The Problem with Power Meters

Рет қаралды 80,939

Күн бұрын

Power meters are fantastic pieces of equipment. However, there is one huge problem with them: each one gives a different reading, and some vary wildly in their accuracy. Can power meters actually be relied upon, or are they just expensive random number generators?
Welcome 0:00
Categories of Power Meters: Pedals, Cranks & Hubs 0:25
Power Pedals & Power Cranks 2:39
Accuracy of Power Meters 3:12
Does price affect accuracy? 5:03
Can you make a power meter more accurate? 5:28
How seriously do you take your training and data analysis? 6:39
What power meter would we suggest? 7:22
Conclusions - Tell us your experience in the comments 8:04
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Пікірлер: 314

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Do you own a power meter? Let us know in the comments 👇

@Ed.R Ай бұрын

Yes 4, 3 that I made myself and 1 I got second hand.

@eddiewards123 Ай бұрын

Favero assioma duo shi 👌

@jeskli11 Ай бұрын

I have Favero Assioma DUO on my road bike, Magene PES P505 Base on my CX bike, Sigeyi AXO on my XC mountain bike and then I have Elite Direto XR trainer. I used to have InPeak Powercrank, but I sold it to my friend, because after my injury and following two surgeries I unfortunately have quite a significant disbalance. Compared them all against the Assiomas and they all track really accurately against each other, yet when I had the InPeak, I had to scale it up by 2% to get it in line with the other measuring sources (splitted the Assiomas into UNO for that test).

@bicikircho Ай бұрын

I have/use 3 4iii powermeters on road bikes, 2 Quark and Garmin Rally 2.0 in MTBs. Only issues I've found: Garmin pedals is realli difficult to go over 800 watts, no matter the effort. on the Wahoo Kickr core, I found ERG mode stupid hard, 165 watts is equivalent to riding a 15% up. the rest of the power meters work fine for me, both in circuit and open roads. Only thing I would change is recharging, as changing batteries on 6 pieces of equipment is not cost effective and a pain in the a$$

@DavidMartin-tk4fs Ай бұрын

I have a stages gen2 single side I picked up cheap on fleabay. Only had it a few weeks so still in the honeymoon phase but, once I had overcome the upgrading to a modern BB and sorted the well known battery contact issue, it seems consistent and looking forward to seeing how I'm doing more clearly out on the road. Of course I did have to go out and break the 1000W barrier, but I'm over that now 😂

@atsr_ Ай бұрын

The biggest problem with a power meter is that it provides an exact measure of how much I suck as a cyclist

@cb6866 Ай бұрын

Nope.

@daniels.2720 Ай бұрын

No problem > Just Ride & Enjoy It ! Good luck...

@carolinelief9132 Ай бұрын

😂 me too!

@veganpotterthevegan Ай бұрын

You can always change the slope. There's no good reason you can't have better numbers than MVDP

@marcdavidson3676 Ай бұрын

Hah! I feel you brother

@stevereaburn7626 Ай бұрын

Sim[ple : Don't buy a power meter until you've watched & understood the Shane Miller / GP Llama or DC Rainmaker reviews & analysis.

@coreyhipps7483 Ай бұрын

I used DC Rainmaker reviews both when choosing my power meter as well as my indoor smart trainer.

@brannmacfinnchad9056 Ай бұрын

Agreed 100%. For any sports tech, really.

@weiwenng8096 Ай бұрын

This essentially boils down to don’t buy the R92000P, R8100P, or R9100P.

@PhyRexia. Ай бұрын

@@weiwenng8096 😂 exactly!

@ChrisMillerCycling Ай бұрын

But for PM noobs this is brilliant. Well done GCN

@martincburns Ай бұрын

Assioma Duo are the business. Super easy to swap between bikes if you're fortunate to have more than one. I use mine on the indoor trainer and outdoors for consistent readings. Accuracy is excellent.

@claymcclendon Ай бұрын

Have these on my primary road bike. Very impress for the value!

@neilwillis4694 Ай бұрын

I also use Assioma Duo. I've been a bit of a nerd and compared against my Wahoo Kickr. I did the 1 hour FTP test on Zwift using Wahoo Power meter, whilst simultaneously pairing my pedals to my Elemnt Bolt running the same test. I've done this 3 times and its never been more than 3 watts different either way.

@mikskuratmiks Ай бұрын

I picked up a used single sided crank power meter a few weeks ago - spent the winter months on the indoor trainer so I got used to seeing the numbers. Very happy with the purchase so far. A positive surprise is that I am now much more tolerant of riding into a strong headwind as now I see that I truly can be putting in more effort even if it results in a slow speed. Like of course I realised that I *must* be putting in more power if my heart rate is going up but it's still nice to see it for sure. So for me it has been worth it just to compare myself with myself, and makes you realise even more how useless comparing average speeds often is.

