Power Meters for Mountain Bikes: Are They Helpful? (Ask a Cycling Coach 291)

[@bigdarbs19]

I have a power meter on my mountain bike, but it’s mainly for giving a training load as opposed to riding or racing to a power output.

[@johnnyyoung6747]

I like seeing TSS after a mtb ride..

[@asun3630]

Power meters can be super beneficial especially in the beginning stages of learning to race and gauge other riders power. Every pro i follow uses one. Not so much on big races like Kate Courtney said in previous TR video. All data is helpful until you are dialed and don’t depend on it. Love TR !

[@jdfdc7]

What is Alex’s power meter and computer set for his mountain bike?

[@mutleyadamsracing2684]

What power fields are best to see while on the mtb? I use 3 sec.

[@TrainerRoad]

3 seconds is great! Then you wont see quick fluctuations from surges/small coast etc.

[@mutleyadamsracing2684]

Data for long trail climbs is helpful but not for live trail riding. The calorie usage from power is a bug help too.

[@jamegumm]

Please, more shorter, focused clips like this….

[@mikecoglione1308]

Power meters are utterly useless. I over trained last year and got all the gizmos for most of my bikes, Garmin watch all the fancy stuff and half the time half the sensors don't work. They stop transmitting or give obviously wrong data. The one thing I now know for sure thanks to a power meter is the harder I pedal, the faster I go in a higher gear, the more my power. But I think I knew that before wasting this inordinate amount of money. And I overtrained again no thanks to this useless data. Unless you're a profesional you shouldn't race or employ electronics. You're going to need a serious gaggle of staff to get this junk to work and an insane budget to buy it and keep it going. You may have to buy like 5 different power meters or head units and heart rate monitors just to give yourself the chance to get one set to work. Disgusting. Unless racing bikes is your day job and primary source of income, don't waste your money.

[@bigdarbs19]

Power meters are super useful, I’ve used them for 15 years, never had major tech issues and they stopped me doing junk miles.

[@mikecoglione1308]

@@bigdarbs19 I threw in the towel, quit group rides, stopped doing centuries and just went back to riding most days a week as hard as humanly possible but only 8-12 miles with the occasional longer 15-30 mile loop but very rarely. I basically romp on the pedals as hard as humanly possible at 100 percent for about an hour 5-6x a week, weight train and kayak. I did that for years and got to the level where I could keep up with the A group in most conditions and never overtrained until I actually started pedaling longer routes and group rides. 5-10 miles a day plus other stuff like resistance is all you need for health, more than that is just ego. The other issue, especially with mountain bikes is power meters if you aren't clipping in. Going through puddles isn't great for them a lot will leak water and get ruined. Many MTB's don't accept different spindles and whatnot it was a nightmare to find workable systems. I honestly feel there is no such thing as junk miles because ALL exercise is good. ALL exercise burns calories, ALL exercise helps you eat more and avoid gaining weight, and ALL exercise keeps your numbers (sugar/cholesterol especially also weight) better in range. This is especially true if you mix aerobic and resistance. Being lifelong diabetic that really is my priority to get sugars down and have good quality of life not starving myself. Who cares about power when I can eat another 1000-1500 calories a day every day if I ride an hour, work out an hour, and stretch for half an hour with some kayaking thrown in here and there most days?