Originally Posted by
Bah Humbug
Your bikes are honestly pretty nice already, and I am a big proponent of power meters. Would you actually use the power meter to do more focused training outdoors? Also, I had a KKRM (no InRide) and a Wahoo Kickr was a huge upgrade, so I wouldn't rule out a smart trainer just because you can already do the same workout with the Kurt, if you try hard enough. That was the thing that boosted my performance most overall, and it's not close.
Thanks for the reply! Regarding actually using the power meter for regular training outdoors: I think yes. My bike commute (particularly on the way home -- where I can get as sweaty as I want) would be a great time to squeeze in some focused training (e.g. a 45 minute session). I sometimes try to "go hard" to get some exercise in, but not in a usefully structured way. I could do something more structured now (without power readings), just by going hard for X minutes on and X minutes off, but one thing I realized on the trainer is that being able to see your progress is very motivating. And knowing you've gone harder in the past (based on power) keeps you accountable (i.e. from getting lazy!).
Did you use your power meter in conjunction with your Kurt Kinetic Road Machine? I ask because the InRide is itself a big upgrade over the basic Kinetic trainer (with no measurements!) You get power, cadence, and the ability to hop onto your virtual training platform of choice (Zwift, Rouvy, TrainerRoad, Sufferfest, etc) -- all for $40 worth of hardware. Going from the "dark ages" (i.e. no measurements and no entertaining virtual riding platforms) to a Kickr would be a GIANT leap. I'm trying to figure out which thing was the big leap for you: finally being able to use measured power in your indoor training (via the Kickr) or moving from the KKRM (basic fluid trainer
+ your power meter and cadence) to the Kickr (automatically controlled resistance). I hope that make sense.