Official Road Cycling Thread

[Mr Tonka]

Thanks.

When i woke up this morning i had an email from Competitive Cyclist announcing the Pinarello F10. lol Couldn't even ride it before they started showing off the new model. haha

[slalomfever]

nice bike you've got there!

[dc503]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

Thanks.

When i woke up this morning i had an email from Competitive Cyclist announcing the Pinarello F10. lol Couldn't even ride it before they started showing off the new model. haha

I wasn't going to say a word about the F10 unless someone else did!

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by dc503

I wasn't going to say a word about the F10 unless someone else did!

Haha. I would have bought the 2016 frame if the color I wanted was available. Heck, I would have chosen a 2016 color I didn't really like if a friend of mine didn't totally hook me up on the 2017.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

Here she is.

I left a lot of steer tube until i get it fit properly. I don't think i'll need the zero set back seat post. I've got the measurements dial in so that the only thing that has been extended is my reach, by about 26mm. I was intending to extend the reach a bit for a more aggressive riding position. The saddle is still able to be moved forward about 10-12 mm which should give me plenty of adjustment. Once i get used to the new position, i'll probably lower the bars by a spacer or two.

Going in for fit either tomorrow or Friday.

Looks fantastic ! Congrats sir

Yeah this can take a while to get used on the new ride position ,the downside is you will feel it as well ... it's a precision game of mm's .

[Mr Tonka]

Thanks! First ride went well. Night and day difference between my BMC and the F8. I mean, one is an endurance bike and one is pretty much an aero bike so the difference were expected to be vast. But man, they are so noticeable.

First off, with the Red 22 cranks and Dura Ace brake upgrades, the bike weighed in at 16.7 pounds vs the BMC coming in at 18. With some normal pedals, it would be supa light, those P1s weigh just about 1 pound - 437g. (your Vectors are only 351g and dura ace are only 250g)

On the flat, i really dig the new gearing. Jury is out for riding anything with an incline. But for some reason, the drive train is silent. Even when shifting there is virtually no sound. I don't get it. Didn't change the cassette, just the chain rings. Speaking of, shifting from big to small and vise versa is much smoother and faster with Sram chainrings. I'm not sure if using a sram chain and shimano chainrings caused the issues or if the top end sram chainrings shift better than Ultegra chainrings. What ever the cause, i like it. There were a few times when shifting from 14 to 13 was so smooth and quiet that i had to change back to make sure that anything happened.

Ride quality is still very good. I can't call the ride more harsh, it's better described as more solid. The bike feels like it was milled out of a solid piece of material. There is a section of my Wed ride that is made up of two bridges. One of them is about 1/4 mile long and is made up of 4' horizontal sections of concrete which makes for a pretty bumpy ride. The difference wasn't like going from comfy to harsh it was like going from a 335 to an M3. Just felt more solid, more controlled. When riding on the bridge with no hands, you can most definitely feel more impact though the saddle. So i'm assuming the more forward riding position, putting more weight on my hands is somewhat responsible for spreading the jolts the stiff frame transmits. The lack of flex is obvious when compared to the BMC. Standing up over the bars when going over some familiar bumps results in feeling the rear tire coming off the ground. Even the difference in sound makes it seem like the BMC had a rubber like flexible frame where that flex just isn't there with the F8. Not in a bad way, more like how a car with good shocks goes over a bump compared to a car with blown shocks, riding on springs alone.

Responsiveness was a big surprise. It's really snappy. I was riding with a friend and when he was pulling i'd some times fall off the back a little bit for blowing a snot rocket, taking a drink, etc... Today i noticed that catching back up required much less effort. So i started doing it on purpose and came to the conclusion that it takes about 1/3 of the effort the BMC required to get back on his wheel. The first few times, i'd start up with the same amount of effort as i was used to and had to put on my brakes to avoid running into the back of him. I stood up and did some light sprinting coming off of a few corners and just dropped my buddy immediately. Previously on the BMC, i'd do that and as soon as i sat back down glancing over my shoulder, he'd be right there. Today, he was 4 or 5 bikes back each time. It feel stupid fast to me.

Shorter crank arm lengths was a wise choice. I didn't really expect to notice a difference between 172.5 and 170. I figured the shorter length might be beneficial to me physiologically, but i did't expect to perceive any difference. I actually forgot that i chose shorter lengths until i was pondering mid ride why my pedal stroke seemed smoother and somewhat more effortless. Seemed to have no dead spots at the top, seemed to be able to turn them over more quickly. I didn't feel the need to stop pedaling nearly as much. Of course, these perceived differences could be a result of many factors, but from what i've read and knowing my wife's experience with shorter crank arms, the differences seem to be more a result of the shorter arms. Being an idiot, i forgot to change the crank arm length on my power sensor, so my cadence and power data were skewed by some degree. I'm guessing there is a formula that i can follow to figure out the discrepancy, but i'm not that curious.

Can't wait to ride again on Saturday!

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

Thanks.

When i woke up this morning i had an email from Competitive Cyclist announcing the Pinarello F10. lol Couldn't even ride it before they started showing off the new model. haha

I saw that too....

[Rayscott]

Thinking of getting a power meter for my Trek. Pedal based from Garmin which was recommended by the owner of my Bike shop. One leg for now, will add other leg in the spring. I am training for Senior Olympics next year. I won all 3 gold medals in our state in 2014 but could not go to Nationals. I have been using a HR monitor for years but there can be a lot of variables which can effect my performance. A power meter monitors power and the numbers are absolute which make it a better training tool than a HR monitor from what my bike shop and articles I have read claim. I will be 73 next month and plan to purchase it before I leave for Florida in a month for 2 months. That is when I begin serious training as I can ride a lot more. What are your thoughts on this.

[dc503]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

Thinking of getting a power meter for my Trek. Pedal based from Garmin which was recommended by the owner of my Bike shop. One leg for now, will add other leg in the spring. I am training for Senior Olympics next year. I won all 3 gold medals in our state in 2014 but could not go to Nationals. I have been using a HR monitor for years but there can be a lot of variables which can effect my performance. A power meter monitors power and the numbers are absolute which make it a better training tool than a HR monitor from what my bike shop and articles I have read claim. I will be 73 next month and plan to purchase it before I leave for Florida in a month for 2 months. That is when I begin serious training as I can ride a lot more. What are your thoughts on this.

Well done on your results! A power meter is incredibly useful, when used properly and with so many options out there they're incredibly accessible now. I'm not a natural at endurance sports/cycling so it's been a really good tool for me to quantify real time efforts and train properly with quality. You already know why training with HR independently can be flawed, too many variables environmental/physiological. Learn how to use the data and it will certainly unlock a lot of ability. Do your research, talk to a coaching buddy for advice, you'll find it to be an incredibly efficient tool.

I will mention though, when not in real race training or intensity, I do unplug. Becoming a slave to the power meter all year round is no fun!

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by dc503

Well done on your results! A power meter is incredibly useful, when used properly and with so many options out there they're incredibly accessible now. I'm not a natural at endurance sports/cycling so it's been a really good tool for me to quantify real time efforts and train properly with quality. You already know why training with HR independently can be flawed, too many variables environmental/physiological. Learn how to use the data and it will certainly unlock a lot of ability. Do your research, talk to a coaching buddy for advice, you'll find it to be an incredibly efficient tool.

I will mention though, when not in real race training or intensity, I do unplug. Becoming a slave to the power meter all year round is no fun!

Good advice, thanks. Chris Carmichael (Lance Armstrongs coach) helped me set up a interval training program based on my HR. It was very helpful and was a key factor in helping me win the gold at senior olympics. He said a power meter would have been better and talks about the benefits of one in the newsletters I receive from him. My bike shop owner is a successful Triathlete and uses the Garmin. He is setting me up with one this week which interacts with my bar mounted Garmin GPS and downloads whenever there are upgrades. He is going to work with me in learning the various options available. I guess you are never too old to learn new things. Keeps me young.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

Good advice, thanks. Chris Carmichael (Lance Armstrongs coach) helped me set up a interval training program based on my HR. It was very helpful and was a key factor in helping me win the gold at senior olympics. He said a power meter would have been better and talks about the benefits of one in the newsletters I receive from him. My bike shop owner is a successful Triathlete and uses the Garmin. He is setting me up with one this week which interacts with my bar mounted Garmin GPS and downloads whenever there are upgrades. He is going to work with me in learning the various options available. I guess you are never too old to learn new things. Keeps me young.

Think you got Armstrongs special vitamins as well....

[M4Now!]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

First off, with the Red 22 cranks and Dura Ace brake upgrades, the bike weighed in at 16.7 pounds vs the BMC coming in at 18. With some normal pedals, it would be supa light, those P1s weigh just about 1 pound - 437g. (your Vectors are only 351g and dura ace are only 250g)

First - cool bike! Pinarello has done some really cool frames, glad you're delighted

Next, re weight: Really? Do you have any other heavy components? My bike weighed in at 15.5 before the change to the (lighter) Enve wheels, so it's kinda surprising you're at 16+?

Not that it matters to us, we aren't pros with 2% body fat. It's a lot cheaper to take a pound off of ME, vs. a pound off my bike

Cheers

[M4Now!]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

Thinking of getting a power meter for my Trek. Pedal based from Garmin which was recommended by the owner of my Bike shop. One leg for now, will add other leg in the spring. I am training for Senior Olympics next year. I won all 3 gold medals in our state in 2014 but could not go to Nationals. I have been using a HR monitor for years but there can be a lot of variables which can effect my performance. A power meter monitors power and the numbers are absolute which make it a better training tool than a HR monitor from what my bike shop and articles I have read claim. I will be 73 next month and plan to purchase it before I leave for Florida in a month for 2 months. That is when I begin serious training as I can ride a lot more. What are your thoughts on this.

First - kickass!! Congrats on your excellent results!

But, DO NOT buy the Garmin Vectors!! I have them on two bikes, and absolutely do not recommend them.

The Vector 2s are on the Wilier, with Vector S on the Litespeed. Both have been hugely problematic, finally resulting on my spending lots of time on the phone with Garmin engineering (seriously, the engineer who designed the pedals).

Finally I'm at the point that they work about 95% of the time, which is a sad commentary. When they work, they're great...

I recommend you either a) go with the new power meter in the Dura-Ace crankset coming out this spring, or b) go with Stages. Based on reviews I've seen, they appear pretty close to bulletproof. No, you don't get separate power per leg, but you'll find that at higher intervals you'll be pretty close to even.

Cheers

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by M4Now!

First - cool bike! Pinarello has done some really cool frames, glad you're delighted

Next, re weight: Really? Do you have any other heavy components? My bike weighed in at 15.5 before the change to the (lighter) Enve wheels, so it's kinda surprising you're at 16+?

Not that it matters to us, we aren't pros with 2% body fat. It's a lot cheaper to take a pound off of ME, vs. a pound off my bike

Cheers

Well, i'm at 13% body fat now after losing about 57 pounds over the course of a year. I'm not going to lose anymore weight, if anything i'm going to gain some muscle though strength training, leg focused of course.

But the F8 isn't known as a light frame set. The pedals are tanks and my guess is that it's a combination of the two. Build list: Enve Srs 4.5 with CK hubs, Conti 4000gp tires, dura ace brakes, zipp carbon aero bars, enve carbon stem, Selle Italia Flite carbon saddle, Sram Red22 cranks, 11-28 ultegra cassette, Red 22 chain, eTap shifting group.

Your Wilier frame set is a feather weight, not really surprised it's sub-16#.

Originally Posted by Rayscott

Thinking of getting a power meter for my Trek. Pedal based from Garmin which was recommended by the owner of my Bike shop. One leg for now, will add other leg in the spring. I am training for Senior Olympics next year. I won all 3 gold medals in our state in 2014 but could not go to Nationals. I have been using a HR monitor for years but there can be a lot of variables which can effect my performance. A power meter monitors power and the numbers are absolute which make it a better training tool than a HR monitor from what my bike shop and articles I have read claim. I will be 73 next month and plan to purchase it before I leave for Florida in a month for 2 months. That is when I begin serious training as I can ride a lot more. What are your thoughts on this.

Originally Posted by M4Now!

First - kickass!! Congrats on your excellent results!

But, DO NOT buy the Garmin Vectors!! I have them on two bikes, and absolutely do not recommend them.

The Vector 2s are on the Wilier, with Vector S on the Litespeed. Both have been hugely problematic, finally resulting on my spending lots of time on the phone with Garmin engineering (seriously, the engineer who designed the pedals).

Finally I'm at the point that they work about 95% of the time, which is a sad commentary. When they work, they're great...

I recommend you either a) go with the new power meter in the Dura-Ace crankset coming out this spring, or b) go with Stages. Based on reviews I've seen, they appear pretty close to bulletproof. No, you don't get separate power per leg, but you'll find that at higher intervals you'll be pretty close to even.

Cheers

I agree with some of the above. I would not recommend Vectors, VectorII or VectorII-s power pedals. I don't have them but some of the people i ride with do and they seem to have some type of crazy routine to adhere to in order to get consistent readings. But for me, the fact that there is a wire running from the outside of the crank to the inside of the crank is the deal breaker. I know 2 people who have had to replace their pods because the wires were cut or ripped out from something as innocuous as transporting their bike in the back of their SUV.

