Power Meters / Powermeters (SRM, Powertap, Quarq, Ergomo, Vector, Stages, power2max, P2M, 4iii, InPower, Cinch)

power balance - nothing
pedal efficiency - nothing
torque effectiveness - nothing

No.

Power Balance is Nice if you are, or recovering from, injury.

But otherwise I never look at these Things.

isn't power balance that bullshit magnetic bracelet?

Power balance could be useful in a small number of cases where it is significantly out of whack. It could identify a weakness that can be targeted to bring it closer to 50:50 and therefore increase overall power.

But, yes, aiming for some magic 50:50 ratio and tracking this over endless rides is insanity.

Goes off to delete column from spreadsheet (PowerTap doesn't give it thankfully...)

Same thing. The one on your wrist pairs with the one on the bike to give you up-to-date reports on the alignment of your chakras and the humidity of your hypothalamus.

I'm currently recovering from a calf injury and in my case the balance metric hasn't altered at all throughout. I was a bit surprised at this and my physio simply said that the body "makes do".

I'm looking for a power meter rental service as I'd like to try training with one for a couple of months before I go ahead and buy one.
I've found 3 places where I can rent from:

• cyclepowermeters.com
  
• panaguabikes.com
  
• athleteservice.com
  
  

Anyone has ever used them? Or any other alternatives?

cyclepowermeters are good business mostly.
I'd try there first. Not heard of others.

Panagua are fairly local to me, in Hayes south of Bromley. I've only had positive experiences at the shop, good guys.

^ sounds good. Maybe they fit them too then. Worth a call.

Athlete service are superb.

Has anyone had problems popping the freehub off a G3 powertab hub? I've been at it with a massive mole wrench with no budging.

After a bit of Googling, I found 2 other instances of the same issue, ultimately resolved with a gear puller...

Apart from taking it to my LBS, can any bodgers out there think of an alternative?

Don't you just pull the end cap and then the freehub (and cassette) just falls out? Sure that's what happens on mine - I often accidentally remove the freehub when I'm swapping the cassette.

Well if a magnetic bracelet can tell you how much youre favoring the foot without the torn achilles. Thus allowing you to moderate training accordingly.

Then yes.

Yep that's what's supposed to happen. End cap came off eventually, but the freehub ain't moving. Might try and find someone with a vice.

There's nothing to hold it in though, just put pawls. Try spinning the freehub backwards then wedge screwdriver behind it.

Bro, do u even central nervous system?

If the pain of a partially torn achilles is anything more than faint background murmur.

You're not pedalling hard enough.

In all seriousness. It didnt really hurt so bad when riding. At least once my body had adapted.

So I got into the habit of glancing at Balance after a ride.

If it's really torn you've likely had surgery and probably shouldn't be pedaling at all, you'll probably have a space boot on. If it's tendonitis then rest is still preferred recovery method. I would rest a few days and then ride gently until the next weekend. In the end I went to midfoot to resolve the repeated bouts of tendonitis. At no point in time did I consider paying attention to pedaling imbalances. Legs are attached to the same crank so it'll be pretty bloody obvious if one's not doing enough.

I'll wait until Wanking Furiocity % is added before committing to further metrics.

I'll wait until Wanking Furiocity % is added before committing to further metrics.

You need a Fitbit-style activity wrist strap (or man-bangle as @Cycliste calls them) to get those metrics. A friend of mine helped develop the hardware for one, and referred to it as the Wankometer.

Nah. Was just a tiny tear. Blew up like a fucking Balloon though.

Not more than a week or so before it happened. I was talking to a guy of similar age to me, who used to do the sort of volume of running and riding I used to do. Except he now has a titanium achilles (I avioded telling him Ti was a middle age material, and that he should have gone for carbon). So it spooked me somewhat. Cant really run anymore. Which has made me loads faster on the bike. So swings and roundabouts.

I just glance at pedal Balance occasionally. Its not the most useless of metrics. ThoseI get from my running. 'ground contact time', stuff like that.

Can my 'me-time' moments now be uploaded to Strava then?

I had a Garmin one, not for any metrics but it vibrates if you sit still too long which meant I got up and didn't get DVT again, in theory. In practice, being a Garmin device, it shat itself after 6 months and I got a refund.

Yep. But no segments.