Things We Wish We’d Known When We Started Riding With A Power Meter

A power meter is one of the best investments you can make to improve your performance on the bike. If you’ve recently bought one, are thinking about it, or just want to know a bit more about riding with power, this is the video for you! Here are a few things we think you should know to get started with a power meter.

0:00 Intro
0:26 How Do Power Meters Work?
1:57 Riding With A Power Meter
2:53 Finding Your Training Zones
4:35 Tips For Training With A Power Meter
9:55 Outro

Useful Links:

Do you ride with a power meter? Let us know in the comments below! 💬

If you liked this video, be sure to give it a thumbs up 👍 and share it with your friends!

Watch more on GCN...

🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
The Infinite Dreamer - Chill Cole
Hot Thang - Daniel Fridell
See Me Now (Instrumental Version) - Mindme
stargazing - bomull
Sea Lion - OTE
Simulations - Aiyo
Handbag Dance - OTE
Girl Talk (Instrumental Version) - Gloria Tells

#gcn #cycling #roadbike #roadcycling #shimano #cyclinglife #bikelife

The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything that’s great about the world of cycling.

Our videos bring fans compelling daily content including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind the scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.

Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly it’s fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans – everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling

Thanks to our sponsors:

Watch our sister channels:

[TheUsername]

Best piece of advice I’ve gotten is don’t look at the power when you’re out with friends. Keep the numbers for your solo and structured training sessions. Best of both: fun and improving

[NicholasMati]

For anyone who's looking at buying a power meter for the first time: (1) do it; if you're at all serious about biking, it's the most important upgrade you can get for your bike and (2) be aware that Shimano's meters (feature in this video) leave a lot to be desired. There are several better and cheaper meters out there. DC Rainmaker has some very good reviews that you probably should go through first before making a purchase.

[pro-onwq]

Video idea suggestion: A comparison of the speeds of different kinds of bike when you put in the same power. E.g. how fast is a race bike at 250W vs how fast is a mountainbike with the same power, how much faster is a lighter bike, how much influence does tire pressure have, and so on.

[drch]

Nice just to have a classy, informative video from Si every once in a while to set GCN straight. 👏

[NunoJoel]

Lot of people Will Come for the powermeter info, but most Will be stunned looking to Simon Bike! ! !

[LUCYDIAMONDBOXER]

I ride with a power meter, Stages left crank arm. They're a useful tool for pacing and climbing. Do an FTP to find your zones and then on your head unit work to power zones 1-6. You then have "gears of effort" to ride in. Just like HR zones but more accurate. I climb in 3-4 and 2-3 in endrance. It's like cheating

[kellymckenzie]

Si has always been my favorite presenter.

[MichaelSnasdell]

So glad you did the "same power, different effect" segment... Thanks for another great video

[kevinderung]

Personally, i do my relatively strict training in the winter months (mostly on zwift) and I use those fitness gains during the summer months to hang with strong group rides and power through long Fondos...

[jefferycampbell]

As a numbers geek, I love my power meter and do a lot of structured workouts. However, my favorite rides are the long moderate intensity rides where the computer is showing only the navigation screen.

[kevinholly]

Si, that Peloton bike has gotten me fit .
Fit enough to start commuting and to purchase power meters .
Different paths to a healthy life.
Don't knock it till you try it ...
Stroke survivor, now a biking enthusiasts .

[dakalla]

I have a left crank power meter, but dont really use it for training by power. I use it more for pacing, so i dont overdo in the beginning of a climb or for a strava sector PR. It works really well and by time you just know how hard you can go. All my PRs improved by a lot, on climbs and flats! Can very much recommend to get a power meter if you are into data and numbers.

[grahambowes]

I was tempted to get a power meter, but in the end bought a Kikr to use for winter training and learn about my power through that. As an older rider, probably a good way for me to test the waters b

[topaz_climber]

My first power meter literally arrived today. Thanks for the personalised vid, GCN!

[Dystopia]

Beauty of a bike btw, quite perfect in my view

[rachelharvey]

Lmao with Si’s trip to the gym what a legend looking that ridiculous and clearly still enjoying himself 🤣🥰

[eedoamitay]

I don't understand why no one is in my situation where they just want a power meter for very accurate calorie tracking. I am trying to lose weight, to have a device that is able to track almost exactly how much calories you burned during a session is insanely valuable for people who care about weight loss, which I imagine is a MASSIVE amount of people. If someone can make a cheap cheap pedal power meter for the masses, and now with the ability to connect power meters to apple watches, that would be a very good selling product in my opinion. I don't think people in the cycling community see the value of this outside of their own training needs. Really really hope a product comes out soon like this.

[sand]

I'm a mechanical engineer. I'm not only a slave to numbers, they are my livelihood, I serve the numbers, they serve me. I'm so into my numbers, I'm going to try Best Bike Split to get my coveted PR this weekend, by riding exactly to the numbers. Did I mention I like numbers?

[NickM]

I’ve got the favero assioma duo, interchangeable on any bike, just got them a few weeks ago, great timing on the video!

[shepshape]

As to Si's first point, I don't know about other brands of power meters, but you do not have to zero out Assioma power pedals. One of the benefits of those pedals, as well as their cost. Also, while no power meter is perfect, as long as whatever power meter you're using gives you consistent results, it doesn't matter. One last thing, Si references polarized training, which only has three zones, and the methodology is that you spend 80-90 percent of your time in zone 1 (base), and the rest in zone 3 (intervals), spending as little time as possible in zone 2. He says zone 2 base training during the video, which is probably because most people do a 5 or more zone training program, and zone 2 usually means base training effort.