New power meter to be announced at Eurobike

doyler78
doyler78 Posts: 1,951
edited September 2010 in Training, fitness and health
Just seen this over on wattage.

http://www.power2max.de/power2max.php

At 690 Euro (inc VAT - german) it looks interesting. Can't find any specs for it though on the website. The webshop expects to be selling from Sept/Oct this year so looks its pretty much there. Now at that price point it will introduce a little competition to the power meter market, assuming it can deliver.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    That came out of the blue!

    Wonder what's happening with Metrigear and Brim Brothers?..
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    NapoleonD wrote:
    That came out of the blue!

    Wonder what's happening with Metrigear and Brim Brothers?..

    Yeah - it's not often we get a surprise. There's so much hype and you wait and wait endlessly.

    Metrigear is apparently going to be sold as a joint product by Polar and Look (hence why speedplay is no longer mentioned on the website). That's due for launch at the a bike show in the US later this year.

    Brim Brothers are still talking. Next year now apparently. Of all of them the Brim Brothers appeals the most because I can't use Look pedals but at 690E I could be tempted with that new power meter and to hell with the job of swapping over cranks. I'd learn at that price :lol:
  • magliaceleste
    magliaceleste Posts: 748
    The other problem with Metrigear (assuming it even works properly) is that I think Polar don't do ANT+, only their own protocol. Which means a Polar head unit of some form. Pretty naff and that's coming from a Look user.

    This new German meter is quite a lot like a Quarq as far as I can tell.
  • twotyred
    twotyred Posts: 822
    Good news that another manufacturer has entered the market but at £671 inc vat its only £74 cheaper than a Powertap Elite + built into a wheel. Not exactly a market dislocation but hopefully Powertap will respond in due course. Beats me how any of these companies can justify the prices they charge for a strain gauge and a bit of software.
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    The most important consideration when choosing a power meter is the quality of data it provides. Everything else is a feature.

    So far these units are an unknown quantity as far as data quality goes since none of them are actually available.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    twotyred wrote:
    Good news that another manufacturer has entered the market but at £671 inc vat its only £74 cheaper than a Powertap Elite + built into a wheel. Not exactly a market dislocation but hopefully Powertap will respond in due course. Beats me how any of these companies can justify the prices they charge for a strain gauge and a bit of software.

    Well with the euro ~ 1.22 at the minute I make it £563. That make any difference :wink:
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    I hope either Metrigear or Brim Brothers get something in the shops by the end of the year, but I'm not holding my breath. It'll be a real shame if the Metrigear is indeed non-ANT+ as if that's the case I won't be getting one, but the idea of a PM in the pedal that can be easily swapped between bikes appeals to me a lot. If the pedal-based systems work as well as a PowerTap then I think it'll be bye-bye PowerTap for many users, myself included.
    More problems but still living....
  • twotyred
    twotyred Posts: 822
    Well with the euro ~ 1.22 at the minute I make it £563. That make any difference

    Not when you add the 19% vat and get £670.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    twotyred wrote:
    Good news that another manufacturer has entered the market but at £671 inc vat its only £74 cheaper than a Powertap Elite + built into a wheel. Not exactly a market dislocation but hopefully Powertap will respond in due course. Beats me how any of these companies can justify the prices they charge for a strain gauge and a bit of software.

    Bear in mind that the quoted price is for the sensor only and assumes you have a suitable chainset that can be used. For a fair comparison, you need to look at the (Power2max + chainset) cost vs. (Powertap+ wheelbuild).

    Website is unclear as to whether you can fit the unit yourself or if you have to send your chainset to Power2max for modification
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    twotyred wrote:
    Well with the euro ~ 1.22 at the minute I make it £563. That make any difference

    Not when you add the 19% vat and get £670.

    VAT in included :wink:
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    LangerDan wrote:
    twotyred wrote:
    Good news that another manufacturer has entered the market but at £671 inc vat its only £74 cheaper than a Powertap Elite + built into a wheel. Not exactly a market dislocation but hopefully Powertap will respond in due course. Beats me how any of these companies can justify the prices they charge for a strain gauge and a bit of software.

    Bear in mind that the quoted price is for the sensor only and assumes you have a suitable chainset that can be used. For a fair comparison, you need to look at the (Power2max + chainset) cost vs. (Powertap+ wheelbuild).

    Website is unclear as to whether you can fit the unit yourself or if you have to send your chainset to Power2max for modification

    yeah still a lot of info to be filled in certainly but good to see more competition in the market. Hopefully will force prices lower.
  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    doyler78 wrote:
    Metrigear is apparently going to be sold as a joint product by Polar and Look (hence why speedplay is no longer mentioned on the website). That's due for launch at the a bike show in the US later this year.