@jimjamthebananaman1 Ай бұрын

Amen. Average speed doesn’t mean anything. My outdoor bike is relatively heavy and not very aerodynamic but my FTP is 4 w/kg whilst people who can afford fancy bikes and aren’t as fit fly past me

@gcntech Ай бұрын

That's great! Often having power numbers just gives a bit more context 🙌 That can really help with motivation!

@SecwetGwiwer Ай бұрын

To sum up, Shimano power meters are notoriously inaccurate.

@luukrutten1295 Ай бұрын

Exactly you definitely don't want a dura ace shimano power meter. That belongs in the parts bin.

@rmpelnilschen130 Ай бұрын

Ultegra 8100 on par or even worse 🥴

@GK-zr9cq Ай бұрын

I've got a 9100P DuraAce powermeter and it's shit around 30W underreading compared to my srm, a kickr and asioma pedals

@FliskerX Ай бұрын

Yea all I hear is how crap the Shimano crank powermeters are ... and how insane good Favero is... and here the message seems to be the opposite.

@andrewmcalister3462 Ай бұрын

@FliskerX the video doesn't mention either Shimano or Favero.

@FatboyAussie Ай бұрын

I’ve got the Assioma spindles. Completely changed my training. Love the data it gives me

@CS1174 Ай бұрын

I’ve had the Faverro Assioma’s for 5 years now. They just work and are consistent. Fit and forget. Super easy to swap between bikes if you need to. Support from Faverro is excellent if you do ever have a problem.

@gcntech Ай бұрын

that's great to hear!

@billeterk Ай бұрын

I thought my power meter pedals showed I produced more power changing from 172.5mm cranks to 170mm. They actually showed the importance of remembering to set the crank length to accurately measure torque. Sigh.

@zhuyufan1186 Ай бұрын

I don't have a power meter nor do I planned to get one. I don't race but I do like to ride bikes, so I put the money of power meter into getting an entry level tubro trainner. By doing so, I can ride indoor when weather isn't good and get a stationary platform to dial in my riding position.

@JerfCycles Ай бұрын

Haha, you can’t lose! 😂😂😂

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Great idea! A power meter is great but certainly not a must have to enjoy cycling. The turbo trainer is a game-changer for those wet weather rides! Enjoy and don't forget join the GCN Zwfit club 👉gcn.eu/Zwift

@MiesvanderLippe Ай бұрын

And my TacX tells me wattage anyways. Ride based on heart rate, indoor train on power.

@swites Ай бұрын

I remember one day after a good month or two of training, I swapped my left sided stages pm off my training bike onto my race bike. I calibrated it and it gave a different number than usual, but I thought nothing of it. So I set off for my 3hr hilly loop and felt great. The ride was effortless and I was amazed at the power I was doing on the flats, and up the climbs. And thought "Man 300w's feels really easy up these climbs! I must have got fit all of a sudden. My training must have all come together and my body has finally adapted! Wow this is what it feels like one of those young A graders. This is great!" Then after a few hours I suddenly thought..."Hang on a minute. This can't be right, better stop and check the pm". And lo and behold I'd forgotten to tighten up the 2 pinch bolts on the crank! And it was only staying on with the help of it's shimano safety tag and dust cap! My short stint of being "a good cyclist" was over, and I rode home feeling rather silly at my usual 180 to 200w's :( lol

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Hahaha that must have really felt like a hit! 🤣 That said, if you were feeling good you should be focusing on that! Feeling good on the bike is the most important thing 🙌

@raunefare Ай бұрын

When I started using power pedals I didn’t know I was supposed to calibrate it before every ride 😅 and I had a goal off hitting 300w for an hour. And went from 240 to 320 very quickly 😅 and got a little suspicious and it was way off. Took me 6 months to beat any off the watt records xD

@ime06 Ай бұрын

If you are using Shimano power meters, they are known to be very inaccurate on the right side

@robertchung4914 Ай бұрын

Nice balanced video (though you could've mentioned the expensive low-fidelity elephant in the room). Many riders claim that you don't need accuracy, all you need is consistency, but they don't know how or even bother to measure consistency. I think that the need for accuracy depends on what you're doing with the data, and there are widely different uses so there are widely different needs for accuracy and precision. Training FTP is one of the least demanding things you can do with a power meter, so a single-sided meter (or a dual-sided Shimano) are probably fine for that. Measuring CdA and Crr are *very* demanding uses, so you absolutely need high-fidelity data for that purpose.