I also would not recommend Stages. One of the people i ride with every week has them and she has problems with them on about 60% of our rides. Mainly connectivity problems. She also had a problem with water getting into the battery compartment at one point as well.

For me, getting a power meter is kind of like buying a gun safe. Buy the best quality, largest size gun safe you can afford. Same thing for a power meter. Buy the best quality power meter you can afford. Of course other things come in to play because you may have different needs, such as wanting power on multiple bikes.

As said, there are loads of power meter options these days. I personally have experience with PowerTap. Specifically the G3 hub and P1 pedals. If i didn't have the desire to have one power meter for using on my outside bike and inside trainer bike, as well as know my propensity for getting new bikes, i'd have a SRM or Quarq crank based power meter.

My wife has had Power Tap hubs for the last 9 years. They have been super reliable and the reported power has been consistent. Her only issue is changing the batteries on them. They were inconvenient to change from her TT bike to her Road bike because the TT bike was 10speed and her road bike is 11 speed. You'd have to change the free hub as well as the cassette to use it on another bike.

I picked up a pair of P1 pedals in the early going. I believe they were release in August of 2015 and i bought mine just a few month's later. I've been though some firmware updates that have been great. The power tap phone app is much better now than it used to be. (if you want to use it) I haven't had any issues other than a broken spring in the claw part of the pedal. It happened the week before i was headed to Montana for a week long vacation ride. They paid for 2 day shipping both ways and got my pedals back to me (completely rebuilt, new spindles, bearings, etc...) before my ride. There were people in the building where they build the pedals answer my calls.

My wife is on the cusp of getting a new TT bike and also wanted a deeper rear aero wheel. This is when the hub became more complicated, number of spokes in the hub vs the wheel, cost of a new hub, etc... So we got her a set of P1 pedals and 808s for her TT bike. She's going to move her 404s with the G3 hub to her road bike. By having power in the pedals, there is nothing to worry about compatibility wise with one of the bikes most expensive and important training comments, the power meter.

If you don't need to change power meter from bike to bike and you don't change bikes like underwear, i'd recommend a quarq when balancing cost and quality. If you like the idea of pedals for a power meter, i'd go with Power Tap, P1s. For a consistent and reliable budget power meter the power tap chainrings.

Quarq with Top end cranks - $1300
P1 pedals - $1100
Power tap chain rings - $700
Garmin Vector 2 - $1000
Garmin Vector 2s - $600

If ~$600 is your budget, i'd go with the chainrings. Here is a review of the pedals & chain rings along with collected data comparisons between the different meters.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/08/...ls-review.html
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/12/...ng-review.html



Where are you going to be training in FL?

[Rayscott]

Thanks for all the great advice on this. Interesting that my friend and Bike Line manager uses the Garmin and has had no issues. However, I will relate the problems you have mentioned to him. I think i will give them a try and if I have any of the issues mentioned I will simply return them. I will not use them if they become a problem. Your experience and others experience with these pedals have cast some doubts on my decision.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

Thanks for all the great advice on this. Interesting that my friend and Bike Line manager uses the Garmin and has had no issues. However, I will relate the problems you have mentioned to him. I think i will give them a try and if I have any of the issues mentioned I will simply return them. I will not use them if they become a problem. Your experience and others experience with these pedals have cast some doubts on my decision.

Clearly you are going to spend your money as you see fit. I am just curious though.... If you're not planing on moving these from bike to bike during training, why not spend $100 more than the original budget and get a power meter that accurately reports Left and Right power data, the C1 chain rings from Power Tap?

To your friend using Vector pedals, i'm sure there are plenty of people using Vectors without issues. I'm not sure you're aware of how they work so i'll just add this info for you. I recently had a friend go into a bike shop intending on buying P1 pedals. The bike shop talked her into the Vector2(s) and when she found out there was an external pod she was less than thrilled. Especially after catching the pod wire on something in the back of her car before evening getting ride with them. To add insult to injury, a replacement pod (not warrantied) cost $75.

This is a picture of the pedal and pod that attaches to the spinal. The wire i'm talking about is the flat plastic looking thing that comes out of the pod and goes to a circular section that plugs into the spindle of the pedal.







This is how the pod hangs off of the pedal spindle.







If you bump this pod from it's mounting location (which isn't terribly difficult to do, clipping in, unclipping in an emergency, hitting it on a curb, bike carrier, etc...) your power readings will be off from that point on until you re-calibrate. If your chain slaps and catches the wire on the back side of the crank, you'll have to replace the pod at the price listed above.

