I've been using a Stryd for about a year now. And I like it. The way I use it is that for a while I did not really look at the numbers, just collected data. Then I went through a phase where I would note the average power needed for certain paces. Knowing these allow me to know what average power to use in running races.

Example: coach and I decided I needed the Scotia marathon in Toronto at about 4:17-4:23/km pace. I know 4:20 is about 275W. So I set my Garmin up for 1km autolap and display average lap power. All I had to do was run 275W and I would be golden.

(of course I'm an idiot and ran 285-290W average. I ran a great half, and a 30km PR, but the wheels came off spectacularly at 35km. You can give the boy numbers and all that does is that he knows in advance he'll blow up :-/ )

One thing is that I'm at my 3rd unit; the first two cracked open at the seam. I tried to come up with something I do that breaks them, but they claim it's just a coincidence and mailed me a new one both times. So customer support is great.

---

Citizen of the world, former drunkard. Resident Traumatic Brain Injury advocate.

I have one. It is inaccurate although reasonably precise. It needed a calibration factor set for treadmills and outside differently. Customer service was unhelpful. It sits in a drawer as I couldn't sell it in good conscience. I never really found the power particularly helpful and a lot of the app etc feels like a beta eg RSS and the training advisor.

Just don't let it sit in a drawer too long without charging, it will deep discharge and permanently die... if you think this is experience talking, well yes, it is.

I've been using it since just November. I've found it helps a lot for racing hilly courses. My last 70.3, people were playing me up the hills early in the run since I was trying to hold even power. Within a few miles I passed all of them back. The app and website are pretty awful. The are Stryd training plans for various distances. I did the 5k training plan this year and took about a minute of my 5k. Was looking at some of the left distance plans, but with the way their website is setup I couldn't tell what some of the workouts were supposed to be. Overall, I really like the hardware and the data it gives me, but the website isn't particularly useful.

In all honesty the next time it moves is to the trash, I just haven't quite accepted that I paid 200 buck for a wireless charger yet.

Instead of sending it to the trash, you could mail it to me. ;)

This was my experience.
A complete load of junk.
When I questioned stryd about all the metrics lacking compared to their kickstarter I got rude replies!

Yeh I don't get it at all. They seem to have a very "fervent" fan base on social media. Outside of hilly courses on a still day with temperatures similar to what you have been training on, I can't see how power offers much over cognitive evaluation of pace, rpe and HR.
If I'd been offered a replacement for my unit that was at least 7% under reading as verified on both an indoor and outdoor track many times, I may have been willing to let it slide. But I just got the standard "all our units leave accurate and don't need calibration" nonsense. At least I saved at least half a dozen team mates making the same mistake.

I use mine to judge the pace for my longer runs and threshold runs. It works OK.

I have the run with power book but have yet to open it. I'm still working with Daniels paces.

Got it. Like it.

As a footpod I find it very accurate - more accurate than GPS.
On treadmill I would say accurate to a few %

Like a bike powermeter use 3s power. That should smooth it out. I find no spikes on treadmill.

I find it super easy to use indoors or out. No waiting for connection GPS to acquire. Shoes on . Run done.

The bad things are
Stryd App seems a bit dumb but I never use it
On 935 only allowed so many fields.
Can’t see othe metrics in real time (like GCC, VO etc)

Go search DCRainmakers site...don't do it...waste of money...the argument against him is Ben Kanute and his coach Jim Vance who wrote a book on it....IMHO don't do it ...its not with the 200 USD it costs....at least not yet. There is no running power standard so its all over the place...save your money.. I am sure (if you really want to buy one and wait a few months) the price will be halved. Just my quick two cents. :)

---

"see the world as it is not as you want it to be"

I've got one, but didn't buy it--a friend who just didn't use it anymore loaned it to me to try. I've been using it a few months now. While it is interesting to see that my typical "cruise" watts are--vs where they are when I add in frequency...it's sort of neat to see it rise & fall depending on the training I'm doing. I'm not so sure I'd use it for racing again like I had a few times--watching a number isn't my style of racing.

Yes, the same people who ride with tyres.

I bought one last fall and first wore it for about 3 months just to collect data. Then I started using it for indoor treadmill workouts. Treadmill speed/distance vary and are typically garbage, but if you look at past workouts you can then look up the watts you did outside and use those numbers for the indoor workout. I read Jim Vance's book too. It has a lot of information, but you can boil the book down to two major sections, the threshold test and setting your race day wattages. I have used it now for a 70.3 race and a marathon. Both times came back with PRs. Was it the game changer? I don't think it was "THE" factor, but it definitely helped me stay relaxed and slow down for the first part of the race and take it easier on the hills, which then assisted me in getting race day PRs. So I think if you make it part of your toolset it will help. I still wear mine and look/analyze at the data.

thanks everyone for the subjective feedback. it seems like its a mixed bag on opinions. i think ill keep it for a while and try to give it a fair shake.

i def like the idea of having something else to help pace myself for longer runs. im the typical age grouper... i go out way too hard on the first half of the run.

---

80/20 Endurance Ambassador

It will help you with this exactly. It is also much more accurate than the other options when using it for Zwift treadmill runs.

Good luck, let me know if I can help.

---

Jim Vance
http://TodaysPlan.com.au (Disclosure: I am contracted with Today's Plan)
http://www.CoachVance.com/
Twitter @jimvance

I haven't raced with mine yet, outside of a 5k but how much pacing is there in a 5k anyway, but it definitely helps me on easy runs. I tend to push to hard at the start and it has helped keep me in check at the beginning. At the very least its another data point for me to look at and compare to how I felt and I've found if my numbers are too high the run usually was more of a struggle than it should have been. I got mine second hand so as far as value, for me I like it. If I had paid full price, being the cheap bastard that I am I may feel differently. Good look, enjoy more data!

~ Russ

Stryd is worth it for me even just as a very precise footpod (much better than the Garmin / Dynastream pods) for instant pace and distance. You may need to calibrate it, and check the calibration every 6-12 months, but once you do you should have sub-1% accuracy.

Other than that, I use Stryd to keep my effort in check on the hills on easy days (it's surprising how easy it is to hit threshold effort uphill without realizing it for a few minutes), for race pacing on hilly courses, and to push myself racing downhill (I have gotten much better there with Stryd feedback).

For those comparing Stryd to treadmill paces, keep in mind that even calibrated treadmills are known to have the belt speed up while you are in the air, so if Stryd is reporting a lower speed it may be right.