Well, if you are monitoring fitness changes then you really want to be looking at general trends over time, not putting too much stock in any one day. So that 4% balance issue should average itself out.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I guess if you can get past the demotivation that not meeting power targets would likely cause (for me at least!) then you’re right, they probably would balance out over time. I think if that’s all you’re planning on using a power meter for then you’re maybe wasting your money though? I suspect HR vs speed or time up a local climb would be as useful.

I agree with that, which is one of the reasons I don't have one (yet). I want a decent PM that I can use to accurately pace in a race. Which means I'm waiting til I can afford the one I want (probably vector 3)

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I have/had Stages, Quark, Powertap and SRM. I know I am one of the few, but Stages is the one I would be most likely to buy again. I have never had even a single ride that was worse that 49/51 and don't even look at the balance anymore. The Stages simply has the best cost/benefit for me. Contrary to previous posts, I have not found that balance changes from ride to ride or within a ride. YMMV.

It is certainly a case of for some people a stages would be fine, for others it won't be. The issue is, how do you know if it will work for you unless you have previously used a dual sided? Out of interest, ignoring that aspect, why is it the one you would most likely buy again?

I get everything I need from the Stages for a lot less money. You are correct though, if I had never had a dual sided meter, I would want one to know if my power was balanced. However, I am also not sure what I would do with that info once I had it.