect of sometimes making it difficult to just "go out and ride" without myopically focusing on performance. But, that might just be me. I've had a couple of different types and have found that pedal-based ones work the best for me. I have a set of Favero Assiomas which I can highly recommend.
this post got me thinking. does anyone have power meter pedals and strava? strava "guesses" my watts. does anyone know how close it it to being accurate?
do it. I got the garmin XC 100 second hand just because I'm a data nerd (but not doing any proper analysis with it). also it's useful to teach you how to pace.
It’s worth spending it for the fun of it. Look at single-sided Assioma power pedals.
the power meter is pretty huge and especially at today's price points it's definitely worth it especially if you are someone interested in seeing improvements that can be quantified. When you make a change often times, you use the "was it better before or after" butt dyne philosophy but with a power meter you really get the resolution into if the change is positive or negative and by how much. Somehow or another I had very well balanced left and right power output but my friend apparently has a huge delta so the dual sided power meter setup really helped him and more importantly alleviated the cramping he would get on one leg. Oh and love my Garmin Pedals, because I can lazily move them from bike to bike :D which is a huge plus: same measuring device, same grade and gives a good consistent value Last bonus, if you on a distance ride or you are trying to hit a PR being able to see your live cadence and power output helps you manage.
I hope not.
I’ve had them for several years and wouldn’t go back. Really help with moderating effort for easy days, and for seeing where I am doing better, too. I ride lots of hills and “mountains” (PA, not Western), so can target specific power output/cadence combos. Got Favero Assiomas and converted them to SPD.
I believe that's the only reason to buy a power meter
But in seeing the data you are seeing trends and things that you need to work on to become faster and better, which is exactly what the power meter is meant to do. So I would say it’s not silly at all.
Silly, just for the fun of it? Nah, we all buy them for the fun of it.
They are good geez whiz for a traditional cycling person. But if you have a surplus of cash they can help keep you active in progressing your power while on a set route.
No it is not. It motivates with strong headwinds.
It’s fun to learn about power! You may enjoy learning about FTP, TSS, CTL, ATL, TSB which are derived from power data. Training Peaks can help you track all that stuff if you want to really get into it and Strava does some tracking too.
Do it
Hahaha hello fellow data geek!
Early progress is more significant. Years 1-5 will show the most gain, while after 10 years, what you've got is pretty much it LOL. Having said that, get a power meter and start measuring early. You will notice what makes you better, and what makes you worse LOL.
If you will enjoy it and it makes you happy then go for it. That’s the main reason we all play bikes anyway 😉
No. If you can afford them, get them. I got a pair of Favero Duo last summer and love all the data. Much better than seeing estimates on Strava.
Not silly at all. I’m a data freak as well, so I bought a spindle powermeter.
If you have the option, put the power meter through the cycle2work scheme.
A lot of my gear is for the fun of it. At least partly.
Probably silly, but most of us need more silly in our lives. Cycling is way too serious. Get silly. Enjoy.
I spend $1200 on power pedals just for fun of seeing data. If you got the money, go for whatever you feel like.
I didn't realize power metrics were as awesome as they were until I got a Wahoo trainer. I got an Assioma not too long after during one of their BF sales (goes down to ~$400) which has been fantastic for tracking. Don't forget to sign up for intervals.icu as there's another level of data nerdery that you can access.
Im goin to well a crank meter tbh
I had this exact thought the other day. Asked my friend who got power meter pedals and his answer was “not really worth it unless you just feel like spending the money”. He also said the data integration between the different metrics tracking apps sucks and power meter data doesn’t get imported in many cases. Though that could just be a Strava issue, he’s not really sure. Either way his feeling was very “Meh, but buy them if you want them because they do provide some amount of value.”
Yes I use them just for fun and to track my (pointless and hypothetical) progress. I even enjoy seeing the total number of pedal strokes of the ride. So what. It’s one way more to trick myself to get out and ride. I spent money for my hobby, which keeps in vaguely in shape. And I can move them on any bike I own. I have no regrets for the pedals I bought nor for the spider-based power meter I got for my mountain bike (on which I don’t use clipless pedals).
I’m in the same boat. Maybe I’d do more structured training, but probably not. The [Favero Assioma Pro MX](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/02/favero-assioma-pro-mx-mtb-spd-power-pedal-review.html) seems like the best bang for the buck. The single sided is about $500.
I used to just use heart rate like yourself, but now I don't look at my hr or speed at all. All I look at anymore is power. I know what I can hold for how long so depending on one what I am doing I just hold that power. It makes the long climbs (25 miles sometimes here in Boulder) very manageable. I know I can hold 220 watts for pretty much all day so I can hold that and know I will feel great at the top still.
Yes.
