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Using Strava with power meter

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Using Strava with power meter

Old 07-14-20, 07:31 PM
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Hikebikerun
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Using Strava with power meter

So I’m thinking of picking up a Stages single-leg power meter for my Emonda with Shimano 105 groupset. This seems like a reasonably priced and popular option based on my research; however, any other suggestions for a different power meter would be welcomed. My main goal is to get more data to better structure training and keep track of progress.

My main question is this: can I just use the free version of Strava to log/interpret my data? It’s hard to tell what exactly I’ll have access to, since Strava changes so frequently and old posts about functionality are quickly out of date. Ideally, I would just use my phone and not have to invest in a cycling computer to make use of the power meter. On the other hand, if I have to pay for Strava “premium” to really access the data and utilize the meter to its fullest, I think I would rather bite the bullet and invest in a computer.

What would be the benefits of using a dedicated cycling computer in lieu of Strava on my iPhone?
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Old 07-14-20, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Hikebikerun
So I’m thinking of picking up a Stages single-leg power meter for my Emonda with Shimano 105 groupset. This seems like a reasonably priced and popular option based on my research; however, any other suggestions for a different power meter would be welcomed. My main goal is to get more data to better structure training and keep track of progress.

My main question is this: can I just use the free version of Strava to log/interpret my data? It’s hard to tell what exactly I’ll have access to, since Strava changes so frequently and old posts about functionality are quickly out of date. Ideally, I would just use my phone and not have to invest in a cycling computer to make use of the power meter. On the other hand, if I have to pay for Strava “premium” to really access the data and utilize the meter to its fullest, I think I would rather bite the bullet and invest in a computer.

What would be the benefits of using a dedicated cycling computer in lieu of Strava on my iPhone?
I presume you're going to use some sort of phone app instead of a bike computer?
Strava just changed all that in the last 30-45 days. They do have a page that describes what you can do with it and what the subscription covers. They also have a free one month trial.

I haven't looked at it in a while, but I don't think you can use the Strava app any more to record power or sensor data other than GPS from the phone. I did a quick scan of the app and I didn't see where you could pair stuff. So you're going to have to figure out the app/computer thing pretty quick anyhow.

Last edited by JohnJ80; 07-14-20 at 08:02 PM.
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Old 07-14-20, 08:06 PM
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the strava smart phone app does not support any sensors so that is out if you were planning on using it for collecting data. there are others out there though. i am using CycleMeter and need to be a paying customer for sensor data to be collected (10 bucks/yr). these rides can be uploaded to strava. i use the free strava version so do not know what is available as far as data crunching but i can at least see power/cadence/heart rate/temperature. im sure someone here can chime in on what it can do analysis wise.

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Old 07-14-20, 08:10 PM
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You need a cycling computer.
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Old 07-14-20, 08:10 PM
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THere's a number of bike apps available on smartphones but the biggest problem is that they won't connect on ANT+ so you'll have to be careful about what sensors you select. The Stages PM does do BT and ANT+ but not all speed sensors do - Garmin ones before the new one this year were all ANT+. The other side of that is that BT is kind of a problem, it's kind of finicky for bike sensors. I find it lot better if you can have a computer and go ANT+.
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Old 07-14-20, 08:34 PM
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To answer your last question- the benefit of a dedicated cycling computer is that it's the most reliable and easiest way to collect all of the metrics you want (power, HR, cadence, etc), which can then be sent to whatever platform you want to use to evaluate said metrics.
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Old 07-15-20, 04:30 PM
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Sadly Strava dropped linking with sensors which is a bloody shame.
​​​​
That said, bike computers (which can then be linked to Strava) are just better for recording itself, really. I picked up a fairly cheap Polar M460 a few years back because the phone would overheat in the summer heat and lose gps while recording, plus the battery lasts a lot longer than a phone does when recording, and it has a barometer for actually measuring altitude and gradient. The Wahoo units are also inexpensive, yet good.

I find Strava cool for analyzing rides though.
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Old 07-15-20, 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Branko D
Sadly Strava dropped linking with sensors which is a bloody shame.
​​​​
That said, bike computers (which can then be linked to Strava) are just better for recording itself, really. I picked up a fairly cheap Polar M460 a few years back because the phone would overheat in the summer heat and lose gps while recording, plus the battery lasts a lot longer than a phone does when recording, and it has a barometer for actually measuring altitude and gradient. The Wahoo units are also inexpensive, yet good.

