Great article hear from the guys at Peaks Coaching Group on training with a power meter.
A power meter, as we all know, is a measuring tool. It measures the torsion (twisting) of a bicycle part that has been twisted as a result of your pedaling. This can be measured in the “spider” (the part between the chain rings and the crank), in the hub, on the twisting of the chain itself, or in the crank arms or pedals.
Power is torsion multiplied by angular velocity (angular velocity in cycling is how fast you pedal). Power is output in watts. The typical trained cyclist can average 250 watts for one hour, but what that number means in the real world is dependent on rider weight. For example, two cyclists producing 250 watts for an hour can have drastically different power to weight ratios:
- A 115lb (52kg) cyclist will have a power-to-weight ratio of 4.8 watts per kilogram
- A 180lb (81kg) cyclist will have a power-to-weight ratio of 3.0 watts per kilogram
Wattage is the measure of work that you can do on a bicycle. While heart rate can measure intensity of effort, it is dependent on rest, hydration of the rider, outside heat, and humidity. Heart rate is a response mechanism to work. Wattage is the “dose,” and heart rate is the “response.” If you’ve been training with a heart rate monitor, you’re basing your training on a response. But what causes that response? Why did your heart rate go to 150? Was it because a dog just chased you? Was it because you just did a hill sprint? Was it because you’re just hyped up as you sit on the start line waiting for the race to begin? Heart rate gives us some information, but it doesn’t tell you how much work you’re doing. A power meter does.
Once you’ve forked out the dough for your new power meter and gone through the laborious process of installing it on your bike, calibrating it, charging the computer, and figuring out how to use the buttons, you might ask yourself, “How do I use this thing to improve my cycling?” That’s a great question, because improving is exactly what you want to do with your new training tool.
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