Power meter advice needed

Equipment
1

Hi,
i’ve been reading as much as i could but between my general ignorance about bike components and never actually have had a power meter (on a ‘real’ bike), i can’t really wrap my head around the topic.
Also, asking TR support about using one with a Garmin for outdoor workouts did not clear my doubts.
So: i just upgraded an old Epic 26 that gave up the ghost to a fairly current (6 months old) Scott spark RC Comp (the cheaper build, still full carbon). It comes with a basic Sram NX group. My main doubts:

  • I could get Garmin one side pedals for about €600, change group to an XT with either single side or double side cranks for about €600 and €750 respectively (Stages) or all the way near one grand for spider options, double sided Garmin pedals or Rotor 2InPower. Am i right in assuming all this? What would be the better option? Are there others?

  • Completing outdoor workouts now, with just a Polar, i can pair them with a programmed workout and get the corresponding PL; as for TSS, i get it from HR. Using a Garmin with a powermeter would just add a more accurate TSS form the power data or would it also give the right PL from what i actually did? I mean, if i add an hour of tempo work outside with a PM and a Garmin, will TR add the corresponding PL for the extra tempo work?

So far i tend to use the trainer for VO2Max or shorter interval workouts and swap outside rides for longer interval workouts, like threshold etc. In this scenario, not having a PM is not that great of a deal and HR helps me enough. But especially with a better bike now, i’d like to ride more outside so wonder if a PM will enable me to swap more workouts outside and still be productive. It’s quite an expense to then find out it does not quite work as i thought.
Thanks a lot for all the input and help,
D.

2

There’s a few other threads about some options, but I have two Sigeyi Power Meters (as recently reviewed by @GPLama ) and they have been great. One is installed on a Spark (aluminium rear triangle unlike your carbon one). I think pedals or Spider is best based on my experience trying to fit a stages and 4iiii (and failing).

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Thanks; see, even after reading quite a bit, i was not even considering the Sigeyi. Called my bike shop, and there is actually a distributor now here (Spain). Got a good price and for less than €700 i’ll get the spider, a Sram chainring and a Garmin 530; all fitted.

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I have a pair of Garmin Rally (left side only) SPD pedals and a pair of Favero Assioma (dual) keo pedals. Love them both. Bought the Rally pedals after the Assiomas, and haven’t really noticed the difference of having left only vs. both sides (my split is nearly even, so you may feel differently). Both work great with a head unit for completing workouts outside. Assume you’d be looking at the Garmins given your bike choice :slight_smile: