Share your preferred bike computer data field layout for racing

Triathlon Forum
1

What is your favorite data field layout on your bike computer when it comes to racing?

Bonus question: Do you use navigation or a best bike split power course / garmin workout file?

I tried searching past posts and was surprised I couldn’t find a thread discussing favorite data field layouts. I am not sold on my current configuration on my Edge 830 and am thinking of setting up a new data field screen that also incorporates best bike split target power. I figured that someone in here has to have the ultimate data field layout, carefully selected field by field with contested mental battles over each inch of screen real estate played out over years of long rides. Whoever you are, please don’t gatekeep that ultimate screen layout and share it with the rest of us.

2

What application? I use different layouts for all the various disciplines of cycling…

3

I like to see:
3s power
NP (normalized power)
distance
time

That’s about it. I have a 530 on the bike. However, I also wear a Fenix 6 and on that I like to see HR on there during the ride.

This keeps it pretty simple and with only 4 data fields on the bike computer things are easy to read in the heat of the moment. I like to see the time for thinking about eating. NP is for making sure I keep close to my target.

4

As for Best Bike Split I’ve tried it free one time but it didn’t seem to work that great for me with the Garmin integration. Also, it allowed me one free race then the price is $119/year, a bit steep considering I’d rarely use it. I’d just look at the course I’m doing and come out with power targets for various sections. Like if there’s an uphill section I’d do my target+10% for that. Downhill, target-10%, etc.

For gpx tracks, I often put these on the computer for bike races but not so often for triathlons since the courses I do are pretty simple. For bike races, though, GPX tracks and the Garmin ClimbPro are awesome. It really let’s you know how much to push on a hill when you know the details.

5

3sec power
Time
Distance
Cadence
.

6

I overanalyse

I have a 530

  • 3 sec power with av power in one custom ‘square’
    -same as above with cadence and average cadence
    -same as above but speed and av speed
  • HR
    -np
  • time (as in duration of ride)
    -distance

I hate myself for being this way and often wish I never got into power and other metrics and just raced on feel.

7

Biggest size power 3sec cadence HR
Smaller size elapsed time speed

In training if its a workout I don’t show elapsed time or speed I show target power and time to go for the interval

I do think it would be useful to have course and notifications of corners etc for a race like Nice but I never figured out how to do without giving up something
.

8

Lap NP
30s avg
10s avg
speed

try have the first 3 all the same value
.

9

Lap NP
30s avg
10s avg
speed

try have the first 3 all the same value

What do you do for hilly courses?

10

Are you guys omitting speed because it’s so obviously that it’s not worth saying? Or do you actually not have speed? Races aren’t judged by who puts out the most watts, they’re judged by who goes the fastest.

If you have the space on it and it’s a flatter course having both average and normalized power can be insightful into the steadiness of your effort.

IMO there are a few non-negotiables if you’re looking to maximize performance:
Speed
Power (instant, 3s,5s, whatever)
HR

Nice to have if you have the space:
Normalized power
Time

Extras that you don’t need but are nice to see:
Distance (every course has distance markers)
Cadence
Avg Power
30s power

11

Are you guys omitting speed because it’s so obviously that it’s not worth saying? Or do you actually not have speed? Races aren’t judged by who puts out the most watts, they’re judged by who goes the fastest.

If you have the space on it and it’s a flatter course having both average and normalized power can be insightful into the steadiness of your effort.

IMO there are a few non-negotiables if you’re looking to maximize performance:
Speed
Power (instant, 3s,5s, whatever)
HR

Nice to have if you have the space:
Normalized power
Time

Extras that you don’t need but are nice to see:
Distance (every course has distance markers)
Cadence
Avg Power
30s power

Are you the guy that’s yet to do a triathlon? Once you’ve trained and raced a few times you will start to know speed based on power and general splits you’re getting. For the folks here on ST that are so analytical, speed isn’t that necessary. For example in most races I know what point of the course I should be hitting at what times, so I know if I’m going to be above or below a certain speed.

