Advice with Power meter choice.

wavefront

Hi,

Could do with your thoughts!

I've decided to buy a powermeter as I've been getting quite serious about my riding and training this last year. The choices I'm considering, are a powertap or Quarq rings as they seem to be the two tried and tested routes, (but am reading alot about the new Stages, and vector pedals)

My current setup is:

I have have only one bike which I use all year round.
I have a couple of sets of wheels - a nice set for summer, another set for wetter days, and a wheel I use on the turbo with turbo tyre.
I already have a Garmin 500 to link to it.

I think I'll go down the Quarq chainring route. Despite it being more expensive it seems that it's more applicable to my situation, as I only have the one bike just now, and like the idea of having a PM which ever wheels I have on (dry, wet, turbo) . Does my logic make sense?

So, some questions :

1. I assume there's no issue using the Quarq rings in all weathers?

2. My current bike is a BB30. Should I get the Quarq rings in that configuration, or get an adaptor that allows another type of BB standard that may be more widely used, so if I do change bikes at any point, I wouldn't have to sell it?

3. I have a shimano setup just now, but am I correct in thinking my front derailleur would still work with the SRAM rings? I literally could swap out my current FSA chainring?

Should I be looking a a brand new purchase or look second hand - is there much to go wrong with them?

Thanks in advance!

ben16v

have a look at power2max too - a lot cheaper and for me ticks all the boxes - they all should be weather proof, depends on what bike your planning to buy - you can get adaptors the other way so a bsa 68mm will fit, and yeah sram and shimano and fsa will work

meesterbond

I'd second Power2Max. I've just fitted one to my main training bike and has been working flawlessly. There's a new, lighter version due out in Feb which is compatible with aero-rings if that floats your boat, but the older one isn't exactly lardy.

I already had a set of Rotor 3D+ cranks so to add the PM worked out at about £730 all in - took about 3 weeks to arrive, pretty straightforward to fit and whilst I'm still getting to grips with using power to train, it's a pretty solid investment.

Assuming it's compatible, I'm not sure what extra you'd get from a Quark over the P2M?

napoleond

I just went to pull the trigger on a P2M to find they only do direct bank transfer. I want to buy it on my Credit Card due to the protection it offers. Gutted!

Grill

If you do order from Power2Max, let me know as I need a new decal for mine but don't want to pay 20 euros shipping on a 5 quid part!

meesterbond

NapoleonD wrote:

I just went to pull the trigger on a P2M to find they only do direct bank transfer. I want to buy it on my Credit Card due to the protection it offers. Gutted!

Apparently that's a very common thing in Germany - BACS as the only payment method.

For what it's worth, my transaction was very smooth, you don't actually pay until you get an invoice with an estimated delivery date and they responded to a number of emails same day, including changing the order slightly midway through the process.

schlepcycling

NapoleonD wrote:

I just went to pull the trigger on a P2M to find they only do direct bank transfer. I want to buy it on my Credit Card due to the protection it offers. Gutted!

Don't they now take paypal.

napoleond

Just came up with bank transfer option

FatTed

I have an SRAM 22 Quarq, seems to work just fine, not tried any other power meter. Power meters do go wrong so make sure you are happy with warranty and backup.

richiegwy

Rather than start a new thread I am in a similar position and looking for advice. I am considering getting a powermeter and narrowed it down to power tap or power2max crank (rotor 3D+) At the minute I have 1 bike with 1 set of wheels (mavic ksyrium elites). I have a BSA68 BB so would need an adapter. While both will do a similar job I am more concerned with future proofing. If I go crank based I may need to use different adapters depending on BB but I have the flexibility of any wheels i choose. My biggest concern is the quality of the front shifting with non Shimano/SRAM crank especially if I move to 11 speed or Di2. At the minute I am running SRAM Red "Black edition"

If I go with the new power tap it will be cheaper and I would get a set of wheels built up (probably 50mm carbon clinchers). I could use regular drive train which works best for shifting but it limits me with changing wheels and I am not sure of the quality of the hub compare to regular hubs.

Which would be the biggest drawback limiting wheel choice or possible loss of quality of gear shifting? Any opinions on which way to go

jotko

I have been looking at getting a powertap.

The price they go for used is ludicrous - a few year old (ie out of warranty) bottom of the range ant+ powertap built on an open pro typically sells for ~£500 on ebay.

eg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321211914558? ... 1423.l2649
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200965602527? ... 1423.l2649

You could buy a pro hub brand new at Wiggle for £560 and get it built up on an Open Pro (or whatever) for ~£650. Or buy a better G3 complete wheel for £700.

Sell it after a couple of years and its probably cost you not much more than £5 a month, plus you get the security of a warranty.

Tom Dean

meesterbond wrote:

Assuming it's compatible, I'm not sure what extra you'd get from a Quark over the P2M?

