Updated December 14, 2009

PowerTap Quick Study

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Congratulations on getting your new power meter and going for a ride with it.

Here's your PowerTap Quick Study Guide.

First the wiki:

1) Learn the file structure for backups?

2) Find Peak Power Records by double clicking default startup screen then on user information pop-up select the Peak Power Records tab

3) Keep your own record of the PB changes, because the software doesn't keep that history, only tracks the current best. Be aware that momentary maximums are not recorded, so watch for them in every Entire Activity Details screen. Here is a sample notes format.

Everybody should take the following steps right away as soon as they begin using the PowerTap.

Immediately after your first data download find the Peak Power Records (how to find it) that the software automatically keeps for you. You don't even have to worry about putting in your weight and setting zones for Heart Rate and Power, because the Peak Power Records are an absolute objective measurement, and the tracking of these eight (8) different timed intervals is extremely useful—even without considering Heart Rate and Peak Power Zones.

These eight Peak Power Records are automatically replaced by the software whenever you beat a given interval, so make a note of them right away.

 During a workout you won't have to worry about keeping track of these intervals yourself, because the software automatically tracks your best 5 and 30 seconds along with your best 1, 5, 10, 30, 60 and 120 minute intervals.

You will, however, have to make note of your momentary power maximum, because 5 seconds is the shortest interval retained by the basic report.

You may like to keep track of other intervals for your own information, but these eight time values provide a great insight into your development all by themselves.

In any case, if you fail to record your very, very, very first ride (especially if it was an easy fun ride), you will be missing a once in a lifetime golden opportunity to establish a baseline to begin beating your own performances, which you will surely do without hesitation.

HOW TO FIND: Your personal Peak Power Records can be found by double clicking on your user name from the default startup screen in the PowerAgent Software. Once you double click on a user name, you will see a pop-up screen with user information. The final tab on the right brings you to Peak Power Records.

Keep a note of the figures you find there, and check them after every ride. They will change over time, but a history of this particular report will not be retained by the software. It will only be updated automatically with the most current information.

Here is the big fun. The 5 sec, 1 min, 5 min and 1-hour records shown can be used to gage your standing in the world of cycling by comparing your own results to the sampling of cycling performances shown by the table on page 64 of the book Training and Racing with a Power Meter, by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan.

No need to struggle calculating your power to weight ratio. Here's a Super Simple Power To Weight Calculator which also gives you a conversion for watts to speed above a copy of the Allen and Coggan Race Category table for comparison.

Below is Mary's current history of personal bests (as of 09/29/08) which you may use as a template. Copy paste them into a word processor and go from there.

You will notice that I have added Max momentary watts (both Standing and Seated), plus both momentary and interval records for cadence rpm. We consider a sustained average cadence for 30 seconds to be very useful as an index of her improving pedaling function.

Be careful you don't fall into the trap that is currently supported by every explanation of power meter training that I have seen.

Most of the indices that people have previously used to track performance have been based on the necessity of finding alternatives to an objective measurement of true effort. Unfortunately, even the current workout programs which use power meters are saddled by processes that arose from this previous "guess-timate" necessity.

Just remember this: By the time your Heart Rate shows that you are in trouble, it is already too late to do anything about it.

For example, let's assume your best sustained performance based on Heart Rate is 175. On a time trial, you push a little too hard on a specific hill, and all of a sudden your HR monitor jumps to 183. Uh, oh.

Now lets say your 175 HR relates to a sustained 270 watt effort, and an increase to 183 (which you have determined is your blow-up zone) doesn't occur until you have sustained a 275 watt effort for 33 seconds.

Wouldn't you rather control your effort by knowing you have held 274 watts for 32 seconds, and it is now time to back off or pay the price?

Using a power meter instead of a HR monitor to control your performance is a little like moving from a 12 inch ruler scaled to one inch increments to a yard stick that is scaled in 1/16th inch increments.

Here is a template you can use for your performance history. The current bests are in the top chart while clicking on the plus sign (+) to the left of each will take you to the history of that record in the chart below. The click access is only a slight convenience, while merely maintaining a current record vs. historic list is useful enough.

Get started on this, and later you can fine tune using all the other charts and graphs your wildest OCD dreams demand.
 

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11.90

 NA

+

11.11

 NA

+

10.96

+

 7.766

 NA

+

 6.159

+

 4.221

+

 3.596

 NA

+

3.238

 NA

 +

 3.148

+

 2.759

 NA

+

 NA

 NA

+

 NA

 NA

------------------- ARCHIVED GOAL PERFORMANCE HISTORIES -------------------

11.90

 NA

11.46

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

10.96

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

3.238

 NA

 3.069

 NA

 3.148

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA

 NA