Tapping Some Power with PowerTap

My racing goals this year include taking a stab at Master's Nationals.  The road race is not exactly in my wheelhouse - with long climbs and a generally hilly and long course.  And, the race schedule is such that I'd have to do the road race, then the crit, and THEN the TT on three consecutive days.  Since my racing style is really more in line with crits and TTs, that's where I'm focusing.  In reality, my hope is simply to have fun.  I think I have a podium shot, otherwise, I suppose that I wouldn't bother to go, but I really just want to be a part of and enjoy the spectacle of Nationals!  If I bring home some bling, all the better!

I've been spending a lot of quality time with my brand new TT bike.  We're becoming quite close, Miss Pig-E and I, and we have been enjoying some intense training on the quieter roads of South Jersey.  Thanks to team sponsor PowerTap, I've been able to test out the latest product in their amazing line, their P1 Pedals.

So, as He-Man once said...

It's been amazing to see how my TT power output relates to my road bike riding.  The difference in conservation and use of energy is really interesting.  And, the pedals make for some intriguing data - like right vs left leg power ratios.

So, anyway... I thought it would be cool to do a little review of them for our awesome sponsor and for anyone out there looking to get into the world of power...

1.  Set up is a piece of ...

(No?  Not getting it?  It's the band Cake!!  Geez.... )

SRSLY - easy peasy.  You just put 'em on da bike, add batteries, and start pedaling.  BOOM - they work.  You need to make one adjustment in your settings for the crank arm length on your bike, but that's it.  You're in business.  Calibration on each power up is also easy and their data collection is quite lovely, so you know that they are accurate.  

2. I typically ride Speedplay pedals.  These are a proprietary version of Look-style pedals - you need to use the PowerTap cleats with the pedals - Look cleats will not work with them.  

For me, the Look style is a bit of a problem.  I used Look pedals originally and switched to Speedplay because I had a hell of a time clipping in at races.  This is a big issue at crits where riders are busting off of the line at full speed.  If you aren't clipped in, you go from in the pack to off the back in seconds.  But, I'm not using these for crits!  They're for TT's... and at the really important races in my life, I'll be held at the start and already be clipped in fully before I start pedaling at all!  WINNING!!

My first use of the pedals proved that I am a total klutz, as I spent half of the ride trying to find the pedal with my cleat.  Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but still.  Sure, I'd only had the things for a few hours, so that certainly had an impact, but several weeks and rides later, I'm still annoying drivers behind me at stop lights when I can't get my foot in the pedal for 50 meters.  

I have found that I'm better at starting with my right foot and clipping in with my left once I'm moving.  The opposite of how I typically unclip and stop in my Speedplays, of course!  ;)  Only serves to make things more interesting. 

3. Once I am clipped in, however, these things are great.  They have a nice amount of float to them - allowing my legs to follow a natural movement through the pedal stroke - something that my Speedplays also allow and something that I value in both pedals.  And, of course, the large cleat and pedal surface make for solid power transfer from legs to pedals to cranks to ZOOOM!!  

4.  The data seems really, really accurate.  Which is super important when you're training and racing with power.  Since PowerTap is really one of the best makers of these sorts of products, it's no surprise that they have incredibly accurate data collection.  I also love the fact that it pulls power from each leg individually, so you can actually run comparisons of which leg is doing more work and focus in on building strength in your weaker leg.  I already know which of my legs is weaker, so this was really just a confirmation of that and a reminder that I need to help lefty keep up with righty in the strength department!  ;)

5. Weight... adding weight that is rotational to your bike is not ideal.  At least, that's what folks with physics degrees say... I have no idea, I'm an Art Historian, I only care about the aesthetics of the pedal - and these pedals are quite pretty!!  

Anyway... rotational weight and all.  Yeah, I've not really noticed anything different here from when I just had my Speedplays on the bike a few weeks ago.  They aren't particularly heavy to begin with - weighing in at 398 grams, they are quite a bit heavier than your standard pedal - but the added weight is pretty negligible in the long run.  Especially in exchange for accurate power measurement.

Lose less than one pound of body weight (put DOWN the Cadbury egg and WALK AWAY) and you've made up for the addition of the pedals.  And, your skinsuit fits better.  You're welcome.

In short... these things are pretty great.  I'm grateful to our amazing sponsor PowerTap for the opportunity to ride this awesome new product and I look forward to telling lots more people about them in the future!  :)