You NEED to Ride with a POWER METER 

I’d like to see you do a video on how your bike fit changed thru the years and why

You know what's powermeter good for...? Intervals!!!! 😉🤪

For anyone who's confused like I was at first, the chart Chris displays is in km, and every time he says miles he means km :)

You’re bang on! Finally got a power-meter 2ys ago. Finally learned how to even out my effort on long climbs, after 40 years on the bike! LOL. Should have got it long ago.

My old school speed/cadence computer died about 6 years ago, I didn't replace it and I don't miss it. When I'm pulling the group I just tell them to yell at me if I'm going too fast 😁

Chris, During stage 11 coverage, the topic of tire pressures came up, and Id like to hear your take, not just on rolling resistance, but appropriate setups for different rides and how the change in contact patch has affected the speeds achievable on downhills. Love all your content!!

Chris can you do a video on how heavier riders can push power effectively in the valleys to make climbs harder for climbers?

Never been interested in my power numbers, but what you're saying makes a heck of an argument for getting one.

I believe that your watts output is more a function of how much sustained power your leg muscles can produce during the course of a ride. Heart rate is exclusively an indicator of your cardio capacity. For me I never have a problem with my legs. I almost never get a burning sensation in my quads, even when climbing over 20% grades. It's my cardio/heart rate that limits me. But if I stop for even 10-15 seconds I can continue like I'm totally recovered.

I’ve been contemplating getting a power meter recently as the prices are starting to drop down to “my level”. I’m in my 50’s and love climbing. I do an event every year at high altitude, over 100 miles, 14k+ of climbing. I’ve finished this event 10 times and am going for attempt #11 this summer. I’m usually finishing near the top of the ‘standings’ but it’s not a race. I’m not a racer. The thing is, I usually hit the first two mountain climbs with too much eagerness and effort (for about 3 hours) and then pay for it the rest of the day. Last time I did this event, I suffered with leg cramps for 6 hours over the final 60 miles or so. It was brutal. I lost so much time it was ridiculous, plus y’know, all that pain. I’m thinking a power meter might help keep me in check up those first two climbs so that I don’t implode for the rest of the day. The event is now on FulGaz, so I tried to keep myself at 200 watts up both those climbs 2 days ago and it seemed okay. I was exhausted at the end, ‘cause hey! It’s February! I’m not in training mode yet, unlike some former pros. Lol. Don’t know if it’s really worth it to spend close to $400 on a power meter that I’m using to train for a one-day event, but I really look forward to this ride each year. Might have to pull the trigger. Thanks for the video, Chris. It’s a good topic. :-)

Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan explain in their book, Training and Racing with a Power Meter, that the first few times a rider uses the power meter to record how they ride they learn that most people ride TOO hard on the hard part of a ride and TOO easy on the easy parts. Using a power meter allowed me to put out a more consistent moderate effort that enabled me to ride centuries faster with less effort while staying out of the red zone

Totally agree! Do your training ride and see how the numbers on the power and heart rate front have changed in relation to how you feel. If the numbers are going in the right direction then you know your training has been designed and executed well.

Hi Chris, can you think about making a video on controlled breathing? For example, what does "controlled breathing" even mean? How do you train for it? How do you measure it?, Etc. I'm just a casual rider, no racing or anything serious, but would like to learn whatever lessons I can apply from what you know. Thank you so much - love the videos. Never miss one.

I’ve had my PM for a while now, and I find myself using it just as much if not more especially early season, to keep my power, efforts, and HR down for Z2 and Z3 work, rather than watching for it to increase. It is also a great pacing tool and helps to keep an eye on energy expenditure on long group rides that you know will get harder later. For me, it’s all about conserving energy as much as possible, until it’s not, and the PM helps do that. No extra work when it’s not a must.

Absolutely perfect and perfectly explained! So many club riders train BY power; Intervals all week long! They never seem to improve! I am 66y/o and can ride with the fastest group members much younger than me! I always train by feel and HR (I do track, assess and correlate my power numbers though). Thank you Chris!

