Over 112 miles, heart rate would be a fairly accurate pacing tool I imagine, and one that can be ported over to the run.

Oh no. here we go again.

Seriously, I own four powermeters, for all my bikes, and have trained with power since 2004

I train by power exclusively, and could see using it for pacing 112 miles and I even used it to pace a 1/2 Ironman on the bike (relay)

but over a 10-12 hour race, HR is a very reliable metric, IMO

I'm not: based on my experience/exposure, I'd say that triathletes are lagging behind cyclists in this context. That's probably due to three things: 1) you can't use a powermeter when swimming or running, 2) you can't use a Powertap with the aero wheels you already own, or an Ergomo or SRM with the Dura-Ace 10 speed crank that came on your new bike, and 3) the individuals who are arguably most responsible for popularizing powermeter use are cyclists, not triathletes.

The one factor that I think can be ruled out is $$...

"The one factor that I think can be ruled out is $$... "

Andrew,

Great point. I am predicting a big run on power metres this year. At the risk of stating the obvious, Triathletes seem to have no shortage of $$$ and they love to spend money on expensive and complicated training gadgets! Just like many other training gadgets( HRM's come to mind - see other thread on this), many will not have a clue how to use them, but that's not the point!!

Note to LBS's catering to the Tri crowd - stock up on SRM's, Ergomo's and PowerTaps this booking season!

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Gary, et al

I used my PT (and eschewed my rear 404 to do so) at Kona, and thought it was nice to have. While in retrospect I really rode WAY too conservatively compared to what I had done prior at LP and all my RR rides, the plus side was that I rode a remarkably even-paced 112m (and ran well). My NP and AP were only like 2-3w different going out to Hawi (slightly higher watts, as it is net uphill) than they were coming back. Contrary to Dan's warnings (or maybe cuz they were in my head?) I didn't try to stick w/ X watts level like I had in other rides, I used my PT to keep my watts down as much as I could. I probably overdid it, but whatever. My avg HR was about 4-5 bpm *lower* (in spite of the heat/humidity) for Kona than LP and other rides, whereas my NP was 30-35 watts lower. Yup - I totally dogged it, way moreso than I even intended.

And, in reference to another thread, my VI was 1.1, which I know supposedly sucks for a relatively flat course like that. It's closer to 1.2 for hilly courses, like my normal stomping grounds and the LP course. No matter, I refuse to waste watts and pedal going down hills to artificially lower my VI. I think that's dumb - YMMV.

Like Fleck said, you can be sure that more and more folks will be using 'em next year. They've already got the "most aero" bikes and everybody seems to have jumped on the aero helmet bandwagon, so that's pretty much the only thing left they can spend $ on ;-)

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float , hammer , and jog

Nah - GPS devices are where the market is at.

GPS? Are you serious....? Why?

"I am predicting a big run on power metres this year."

Based on what?!

I can't wait to read 'Training With GPS Devices.'

Yes, I'm serious: if I were a retailer catering to triathletes, I'd be stocking up on GPS devices, not powermeters. First, they're more affordable (meaning that you're more likely to sell a bunch), and second, because both runners and triathletes would be likely to buy them.

Note that I'm not in any way recommending that anybody actually buy a GPS device...

"Based on what?!"

In no particular order of importance:

1. Dan has noted in his Kona survey - a sure sign that they have arrived

2. Everyone seems to be talking/yakking about Power Training and it's advantages here, and elsewhere

3. As I mentioned, they are expensive and complicated and triathletes seem to love expensive and complicated equipment

4. Many coaches are now insisting that athletes that sign up with them have them for training with them. As one coach said to me in an aside, "It takes the guess work out, reduces the risk and gaurantee's "success" if you cap their power".

Need more?

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

You are probably right... as far as targeting the market. However, I do not see any training value in a GPS. However, it may be good for finding the local Starbucks on you next ride.

You're forgetting the all-important "...and Racing...". ;-)

Anyway, don't hold your breath: I had to be dragging kicking-and-screaming into contributing to a book on powermeters, and have absolutely zero/zilch/nada interest in writing about GPS devices (with which I have no experience).

"Need more? "

LOL... yeah... get off the computer and take a look a the world outside of Slowtwitch... some call it the "real world"... it exists, you know... and it's unlike anything you know here... go Toto... be brave... explore!

I'm gonna tell that to Ben Sharp everytime he throws that book in my face!

Hey, I am not advocating it, just stating the facts. As for the real world, my real world training tool for years was a Timex wrist watch. Using it to it's fullest abilities got me to a 9:04 IM :)

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

So what have you done for us in, say, the last 10 y?

Ditto.

"So what have you done for us in, say, the last 10 y?"

Andrew,

I think that you are perhaps missing my sense of humour with a touch of sarcasm in all of this.

Are Power Meters useful? - absolutly. However, as you may have seen, triathlon is a bandwagon sport if there ever was one, particularly when it comes to gear and equipment.

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

What does equipment have to do with it? I'm talking about the way you keeping bringing up that 9:04 over and over and over again. Get over it man, it's ancient history!

"Get over it man, it's ancient history!"

Thank you. You are right.

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I think the reason people are still intimidated by power meters is that most triathletes have no idea how to use one. It requires either a) a lot of reading/research or b) hiring a coach to teach you how to use it. This is assuming that you don't have a friend who is willing to walk you through the process step by step. Buying a new bike/set of race wheels/ etc is easy. You just throw it on your bike and go. Buying a GPS device (which I actually find very useful) is also easy b/c we're already familiar with min/mile or min/km. But Watts...that's foreign territory.

>>>However, as you may have seen, triathlon is a bandwagon sport if there ever was one, particularly when it comes to gear and equipment.

It's also a sport where people like to remind us how great they are, or were! Just razzin you ;-)

But I'm sort of serious. Seems like people can't just do an IM, they have to wear their finishers shirt 24/7 and tell everyone over and over that they did an IM! haha

Or they could hang a picture banner of themselves with their bike from their condo balcony in Kona! That's a true story btw!

Steve