I find Strava cool for analyzing rides though.
how could strava drop power sensors?

it would be like dropping running speed for runners
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Old 07-15-20, 04:55 PM
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Strava didn't drop power meters. The Strava phone app dropped support for power meters, meaning you have to use a head unit, not your phone.
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Old 07-16-20, 06:59 AM
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As others have said, get a bike computer. I'd imagine that a used Garmin that's a couple of generations old will work just fine and would be cheap and plentiful on the used market.

As for the analysis features of Strava, those features are behind the Strava subscription paywall.
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Old 07-16-20, 07:35 AM
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Ok, so you want a power meter, but you don't have a computer. Do you have an HRM? A cadence sensor? I like toys and can get behind a power meter, but computer, HRM and cadence are low-hanging fruit. If you can afford a computer HRM and PM all at once, by all means, do it and then you can omit the cadence (assuming a crank or pedal-based PM).
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Old 07-16-20, 06:49 PM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Ok, so you want a power meter, but you don't have a computer. Do you have an HRM? A cadence sensor? I like toys and can get behind a power meter, but computer, HRM and cadence are low-hanging fruit. If you can afford a computer HRM and PM all at once, by all means, do it and then you can omit the cadence (assuming a crank or pedal-based PM).
I am using an Apple Watch for HR. Is that considered sub-par compared to the chest straps?

I figured cadence info would be provided by the PM (it is crank based and calculates cadence using the accelerometer I believe). Part of my query was about whether Strava would allow me to see/analyze that info from the PM, which it doesn’t sounds like it will.

Given that it looks like a computer is required, I’m going to weigh whether I want to invest that much right now, or if I should just get out and ride for another few months and let it stir around in the ol noggin.

There’s also the tri shorts and wet suit I’m eyeing.... this is becoming a problem lol. I’m going to have to start hiding packages from the lady
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Old 07-16-20, 07:38 PM
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You can collect and analyze power without a bike computer. Apps like Wahoo Fitness are free and support BTLE and ANT+ sensors (though your phone might not support the latter). Wahoo Fitness can sync ride data to Strava, RideWithGPS, TrainingPeaks, etc. You can also export the files and import them into whatever you want, like Garmin Connect.

You have to pay for premium features to do much in Strava and TP, but RWGPS and GC are free, as is Golden Cheetah.
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Old 07-17-20, 07:39 AM
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Interesting that the Strava app won't read power meter data unless it comes through a cycle computer. Is there a link somewhere that verifies this?

I've been considering with riding w/o my Garmin 530 and just using my smart phone. The first challenge is that most phones don't have ANT+ hardware built-in. For my Google Pixel 2, I found it can connect to ANT+ devices if I plug-in a USB adapter with an ANT+ dongle (I.e., the software exists, the hardware has to be added.) I haven't tried doing this yet so I can't confirm if Strava would read data from the ANT+ dongle (power meters or any ANT+ devices).
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Old 07-17-20, 07:52 AM
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Originally Posted by PoorInRichfield
Interesting that the Strava app won't read power meter data unless it comes through a cycle computer. Is there a link somewhere that verifies this?
Strava posted about it within the last year or so. I'm sure that if you look in their app revision history, you'll find it easily enough. They said that pairing with various external sensors was causing stability issues (which I'm not sure I buy).
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Old 07-17-20, 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Strava posted about it within the last year or so. I'm sure that if you look in their app revision history, you'll find it easily enough. They said that pairing with various external sensors was causing stability issues (which I'm not sure I buy).
Interesting, but sad. I'm pretty convinced that one could easily use just one's mobile phone as a cycle computer these days if there was a decent app to that supported devices. That is assuming one uses the app almost purely for logging like I do... i.e., I don't look at my phone at all when I ride, I just look at it when I'm done riding to "see how I did". Since I don't have my phone screen turned on and I disable WiFi and mobile data, my phone's battery doesn't deplete much, which is the biggest impediment to using a phone as a bike computer.
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Old 07-17-20, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by PoorInRichfield
Interesting, but sad. I'm pretty convinced that one could easily use just one's mobile phone as a cycle computer these days if there was a decent app to that supported devices. That is assuming one uses the app almost purely for logging like I do... i.e., I don't look at my phone at all when I ride, I just look at it when I'm done riding to "see how I did". Since I don't have my phone screen turned on and I disable WiFi and mobile data, my phone's battery doesn't deplete much, which is the biggest impediment to using a phone as a bike computer.
Sure, though many, such as myself, want to be able to see a screen for stuff like pacing and navigation. I do wish that the Strava app was still connecting to external sensors, though - last year, when I my computer died mid-ride, I popped on the Strava app to serve as backup. Later, when trying to pair it to all of my BT sensors, for more comprehensive ride data in the event that I needed it as a backup again, I saw that they'd recently put the kibosh on it. Bummer.
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Old 07-17-20, 08:20 AM
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If Strava did work towards making their mobile app a cycle computer replacement, that would probably be the only way I'd pay for a subscription. If they did that, one wouldn't need to spend several hundred dollars on a Garmin head-unit which is money that could go towards a Strava subscription. Oh well, dare to dream!
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Old 07-17-20, 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Hikebikerun
I am using an Apple Watch for HR. Is that considered sub-par compared to the chest straps?