You perfectly summed up a lesson I’ve had to learn over and over: first not to be a slave to the watch when I was Nordic skiing then not to be a slave to the power meter when I switched over to the bike. Now I’m on the track and don’t have any numbers to pay attention to 🦋🛋️👊

Thanks Chris for this video. I don't use a PM, I do use my garmin watch and occasionally I look at to see my speed and cadence. Maybe I will get one.

I’m with you on that change from riding only by feel vs. using a power meter. I still use a PowerTap on some training rides, to keep me from going to hard, especially on climbs. I find using the power meter on the trainer a great tool for targeted workouts, because I can feel the difference between good and bad days. Watching Coach Scott, RU-vid Kinetic Cycle Coaching, has reinforced the need to evaluate through the use of heart rate while using a power meter. Knowing those HR zones has been a game changer on training rides, because when I’m tired my HR goes higher when I’m fatigued and refuses to climb when I’m overtraining. It really takes the guesswork out!

Good information. Mt Palomar classic climbing? I climbed with Floyd Landis a while ago. He was powerful

Horner, thanks! I made a move a few weeks ago and was worried that I had mad a mistake. You confirmed what my wife had told me. I am a beyond Masters rider and it's hard to get real info.

Love my Assioma pedals. Great tool with measure against hr especially on bad days.

Back in CH's day, I also too had a PowerTap on my Ridley Scandium road bike...initially I also too didn't know how to use the unit on my CalTriple Crown rides (double centuries)...but then realized it was best used for my recovery rides after the double ride...nothing over 200 watts for a week or so after...ride and learn...LOL...

Amazing! We need more of this! Cycling Chris! A looooot of cyclist need to see and hear this! Now days they are just looking at there Poser meter without smiling and having fun 🤣 . Thanks for sharing savvy

Hey Chris, have you done a video on cramping? If not, please do one share your wisdom and knowledge.

Damn and blast!!! Just off the podium again.

Love my power meter . #'s really started clicking after I did a real VO2 max test.

⚡Nothing like RIDING WITH POWER⚡

Spot on. Really appreciate the simple and old school advice

Yo Durianrider did a reaction video! Congrats! You're youtube famous now!🎉

Has Chris done one on controlling your breathing? Could be a good topic.

In the old days, prior to power meters, stop watches and heart rate were used.

Right , the Powermeter is to educate your bodyfeeling, some guys making a tape over the Powermeter, so that they cant see their datas since a ride.....an then they wrote down what they think what was their power today Watt, average-speed, etc. and then you can see what is the diffrence between your feeling and the "math". Another fine ride is when you have a group with diffrent ages , power, man , woman etc. riding to a moumtain, kollekting every watch, powermeter etc in a box and let all rider say how fast they think to ride up the mountain.....you will wonder what will be the result ! A good sports guy is who can predict his power ! dont matter how fast, or slow !

Thankss for all the nice vidsos u bring to the channel

Thank you Chris for the recommendation. Personally, can’t pass the 50miles ride. Legs are not responding anymore, butt’s in fire, I need to stand up every 30s… no more fun. Wondering if it’s a genetic issue , nutrition issue or just lack of training…😕

I was an early adopter of power meters (20+ years). I could never afford an SRM, so for years, I rode with a Polar power meter. I eventually upgraded to wired Power taps. I rode them for years. I eventually upgraded on of my bikes to a Stages power meter, then bought a PowerLink (Wahoo Speedplay platform). I really like the PowerLink because the rechargeable battery life is outstanding. My only dig on the Stages is the 2032 battery needs to replaced every 4 - 6 weeks. Now that power meters are more affordable, it is almost a no-brainer for those who are serious about cycling fitness.

Hi Chris, the data in your chart at 4:54 looks a bit strange, the IF column doesn't track NP, which I'd expect to as IIRC IF=NP/FTP.

"The best thing about a power-meter? It tells you where you are. The worst thing about a power-meter? It tells you where you are" - Bob Tobin "Power calibrates PE, PE modulates power." - Charles Howe

I never used a power meter and maybe i should. But i ride because i love to ride and always rode on how i feel and not on numbers

Chris, what is your resting heart rate? Blood pressure?

Curious. What are you currently training for? 450 mile weeks is not SOP for retired pros.