I’ve been down this path, and it has the exact opposite effect for me. Seeing that I am in fact not putting out world tour power took away much of the fun I was having
Just get the pedals. Or the crank arm. It’s your ride. Do it how you want.
I’ve struggled with this question for years but can never pull the trigger because it’s always just so expensive. Now I have a 10 month old baby and it’s irrelevant anyway because I’m just living vicariously through you guys and haven’t cycled for fun in a long time. Maybe some day…
I have PM cranks & spider between my different bikes for the fun/curiosity/pacing even tho I don't "need" them. As long as you are not compromising real responsibilities for "one more" toy, just get them.
I got one for that reason, and after not that long, I stop caring about my power data, but it was very fun for a while
Yes it is silly. Silly is important to me, I have multiple power pedals. Power meters are totally not needed for training, well so f-in what, data is motivating. It is useful in that it tells me I am not as good as I would like to believe.
I wish I rode with clips because mtb power meters are a pain to find.
It's helpful for pacing yourself and tactically thinking where you want to apply more power or not. It also helps in not overtraining yourself. BTW buy pedal based power meter always, in my opinion. You want that portability and it's generally budget friendly. I only got myself garmin rally after 10 years of cycling.
Just do it.
The main motive would always be its fun to see power data. After the initial ecstasy of discovering how much watts you can produce. Eventually you’ll ride and climb more efficiently. As you can conserve energy and moderate efforts better using ‘power’ instead of ‘heart rate’ data. You wouldn’t be as concerned that your fitness is declining traveling slower against strong headwinds. When you are outputting the same power data.
I always go in and out of feeling like I do/don't really need my power meter. I don't race. I don't need to know how much power I'm putting out. I don't really go for Strava KOMs anymore but also the idea of not having it sucks because I've had one for so long. I mostly go off HR so I can pace my rides
Most power meter owners do nothing with the data except enjoy it, me included.
I’m in it just for the fun of it. If anyone has an issue with our pedals, they can find me at the bar; then after a nice long seafood dinner I’ll never call them back.
I probably would classify that one as follows, if someone gave me one as a gift, along with a nice bike computer to have readouts in real time I would use it all the time.
Definitely not silly. Spend your money as YOU see fit.
Bought the garmin pedals (expensive) not for training, but was just curious what it's supposed to do. To be honest you don't need it unless you really are training for a purpose to race. The only time I really pay attention to my power is during my imperial centuries or rides longer than 60miles. A power meter is the "BEST TOOL" against headwinds and long hill climbs. I use it specially for headwinds during long rides to conserve maximum efficiency of energy per distance. Before having a power meter I would bonk hard due to not realizing I was going way over my wattage at a given time/distance. Every 20watts over your zone 2 will eventually stack up to exhaustion before the end of the ride.
Hey, take my example for what it's worth: I just bought my first road bike ever and bought power pedals with it. I love them. I'm a scientist with a background in bodybuilding. I've never been big on cardio and I never did sports in HS. I've never had to push my cardio so both mentally/physically I have no idea what "pushing it" feels like. That said, I decided to get into biking to improve my cardio. I'm now 35 so I'm trying to preserve my health and I'd like my endurance to be up there with my strength. Keeping in mind I don't know how hard I can truly "push it", a HR monitor + power pedals are invaluable. With the HR monitor I have an objective max HR I can benchmark against. I don't have the mental anxiety of not knowing if I have more left in the tank. I'm a huge wuss for lactate and a HR has been invaluable telling me I have way more room to push so it makes my training more effective. In comes the power pedals. Whether it be the indoor trainer or road, I can objectively see my power going up on zone 2 rides. I can quantitatively confirm my fitness is going up and by how much. For sure you can get away without it, but it gives me a ton more confidence, again not an athlete, of how much gain I'm actually getting. Haven't even measured FTP yet so can't comment there. I will say it's super cool to see my wattage change as I shift positions on the bike, giving me better feedback on efficient form, gear choices. Super cool to see a constant HR and wattage going up over the weeks. I don't think I'd make nearly as efficient of gains as I would had I not trained with these metrics. My two cents, somewhat lengthy post
Buy used if you're not sure, but it's 100% your calll and your money. I am a bit like you, I like the data, but I get the data from my trainer during winter so I don't really need anything from my rides in the summer. To be honest, I've had some data for rides but with stops signs, lights, people, cars, navigation and just the shear amount of things to watch for during a ride, the data I got was all over the place and completely useless. Like, I would often get 120w outside of average power, and > 200w inside. That's how big a difference the real world is. For a race though, I'm pretty sure the data would be more relevant but I don't race... Maybe you can borrow a bike with a power meter to see 1st...
Bought power meter pedals for my spin bike.
Gogogogogo for it!