In cycling, power refers to the rate at which energy is transferred or converted into work during riding. It’s a crucial metric for understanding a cyclist’s performance, as it provides an objective measure of effort. Power is measured in watts (W), and it can vary based on factors like terrain, wind, and the cyclist’s fitness level. It’s the easiest way to compare riders, because it measures how much power the riders can put into the pedals. Power has really become the gold standard in cycling.

Measuring Power with Power Meters

Power meters are devices used to measure a cyclist’s power output. For a long time these were very expensive. But in modern days, most cyclist can afford one. It’s essential to have for serious riders, in order to execute and analyse your training and races. There are several types of power meters available, each with its own method of measurement.

Crank-based Power Meters

These are attached to the crankset and measure the force applied to the pedals.

Hub-based Power Meters

Mounted on the rear wheel hub, they measure power by gauging the torque applied to the wheel.

Pedal-based Power Meters

These are integrated into the pedal spindle and measure power directly at the point where force is applied. Pedal based power meters are smart, because you can move it between bikes. Thus saving a big investment for putting power meters on all your bikes.

Pedal Arm Power Meters

Located on the peda arms, they measure force at the chainring. Pedal arm power meters is the cheapest option with good precision and accuracy. Manufacturers like Stages and 4iiii are leading this segment.

Training with Power

Training with power allows cyclists to train more effectively by precisely measuring their effort. However, it’s important to remember power is an external measure, and says nothing about what’s going on inside the body. 200 watts might not have the same cost or effort intensity at the beginning of a ride versus at the end of a long ride. To train with power, cyclists often use Functional Threshold Power (FTP) as a benchmark. FTP is the highest average power a cyclist can sustain for one hour. Training zones are then established based on this value, allowing for targeted workouts tailored to individual fitness levels. Coggan’s 7 zone model is the most common one for power zones.

Best Interval Sessions with Power

There’s really no sessions you can’t do without a power meter, but it’s are a great tool for sessions at threshold and above, to make sure you hit the right target. If you do threshold intervals, they can quickly become extremely hard if you go slightly above. For VO2max and anaerobic capacity sessions, it’s also very beneficial, so you don’t start with intervals at 500 watts, and end with 350 watts because you set out too hard.

In races, they can also be great for managing your effort on long climbs and TT’s so you don’t explode. But beware you don’t let your power meter cap you. There’s often moments and attacls where your only effort is to try to hang on, even if you have never done what your power meter shows you before. If you lose a group you can lose the race. So don’t let the power meter control you.

Average vs. Normalized Power

Understanding average and normalized power, and the difference between them, is important to know why two rides with the samd average power can be vastly different. It’s also great to analyse a race or group ride.

Average Power: This is the average wattage produced during a ride or specific interval. It provides a general overview of the effort exerted.

Normalized Power: This metric considers the variability in power output, providing a more accurate representation of the effort required. It accounts for the fluctuations in power, such as sprints or climbs, and is often higher than the average power for the same ride or interval, because it removes the coasting periods where you produce 0 watts.

Understanding and utilizing power metrics like average and normalized power can help cyclists better analyze their performance and tailor their training to improve specific aspects of their riding.