I usually like to have something like 3s power, HR, VI, TSS, Time, Distance. I like to pace my race based off of how much TSS I can push per whatever unit and still run okay. I have a wahoo elemnt and set my LEDs at the top to be based off of power and set custom zones based on my race pace goals so I know exactly what I’m looking at, not the typical power zone LED colors.

I also have an autolap set up for every 3 or 5 miles depending on the length of the race, then I have a second page where I can check my last lap stats like average power, asc and desc, VI, TSS and I’ll have a goal TSS per lap, maybe some laps I know will be more climbing I’ll allow myself some matches but the flatter ones or desc I can have a lower TSS to keep it close to goal.

12

As for Best Bike Split I’ve tried it free one time but it didn’t seem to work that great for me with the Garmin integration. Also, it allowed me one free race then the price is $119/year, a bit steep considering I’d rarely use it. I’d just look at the course I’m doing and come out with power targets for various sections. Like if there’s an uphill section I’d do my target+10% for that. Downhill, target-10%, etc.

For gpx tracks, I often put these on the computer for bike races but not so often for triathlons since the courses I do are pretty simple. For bike races, though, GPX tracks and the Garmin ClimbPro are awesome. It really let’s you know how much to push on a hill when you know the details.

In case you weren’t already aware, you can just edit the one free race plan over and over again to update course and recalculate the race plan

13

I really like the idea of incorporating TSS and VI.

As of right now this is what I’m using …

Garmin Edge 830 w/ 8 data field layout - 2 big fields best bike split target power and 3s power. Smaller 6 fields distance to next power target, cadence, heart rate, speed, total distance, and elapsed time. Would ideally like to trim this down.

14

Are you guys omitting speed because it’s so obviously that it’s not worth saying? Or do you actually not have speed? Races aren’t judged by who puts out the most watts, they’re judged by who goes the fastest.

If you have the space on it and it’s a flatter course having both average and normalized power can be insightful into the steadiness of your effort.

IMO there are a few non-negotiables if you’re looking to maximize performance:
Speed
Power (instant, 3s,5s, whatever)
HR

Nice to have if you have the space:
Normalized power
Time

Extras that you don’t need but are nice to see:
Distance (every course has distance markers)
Cadence
Avg Power
30s power

Are you the guy that’s yet to do a triathlon? Once you’ve trained and raced a few times you will start to know speed based on power and general splits you’re getting. For the folks here on ST that are so analytical, speed isn’t that necessary. For example in most races I know what point of the course I should be hitting at what times, so I know if I’m going to be above or below a certain speed.

I usually like to have something like 3s power, HR, VI, TSS, Time, Distance. I like to pace my race based off of how much TSS I can push per whatever unit and still run okay. I have a wahoo elemnt and set my LEDs at the top to be based off of power and set custom zones based on my race pace goals so I know exactly what I’m looking at, not the typical power zone LED colors.

I also have an autolap set up for every 3 or 5 miles depending on the length of the race, then I have a second page where I can check my last lap stats like average power, asc and desc, VI, TSS and I’ll have a goal TSS per lap, maybe some laps I know will be more climbing I’ll allow myself some matches but the flatter ones or desc I can have a lower TSS to keep it close to goal.

Haha not even close. I’ve been racing bikes for 20+ years and done a full in under 9hrs. The analysis of power/HR/TSS etc is all in service of maximizing speed. Having speed on there can help guide your effort. If you’re trying to finish the race then you don’t need speed. If you’re trying to win the race you better have speed displayed prominently.

15

Lap NP
30s avg
10s avg
speed

try have the first 3 all the same value

What do you do for hilly courses?

+10% up hills from a target NP
.

16

I’m not sure if you’re trolling because that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve read on this forum.