@MrLuigi-oi7gm Ай бұрын

I used Shane Miller/GP Llama's reviews, and replies he gave me to questions I asked him in the discussion section of his KZfaq videos, to decide what power meter and indoor trainer to buy. Great guy and he's thorough, precise, and data driven. What more could you ask for? BTW, I have been very happy and impressed with the performance of the Wahoo KICKR V.6 trainer and Assioma Duo Shi power meter pedals he recommended.

@gcntech Ай бұрын

The Wahoo KICKR is great isn't it! 🙌

@MrLuigi-oi7gm Ай бұрын

@@gcntech Absolutely! Especially the 6th edition with WiFi. Rock solid connectivity! 🥰🥰🥰

@PepeDalinShow Ай бұрын

Got myself a stages single-sided power meter 2 months ago. It totally change the game for me. I feel more motivated and consistent with my training because I can see how my capabilities on the bike improve.

@klanyboyd Ай бұрын

The purchase of assioma duo was useful for me. because the distribution between the right and left legs turned out to be more important than the power itself. Now I distribute the load more evenly.

@thomasdavidbassett483 Ай бұрын

As you said the consultant readings are what you need, then you know if you are improving or not. Good video.

@frazergoodwin4945 Ай бұрын

Single sided pedal powermeter user here. Garmin Vector axles inside Rally XC bodies. Bought so I can both monitor training and make sure I ride easy enough on first days of multi day bikepacking rides (as vectors to begin with). Self assessment and riding on feel only gets your so far when you feel so fit and fresh its easy to do too much too soon. Very happy with them I am too (power meter parts now more than 5years old)

@Ed.R Ай бұрын

Love how GCN has got so nerdy over power meters. Very well explained, and as far as i can tell, 100% accurate 👍

@rmpelnilschen130 Ай бұрын

They really did well to talk about it in a diplomatic way to piss any sponsors of. So if one can read between the lines... Quite suprised about the quality compared to other PM reviews

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Ollie getting nerdy... no that would never happen 👀

@HeyWattsUpCycling Ай бұрын

Favero Assioma Duo Dual pedals are the only way to go if you want non faff, instant connection, and dead consistent performance imo.have 3 pairs on diff bikes all read identical.

@BrianFaure 15 күн бұрын

I have two sets of duo and they have been good. Sure some issues but Favero has always taken care of me. I will always buy their stuff going forward.

@CptnKremmen Ай бұрын

I bought a pair of Garmin Vector 3s around five years ago after wanting to see how my spin bike power data translated to that of my bike rides. I found that they are really quite separate and while they are good indications of my general fitness (when I have some), they are best only compared with themselves; other than for anecdotal interest.

@hugovangent4594 Ай бұрын

Exactly my experience. I use an SRM pm on my road bike and a Quarq on my gravel bike. Quarq is >10W more optimistic

@normanzielke6108 Ай бұрын

Most useful way to compare efforts is to use power vs HR instead of power (or HR). There are many external factors such as weather (esp. heat), sleep and nutrition that can affect your readings, so having two values as well as a training diary makes it a lot easier to put the data into context.

@robertrjm8115 Ай бұрын

Absolutely correct, HR versus Power is an excellent measure which is independent of wind, slope, road condition and bike weight but it isn't independent of sleep and nutrition. If I ride undernourished or having had a bad nights sleep, I can see that immediately in my data, needing a HR of 150 to achieve 150W output over any length of time.

@geoffnash2609 Ай бұрын

3. RPE. Heart rate, power and importantly RPE. Each one is a window into performance. If you want a full picture, use all 3.

@robertrjm8115 Ай бұрын

@@geoffnash2609 I find it hard to arrive at a consistent measure of RPE as it so much depends on my mood, the weather, the head wind and temperature and being cut up by passing cars or not.

@oskarbirch Ай бұрын

Have used Garmin's pedals for the last couple of years and have now bought the newer version. There is 40 watt difference on the lower side compared to my calibrated wahoo hometrainer and compared to my team mates I'm pushing far to little. They are updated and calibrated to 165mm crank. Any suggestions on getting them dialed in to show a higher watt so it can be more correct?

@mikefj2004 Ай бұрын

Albeit, prohibitively expensive. the Rally RS200 is extremely accurate and this is well-documented but again, it’s expensive. The cycling dynamics data is out of this world and I’ve found it extremely helpful.

@garyhocking6947 Ай бұрын

I have a 4iiii Precision 3+ single sided crankarm power meter. It has really helped with my outdoor training. It does read a little higher than my Wahoo trainer, but I don't mind as it is a consistent reading that I accounted for with power balancing..

@geoffnash2609 Ай бұрын

generally speaking, your power will be higher on the road naturally (heat loss and micro recoveries) . If you wanted to get nerdy, borrow/use two computers or a computer and your phone app. Link one to the trainer and one to your crank and do a session on the trainer and compare numbers.

