I just received my (autographed!) copy yesterday, and have already read the first few chapters, and scanned the rest of the book. Pretty good! While you can, if you are diligent, get a lot of this information by cruising various forums, the book gets all the basics together so that you can make effective use of the tool.
Lots of power files were submitted for use as examples and of course, the research, that went into this book. It's not all geared to pure cyclists, either. There's a decent section on triathlon racing.
If you're thinking of getting one of these, it's $20 well spent before you drop $1500+ on the PM. That being said, you still will want a copy of Cycling Peaks Software (about $70) to supplement what comes with the device that you choose.
As you get familiar with using the tool, there are nuances that you will observe about the hardware and your results, and this is where the online forums really shine (especially, for example, as individuals submit their power data from actual racing situations!).
I've had my PM for 2 years now, and I am just now getting geeked-out with it in an effort to achieve a much higher level of cyling fitness than I ever dreamed possible. A quote from the book that really struck home for me is this:
"Combining both [coaching and power] made my training super focused and my racing the perfect test to see if what we were training created results. Several times during my pre-season training, I would see my workouts on my email and think, 'I can't finish that. I would start the workout saying to myself, 'When I blow up, I'll just email my coach the power file and let him know I tried but just couldn't pull it off.' However, most of the time the opposite would happen."
Yep. A PM and its output files make me 100% accountable for the work level I achieve on the bike. I can't lie about what I did when my coach sees the results. And then he can use that information to target my workouts.
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2 comments:
the quote in blue really hits home... especially about the part of what happens when you don't blow up...
did you ever get your PT working? i seem to remember you had both an SRM and PT, and had not fully evaluated both for a recommendation... i would like to have the 'power'! i've ruled out Polar's version as not accurate enough -- wanted to know if you had a rec!!
My PT has always worked. It's on my road bike, which I won't use again until spring.
The reason I bought the SRM in the first place was I wanted to be able to use whatever wheels I like (I have Cane Creek Cronos and a Hed 3D disk). A PT limits you to the wheel that the hub is built into, although you can put a disk cover on it. If it's a choice between race wheels and a PM, though, go with a PM. More bang for your buck. I didn't have a smart person advising me when I bought race wheels. Not that I would have bought a PT instead. But when I got into IM HI and thought I might buy ANOTHER set of race wheels (in retrospect a really stupid idea), my coach said dumbass get a PM instead. I was lucky to get my SRM before they raised prices, and I got a deal from my LBS.
SRM is the cream of the crop, and the book states this. It is impervious to weather, for one thing.
You can get an FSA compact crank SRM, and if you really want it, a full titanium chainring/crank combo.
It really comes down to your budget and preferences. This is why I suggested buying the book to aid in your purchase decision--it compares all the devices honestly.
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