What is a power meter?

What is a power meter? Power meters, also known as power meters, measure the amount of power you put on the pedals. By recording your power, you can train much more efficiently than with older methods such as heart rate measurement or simple speed and cadence sensors. You will also quickly see progress in your wattages and can measure them objectively with a power meter.

How does a power meter work?

Power meters measure the energy you exert on the pedals while cycling. There are different types of power meters, such as a crank power meter or a pedal power meter. With a crank power meter, the sensor is attached to your crank, while a pedal power meter has a built-in sensor. These sensors are able to convert the bending of the material in your crank or pedal to Newton meters per second or Watts. A Bluetooth or ANT+ signal is then sent to your bike computer from Wahoo, for example.

How do you train with a power meter?

Cyclists who train with power meters will eventually learn which wattages correspond to which feeling. Your wattages will vary depending on the type of training you do, but they will generally be between 150 and 300 watts. When cycling at a low intensity, your wattages can be around 170 watts, while during a high-intensity interval, they will be closer to 350 watts. During sprints, your wattages will be very high for a short period of time. For professional sprinters, this will be around 1600 watts.

A power meter can help you prevent overtraining by telling you objectively how much effort you have put in as opposed to speed, which will vary at the same effort due to, among other things, different weather conditions.

Get better with a power meter

One of the biggest benefits of training with a power meter is that you can see your improvement in real time. This is great for athletes who want to get better. A power meter shows you how much power you are producing and lets you know how your power output compares to previous rides. This is great for tracking your progress when you have a specific goal, like climbing a specific hill or completing an event.

An FTP test is the most commonly used method to determine your cycling fitness. For instructions on how to perform the test, read Training with power: Performing the FTP test.