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Consistency is the key right! As long as you can use your power meter for good training 🙌

@joriskniep311 Ай бұрын

My 4iii reads lower than my Wahoo trainer 🧐 I’ve compared the numbers side by side on Zwift / looking down at my Garmin

@CarlBaravelli Ай бұрын

After training all winter on the indoor training with its own power meter, i have now started to train outside using my oedal based system. But the difference in numbers is quite profound. Maybe 20 less watts on average. Although I'm aware of the discrepancy, I still struggle to aim for lower numbers when outside

@designbyplay Ай бұрын

Having used a Power2Max campagnolo PM for years (before the bike was stolen) I can say that aside from the battery running out it was faultless. ANd required NO maintenance whatsoever. I got it second hand and it was worth every penny. I've since used a Stages LH only PM which was frankly not good enough. I couldn't gain any form of consistent numbers. High indoors. Low outdoors. Sometimes in the right ballpark. Even when calibrated. The lack of consistency was really frustrating. Moved to Wahoo POWRLINK now, and they seem to be really good. TL;DR: I do think you get what you pay for.

@kestralrider313 Ай бұрын

great video, I will second one point glanced over in this vid. for 90%+ of riders, all they need to get value out of the PM is repeatability. while it's nice to know how I compare against others on Strava segments, from a training and improvement standpoint, all I need to do is compare where I am now against where I have been historically; the actual number doesn't matter, just need to see improvements or reductions in power. I will share that I have 4 PMs, my cinch PM was 20%high for over a year before I caught it and it messed up all the Strava power curves for that time. Best to keep an eye on accuracy too when using multiple PMs. Anyone know how to easily remove/ignore all Strava PM data from one meter in a single step?

@ljadf Ай бұрын

I love tech and found the watts data so interesting for about three years. It allowed me to get more powerful sprints. I then just started using heart rate more, as it's a better metric to measure my actual fitness and effort levels. It's still fun to see if I hit 1kw on that sprint, but isn't useful for anything other than FTP to me.

@renson326806 Ай бұрын

Funny how so far there’s been a heap of criticism in the comments but not many answering your initial question. I own the Assioma Duo pedals and I love em. They are also consistent with my Wahoo Kickr trainer.

@chrisridesbicycles Ай бұрын

My Garmin pedals read quite a bit less than my smart trainer. I had a crash with the pedals but I don‘t think they got hit that hard. Which one would you trust more?

@pjdava Ай бұрын

GCN Tech, Your videos always make me happy, so I subscribed!

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Awesome! You're comments always make us happy 🙌

@jamesmacdonald7 Ай бұрын

I stick to the same make and model to maximise consistency across bikes and have tested them against other PMs (indoor trainer etc) I found Rotor PMs reliable and consistent.

@ianthedondaws7559 Ай бұрын

What would you recommend, stages or 4iii over Shimano power cranks as Shimano have had problems recently with accuracy ?

@whynotride327 Ай бұрын

Look at Magene.

@bikingchupei2447 Ай бұрын

if you are looking for left side power meters, even though i bought stages, i would recommend 4iiii, not that stages are bad, but they seem to be going out of business, when i visit their website, every single item is out of stock, even the factory install options.

@mcilwraithha Ай бұрын

I ride indoors on a Wattbike Atom and outdoors on a bike with a Quark powermeter. Indoor FTP is about 15% lower than outdoor FTP. As I tend to ride outdoors more in the Spring to Autumn it's making my Winter training feel especially effective this year!

@gcntech Ай бұрын

What training have you been doing this year that has made you fitter in summer?

@mcilwraithha Ай бұрын

@@gcntech hours, and hours, and hours of zwift (and sneaking out occasionally on the mtb) . Pace partner rides, intervals and races.

@FluffyMeowington Ай бұрын

I got the assioma duos, very happy with them on all of my bikes

@davidnewsham896 20 күн бұрын

Does Shimano fund GCN? Is GCN tech independent in its analysis? The reason I ask is that it seems odd not to mention the issues identified by DCR and Shane Miller.

@evantozer Ай бұрын

Going on my 6th year with favero assioma duo pedals. I’m less concerned with their overall accuracy and more concerned that they are consistent. As I only use one power meter I’m always measuring against the same thing and just looking for improvements over time, or targets for racing.

@gcntech Ай бұрын

consistency is key here, as if they reported wildly differing numbers, that would be far from ideal!

@davidh7414 Ай бұрын

If you're not training, One of the best reasons for a PM is to track calories. Super accurate and consistent compared to the differing ways that garmin, Wahoo and Zwift estimate calorie burn.

@ArneStabel 12 күн бұрын

Does anyone know of a power meter pedal with one side SPD and other side flat? Or can I just retrofit that onto a measuring spindle from Garmin or assioma?

