Ibike Power Meter?

[tridennisr]

My question is to Linda or anyone who might have Ibike power meter training experience.

I am currently working through the MTB Expert Cross Country Time Crunched plan, and will be purchasing the 100 mile finishers plan to prepare for the Cohutta 100. As I have been trying to stay faithful to the heart rates in the plan, I cant seem to get out of my mind how much more effective it would be if I could train by power.

I am considering the Ibike Sport meter. I realize this is not the best meter out there, but easily the most affordable. So as far as trying to keep my rides in a certain training zone as prescribed in the training plans, do you feel this meter will make the training more effective? Or am I just as well off using a heart rate monitor until the budget would allow for a Power Tap? (which may be some time)

Thanks in advance,

[Lynda]

Ibike doesn't work well off road and is a little better on consistent smooth pavement.

It doesn't measure power but guesses it based on several variables.

It makes assumptions about rolling and wind resistance (frontal area). You have to calibrate it with a roll down test – from this it calcualtes rolling and wind resistance factors. It has accelerometers and measures wind speed also has a barometric altimeter to calc grades. The trouble off-road is the surface constantly varies and rolling resistance is a huge part of resistive forces on the MTB. They cannot be assumed constant! Same for going from smooth pave to rough pavement.

I recommend holding out for the Power-Tap.

Lynda

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