On top of that, a single sided power meter estimates your powerless side which means the data will be less accurate than a L/R or hub power meter.

If you buy one singled sided power meter today at retail pricing, you'll spend $600. Buy another in the future at $500 and you've spent as much as a set of P1 pedals or $400 more than a set of C1 chain rings. Have to replace a pod and you're $75 more in the hole.

My Wed night riding buddy has a Vector2s and said it reports high wattage unless he calibrates before the ride and then again after his warm up portion of the ride. Just a month ago my friend ended up with Garmin pedals and is now disappointed. I also did a 20min FTP test with her and her watts were reading incredibly high. She's 5'3, 110 pounds on a TT bike and i'm 5'10, 180 pounds riding an endurance bike. Her watts were reading equal and at times higher than mine while riding side by side. No way that's possible. The few people i know with P1 pedals have no such issues that require multiple calibrations or even every ride calibration requirements. Mine is the only one i know of that had an issue (mechanical) and they handled it under warranty, which also extended the warranty period.

I don't get commission for Power Tap purchases and ultimately don't really care which meter you go with. I'm just trying to arm you with information and first hand experiences so you can make a decision based on more than a Bike shop owner's recommendation.

[dc503]

There's always SRM $$$

In all seriousness, anecdotally the SRM, Quarq, and PowerTap devices are the least problematic of all devices I hear about. Ironically, as Tonka has pointed out, the one device I would have trepidation trying would be the Garmin vectors, I'm not too fond of the design. In all fairness, that's the main reason I wouldn't choose them, plus I hear the calibration process is cumbersome. However, I wouldn't hesitate to try the 4ii, Power Tap, Power2Max, and Pioneer systems. I personally (and luckily?) have used Stages with great reliability and durability, despite what others have found.

[Mr Tonka]

^^ I will admit that Stages probably got a bad reputation for their early release products, which is what the one person i know using Stages is riding with. If you look at what the pro cycling teams use, aside from Stages bidding for Team Sky in a clear effort to clear their reputation, you won't find hardly any of them using affordable power meters such as PowerTap or Garmin. As you said, SRM is the gold standard, but at $3k for a power meter, you've got to be dead serious about accurate to the 4th decimal type of training to spend that much cash.

We almost bought a used TT bike from a local pro for $3500. BMC TMO1, Zipp 808 firecrests, SRM power meter, Dura Ace Di2. Was an awesome deal, but the guy is like 5'4 and my wife is 5'10". So no chance for a proper fit. But that SRM being included made it very tempting to buy it and part it out.



Not sure if it matters to you Rayscott but when i'm talking about the people i ride with, of the 11 of them I interact and ride with on a weekly basis.... 2 of them are elite level cyclists who race Pro 1-2 and the remaining 9 are triathletes with more than 80 full distance Ironmans as well as countless Half, Olympic and sprint distance races between them. I am by a good measure, the slowest of the group.

Of the triathletes, 3 of them have a combined 16 trips to Kona (one going this coming year). One of them has been on the podium twice at the pro level in Kona. 2 of them are currently Triathlon coaches, one of which was named coach of the year by Ironman just recently. She recommends Stages to her athletes, but mostly because the majority of them are Jr's racing at the national level and don't have lots of money. Of those 11 people i'm describing, only 4 of them don't use a power meter. 1 of them uses SRM, 2 of them use Quarq, 1 of them uses Stages and the rest use Powertap. The few people i know with vectors are recreational riders (non racers) which i am as well. It's just that my recreational riding involves trying to keep up with these people on the weekend. Might also be worth mentioning that 3 of my friends either own or manage bike shops. (the manager is one of the pro level racers above)

Even though i've only been road cycling for a little over a year, my wife is a triathlete and she's been riding with and been friends with these people for about 10 years now. I've had to be the fly on the wall at countless get togethers and being the only non cyclist in the group, had to listen to all of them talk for hours upon hours about cycling and training and racing and wattage and FTP and bla bla bla... haha It actually gave me a great head start on how to train once i started riding. Still have lots of training to do though. It really sucks when you're doing at all out sprint at 32 mph and your wife comes rolling past you with a smile on her face! But, she adopted power meter training about 1 year into her picking up triathlon and has used that tool well.

I know that sometimes people on the internet seem like randoms who's opinions are never wrong, so i'm just giving you the back story on how i've formed my opinion on power meters.

