The Three Layers of Power Analysis
Layer 1: Ride metrics. NP, IF, TSS, power zones, time in zone. Every platform does this. It tells you what happened.
Layer 2: Trend tracking. CTL/ATL/TSB (PMC), FTP history, power duration curve, W’bal. This tells you where you’ve been and where you’re heading.
Layer 3: Coaching insight. What should you do differently? Where are you leaking watts? Is your training polarized enough? This is where platforms diverge sharply.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | PDC | PMC | Ride Scoring | Multi-Sport | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WKO5 | Best | Via TrainingPeaks | No | Cycling + Running | $179 one-time |
| intervals.icu | Good | Yes | No | All | Free / $10/yr |
| TrainingPeaks | Basic | Yes (original) | No | All | $19.95/mo |
| Golden Cheetah | Good | Yes | No | Cycling + Running | Free |
| Paincave | Good | Yes | 0–100 per ride | Cycling + Running + Swimming | $9.99/mo |
Individual Reviews
WKO5
The deepest power analysis tool available. WKO5’s Power Duration Model creates a mathematically modeled curve of your best efforts across every duration, revealing your phenotype (sprinter, pursuiter, time trialist, climber) with precision no other tool matches. iLevels provide individualized training zones derived from your actual power curve rather than generic FTP percentages.
The learning curve is steep. WKO5 is built for coaches and data-obsessed athletes who want to manipulate charts, create custom dashboards, and compare season-over-season trends. If you don’t know what Pmax, FRC, and mFTP mean, you’ll spend weeks learning the interface before extracting value.
One-time purchase of $179 (requires TrainingPeaks account for data sync). Desktop-only — no mobile app.
Verdict: Deepest analysis available. The PDC model is unmatched. Best for coaches and athletes who want to dive deep into power data. Overkill for most recreational riders.
intervals.icu
The community darling. intervals.icu provides TrainingPeaks-level analytics (PMC, power zones, time in zone, fitness/fatigue charts) for free. The power duration curve, season planner, and customizable dashboards rival paid platforms. Strava sync is seamless.
The interface is functional but not beautiful — it looks like it was built by an engineer (because it was). The learning curve is moderate: you need to understand CTL/ATL/TSB to get value from the PMC. The $10/year supporter plan unlocks additional features and faster sync.
Where it falls short: no ride scoring, no coaching suggestions, and no training plan generation. It tells you what happened but not what to do next. Best paired with a coaching platform that provides the “what to do” layer.
Verdict: Best free analytics platform. Replaces 90% of TrainingPeaks Premium for $0. Essential for data-driven cyclists on a budget.
TrainingPeaks
The original PMC platform. TrainingPeaks invented the Performance Management Chart and remains the standard for coach-athlete workflow. Plan Builder, calendar drag-and-drop, and structured workout creation are polished. The marketplace offers thousands of paid training plans from certified coaches.
The analytics have fallen behind. The power duration curve is basic compared to WKO5. There’s no ride scoring or coaching feedback. The $19.95/month Premium price is hard to justify when intervals.icu offers comparable analytics for free. The value is in the coaching ecosystem, not the analysis tools.
Verdict: Best for coached athletes using the coach-athlete sharing features. For self-coached athletes, intervals.icu + a coaching platform offers more for less.
Golden Cheetah
The open-source power analysis tool. Free, powerful, and ugly. Golden Cheetah offers deep analytics including W’bal modeling, critical power estimation, and custom metric creation. The Banister model implementation is one of the most configurable available.
The interface is dated and unintuitive. Setup requires manual file imports or connecting to cloud services. There’s no mobile app. But for analysts who want to create custom charts and explore power data without commercial constraints, nothing else offers this flexibility at zero cost.
Verdict: Best for data scientists who happen to ride bikes. Incredibly powerful if you invest the setup time. Not for casual users.
Paincave
Paincave focuses on Layer 3: turning data into action. Every ride gets a 0–100 score with specific feedback on what went well and what to improve. The weekly plan adapts based on your actual training load, not what you were supposed to do. Power profile analysis identifies your rider type and targets your limiters.
The PMC uses the standard Banister model (CTL τ=42, ATL τ=7) — the same math as TrainingPeaks and intervals.icu. Power duration curves are available with filterable time ranges. Per-sport CTL tracking separates cycling, running, and swimming fitness.
What it lacks: WKO5-depth PDC modeling and the custom charting flexibility of Golden Cheetah. It trades analysis depth for coaching accessibility — you open the app and it tells you what to do today, why, and what to eat.
Verdict: Best at translating power data into daily coaching decisions. Less analysis depth than WKO5, but more actionable for self-coached athletes.
Best Combinations
- Free stack: intervals.icu (analytics) + Paincave (coaching) — comprehensive coverage for $9.99/mo total
- Pro stack: WKO5 (deep analysis) + TrainingPeaks (coach workflow) + Paincave (daily coaching) — maximum depth
- Minimal: Paincave alone covers planning, scoring, nutrition, and PMC for most self-coached athletes
What We’d Choose
Best analysis depth: WKO5. The power duration model and iLevels are unmatched. One-time $179 purchase.
Best free analytics: intervals.icu. 90% of TrainingPeaks Premium for $0. Every cyclist should have an account.
Best coaching insight: Paincave. Turns your power data into daily coaching decisions. $9.99/mo for planning, scoring, and nutrition.
Your power data deserves better than a chart
Paincave scores every ride 0–100, identifies your limiters, and adapts your plan weekly. Open metrics, rule-based science, no black boxes.