I figured cadence info would be provided by the PM (it is crank based and calculates cadence using the accelerometer I believe). Part of my query was about whether Strava would allow me to see/analyze that info from the PM, which it doesn’t sounds like it will.

Given that it looks like a computer is required, I’m going to weigh whether I want to invest that much right now, or if I should just get out and ride for another few months and let it stir around in the ol noggin.

There’s also the tri shorts and wet suit I’m eyeing.... this is becoming a problem lol. I’m going to have to start hiding packages from the lady
Make sure you can find an app to get the Apple Watch to Bluetooth HR to the computer. An electrically coupled strap is not necessary for HR, is a pain to wear, and causes skin irritation on many people, but you may need a different optical device to wear on your arm.
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Old 07-17-20, 10:54 AM
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I'm happy with the following combination:
  • Favero Assioma Uno (pedal type) power meter
  • Wahoo Tickr (chest strap) heart rate monitor
  • iPhone SE
  • Wahoo Fitness iPhone app
  • Strava paid subscription
  • Elevate Chrome extension for Strava (!)
  • Sauce Chrome extension for Strava

The Favero pedals have worked great for me. Easy set-up. Easy to move between bikes. Affordable. And I can upgrade to Duo if I decide I want right leg data too. The Favero pedals nominally use Look Keo type cleats. Before I got the Favero pedals, I used Look Keo Blade pedals on my main road bike. So, when I got the Faveros, I transferred the Blades to my commuter bike. I actually slightly prefer the Faveros to the Blades as pedals... but the bigger difference is that Favero brand cleats are clearly superior to actual Look cleats. Evidently made from better material, they're much longer wearing.


IMHO, Elevate's Fitness-&-Freshness feature works much better than the one in Strava.


The iPhone actually works great as a cycling computer... even for long rides. I like being able to see/hear my phone (and text messages) while I ride. On really hot, summer days the iPhone can overheat, so I move it out of the sunlight. I sometimes use an Anker Powercore Lite supplemental battery. With that, i can go days or hundreds of miles without plugging into a wall. But again, on hot days its important to only charge the phone for short periods (like maybe 10 or 15 minutes) to keep it from overheating.
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Old 07-17-20, 11:37 AM
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I suspect your apple watch will to link to the power meter or some app that you can get on it will, not sure. I recently got a 4iii's single sided power meter and like seeing the data. I use a Garmin to record the data.
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Old 07-17-20, 04:39 PM
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That looks like a solid idea! let me the results when its done
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Old 07-17-20, 09:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Froomewannabe
I suspect your apple watch will to link to the power meter or some app that you can get on it will, not sure. I recently got a 4iii's single sided power meter and like seeing the data. I use a Garmin to record the data.
It will not. The types of devices an Apple Watch will pair with is very limited, and just about the only thing useful it can do is act as a HRM via heartcast (https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/heartc...r/id1499771124) which sends out HR data.

The discussion of cobbling something together vs buying a cycling computer reminds me of cooking at home (collecting ingredients from multiple shops, knowing how everything interacts, maintaining a kitchen, etc) vs going out to eat. Up-front cost for the former may be lower, but a lot more effort required and for a lot of people consistent, satisfactory results are elusive.
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