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

^^ I will admit that Stages probably got a bad reputation for their early release products, which is what the one person i know using Stages is riding with. If you look at what the pro cycling teams use, aside from Stages bidding for Team Sky in a clear effort to clear their reputation, you won't find hardly any of them using affordable power meters such as PowerTap or Garmin. As you said, SRM is the gold standard, but at $3k for a power meter, you've got to be dead serious about accurate to the 4th decimal type of training to spend that much cash.

We almost bought a used TT bike from a local pro for $3500. BMC TMO1, Zipp 808 firecrests, SRM power meter, Dura Ace Di2. Was an awesome deal, but the guy is like 5'4 and my wife is 5'10". So no chance for a proper fit. But that SRM being included made it very tempting to buy it and part it out.



Not sure if it matters to you Rayscott but when i'm talking about the people i ride with, of the 11 of them I interact and ride with on a weekly basis.... 2 of them are elite level cyclists who race Pro 1-2 and the remaining 9 are triathletes with more than 80 full distance Ironmans as well as countless Half, Olympic and sprint distance races between them. I am by a good measure, the slowest of the group.

Of the triathletes, 3 of them have a combined 16 trips to Kona (one going this coming year). One of them has been on the podium twice at the pro level in Kona. 2 of them are currently Triathlon coaches, one of which was named coach of the year by Ironman just recently. She recommends Stages to her athletes, but mostly because the majority of them are Jr's racing at the national level and don't have lots of money. Of those 11 people i'm describing, only 4 of them don't use a power meter. 1 of them uses SRM, 2 of them use Quarq, 1 of them uses Stages and the rest use Powertap. The few people i know with vectors are recreational riders (non racers) which i am as well. It's just that my recreational riding involves trying to keep up with these people on the weekend. Might also be worth mentioning that 3 of my friends either own or manage bike shops. (the manager is one of the pro level racers above)

Even though i've only been road cycling for a little over a year, my wife is a triathlete and she's been riding with and been friends with these people for about 10 years now. I've had to be the fly on the wall at countless get togethers and being the only non cyclist in the group, had to listen to all of them talk for hours upon hours about cycling and training and racing and wattage and FTP and bla bla bla... haha It actually gave me a great head start on how to train once i started riding. Still have lots of training to do though. It really sucks when you're doing at all out sprint at 32 mph and your wife comes rolling past you with a smile on her face! But, she adopted power meter training about 1 year into her picking up triathlon and has used that tool well.

I know that sometimes people on the internet seem like randoms who's opinions are never wrong, so i'm just giving you the back story on how i've formed my opinion on power meters.

You certainly hang with some very elite athletes. I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all of the choices available but do appreciate all of the effort made to help me gain a better understanding of the products available for this purpose. Your expertise far exceeds mine. I am thinking of holding off on my decision to purchase the Garmin pedals based on this information. I think I need to learn more about the various options on the market. Thank you for enlightening me on selecting the best power meter available.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

You certainly hang with some very elite athletes. I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all of the choices available but do appreciate all of the effort made to help me gain a better understanding of the products available for this purpose. Your expertise far exceeds mine. I am thinking of holding off on my decision to purchase the Garmin pedals based on this information. I think I need to learn more about the various options on the market. Thank you for enlightening me on selecting the best power meter available.

It's such a valuable training tool and can be quite a sizable investment. Yet you don't want to invest training time and energy into messing with it in order to get the most use out of it. You just want it to be there every time and work consistently. Definitely worth extra time and energy on the front side to make sure you get the right tool for your needs.

If you make your way to Tampa when in FL, let me know.

[Mr Tonka]

On anther note, The BMC SLR02 i'm going to be selling turned out to be a nice build. Slapped some flat MTB pedals on it and went for a brief 15 min test ride and it's a solid bike. Very smooth, responsive... very solid feeling. Kind of regret not giving it more riding time.

Hope it goes to a good home!

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

It's such a valuable training tool and can be quite a sizable investment. Yet you don't want to invest training time and energy into messing with it in order to get the most use out of it. You just want it to be there every time and work consistently. Definitely worth extra time and energy on the front side to make sure you get the right tool for your needs.

If you make your way to Tampa when in FL, let me know.

Thank you, we are staying in Naples so Tampa may be a stretch. Lots of cycling group rides in Naples and Feb-April is fantastic weather. As a Navy vet I do the Miracle of the Limbs ride every year. Lots of vets who have lost limbs ride and it is so awesome to see these guys riding and then hang with them after the ride for a few brews. They are my hero"s.