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27/03/2009 10:08:51 PM
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Troy Collett
Posts 146
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is it better to train by heart rate or by power?
im not sure if i should buy a HR monitor or a power meter
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27/03/2009 10:32:13 PM
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Corks
Posts 16
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I would have thought that depends on where you are at as far as your current condition is concerned. It would be silly to train benchmarking against watts if your do not have a sufficient base under your belt, other wise you could quickly find yourself overtraining.
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28/03/2009 3:45:28 PM
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DanielS
Posts 21
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The key to training with either is being able to REALLY understand the numbers OR have a coach who does. Otherwise they will just be an expensive toy.
I'd recommend reading up on methods for training via HR and via power, and then have a good think about what you would change once you started to have that information. The Friel book is good (Cyclists Training Bible), also Jeukendrop (High Performance Cycling), and from what I hear, Coggan & Allen for power based stuff (Training and Racing with a Power Meter).
If I had the funds, I'd be training with a power meter. The data is a better instantaneous indicator of effort, and is also an indicator of performance. HR is an indicator of effort, but not really performance. Other downsides of HR are that it has a time lag, and that it may vary from day-to-day depending on what you've eaten, level of rest, etc. But HR is still very good, provided you are conscious of these downsides. The big advantage of training with HR is the low cost 
But the key thing is to understand what is going on (or enlist the services of someone who does). Consistent and structured training with slightly inaccurate measurements is still better than haphazard training with a whole heap of data.
Oh, and there is also a 3rd option - train by perceived effort. It works for a lot of people, including many elite level cyclists.
edited by DanielS on 28/03/2009
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5/04/2009 10:12:39 AM
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Graham McArthur
Posts 15
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Good post Daniel.
If you can afford it, power is the way to go, but as Daniels says, you must be able to understand the data and what it means and also be able to understand what you are training for and what is needed for you.
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25/06/2009 12:43:50 AM
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harley j
Posts 65
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i slapped down some cash and got a cycleops powertap pro. it has all the data features of the more expensive models but just a couple of grams heavier.
ive only been using it for 2 months but already have set pb's on climbs ive been doing for 10 years. and my bamboo bike is heavier than my previous race bikes.
i did the homework, some say powertap is more accurate than srm and you can slap it on your girlfriends bike in 5 minutes and badger her with info she doesnt really care about..
that book 'high performance cycling' by asker, im a big fan too!!
i remember tagging on to rowan and jack up norton summit and thinking i was having a bad day, but i looked at my wattage and i was riding the highest i ever have just to keep em in sight. so now i can objectively say that i was getting my ass kicked, but also setting a pb at the same time..
heart rate shows how we are responding, power shows us what we are actually doing.
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26/06/2009 8:04:01 AM
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Michael Warner
Posts 121
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So Harley, what sort of power can you sustain up Norton Summit? I borrowed a friend's PowerTap wheel once and tried it - I set out at 350W, but tapered to 307W by the finish line.
I tend to attack hills too hard :-)
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26/06/2009 12:33:58 PM
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andrew rowling
Posts 24
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I heard that power taps are the most accurate as well. The SRM can vary as much as 7% with temperature.
Is 40kph about 340w ?
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22/04/2010 5:30:18 PM
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harley j
Posts 65
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My pb up norton is 14:20 and it was last year on my bamboo bike that is heavy as it is flexy. I was about 62kg and average watts was 321 for the climb. So what (no pun intended) really matters is watts per kg. Cos if someone is 80kg and averages 320 watts for the climb that is not like a top climber on the good stuff that could climb that wattage at a 50kg.
So watts per kg is more objective way to compare yourself to other people or with yourself at a different weight.
A great way to train with power is to just smash yourself up a climb in a high cadence gear and then you will have an average wattage for that climb and the next time you go back to it, you have a figure to sit on and then you can improve your time but trying to sit a few % higher next time. Its like pouring a glass of water over 1 minute. You dont want to pour so fast that you run out of time and you dont want to pour so slow that you have water left over..you want to give everything you have and not blow up and not have any left over..and training with power and hr lets one do that more objectively than any other method we have today.
I remember last year the day after an ultra marathon I was struggling to ride at 150watts and I knew I needed to eat more carbs as I had enough sleep and was hydrated. Had I not had a power meter then I would have just felt fatigued rather than take some action to help it. In races you know what power you can do and what you yet cant. You can tell if your at your limit or can hurt more.
Ride your bike to work for a few months, get off the ****, no junk food etc and the savings you have from will almost be enough for a powertap.
edited by harley j on 22/04/2010
edited by harley j on 22/04/2010
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