Speed literally tells you nothing about how you’re cycling. There are things called hills, headwind, tail wind, poor quality road, smooth road, etc. that all affect your speed. You have no control of your speed other than your power and position on the bike. This is not a metric that any serious cyclist pays attention to when racing other than when they’re bombing a hill and are curious what their speed is.

17

3s power
HR
Cadence

On a second screen
3s power
HR
Elapsed time
Distance
Speed
.

18

I’m not sure if you’re trolling because that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve read on this forum.

Speed literally tells you nothing about how you’re cycling. There are things called hills, headwind, tail wind, poor quality road, smooth road, etc. that all affect your speed. You have no control of your speed other than your power and position on the bike. This is not a metric that any serious cyclist pays attention to when racing other than when they’re bombing a hill and are curious what their speed is.

I’m not sure if you’re trolling because this is one of the dumbest things I’ve read on this forum.

All of the other metrics are in service of SPEED. You don’t win races by having the most power, or the lowest HR, or the best IF, you win races by having the fastest speed. Just a glance at speed and power gives you a very good idea of if you should push more or back off in the current situation. Bad road surface, headwind, false flat, push a little bit more. If you know you’re normally at 25mph/250w and you see 24/250 it’s a hint to up the power just a little.

I must not be a serious cyclist because I value speed on the same level as power and HR for a TT style race. If you only have one thing to display I’ll grant that power is more important, but on a display with minimum 4 metrics speed should absolutely be one of them.

Tangentially, speed as a training metric can be incredibly instructive. Take a look at the way pure cyclists carry themselves through corners and technical bits in comparison to triathletes. They carry speed, they accelerate harder out of corners, they take different lines. The power/hr can be exactly the same but one can carry extra mph.

19

For races I have:
distance
Time
Speed
Power

Speed and Power are the larger 2 fields with time and distance smaller.

For training I use Distance, HR, speed and power.

I use a garmin fenix 6 for races for HR.

20

I’m not sure if you’re trolling because that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve read on this forum.

Speed literally tells you nothing about how you’re cycling. There are things called hills, headwind, tail wind, poor quality road, smooth road, etc. that all affect your speed. You have no control of your speed other than your power and position on the bike. This is not a metric that any serious cyclist pays attention to when racing other than when they’re bombing a hill and are curious what their speed is.

I’m not sure if you’re trolling because this is one of the dumbest things I’ve read on this forum.

All of the other metrics are in service of SPEED. You don’t win races by having the most power, or the lowest HR, or the best IF, you win races by having the fastest speed. Just a glance at speed and power gives you a very good idea of if you should push more or back off in the current situation. Bad road surface, headwind, false flat, push a little bit more. If you know you’re normally at 25mph/250w and you see 24/250 it’s a hint to up the power just a little.

I must not be a serious cyclist because I value speed on the same level as power and HR for a TT style race. If you only have one thing to display I’ll grant that power is more important, but on a display with minimum 4 metrics speed should absolutely be one of them.

Tangentially, speed as a training metric can be incredibly instructive. Take a look at the way pure cyclists carry themselves through corners and technical bits in comparison to triathletes. They carry speed, they accelerate harder out of corners, they take different lines. The power/hr can be exactly the same but one can carry extra mph.

This is how you blow up during a race. You train to hold a certain power for a certain time. Going into a race trying to hold a specific speed is not a smart plan.

If the road sucks and your speed is down you’re going to end up pushing to hit your speed goal and you’re going to blow up. You have 100% control over your race effort. You do not have control of what speed that effort gets you.

Find me a coach who preaches going into a race with a speed goal vs a power goal. It’ll wait…

Your anecdote on cyclists cornering harder and accelrating harder holds no ground. Triathletes don’t corner hard because they don’t train bike handling as much as pure cyclists. Sprinting out of corners has more to do with staying on people’s wheels than it does getting the best time. Watch UCI pros time trial; they won’t be sprinting out of the saddle coming out of corners.