@JochemDijkstra Ай бұрын

I use a 4iiii power meter on my left crank. My Kickr core output is around 10% higher so I changed the scale factor on my 4iiii so it matches my indoor training. Although I still feel that indoor training is harder..

@jesuspascualcamino Ай бұрын

Great advice zeroing it before every ride. My last ride was at an average 350W, but I'm pretty sure I didn't push all of them, so something is off...

@jthomas4859 Ай бұрын

For pacing my effort on a ride, that possible 5% inaccuracy isn't important. The power numbers fluctuate way more than that from second-to-second, anyway. That's why the 3-second averaging is common. So my left side only meter is fine for me and very useful.

@Zyzzyx42 Ай бұрын

Four different power meters across four bikes (two P2M, one Quarq, and the trainer bike on the Kickr). Add in the Assioma Duo pedals, and I've used those across the different bikes at times. as mentioned, get two head units, then ride at a steady pace and compare the 3/10/30 second averages. For my stuff, its all within a couple percent at most.

@luukrutten1295 Ай бұрын

Because these are all quality powermeters that just work.

@n22pdf Ай бұрын

I use speedplay single sided excellent and as I always use these it’s then consistent 😊 Pete 🚴👍

@RXP91 Ай бұрын

I had quite the eye opener when I used to train exclusively on a Keiser m5 elliptical. I could produce 250w on there just before my LT1 for an hour. On the bike I could only do 120w! Had no idea power difference would be so big.

@benoittheminerandgamer Ай бұрын

Yes!I have Garmin v3 duo on my road bike! with Heartrate monitor!

@abundanceguy Ай бұрын

One thing to watch is getting rogue readings when the battery gets weak. This can mess horribly with your data. I had a Stages dual side for a while with batteries in each crank arm and saw few benefits as my r/l balance was close at about 48/52. Keeping up with the battery changes and the rogue readings was a pain. I’ve single sided Stages now that has been mostly very well behaved and gives me all the insight I need.

@jeremyemilio9378 21 күн бұрын

Are there power meter for flat pedals?

@MrJhockley Ай бұрын

I think power meters also struggle with the type of load. Gradients exert a more constant force through the cranks. Cycling on the flat can have larger dead spots in the crank revolution. In my experience different power meters measure or calculate these efforts in a different way. I would like to see a study into this.

@PhyRexia. Ай бұрын

Do not buy a PM from Shimano. As simple as that. Just go watch some known testers (GPLlama, DC Rainmaker et al.) rip Shimano a new one.

@whynotride327 Ай бұрын

IMO, the best value for the money are the Magene meters. A complete crankset for less than the cost of the single sided meters (which I have had terrible luck with) is a huge value.

@_J.F_ Ай бұрын

Why is it that we can get power numbers generated by e.g. a Garmin sports watch when we go for a run, but need specific meters to do the same for cycling?

@willmo1725 Ай бұрын

Good show. I m interested in powa meter, still holding off till they less pricey. Noce to know the nuts and bolts of the accuracy, for different types and where they are located. I was most interested in how they work. Do they use a piezoelectric, crystal? I think I'm wrong I dont know.

@chris1275cc Ай бұрын

They use strain gauges, a small electrical current of a known constant value is run through a maze of foil that is boded to the surface of a material (crank arm, pedal spindle, spider etc.) and the resistance is measured, as the material deflects under load of a known weight so does the foil and the resistance changes, this data is used to calculate the power being put through the material.

@norberts482 Ай бұрын

meanwhile you might watch some GPlama videos ;) for a lower budget assioma is a good choice (only price is lower, not performance and accuracy;) )

@cst99003 Ай бұрын

I found the difference between my Garmin pedals and my Tacx trainer was fixed when I put a trainer tire on my bike. The accuracy went from 15-30watts to +/-5watts

@ChrisSpriggs-rj2ys Ай бұрын

Great advice 😊

@hubertgans3120 Ай бұрын

Since about 6 weeks I have a new bike with single sided strain gage powermeter. The most significant change seems to be that now It sums up my spent calories coming out much lower, compared to the time where Starva / Apple Health used more or less heart rate and data provided by my Wahoo comp.

@gcntech Ай бұрын

Did you use these calorie counters to moderate your training?

@hubertgans3120 Ай бұрын

@@gcntech Not really, but when you do a let say 80 km training, and now - with the powermeter - you "only" did about 6000 kJ, but before you got about 9000 and apple health credited a 200% of movement target, its somewhat disappointing...

@stephenbetley9596 Ай бұрын

Yes, Assiomas & Stages L. Soon to include the Assioma Pro MX. As ever when using them keep the firmware up to date, install correctly, calibrate frequently especially with changing conditions. Oh, and only use ones that have passed the GPLama & DCRainmaker seal of approval. Simple really.

