I'm a endurance runner and only just started cycling, so know nothing about bikes and am trying to learn the parts and stuff. I'm on a trainer at home and it made me understand the utility of power meters, so want one on my bike for when I take it outside. I've searched through the sub, looked up part numbers and went to my bike shop- so I think I've done due diligence before asking the question.
I got a Merida Reacto Team E second hand and wanted to put a LH 4iiii power meter on it. Bear with me if I get the parts wrong, my bike has Rotor Flow crank arms on a Rotor Press Fit 4630 bottom bracket...so I get it, not compatible with Shimano....so to the question, what's the simplest and cheapest way to convert over so I can get a 4iiii power meter on?
Do I get a new bottom bracket and crankset?
The following post talks about an adaptor for Shimano cranks, can I buy this and chuck it on the Rotor Press Fit 4630 bottom bracket on the left side and put the Shimano crank arm on without changing anything else?
> https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/hh3s9k/bought_a_frame_with_bb386evo_bottom_bracket/
The bike store said the only option was a new bottom bracket and new crankset, at which point may as well get the 4iii Precision Pro Shimano 105 R7000 52-36T 172.5mm Dual Sided Power Meter Crankset because it will cost about the same vs BB/Shimano 105 R7000/LH 4iiii power meter combo. However, GPLama recommends the LH and does not recommend the dual L/R 4iiii meter...
So I doubt anyone is reading this because it's so long, but I think I've researched and got the info but don't have the technical knowledge to work out the solution. Stay off the bike and run?
There’s a trove of data that I can import including speed, heart rate, watts and a few other fields that can be input into an algorithm and spit out an answer. Stryd is able to do this with only a few hours of running data and I’ve felt perfectly fine with the numbers they calculate based on how the workouts based on those numbers feel. Garmin comes closest by asking me to ride hard for 20 minutes but that still seems like a lot of labour given how big of a deal max efforts are to perform
I have roughly $300 burning a hole in my pocket at the moment. I recently bought a new-to-me Trek Domane SL5. I’m a weekend fitness rider, who’s come to outdoor riding after months of Power Zone training using the Peloton Digital App indoors on a Schwinn IC4. I’m interested in either a single sided power crank (4iiii or Stages) or a computer (Wahoo Bolt V2, Garmin Edge 530). I’m currently using Strava on an iPhone XR with an out front mount, but I haven’t been too thrilled with Strava’s mapping UI. Trying Komoot and RWGPS next. I also have a DuoTrap S Cadence and Speed Sensor, so I’m good there.
What would you do, (and why?)
Update: thanks for all the feedback! I decided to go with the bike computer first, as most had suggested. I bought a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt (V2) at a LBS. Tough call between it and the Garmin 530 which can now be purchased new for less than the Bolt, $249 vs. $279. (Ultimately, I wasn’t interested in the Garmin ecosystem.) Now I’m saving up for either Assioma pedals or 4iiii cranks!
Hi all.
Completely new to cycling and have bought a second hand spin bike to do some exercise at home. I want to link it up to apps like Zwift and so I believe I need a power meter.
However this is about where my knowledge ends.
I’ve seen pedal ones (like Garmin Vector) and crank ones (Shimano Stages) but struggling to work out - will either type work on my spin bike or does the spin bike matter here?
It’s a JLL IC260 spin bike.
Any help is welcome! Thanks in advance
Have a 6S Pro, updated to version 9.
I only record cycling activities (with a few kayak activities thrown in) but don't have a power meter, so never expected to see a VO2 Max calc. But I actually have one that shows up in Performance Stats - how's that possible?
I recently started using a Polar OH1+ for heartrate, but have been using that for weeks and just saw the VO2 Max reading for the first time today.
It’s my first year cycling and I’m about 6 months in. Long story short, I love it and want to start training in a more structured manner to get ready for my first race.
Is it worth it for me to get a power meter? I’ve been stalking this community for a while and am seeing how beneficial they are. Part of me feels I’m moving too quickly upgrading, since I just bought a bike but the other part thinks that it could really help structure my training. Maybe I should just wait until I have more time under my belt though and maybe go through a few races without one, any advice is appreciated.
After not working the full tax year (uni placement), I’m going to be getting a ~£900 tax return. The question is: do I spend it on a bike for off road fun or do I purchase a left crank power metre and garmin/wahoo and have a few hundred spare?
Those who side on the trail bike, please advise which bike you’d recommend. Those on the computer and crank side, i was thinking a garmin 1030, is that a sound idea? I like doing big adventure rides so the size appeals for maps.
I guess the real question is; hardtail or full squish? :)
Mods if this breaks the survey rule, feel free to remove
Had anyone used a cycling power meter with his vantage V? I was curious if anybody could share his experience with it and/or suggest some?
Would be really interested in buying a power meter but not sure which are best integrated with the watch.
Any chance of one with spd?
Thanks
Does the Venu support bike power meters?
