{"id":25892,"date":"2016-10-11T14:44:27","date_gmt":"2016-10-11T21:44:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.trainerroad.com\/?p=25892"},"modified":"2020-06-26T14:28:03","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T21:28:03","slug":"virtualpower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trainerroad.com\/blog\/virtualpower\/","title":{"rendered":"VirtualPower: Structured Training Without a Power Meter"},"content":{"rendered":"

With VirtualPower\u00ae<\/strong><\/a>, you don\u2019t need a power meter to get the benefits of structured indoor power-based training.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s unanimous, the primary metric to train with today is power. But power meters are pricey, and not everyone is ready to invest in one. The good news is you no longer need one! VirtualPower<\/strong> allows you to get the most out of your indoor training while on a budget by turning your speed<\/span> <\/span>readings<\/span> into watts<\/span>.<\/p>\n

What is VirtualPower?<\/h2>\n

VirtualPower is a wattage calculation that\u2019s based on your speed and the unique make and model of the trainer you\u2019re using. Every make and model trainer on the market has a distinct speed-to-power ratio (often referred to as a power curve). Thus, if we have your speed readings, we have your power readings (in watts).<\/span><\/p>\n

What trainer do I need?<\/h3>\n

If you have an indoor trainer, odds are we have the power curve. Not often do we run into one that we don\u2019t support. And if we don\u2019t, we do a pretty darn good job at adding power curves for new trainers that have entered into the market.<\/span><\/p>\n

Find Out If Your Trainer Works With VirtualPower<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Is there anything else I need?<\/h3>\n

All you need is a speed sensor, and boom, bam, zip! You\u2019ll have power readings to perform structured indoor training sessions! <\/span><\/p>\n

Speed sensors are often sold in tandem with cadence sensors, making purchasing the bundle a bit more of an economical choice. Either of these will do the trick: Wahoo’s<\/a> or Garmin’s<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How accurate is it?!<\/h3>\n

The accuracy is largely dependent on the accuracy of the trainer\u2019s power-to-speed ratio. That said, there are a few things you can do to make sure your VirtualPower readings are as precise as possible. Those things include maintaining a consistent training setup by doing the following:<\/span><\/p>\n