Which Power Software should I use? Is CyclingPeaks the standard?

[Ariel]

Hello,
The long awaited day finally happened.. I got my Powertap! Now I'm trying to sort out how to use it best. I have a Mac computer and the Powertap came with PowerAgent software. I was reading "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" which seems to refer mostly to CyclingPeaks software. It seems PowerAgent doesn't have all the same features as CyclingPeaks, am I wrong? I guess CyclingPeaks doesn't work on Mac without some modifications like putting Windows on my machine (which I really didn't want to do). What are you other Mac users using for Power Software? Does everyone pretty much use CyclingPeaks as the gold standard? Am I going to be better off just finding a way to run CyclingPeaks rather than any other software?

Thanks for your help.

Ariel

 

[grahamspringett]

PowerAgent is OK, and I was happy using it on my Mac, but once I started investigating Cycling Peaks and actually playing with the demo, I found it by far a better tool.

I have an iMac with Intel chip and I use Parallels to run Windows so I can use Cycling Peaks. You need to download the USB cradle software to use the Power Tap but once you're set up, you can use Cycling Peaks freely.

I have found Windows to be horribly unreliable (I have XP) and have had to reinstall it twice in only a few months, largely due to viruses finding their way in. My tip - if you want to use the internet, do it through the Mac, not using Windows via Parallels.

Fortunately I backed up my Power Tap data (you can use a handy included tool called Parallels Explorer to rummage around and copy files without launching Parallels itself and encountering Windows problems) so I was fine. I also use Snapshots, which takes, well, snapshots, of the Windows system so if you have major problems you can revert to an earlier snapshot. This kills newer data in Cycling Peaks, but if you've backed up it's fine.

If you have an earlier Mac, you can use Virtual PC or something similar. That worked well for me using the old Power Tap software.

There are little obstacles to overcome, but believe me, the amount of information you get from Cycling Peaks is well worth the effort. It's like using Photoshop instead of some free shareware to manipulate images, the difference is that great in my opinion.

 

[Ariel]

Thanks grahamspringett for your detailed response. When viruses manage to come in, are they able to infect the Mac side of things? Or do they just screw up the Windows side? I think I am going to try out the CyclingPeaks. But I really don't want to mess up my Mac over it.

Thanks,
Ariel

 

[lanierb]

Hello,
Is CyclingPeaks the standard?

Yes.

 

[flup]

Yes.

Did you try other software, besides Cyclingpeaks?

 

[daveryanwyoming]

Did you try other software, besides Cyclingpeaks?

Can't speak for lanierb, but I've tried PowerAgent, Golden Cheetah, and CyclingPeaks WKO+. Of those three WKO+ is vastly superior with far better features. The Performance Manager alone is worth the purchase price of WKO+.

-Dave

 

[Dror Hadadi]

There are many softwares and apps which show your power data. Most of them will present a chart with your power at every second of the workout and add a few aggregated statistics: min, max power, intensity factor and so on. Yet, those softwares don’t make it easier for you to understand the data, compare it to the past and adapt your training accordingly. AlgoTrain helps you understand the workout and analyses all of your past data to help you train better.

The Software segments your ride into different efforts and colors them by the relevant intensity. This way you can easily see where you pushed hard. Let's assume you rode hard on a certain hill for 2:30 minutes. AlgoTrain will automatically detect that effort and color it according to how hard you went (it automatically calculates your threshold).

In addition, you can easily compare your performance to the past. Either based on a specifics stretch of road or based on the effort itself (so you can see all the times you did a 5 minutes interval for example).

Take a look in:
- https://algotrain.com/cycling-power-meter-software-app/
- app.algotrain.com/signup

Disclaimer - I work for AlgoTrain.

 

[StriveMax]

For a long time I was looking for a free online app that helps you intuitively plan, log, analyze, and share my cycling data.

I just couldn't find one that was user friendly with the right amount of information, so I decided to create StriveMax (with a couple of cycling buddies) , which is a completely free online platform that enables you to intuitively log, analyze, and share your ride data and allows you to plan your training.

Hope you will find it useful too http://www.strivemax.com

 

[Power Meter City]

Didn't know what people meant by CyclingPeaks...then I realized those threads were 10 years old... It's still the standard...just better and with a different name.

 

[MTBRaider]

Yo, Mac user here too. PowerAgent and CyclingPeaks are indeed different beasts. PowerAgent is more basic, but it gets the job done. CyclingPeaks has more bells and whistles, but it's a pain to set up on a Mac. I've heard Golden Cheetah is a decent option for us Mac folks. It's open-source and has a lot of the same features as CyclingPeaks. Just remember, a power meter is just a tool. It's not gonna make you a better cyclist if you don't put in the work. So stop fiddling with software and get out there and ride!

 

[rtd131]

Hey there! Congrats on your new Powertap! I'm a Mac user too, and I feel your pain about CyclingPeaks. PowerAgent is a decent choice, but I agree, it lacks some features. I've been using Golden Cheetah, an open-source alternative that's quite powerful. It may take some time to set up, but it's worth it. Give it a shot, and let's hear how it goes!

 

[MTBRaider]

Oh hey there! Congrats on joining the Powertap club! As a fellow Mac user, I totally get your frustration with CyclingPeaks. PowerAgent is alright, but it's like a bike without pedals, you know? I've heard good things about Golden Cheetah though, it's like the hidden gem of open-source alternatives. It might be a bit of a setup hassle, but hey, nothing worth having comes easy, right? ‍ So give it a whirl and let us know how it goes! ‍

 

[fblum]

While PowerAgent and CyclingPeaks differ in features, it's not accurate to say one is inherently better. Both have strengths and cater to various user needs. As a Mac user, consider alternative options like Golden Cheetah or TrainerRoad, which offer power analysis capabilities without requiring Windows installation. Healthy debate fosters growth, and I respect your viewpoint while offering an alternative perspective.

 

[Elyes]

You're right, PowerAgent lacks some features compared to CyclingPeaks. But why settle for second best? I challenge your assumption that you need Windows for CyclingPeaks. Have you explored virtual machine options on your Mac? It's time to push back against limitations and demand the best tools for your training. Let's not compromise on quality because of software compatibility issues.