@marknethercoat3314 Ай бұрын

Gonna try these out 💪

@edgibbs3229 Ай бұрын

I use a Stages crankarm power meter. The most important thing is consistent readings.

@DEAR7340 Ай бұрын

Same. My best judge is, every couple of months, I line my bike up on the same 5.5 mile climb (~4.5%) and time myself to the top. The power meter helps manage the effort, but isn't my (sole) indicator of fitness.

@bikingchupei2447 Ай бұрын

same, they seem to be going out of business though, nothing on their website is available.

@ArdGeal Ай бұрын

I got a 4iiii single sided 105 R7000 model, v3.0, from Merlin and it was £325- less my "Gold" discount and a further £25 off for loyalty points it was £250.... Looked weird on my Sora bike and to keep q-factor even I quickly opted to upgrade the whole drivetrain to 105 when CRC did them for £299... a nice wee nudge to a worthwhile drivetrain improvement and the power meter has been superb. Yes a dual power meter would be good but would have to be one of the newer Magenes (p505??).... never Shimano though, I follow GPLama!!

@Robeuten Ай бұрын

Why single-sided? You get good spider powermeters for little more than a single-sided crank/pedal system. I am pretty happy with a Sigeyi - which has been demonstrated to be quite precise, is very easy to set up, and add little additional weight (in my setup, just 80gr, considering that 12gr for the cadence sensor can go). Bought it for 378 CHF...

@michaelkearney576 Ай бұрын

A single sided crank arm can be changed between bikes of same crank length in 5 min. Especially is same pedal type.

@neilrobinson7965 Ай бұрын

I had a power meter for a while and then it broke. Couldn’t be bothered to buy another one so I went back to just using a HRM. Then the HRM broke so I gave up with that too. Has giving up on tech it made me any slower? Not really.

@swites Ай бұрын

I bought a stages left sided power meter in 2017 but I will upgrade to a double in next yr or two. It seems quite accurate when I compare it with my times and weight up climbs to others on strava . However I doubt my left/right balance is 50:50 so there will be some inaccuracy. I believe(but don't know) my left leg is weaker than my right so if anything it prob under-reads slightly than over-reads imo. However it is consistent so when my power goes up I get faster up climbs and I get fitter. So still is a great training tool imo.

@brannmacfinnchad9056 Ай бұрын

I have a stages LH on my race bike (came with) and always figured my left side was the weaker one--I'm right legged on the whole, and my left knee is the achey one. I just upgraded to a Duo-shi setup, and go figure...I'm slightly biased with left stronger. I.e. results may not be as expected.

@swites Ай бұрын

@@brannmacfinnchad9056 Good point! Yes funny how we perceive one leg as the stronger but it could well be the opposite. haha Will be good to know for sure though :)

@brianrainey2739 Ай бұрын

Kind of like dynos used to measure the hp and torque of your car or motorcycle. You cannot compare the results to the results done on another dyno and in different conditions. They can be used to measure modification gains or to brag to people who dont know much about dynos…

@coreyhipps7483 Ай бұрын

Exactly. The exact precision of the power meter readings is less important in my opinion to the relative data against prior readings in addition to the "how do I feel" metric. Having a power meter and your heart rate information data can really help you with your own calibration of understanding your efforts. Whether or not the numbers are completely accurate does not really matter.

@Sutlore007 Ай бұрын

A dual sides crank power meter is only choice for a person like me who was born with disability. It measures my effort quite well with about 64/36 L/R balance most of the time. I have no regret of buying this, it is worth every penny.

@tomaxxxx536 Ай бұрын

I have assioma favero I have tested them several times against other power meters that are +/- 1% and they are always on point.

@norberts482 Ай бұрын

dual power meter (if the extra money is affordable) would be the better choice, monitoring eventually disbalances / change of balance over the months/years …. which might be a sign for „health“ issue like stability of your back, some nerves

@chrisspray8010 Ай бұрын

Great video. Spells out very clearly why I simply cannot be arsed to buy one. Just ride ✌️

@Csapi007 Ай бұрын

Accuracy doesn't matter, consistency does!

@Murgoh Ай бұрын

This. Absolute value has little importance, it's the amount and direction of change that usually is what's useful to know.

@jazflux Ай бұрын

Unless you have a road and gravel bike that you interchange for training sessions. My gravel bike reads 25 watts higher which is frustrating esp if you are tracking data.

@mctrials23 Ай бұрын

Of course it does. Get on a trainer and ride at close to your FTP and then ride at 20w higher and see what happens. Training zones are the bedrock of cycling and if your being told to ride at X and you are riding at Y then you aren't going to get the most from your training.

@pushkarkaushik9610 Ай бұрын

cost.