    Where did you hear that? I've been following the Metrigear progress for a while now and their site mentions nothing of Look and Polar relations. Indeed it still refers to the ANT+ protocol as the method of communicating between head unit and power meter. If they are only working with Look and Polar I too will not be enteretaining that idea any longer. Pity, but I can see why they might be having difficulty in getting a deal done with pedal manufacturers to incorprate the kit in.
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    GavH wrote:
    doyler78 wrote:
    Metrigear is apparently going to be sold as a joint product by Polar and Look (hence why speedplay is no longer mentioned on the website). That's due for launch at the a bike show in the US later this year.

    Where did you hear that? I've been following the Metrigear progress for a while now and their site mentions nothing of Look and Polar relations. Indeed it still refers to the ANT+ protocol as the method of communicating between head unit and power meter. If they are only working with Look and Polar I too will not be enteretaining that idea any longer. Pity, but I can see why they might be having difficulty in getting a deal done with pedal manufacturers to incorprate the kit in.

    It's just a rumour based no 2 things really.

    1) Polar & Look are about launch a pedal based power meter system in US, Interbike or whatever the big US bike show is

    2) Metrigear has suddenly dropped its association with speedplay and they're roughly planned launch is around the same time as the Polar/Look launch.

    Of course idol speculation can be wrong. BTW I wasn't the one putting things together however it does make sense to me.

    Despite the rumours nothing has actually been denied by metrigear so that in itself is interesting.
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    The most important consideration when choosing a power meter is the quality of data it provides. Everything else is a feature.

    So far these units are an unknown quantity as far as data quality goes since none of them are actually available.
    BTW - when assessing any power meter - it's really important that it provides for the ability to validate its calibration.

    I would not recommend any meter missing that function.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    The most important consideration when choosing a power meter is the quality of data it provides. Everything else is a feature.

    So far these units are an unknown quantity as far as data quality goes since none of them are actually available.
    BTW - when assessing any power meter - it's really important that it provides for the ability to validate its calibration.

    I would not recommend any meter missing that function.

    Do you recommend powertaps? :D
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    And here it is:

    http://www.polar.fi/en/about_polar/news ... wer_pedals

    1500 to 1800 Euro - so not cheap and not ant+ compatible. No details on accuracy. Spring next year before it hits the market.

    Will work with existing Polar CS600, 600x & 500. Considering my Polar CS600x doesn't even average power and there is no way to update firmware that's a big letdown already.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    The Look/Polar may not actually be the Metrigear product.

    From the Metrigear twitter feed on the 20th August:
    Thanks for all the inquiries - we’re alive, well, and make no mistake, working hard on Vector. Sorry, but no release date to announce yet.
    More problems but still living....
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    amaferanga wrote:
    The Look/Polar may not actually be the Metrigear product.

    From the Metrigear twitter feed on the 20th August:
    Thanks for all the inquiries - we’re alive, well, and make no mistake, working hard on Vector. Sorry, but no release date to announce yet.

    That's been suggested on Wattage also by someone who seems to know more than he is allowed to say and that's from the metrigear side of things. He is probably under some sort of NDA.

    Seems the tide is moving away from that notion again however others still remain to be convinced what they see as very similiar design features.

    In any case the Look/Polar colloboration gives an insight into what value they place on their product so it'll be interesting to see what metrigear come up with.

    I would be interested to know which pedal system metrigrear goes with as they have moved away from speedplay and now Look has nailed their colours to the mast so that leaves Shimano as the other big player (are time a big player in the road market?). Would Shimano go with this sort of system or would they like to control things themselves? Would they prefer something based along the quarq/srm lines?

    Interesting times.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Yeah I've been following the Wattage forum as well. Like most people I'd assumed that the Look/Polar had to be the Metrigear product, but the twitter post 2 weeks ago and the guy on the Wattage forum have got me thinking it's probably not.
    More problems but still living....
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    doyler78 wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    That came out of the blue!

    Wonder what's happening with Metrigear and Brim Brothers?..

    Yeah - it's not often we get a surprise. There's so much hype and you wait and wait endlessly.

    Metrigear is apparently going to be sold as a joint product by Polar and Look (hence why speedplay is no longer mentioned on the website). That's due for launch at the a bike show in the US later this year.

    Brim Brothers are still talking. Next year now apparently. Of all of them the Brim Brothers appeals the most because I can't use Look pedals but at 690E I could be tempted with that new power meter and to hell with the job of swapping over cranks. I'd learn at that price :lol:


    Why can't you use Look pedals?


    FWIW - swapping cranks takes a few minutes at the most usually.
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    I can only unclip inwards and not outwards. Can you do this on Look pedals?
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    doyler78 wrote:
    I can only unclip inwards and not outwards. Can you do this on Look pedals?


    Look pedals allow you to unclip either way. I guess it just depends on whether or not there is enough room to rotate your heel inwards before it gets stuck in the frame!
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    Pokerface wrote:
    doyler78 wrote:
    I can only unclip inwards and not outwards. Can you do this on Look pedals?


    Look pedals allow you to unclip either way. I guess it just depends on whether or not there is enough room to rotate your heel inwards before it gets stuck in the frame!

    I would imagine it will not be an issue a I can do it with SPD-SL and I doubt there is much difference in stack height.

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