Key tips you should know for making the leap into the world of watts.
A power meter is a device fitted to a bike that measures the power output of the rider.
Most commonly, power meters use strain gauges that deflect slightly when a force is applied. By measuring this torque and combining it with angular velocity, power (measured in watts) can be calculated.
A power meter is a device fitted to a bike that measures the power output of the rider.
Most commonly, power meters use strain gauges that deflect slightly when a force is applied. By measuring this torque and combining it with angular velocity, power (measured in watts) can be calculated.
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SportsTranscript
00:00If you haven't purchased one already, a power meter may be something you're very keen to
00:10invest in.
00:11But what are the benefits?
00:12And if you own one already, do you even know why?
00:15Or do you just own one because you think you should own one?
00:17Whatever your reasons, here are a few key tips you should know for making the leap into
00:21the world of watts.
00:27First things first.
00:28Why do you think you actually need a power meter in the first place?
00:30It's not just so you can brag to your teammates that you own one, because they're an extremely
00:33useful measurement for analysing your training, and far more accurate than other measures
00:38such as average speed.
00:39Power meters take into account the actual physical effort you're putting through each
00:42pedal stroke, which is a far more accurate reading for your training ride compared to
00:46average speed, which can be affected by the terrain or the weather conditions.
00:50Secondly, you can pace your effort to perfection.
00:53Chances are at the beginning of a race, you'll have adrenaline pumping around your body,
00:57therefore making the effort you're riding at probably unsustainable, even if it doesn't
01:02feel like it at the start.
01:04Knowing when you need to rest can be tricky based on personal feeling alone, and partly
01:08because when you start to feel run down, it's probably too late.
01:12Training with power does give you strong indications of when you need to rest, but also when your
01:17form is about to peak.
01:19This real-time feedback is crucial, as there is no drift which can occur with heart rate
01:24monitors.
01:25A slow climb may only result in a spike in heart rate, but at that point it could be
01:28too late, and you've already gone into the red.
01:30As previously mentioned, using average speeds or times on courses and certain segments can
01:35give a rough idea to track your fitness progression.
01:38However, utilising FTP results over time can result in a far more precise and accurate
01:43measure.
01:44We won't go too in-depth here, as we have a Power Meters Buyer's Guide video already,
01:50which will tell you all about each type of power meter, but the three types come from
01:54the pedals, the hub, and the crank, all of which have positives and negatives that will
01:58work best for you, your riding, and your budget.
02:05So you're back from your ride, and what's the first thing that we all do?
02:08Upload our data of course.
02:09However, when you're training and racing with power, the world of data is opened up to you
02:14with a plethora of numbers, but here's a quick breakdown of what each one means.
02:19Training Stress Score, or TSS.
02:22This is the number that relates to the intensity of a single training session.
02:25The higher the number, the more strenuous it has been.
02:29Acute Training Load, or ATL.
02:31This is the short-term fatigue number that is accumulated and estimated over a 7-day
02:36period.
02:37Chronic Training Load, or CTL, is the longer-term fitness accumulation rating based over a 42-day
02:42period of time, with rides that are completed more recently weighted higher towards this
02:47number.
02:48Training Stress Balance, or TSB, is the number that's the difference between CTL and ATL,
02:54and addresses whether a rider may be approaching top form.
02:57When this number is positive, it indicates a good performance is approaching, following
03:01a decent block of training combined with low recent value of fatigue.
03:05This is where the tapering effect comes to fruition.
03:12So far, power meters may seem great.
03:14However, there are a few key mistakes that you need to know, as it can trip up your training
03:18and make your training data completely useless.
03:21The first and most basic mistake is forgetting to zero offset a power meter before riding,
03:26and then you're relying on inaccurate data.
03:29Think of zero offsetting a power meter as the same when you reset a set of measuring
03:33scales.
03:34Air pressure, ambient temperatures, and other things can alter power meter readings in between
03:39rides.
03:40Therefore, zeroing your power meter before each ride clears the residual torque and sets
03:44an accurate baseline to work from.
03:46Our second key data mistake to avoid is confusing simple average power with normalized power.
03:53Normalized power accounts for intervals and efforts that have occurred over the entirety
03:56of a ride, whereas average power will simply average out the training session as a whole,
04:01which can lead to misinterpretation of more intense sessions that may have actually been
04:05more fatiguing.
04:07Our third mistake is failing to acknowledge the differences between indoor and outdoor
04:11riding.
04:12The former involves zero coasting and no air resistance, whereas outdoors, there are many
04:16variables such as wind and drafting gains, so comparing the two can provide very different
04:21data results.
04:23Those are our key points to help get you started training with data.
04:26Do let us know in the comments section what top tips that you have.
04:30Don't forget to like and share this video, and subscribe to the Cycling Weekly channel.
04:34Thank you again for watching, and until next time, we'll see you then.