@nebulous962 Ай бұрын

yeah most of them cost more than my bike :D

@davidday1988 Ай бұрын

Double sided Speedplay. Recently had a bike fit that raised my saddle a little - interestingly that shifted my left-right balance from being consistently 48:52 to being 50:50

@gcntech Ай бұрын

that's pretty cool that you are now measuring 50/50!

@HoldenDoesBikeStuff Ай бұрын

As long as it isn't a current Shimano PM, you should be fine. lol

@mikehoward7777 Ай бұрын

Average cyclist so bought an average power metre. A Power pod. Cheaper than most. Does a decent job and didn't break the budget.

@SMarkGee Ай бұрын

first thing to check is your cadence. if that comes from the PM and drops out thenyour power will be wrong. power uses cadence in its calculation. there's also drivetrain loss and mamu other causes not mentioned in the video

@ahnilatedahnilated7703 Ай бұрын

I have Garmin XC200's (shimano spd's) and I calibrate them for each bike I use, typically every few rides. I have found that with the same crank length on different bikes, the calibration can be way different. Now this is very odd to me. All my bikes have a 175 crank length but the calibration is different each time. I typically do this in my garage before the ride but the temps do vary quite a bit in the garage. I have seen the power difference it shows on my Surly (steel tube bike) to be far lower than on my Giant (carbon fiber). Of course being the Giant is 19lbs and the Surly 38, that also makes a huge difference. So many different numbers and variables.

@larrylem3582 Ай бұрын

How did you determine the calibration is different on each bike?

@TheMexli Ай бұрын

My pice of advice I can give to everyone: don’t forget there is also a calibration mode on zwift. Use it. My zwiftnumberes were for long way higher than my Dual 4iii and Dual Assioma. And I had a hard time on zwift when I figured that out😅 Overall my favourtie are the Assioma Duos, good price, super easy and userfriendly to install. And easy to switch between bikes.

@tomrachellesfirstdance7843 Ай бұрын

I have a duel sided stages and love it, works super well and it is fun to look at all the numbers. I just don't look as good as nerdy Oli doing it though 😢

@petekraemer2538 Ай бұрын

How do you compare a power meter vs. a heart rate monitor. Is there a comparative formula?

@billeterk Ай бұрын

Unfortunately rate of external work and total cardiac demand are quite different and don’t really correlate well.

@davidh7414 Ай бұрын

Power is a "lead" indicator of effort wheras HR is a "lag" indicator. For training purposes, both have zones, however HR can be impacted by fitness, day to day health so is a bit more subjective.

@davidh7414 Ай бұрын

My PM's from my own purchasing and experience. Fyi, I ride shimano groupset. 1) Power2max NgEco. - Consistent accuracy, very long battery life. Calibrates quickly. Paired with rotor 24mm cranks means it works with Shimano chainrings and bottom brackets. - HIGHLY recommended. 2) Tacx Neo trainer - accurate, no need to calibrate. Recommended Note - Power2max and Neo agree with each other consistently 🙂 . 3) 4iii gen 2 left-side only. Accurate and non peaky. Strain guage died after 2 years which also happened to 3 friends and is unfortunately common with 4iiii, Sadly, I can't recommend it. 4) Pioneer left-side only - Difficult to calibrate, inaccurate, extremely peaky with occasional readings in the thousands of watts. NOT recommended.

@JMCyclingVideos Ай бұрын

A single sided power meter is great for what most people actually use power data for. I've had both single sided and dual sided meters over the years and single sided is affordable and gives you data to compare efforts and do structured training.

@richjlaw Ай бұрын

I have a quarq, speedplay powerlink pedals and a kickr and they all agree with 3W. (I had a powerhub in the past that was good and a Stages left-side only crank that i had issues with).

@gcntech Ай бұрын

all within 3w is pretty good isn't it? considering that they are all measuring power from different areas. Happy with that?

@richjlaw Ай бұрын

@@gcntech yes very

@crbondur Ай бұрын

The important thing with ANY measuring tool isn't that they don't always match with other measuring devices, it's that they provide SOMETHING that we can use to measure our performance. This allows us to then use the "measurement" to develop a training plan and see improvement in the number we use as a measurement. This improvement should translate into faster riding, no matter what we're using. Of course, this assumes you're only relying on one measurement tool. Anytime you try to take numbers from one device to use on another, you're definitely going to have to create what I call a "translation matrix" to ensure the tools can help you do what you're ultimately trying to do, which is become more fit and faster.

@gcntech Ай бұрын

This is an important point, it's all about finding your benchmark 🙌

@russelltangren6883 Ай бұрын

If the accuracy is +/-1% and you're out putting 200W, then the more accurate hub meter after losses might be better. At least with the hub, you know which way the difference is.

