best gps unit for power2max

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angrylegs
Posts: 166
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 2:32 pm

by angrylegs

I really like the 520, but I don't use Garmin software. I prefer Golden Cheetah. At any rate, the 520 records a ton of metrics and you could use pretty much anything afterwards to look it over.

dedobike
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:51 pm

by dedobike

angrylegs wrote:I really like the 520, but I don't use Garmin software. I prefer Golden Cheetah. At any rate, the 520 records a ton of metrics and you could use pretty much anything afterwards to look it over.

Maybe it's a bit old, I think I'll eventually wahoo elemnt

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angrylegs
Posts: 166
Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 2:32 pm

by angrylegs

dedobike wrote:
angrylegs wrote:I really like the 520, but I don't use Garmin software. I prefer Golden Cheetah. At any rate, the 520 records a ton of metrics and you could use pretty much anything afterwards to look it over.

Maybe it's a bit old, I think I'll eventually wahoo elemnt


A 530 is likely to come out soon. I'm not terribly fond of the Element but it's a good unit. You can't go wrong with that.

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TonyM
Posts: 3376
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2015 4:11 pm

by TonyM

I am using a Garmin 820. Quite ok but I would love if Garmin could improve the UI.
I was thinking about getting a Wahoo or a SRM PC8 but I think I will wait for the next significant upgrade of the 820.

Bordcla
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:42 pm

by Bordcla

FastforaSlowGuy wrote:
Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:20 pm
ergott wrote:Problem with all these sub 60min tests is they don't predict longer effort levels well. I've seen lots of fast riders train for ftp and absolutely die on longer rides. Great if you race cross, but 4-5 hour rides not so much.
^ This is partly right. FTP doesn’t predict 5 hour pace, it predicts 1 hour pace. That’s the very definition of it.
That is a common misconception. Depending on level of anaerobic strength and aerobic development, your max 1-hour pace can either accurately reflect your FTP or, in the case of a very anaerobically strong individual, sometimes overestimate it.

FTP should represent the amount of power you can develop mostly aerobically in a relative lactate steady state. Your max one hour when absolutely fresh may rely quite a bit on your anaerobic reserves.

If one is to use FTP to accurately set power zones, I'd caution against blindly relying on a multiple of 20-minuye power, or even more against a multiple of 8-minute power.

You should be able to work at your real FTP for prolonged periods deep in a ride, and in order to assess your real FTP, you'd have to undergo a more complicated test, whether in a lab or, if doing a field test, doing your 20 or 40 minute effort after a few shorter maximal efforts and a good bit of riding.

Otherwise, your zones will invariably be set too high. May not matter for the cross or the crit racers, but you end up underdevelopment your aerobic system and over developing your anaerobic system by setting the zones higher than they should be.

As regards the original question, I'm switching from a Garmin 520 to a Wahoo Bolt because I'm sick of freezes and failures to upload requiring repairing with phone or devices constantly with the Garmin.

ancker
Posts: 164
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 9:29 pm

by ancker

Went from Garmin 500 to 520, now finally to Stages Dash.
The Dash is awesome. I don't need/care for turn-by-turn directions, just display the metrics I want how I want them.
I like it so much that I bought a second one on eBay at a steal for my trainer bike.

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