3rd party software for power analysis

Austin Flyer said:

I just ordered a Powertap SL with Mavic race wheel. Will the software from Saris be all I need, or is there a preferred 3rd party software that is favored?

I'm sure my preference is the same as everyone elses...........Simple and user-friendly.

Get CyclingPeaks WKO+ just like virtually everyone else on this forum. It's THE de facto standard software for power data analysis.
http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/wko/

Hope this helps,

Ken

Is the software that comes with the powertap good?

Austin Flyer said:

Is the software that comes with the powertap good?

I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's certainly not nearly as powerful as WKO+ in analyzing postride data.

sugaken said:

I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's certainly not nearly as powerful as WKO+ in analyzing postride data.

It's worth the $$$ you put out for it. Likewise, make sure you pick up a copy of Coggin's book Training with Power. Otherwise a power meter and software is like having a piano but not knowing how to play it. The book is as important as anything else out there.

Thanks for the tip. I had already ordered it.

sugaken said:

Get CyclingPeaks WKO+ just like virtually everyone else on this forum. It's THE de facto standard software for power data analysis.
cyclingpeakssoftware.comwkoOpen ↗

Hope this helps,

Ken

I have been using the trial software for a couple days now and am debating buying it. How many updates do you get with buying WKO+? Or are you just force to pay the upgrade cost when the next version comes out?

The software is moderately expensive.

kissdznuts said:

I have been using the trial software for a couple days now and am debating buying it. How many updates do you get with buying WKO+? Or are you just force to pay the upgrade cost when the next version comes out?

The software is moderately expensive.

Any new Versions will require an upgrade cost. So, when we release Version 3.0 in 2008, it will be an upgrade cost.
All bug fixes and new 'builds' are free. We'll even have a 'point' release coming out this summer that will be free. 2.3 should be sometime in July. (mainly pace based stuff for all the runners out there with GPS devices).

Bike tires are like $45 each.....and only last about 3-4months if you are lucky... I would say they are VERY expensive in relation to a piece of software that you'll have for the rest of your life essentially and will make a LARGE difference in your fitness level.
;-)

Hunter

Hunter w/kg said:

Any new Versions will require an upgrade cost. So, when we release Version 3.0 in 2008, it will be an upgrade cost.
All bug fixes and new 'builds' are free. We'll even have a 'point' release coming out this summer that will be free. 2.3 should be sometime in July. (mainly pace based stuff for all the runners out there with GPS devices).

Bike tires are like $45 each.....and only last about 3-4months if you are lucky... I would say they are VERY expensive in relation to a piece of software that you'll have for the rest of your life essentially and will make a LARGE difference in your fitness level.
;-)

Hunter

Hunter,

Thanks for your suggestions. I did read a developer's comment stating the same thing about bike tires in the cyclingpeaks forums; but the software is 'moderately' expensive. Generally if I have the choice, I'll use software that works (PowerAgent is lacking many features) or software I can pay a little more for and get updates for life for free. The current version is functional and contains the features that I "need", so I'll just get.

deez

Hunter w/kg said:

... I would say they are VERY expensive in relation to a piece of software that you'll have for the rest of your life...

A piece of software that you will have the rest of your life??? What planet are you living on and how many versions of Windows, Office or any other piece of software have you had to upgrade for compatability reasons over the last ten years not to mention a lifespan 🙂

Just razzing you Hunter, WKO+ is worth every penny and pretty darn affordable compared to the PM's driving it or any bike components. Course you could write your own version of power analysis code and spend the money you save on this water bottle cage: amazon.com104 1871423 6298307Open ↗

Hard to say which would improve performance more for the price 😉
-Dave

daveryanwyoming said:

A piece of software that you will have the rest of your life??? What planet are you living on and how many versions of Windows, Office or any other piece of software have you had to upgrade for compatability reasons over the last ten years not to mention a lifespan 🙂

Just razzing you Hunter, WKO+ is worth every penny and pretty darn affordable compared to the PM's driving it or any bike components. Course you could write your own version of power analysis code and spend the money you save on this water bottle cage: amazon.com104 1871423 6298307Open ↗

Hard to say which would improve performance more for the price 😉
-Dave

LOL. I was going to write "I'll just create my own" in my previous post but didn't want to come off arrogant. I just don't have the time to take on any more programming projects at the moment and just want to bike in my spare time.

It seems everyone is using cyclingpeaks software and they do appear to have plans to keep evolving it - it'll work for now at least 🙂

kissdznuts said:

I was going to write "I'll just create my own" in my previous post but didn't want to come off arrogant.

I know Kevin Williams. I know how good - indeed, gifted - he is at programming. I know how much time he spent writing the code for CyclingPeaks 1.1.

I also know Gear Fisher, and how much time he's spent building on CyclingPeaks 1.1 to create WKO+ 2.1.

Based on what I know, I say "knock yourself out". 😉

if you want to get you're money's worth out of your power meter just get CP WKO+... seriously, i don't actually see any other reasonable choice that is remotely close.

it has more features than power agent plus it has Performance Manager which makes it by an astronomical margin head and shoulders above anything else on the market... power agent is really just a little utiliy compared to WKO+...

for what you get, they are giving WKO+ away...