I want a Garmin which can run IQ bike power meter apps, but I also want the AMOLED screen. The IQ apps I want don't list the Venu as compatible, eg. Xert apps
Garmin will estimate vo2 max for indoor rides when using my garmin vector 3 pedals.
It's summer here in Texas and even indoor I am finding my performance declines due to ambient heat even with the air conditioner running (as opposed to winter when it's frigid in my pain cave).
Question: Does the vo2 update which takes into account heat work on indoor rides?
Just wondering. Thanks!
Hi everyone,
I own polar m430 and was wondering can I connect a power meter to it? I would like one to use for cycling, and for running.
What power meters do you use if any, and how does it work?
I got my S1 on Friday and today was my first day using it during a workout, so I figured I'd do a comparison between what it records versus my tried and true power meter/Garmin combo. Maybe this will be of interest to someone who is interested in how accurate the watch's calculation of calories burned is.
First some info, its an S1 so its using my phones GPS. As for power meter/computer combo I use a first generation Power2Max unit (on a Rotor 3D+ crank) with a Garmin Edge 520, I calibrate the meter before every ride so its as accurate as possible. I also use a cheat strap heart rate monitor.
Using a power meter with (correctly established) power zones is considered to be one of the most accurate ways to measure calories since it directly measures work done by the rider (in the form of kilojoules) which can be converted into calories. Whereas the watch just uses heart rate and your height/weight to do some math, which while fairly accurate isn't considered to be stellar.
Here is the workout data: http://imgur.com/a/CyuWF
You can see that Distance and Average Speed are very close (but again the watch is using phone gps so it should be), Average HR is spot on between the two which is great. But the watch estimates that I burned around 34% more calories than the power meter said I did, thats quite a big number especially if you are tracking calories burned/consumed very closely for weight management.
Like I said, this is just a bit of interesting data that I thought might be of use to someone. I am not a doctor, I am just a bike mechanic who races bikes and has been using a power meter for years. And I trust the numbers my power meter gives me very much and have used those numbers to maintain my racing weight and fitness for a long time.
What are everyone's thoughts on this?
Hi ladies,
I'm new to road cycling! Been casually riding my hybrid for a while and finally took the plunge and purchased a liv avail road bike. I'm really loving it and would like to track things like cadence. I already use my iphone with the strava app to track my distance/speed.
In conjunction with my phone/strava, which power meter or sensor can I get? I'm not looking for all the bells and whistles, I just want something simple that works and won't break the bank!
Thanks!
Hi. I've been contemplating a power meter but the relatively high cost is keeping me from investing. Is the power data worth it?
Always keep the rubber side down.
edit: Thank you everybody for all the thoughtful responses. I probably won't be getting a pmeter, but saving the money while training to be better near the finish line.
I just got my first PowerTap G3 with Velocity A23 rims. I knew there would be a learning curve to using a power meter but I had no idea power jumped around as much as it did. I started out using a 3 second average and then switched to 10 second average but it didn't help much. Any help or advice would be greatly appreaciated. BTW, I'm blown AWAY at how small the G3 power meter is. I've seen it in pictures but I just couldn't tell how big it was compared to the older models. I was thinking the size would be more like the Pro or SL+ or whatever it used to be. Absolutely love it so far. Thanks!
I don't have a power meter for my bike (yet), but after a few weeks off the bike during which time I solely ran, I have taken notice of how accurately my Fenix seems to track my training status, training load, and VO2 max.
I rode today, though, and my training status and training load did not change. This surprised me, because I can look back at my timeline and see that past bike rides (also without a power meter) show up as little spikes in my training load.
I understand that VO2 max on the bike can can't be calculated without a power meter, and since I haven't gone for a run for 4 days I suspect that my training load and training status haven't changed to reflect today's effort because the VO2 max is a missing variable in the load and status calculations.
Is Garmin essentially waiting for me to go on another run to re-check my VO2 max so that it can then retroactively determine my training load, and also my training status? I'm hopeful that my training status will simply update when I go for my next run. (Heck, in the time it took me to write this, I could have gone for one!)
Anyone else out there in the same situation, or experienced similar delays seeing their training status and training load update?
Thanks!
I ran across this interesting article on current power meter models and recommendations. This is based on a given set of criteria set forth by the author of the articles. Nice read.
Part 1: http://intheknowcycling.com/2014/07/25/best-power-meter-road-cycling-1/
Part 2: http://intheknowcycling.com/2014/08/04/best-power-meter-road-cycling-2/
By the way, it seemed like this is the most correct subreddit to post this to. r/bicycling is way too general and most people there are probably not interested in power meters and r/bikewrench seemed more about doing your own mechanics work rather than talk about bicycle power meter technology. Feel free to move this to the correct subreddit.
I'm interested in following a structured training plan to improve my fitness systematically using a power meter but the new ones are outside of my budget. Anyone willing to sell one (ANT+) or know where I can get a used one to save some $$$?