Thanks much for the video! I’m 70 and ordered a new Trek that includes power meter. Looking forward to the numbers…

Chris, when are you going to talk about Visma-Lease a Bike? They're off to an amazing start! 🤣

I believe Bauke Mollema still trains on feel .. well his powermeter is in his back pocket. (or the metric is turned off on his display)

I've always wanted to train by power, but price was the main barrier to entry. You can get one-sided power meters for well under $500 new, and probably half that on the secondary market.

2nd I remember when the cadence sensor came out for the Cateye Solar for easier count. Then the heart rate monitor and chest/ back strap tan lines for training came out.😂

I can't really go on how I 'feel' I have had some HORRIBLE sensations, and barely held on during the race, to finish on the podium, and I've thought I felt great.... and gotten dropped. I've learned a lot using power, HR, and a sleep/fitness tracker like Garmin or Whoop. Wish I'd had all this info when I was 18.

sold. Problem is I've never understood the difference between power meters built-in to the cranks versus the pedals. Is one preferred?

I’m surprised that you don’t like training with a heart rate monitor. I like to train with my heart rate and then I’ll look at my power data after the ride to compare it to a previous ride where I was at the same heart rate.

Hi Chris. I think that the your heart rate is the truth measurement of how your body is working. Your heart is your pump and don't matter how strong you are, if your heart can't pump the oxygen require to your efforts, you are pretty much done. If not gym rats that bench 500+ pounds would be winning mountain races. I used to use a power meter. Noticed that I can push the watts, but as soon as the heart rate was through the roof, I was forced to stop, even when the legs felt good. Just my opinion and belief from training with both. No longer use power meter, just hear rate.

Good vid Bro, still too expensive for me

RPE 👌

Oh man Chris! I was really hoping to see you comment and make a video of that cyclist that celebrated too early and Martinez took the win. Just wanted to hear your take. I know it happens alot but that’s a great story. Love all your vids though. Take care.

Hey Chris, was hoping to see you break down the tactics of the Volta Algrave stage 5. How Bora saved the win for Soudel.

OK, I'm sold. Solid logic = time to get a power meter.

Hey great video. I'm in my late 50s & picked up road cycling in the past 2 years. I like to monitor my HR, Cadence and Ave MPH. Strava provides a theoretical Power average. So I'm satisfied with these metrics. Thx.

Do you use a recovery monitor device such as Whoop or Aura ring?

3:31 Uh, Chris, soon, very soon, you gonna eat those words --->> AI--Power Meter!

A good phrase to sum it up is to say " Your heart rate monitor and your power meter should be a vehicle to improve your training, but your training should never become a vehicle for your heart rate oder power monitor".

Why do you still "train" being that you are retired? Do you still go to races?

I just heard from a guy 60+ at a bike shop said that back in the day he heard that in a grand tour y’all slowly lower your saddle by a couple mm throughout the three weeks. Any truth to this?

Help!! I'm in a Horner Corner and I can't get out! 🙃

English, how many ways? We think I have made the American version my 2nd Language displaced by the Mechanical Process after 20 years Wrenching O/O°

Did that left eye win the vuelta?

BOOYA!

Yeah, I was trying to use my power meter like erg-mode, didn’t work, got demoralised, wanting to Riding 300 watts but the power fluctuating all the time and then trying to compensate for it. (I ride on feel again and only recently started using a power meter again indoors which actually does tell me something about how I’m going in relation to the erg-mode actuated program, should try it outdoors again too)

Bloody hell chris, your still going well post retirement 💪💪💪💪💪🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚴 .. I’ve got 4 power meters plus a wahoo kcker trainer… reckon there’s -25 watts between stages and the quark ( the other 2 garmin and other stages are similar 5-8 w difference)? Hence to say I train on the stages win I’m having a bad day or out of shape lol 😂😂😂😂🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🥲🥲🥲

It depends on what kind of cycling experience you enjoy. I like being unhooked from data and just ride on how I feel. There's real freedom in that, and that, for me, is fun. If I was a competitive cyclist, I'd probably succumb to the power meter metrics. But I'm not, so why bother?

