To watt or not?

Most cyclists have at one point or another, within the last few years, heard about an epically revered electronic device that has graced nearly every high end road, mountain, triathlon and track bicycle in the professional world of cycling.  This small gadget that can be wedged almost seamlessly in between crank arm spiders, non drive side arms, pedal spindles and rear hubs is known as the power meter and has quite literally changed the way that all professional and many sportive cyclists alike ride and think about the bicycle.  In essence it’s simple; hop on your bike and turn on the power meter (some have inertial actuation and will automatically turn the power meter on and off), link it with the preferred Bluetooth or ant + compatible display unit and you have an instant measure of your wattage output at a claimed median +/- 3-6% margin of accuracy.  It sounds simple enough but somehow still begs the questions as to why it is that we have seen a seemingly overnight obsession from the pro peleton trickle down to the amateur and sportive side of cycling.

The watt prevails

There seems to have been an undeniable affinity throughout the history of human kind (recorded and not I would imagine) to out-do his and/or her fellow counterpart regardless of context.  We have seen it change the face of the planet on innumerable occasion and give rise to how, why and where many of us are on this very day; but this certainly is another can of worms for another day of thought fishing.  The point here is that the technology previously mentioned is a very accurate and tangible method of accumulating data that enables us to compare our abilities to one another with very little effort, thus perpetuating the all too enduring game that is in a word one-upmanship.  The watt variable has become the ultimate barometer in metrics when it comes to the not so simple equation of figuring out who is the strongest, fastest or most efficient.  Important and emphasized though they may be, the popular Vo2 max  test, heart rate per minute, and cumulative miles traveled is truly irrelevant when it comes to measuring one cyclists ride to another’s or even to that of their own.  If one were to go out for a ride of 20 miles in length one afternoon while measuring the time require and compared it to another ride the next day of the same length, on the same roads, a massive door of inconsistencies would be opened up.  The variables at hand are almost innumerable including temperature, air pressure, wind, nutrition, glycogen levels, lactate levels, tire pressure, clothing choice (aerodynamics or lack thereof) ect.  By quantifying and isolating the wattage output of a rider, you can bypass and thus negate all factors listed previously.  Regardless of all accounted and unaccounted variables, the reading of a power output from any given rider says they are simply working this hard, for this particular amount of time (example: 300 watts for 25 minutes).  This has indeed become the end all be all metric in the cycling world today but the question still remains; why?

various power meters

The Numbers game

 With the advent of the all too popular cycling app Strava (measures and compares your cycling times from various points throughout each city worldwide while simultaneously comparing it with your peers in descending order of lowest times) the everyday cyclist has come one step closer to becoming just like one of the pros.  Determine your point a to b, go out there and give it your all and let Strava do the work of sizing you up with the rest of the cyclists who rode the same portion.  This game against the clock was injected into the modern cycling psyche with the infusion of the power meter and gave rise to a very powerful dose of competitive nature within those who both did and didn’t lack the inclination and outlet all together.  Enter anywhere USA, where almost anyone and everyone who is “serious” about cycling has a smart phone with the Strava app.  We now cycle about in a sea of virtual races, where passerby’s furiously blast along at near threshold rates of all variety without so much as casting the slightest glance in the direction of anything non conducive to the “Strava Crushing” nature of the player.  Kiss your friendly wave or ding of the bell goodbye because the daily commute has now been rendered a time trial and your being in the way is nothing more than an obstruction to the end game; numbers.  

enter straava

 

Riding to feel

To come back to square one for a moment would be to look beyond all measures of quantifying riding ability in the name of boiling the act of cycling down to its purest, most refined and potent form; something almost all of us inherently took with us through our journey on the bicycle from day one.  This essence spoken of is joy, and it’s why most of us continue to mount or cycles in pursuit of our next destination or calculated adventure.  We wouldn’t be here continuing our cycle oriented ventures if we lacked some form of pleasure derived from the experience of riding itself.  It’s this exact assertion that leads me to question whether something such as a power meter is more of importance to our overall riding experience or a hindrance.  The answer to this will be multi dimensional and very personal starting with why and how it is we ride a bicycle altogether.  Is it your aim to be the absolute best and sit atop the cycling pedestal with a KOM (king of the mountains) throne, or to experience a ride filled deeply with the subtle nuances and minuscule intricacies that make adventure and exploration what they really are?



this is your mortgage payment worth of cash just spent
on the new SRM power meter

Fuel economy and diminishing returns

Perhaps your goal is to become a better cyclist by engaging the pedals more efficiently and getting the most out of your ride in terms of strength gains, endurance and technique.  This ambition is exemplified in virtually every cyclist regardless of whether or not they actively implement measures  to improve in such realms.  As discussed earlier the power meter is a very useful tool for gauging performance through various conditions and certainly helps make a workout and its merits seem more tangible.  Though it’s perfectly normal to want to be good at whatever it is you do, it does indeed come at a cost that is for some much higher than others.  With a power meter costing anywhere from $700 - $3,000 (equal to or greater than a nice bicycle) for the total package it’s not hard to imagine that one would want to explore other options when trying to look for solutions to become a better cyclist.  One of the first and most obvious places to look would be in the places where there is no financial cost.  They say you “don’t get something for nothing” but in this case it’s true in the monetary sense.  Something as simple as a correct and comfortable bike fit will give rise to massive gains in bio mechanical efficiency.  The pedal stroke is everything in the art of cycling (yes i just elevated it to such status) and if we are incapable of engaging in a correct, evenly balanced pedal stroke with both sides of our body we are massively limiting our ability to transfer power from our torso, hips and legs, down to the pedals and into our rear wheel.  A bicycle fit will help mitigate if not eliminate many common irregularities with regards to the previous and can often times be done DIY style by sifting through forum discussion, watching how-to videos and making comparisons with people that have actually tested such methods.  A second and equally critical method in becoming a better cyclist that’s next to free is the act of engaging in a healthier lifestyle. Kicking old habits that are a hindrance to healthy living may be the most cost effective measure one can take in this pursuit.  Of course this idea goes beyond nutrition and dips into aspects of life such as posture, sleeping habits and environmental conditions.  If we can hone in on the variables that both give rise to and take away from our health we can make adjustments accordingly and find those “free gains” in our quest.



Here we have Eddy Merck atthe giro doing his thing 45+ years back; acomplishing more than most could ever
 wish to with even  the most modern technological counter parts while simultaneously lacking a power meter,
heart rate monitor or cycle computer(non existant at the time). Just saying...

Still, after all this the question remains; ride to watt or not?  The power meter certainly is an effective tool in the ever growing world of cycling related gains but comes at a rather steep price and might not be cost effective for you.  If you find yourself at a point where you have truly begun to plateau in your cycling abilities, perhaps a power meter is the answer for you.  As almost any professional cyclist will tell you, the numbers are indeed everything, and without quantifiably repeatable exercises such as interval training and sustained power output the game would simply not be what it is today.  The question looms; are you a pro searching for such margins, or perhaps a Joe just looking to be a fit cyclist and have fun out there riding your bike?