@evgeniymylkov6869 Ай бұрын

Props for learning from your mistakes and having a frame pump 😄

@sandgroper1970 Ай бұрын

I am not going to to be racing maybe the odd mass participation event or challenge ride with a local club. But I don’t need a power meter, but ooh would I like yes please. Just to geek out and have another column of data / numbers on the Excel spreadsheet I use to keep notes on my rides outside of the Garmin Connect and Strava apps.

@stevehughes975 Ай бұрын

Never felt the need for one. Cycled all the European classics, Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites. No data no problem😂

@baytinsopo Ай бұрын

Ollie as grown up "Thumbs Up Internet Kid"...too much🤣

@jleacht Ай бұрын

I don't think enough thought has been given for this video. This video needs a clarification from manufacturers' respective engeneers. My limited knowledge in physics gives power as: P = | F × r | ⋅ ω If the you change between cranksizes (r) without setting up your powermeter everytime the your power measurement will differ.

@dallasangler Ай бұрын

Strong hightop game, respect.

@bfritz7259 Ай бұрын

Good video

@byrdmandan Ай бұрын

30 years of riding ... don't have a PM, don't need a PM, will not get a PM. But still love the video ... good info.

@billeterk Ай бұрын

I agree. For myself, I’d never really done any sport or even exercise until turning 40 so a power meter was a really good way to learn what different efforts felt like and how to pace.

@wilsistermans1118 Ай бұрын

The main problem with power meters is that power meters on a pedal, crank, spider or build in into your trainer measure different powers, which can't be compared which each other. A powermeter in you pedal measures the power which presses the pedal down. If that is on the upper or lower part of the cycle, most of this power will not be transferred into power to the drivetrain. The spider measures all the power transferred to the drivetrain, but not the effort off pushing on the pedal when it is already at the bottom of the stroke (standing on the pedals). Build-in powermeters are measuring the power on the rear axis, and therefore not measuring al the losses of the drivetrain. The best measure of useful power you put in your cycling will be given by a spider. The best measurement of the power you put into the bike is measured by the pedals. A powermeter on the rear axis is measuring the force that will be transferred to the road. You can more or less compare the different types of powermeters only if you know your personal average efficiency between the different types.

@norberts482 Ай бұрын

There are math. algorithms which includes not only the force on the pedal but also position, cadence …. so if one just stand on the pedal, it gives you 0 watt, but I agree, the real watt, bringing you forward, is on the wheel, at the other hand the power of the „engine“ is what is interesting

@chrisjames1924 Ай бұрын

They also cost around 5p to manufacture but retail at around £1000.

@dh7314 Ай бұрын

Err, they’re not £1,000. Single sided start about £300

@chrishophoto Ай бұрын

It’s a little bit funny to me that you showed off a Shimano Dura Ace as an example of a crank based power meter, all the while mentioning that typically a crank based power meter is generally more accurate than pedals (Wahoo exemplified). The Dura Ace has been well documented as being one of the most problematic power meters on the market ever since its inception. Even after multiple firmware updates, they still have been shown to be wildly inaccurate, especially the right side which typically puts out numbers that are off by 10% or more! In contrast the Wahoo Powrlink Zero pedals have been proven to be extremely accurate over the years.

@FameSniping Ай бұрын

Suprised there wasn’t any paid promotion in this video from one of the powermeter brands. GCN can still surprise us I guess haha

@ShadLife Ай бұрын

I want power meter pedals for both sides. I had a left knee replacement and I feel like I might still baby it some and use my right leg more. This is a habit I got into before my knee replacement and now I want to train to have more equal power on both sides. The bigger issue for me is I use Time MTB pedals and they only power meters I can find are SPD which I hate. Since all my stuff is Garmin I probably will have to get a set of dedicated SPD shoes cleats and the Garmin pedals just for training on gravel and MTB. I don't do a ton of road riding. I don't really care about overall wattage accuracy. I care about knowing how much power each leg is putting out.

@chris1275cc Ай бұрын

You could go spider based (like the super budget friendly Magene PES p505) and use whatever pedals you like. Some people claim spider PM's are not "really" dual-sided, but they are making assumptions on how they work/measure based on nothing but the position of the electronics and their own ignorance, they are 100% dual-sided. FYI, I've had the p505 on a gravel bike through the winter months in all kinds of UK weather, and they have never skipped a beat in, 12000+ Km (checked semi regularly against a Kickr V5 and Assioma Duo's).

@ShadLife Ай бұрын

@@chris1275cc I have multiple bikes with different cranksets.

@chris1275cc Ай бұрын

@@ShadLife Ah well pedals it is then.

@petermyers4409 Ай бұрын

I would get one if I could afford it. I enjoy getting into the data for fun when training ,even though I'm not fast or good and I'm never going to be.