Thanks for putting this out there. A lot of "influencers" say that a power meter is an absolute must for training and pacing. I have been always of the opinion that a HRM is better because it tells you how your body feels at that point. A power meter is only good if you are relatively "fresh". If you have already been riding hard for 100kms with 2000m on the legs and you are faced with a cat 2 or cat 1 climb, you would probably die if you try to hit your FTP numbers. But you could always trust your HR. If you pace the climb at your FTHR you know you will get to the top. Your power may not be the same but it would be the optimum power you can push at the current fatigue level.

fitness enthusiasts will be like 'so power and RPE, big deal' but it's a good confirmationto hear it from a former pro coming up with this independently

Power meter taught me how to cheat the course, meaning if you pay attention to it, you learn where to apply more power and where to ease off on the course. Without power I would have never learned this imo. I probably be like one of those old guys thinking they’re at zone 5 bc their HR says it is… you will know when your following a guy who never rode with power bc their rythum tends be very erratic like spin spin this ease off at a spin class. Goodness me. Not all people are like that, some have great rythum from years of experience, but some I’m like oh Jeeze I’m not following your wheel. Oh turn it to 10 sec avg too!!!! Easier on the head

I’m like you were. I’m too stupid to use Strava or a powermeter, it’s not my job.

Nothing like power meters to totally suck out all the enjoyment of cycling!

Chris you need to get sponsorship from mcdonalds, I've never seen a more glowing endorsement of their food from a professional athlete.

Sh*t… now I need a powermeter😂

What do you look at while riding on your head unit?

All genetics. The people who do these numbers are genetically gifted.

Amazing how you guys can do those power, I’m going up a8% incline @140 avg I’m laughing, I’m sure those that are passing me are laughing too😂 my excuse is I’m 61 years old and fat😂 nice one Chris

I think you have to ride with one for a while to understand it, before you use it for training. At least for me, maybe someone can start training with power out of the box.

I disagree. You DONT need a power meter. UNLESS you want to learn more about your body, nutrition and what you are actually doing on the bike. ;) Ive been using a power meter since 2009. So glad to see the prices get so more affordable now for crew. Power meter really makes you faster than ever especially up hills as you can finally pace properly.

Power meters don't matter. The only thing that matters is if you get dropped or not.

Chris, you start your video by saying how you felt crappy in the TOC but your PM data said you were riding well so you trusted your PM. Then you went on to say “feeling” is too subjective and mathematics is the common language, IE Power and HR. You finish up by saying one should use power and feeling to gauge fitness. can you clarify if feeling is subjective and sometimes contradictory to performance how does one quantify feeling?

Wikipedia says you’re 5’10 and have a grant tour race weight of 141 lbs - what’s your current weight? If you don’t mind me asking 😅

I’m 61 years old. If I was younger I’d get a power meter. As it is, I don’t want to quantify my inevitable decline.

😊😊😊

Your power meter probably cost more than my bike and yet I can average 18 to 21 mph on a 100 mile ride by myself. If I'm breathing hard I look at my $20 digital speedometer to see how fast I'm going, the terrain I'm on and the wind direction. I will slow down about a mph until I catch my breath. This is how a poor amateur racing and charity supporting cyclist of 39 years does it. Good luck on your power meter, I'm going to listen to my body and determine the maximum speed I should go on any given day. By the way, you will never convert me ha-ha. I been riding seriously since 1985. Have a fun safe ride, I promise to do the same ;)

Im of an age when I dont care. Just more electronic stuff. But I understand why people use them. If you understand the data I can see why.

My power meter is telling me that I'm not in the light bulb class. I'd rather believe in my feelings on the bike.

Hey Chris. Love your content. Are you training for specifically targeted events or are you training to train right now?

So maybe never look at the power meter until after the ride ?

Yeah, Chris. The power meter helped me discover my blood cancer. Great tool.

Really, training to improve without a power meter is like cooking without a timer and thermometer.

👌🏾👌🏾

Is Chris all right? It's not like him to have all these races happen on opening weekend and him not to make a single video. Hope he's all right.

I LOVE using a power meter. In fact, I don't even bother with a HR monitor anymore. Watts tell all.

If anyone wants to sponsor me I'll ride one. But I've never had one. 😅

3rd!!!!

You are so oldfashioned train slow sleep high is the new train hard juice harder 😎

Can you float me $400? I need to use the money I have for new tires.

epo better

Don't need a power meter, if you just do BIG EFFORTS.