I am trying to convince myself to buy a powertap. I have recently set some very lofty Tri cycling goals for myself and have been reading everyones posts about how beneficial they are. For me, this is an extremely expensive purchase and want to do it right the first time. I know there have been numerous previous posts on powertaps and some of you may just tell me to search, but I feel as if my question is original.
My major question, or problem, is that my training road bike is a 700c wheel, and my new TT bike is a 650c wheel. I was foolish to not research enough about 650c wheels before I bought the bike. I was just loving the deal I got. Since I can only use the powertap on ONE of my bikes, which would give me the most “bang for my buck”?
I do most all of my off season work and hill work on the road bike. I dont usually bring out the race bike until near the season opener and use it maybe 75% of the time during the season. I currently have an OLD HED disc on the rear TT bike. My road bike is really nothing fancy. It cost less than the powertap would.
Do you expirienced powertap riders get more out of your tool during the off season or during racing, and TT training? I am kinda torn between one or the other and could really use some of your decent advice
Thank you for any time you may be able to lend me on the matter
Its a great tool, both for training and racing. It can clearly define actual effort instead of percieved. You know exactly what your doing and have a very clear indicator what your off season progress is. Your workout can be built around your power profile. There is a great book-“Training with a Powermeter”. As for racing you can see RT what you are doing. It will help to keep you from pushing to hard and hurting your run.
if you manly train on your 700cc then go with that. Your goals will be achieved through training with it rather than racing with it. There is no easy solution to your problem but maybe 2 x used wired powertaps would be the same as a new wireless?
currently for training, I am using the road bike for indoor, intervals, hills, and long rides… kinda my winter/ indoor bike. I hop on the TT bike mainly in the spring and use that predominately during the season. I may be doing that wrong, but thats just how I use them now. I am just concerned with winter/indoor training with powertap and being “blind” during the season, or the opposite. I would hate to have to ditch the HED disc, but would do it in a second if it was the right choice. Reading everyones race strategies with power sounds like something I could love, but also winter training with power seems to have a ton of benefits.
Would it sway anyone if I said I couldnt afford a decent 650c race/training wheel for the TT bike? A deep wheel with powertap is totally not in the budget
What distance do you race? I ask because keeping an eye on power for an iron distance bike leg is more important (keeping within yourself) then if doing sprints/oly. If doing “shorter” races then I agree with the above poster about getting the PT for the bike you will train on—you’ll eventually get a good “feel” for your power and can race by that until you have power for both…
I am currently finishing up my first “real” season. Last year I started with Oceanside 70.3, did 5 Olys, and finished with a sprint.
Next year HOPE to start with Oceanside 70.3, do 3-4 OLYs,qualify for AG Nationals in OLY, and finish with IMAZ… might be a horrible idea, but it sounds like fun. I am currently a 2:40 Oly speed.
In the next 2 years, I really really want to be able to do a sub 4:50 IM bike split, which is super huge for me.
currently for training, I am using the road bike for indoor, intervals, hills, and long rides… kinda my winter/ indoor bike. I hop on the TT bike mainly in the spring and use that predominately during the season. I may be doing that wrong, but thats just how I use them now. I am just concerned with winter/indoor training with powertap and being “blind” during the season, or the opposite. I would hate to have to ditch the HED disc, but would do it in a second if it was the right choice. Reading everyones race strategies with power sounds like something I could love, but also winter training with power seems to have a ton of benefits.
Would it sway anyone if I said I couldnt afford a decent 650c race/training wheel for the TT bike? A deep wheel with powertap is totally not in the budget
Thank you for your thoughts and IMHO’s
Could you put the PT on your 650 and put your 650 on the 700 bike when indoors? I am not sure of the issues that would create if any.
Then you would have your indoor training covered as well as outdoor from Spring and racing.
You can also tie up your power zones with heart rate and use HR when you don’t have your PT set up.
I see you getting frustrated in the future with not being able to use the power tap on both bikes. Sell the bike you like the least and get two bikes with matching wheel sizes. Get a power tap wheel and train on it. If you want to race with it… Get an inexpensive wheel cover from wheel builder.
Also, ride the tri bike more. Get comfortable on the bike you race.
I like the idea of pulling the problem out of the wheels. I know NOTHING about crank systems. Pros & Cons?
swapping cranks is easy for me. Im guessing I might need something that matches both. My road bike has Truvativ ISOflow cranks (not sure of the length) and a triple chainring. My Tri bike is an out-of-the-box B2R with RED cranks. (not sure of the length either). They both have a 52 large ring. Any recommendations on companies to research?
I would recommend the following options:
a. if you can only afford one PT, buy a 700 cm and train on it. then race on the tri bike, using perceived exertion and heart rate.
b. or take a look at buying two wired PTs (I bet powertap is going to start coming down in price because of the new pedal power systems – today Wheelbuilder announced a $550 discount on a powertap and wheel!) for the price of one wireless PT.
c. better yet – wait a few months until people start buying the garmin or polar pedal systems and selling their PT or quarq power systems on Ebay – then buy a couple of cheap wired PT systems or one quarg system. Or if you can wait one more season, I’m sure that the pedal based systems are going to drop in price quite a bit after the “novelty” wears off…
if you do a search on this forum, you’ll see that a lot of guys swear by a crank based power system, and if your two bikes can share the same crank, that might be the way to go.
I would recommend the following options:
a. if you can only afford one PT, buy a 700 cm and train on it. then race on the tri bike, using perceived exertion and heart rate.
b. or take a look at buying two wired PTs (I bet powertap is going to start coming down in price because of the new pedal power systems – today Wheelbuilder announced a $550 discount on a powertap and wheel!) for the price of one wireless PT).
c. better yet – wait a few months until people start buying the garmin or polar pedal systems and selling their PT or quarq power systems on Ebay – then buy a couple of cheap wired PT systems or one quarg system. Or if you can wait one more season, I’m sure that the pedal based systems are going to drop in price quite a bit after the “novelty” wears off…
if you do a search on this forum, you’ll see that a lot of guys swear by a crank based power system, and if your two bikes can share the same crank, that might be the way to go.
x 2 on all of this.
I think crank systems might be a bit more expensive though probably around $2k all in. SRM probably $3k and up.