For me it was payment by credit card, and to buy from a UK based company with a good reputation for customer service. The price difference if you look at the cheapest version of each is significant, but I think the Gossamer p2m is a fair bit heavier than Quarq Riken.

amaferanga

If you go for a P2M and you want to keep costs down, but don't fancy a Gossamer chainset then I'd recommend keeping an eye on eBay for a Truativ Rouleur Carbon, Bontrager Race X Light carbon or SRAM S900 (pre 2009) chainset. They're all the same, just with different decals, which can be easily removed. If you're patient you'll easily get one for <£100. They look good (especially if you remove the decals) and are quite a bit lighter than the Gossamer. And remember that you're removing the spider so you can buy either standard or compact cranks regardless of which P2M you get (but obviously if you get a crank with rings you won't be able to use the rings on the P2M if they have the wrong BCD).

napoleond

I've just ordered my 3rd powertap, a G3 on a hed ardennes rim. From cyclepowermeters.

amaferanga

madasahattersley wrote:

If the price of a powertap is 'ludicrous' then you don't yet see the value of a power meter and shouldn't be buying one yet.

He said the used price is ludicrous, which is true. It's almost as ludicrous as the prices for used Garmin Edges.

neeb

I now have 2 G3 powertaps. With the recent price drop, one of the biggest problems with powertaps is largely solved. Get two, and have one built up on training wheels and the other on "best" wheels / tubulars! The cost of two powertap G3s is about the same as a single crank-based meter, even one of the cheaper ones. Also, if you have more than one bike you can have power meters on both at the same time.

The G3 is also pretty light - it will only add about 100g over the weight of a normal hub, and that's in the centre of the wheel so won't significantly affect the way the wheel rides.

amaferanga

A single G3 wheel costs about the same as a Power2max, not two of them.

neeb

amaferanga wrote:

A single G3 wheel costs about the same as a Power2max, not two of them.

Yes, but you'd be buying wheels whatever system you used. If you are getting a powertap wheel built, or getting a powertap built into a wheel you already have, the cost is effectively just the G3 plus the wheelbuilding labour charges (and spokes if it's a rebuild).

neeb

Of course it does restrict the sorts of wheels you can use (many factory wheels, especially alloy ones, can't be rebuilt with a powertap hub), so the cost depends on the wheels you have and your plans for buying more.

jezzpalmer

NapoleonD wrote:

Just came up with bank transfer option

I concur, that's a bit crap in this day and age; I'm not a fan of direct bank transaction as you have no protection.
TBH PayPal, being a 3rd party handler, may not get you much protection from your credit card company; but an option to pay by credit card would be nice.
I was waiting for the typeS, hopefully they'll sort their payment methods out by the time it's available.

jotko

madasahattersley wrote:

If the price of a powertap is 'ludicrous' then you don't yet see the value of a power meter and shouldn't be buying one yet.

Yep, you got me wrong here.

I meant the USED price is ludicrous - an out of warranty knackered powertap wheel sells for 80% of RRP. It's not like these things don't wear out.

I can see the value of a power meter and will be buying a G3 in some form in the next few weeks - hanging fire as I am in the US for a couple of weeks soon and was gonna see what prices are like over there.

gaz047

Sure I read somewhere that power2max would be available to buy in the UK fairly soon. Can anyone confirm this?
Also am I right in thinking the s line won't be available till 2014? Ta

wavefront

Ok, thanks all, lots of good advice, which I've been trying to digest for this past week ( I haven't had chance to reply as I'm working too hard!) 

I had a good look at the power2max system, and decided I'll get one next month. All the reviews seem really positive, and it seems that there are only the occasional drift/temp issues. 

I wanted to check, if I bought a Rotor 3d plus with sensor (recommended for bb30) , I would need also need to source/buy 2 compatible chainrings and bolts aswell? Would they have to be Rotor chainrings or could I use FSA rings to help save some costs?

I'd already have my bb30 installed and have a garmin 500. 

Anything else I'd need that I'm missing ? (apart from the training with a power meter book everyone recommends!) 

Thanks in advance. 

schlepcycling

As far as I know you can use any chainrings that you like as long as they have the correct BCD, either 110mm or 130mm.

Grill

I use Praxis chainrings with mine.

napoleond

Praxis chainrings are da bom

wavefront

Thanks you three! Just looked at Praxis - very very nice, and it'll save me a tenner or two! Dammit, can't wait now. Going to look at all the colour combos and make a choice, Ta!

ben16v

amaferanga wrote:

And remember that you're removing the spider so you can buy either standard or compact cranks regardless of which P2M you get (but obviously if you get a crank with rings you won't be able to use the rings on the P2M if they have the wrong BCD).

just checking i am reading this right... i have rotor 3d 130 p2m and if i wanted a compact 110 then i could just buy the compact 110 3d and both cranksets would fit the p2m??

edit...
the spider/p2m are different sizes but the cranks are the same
cheers

amaferanga

ben16v wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

And remember that you're removing the spider so you can buy either standard or compact cranks regardless of which P2M you get (but obviously if you get a crank with rings you won't be able to use the rings on the P2M if they have the wrong BCD).

just checking i am reading this right... i have rotor 3d 130 p2m and if i wanted a compact 110 then i could just buy the compact 110 3d and both cranksets would fit the p2m??

edit...
the spider/p2m are different sizes but the cranks are the same
cheers

I was referring specifically to the SRAM S900 so I don't know about the Rotor cranks.

DavidJB

NapoleonD wrote:

Praxis chainrings are da bom

Agreed...use with a roter 3d+ crank and the front shifting is absolutely amazing...even better than when I had Ultega DI with a dura-ace 7900 crank...No more clunky down shifts...instant up-shifts (Record shifters)

Praxis FTW!

napoleond

Well, I finally decided to go powertap again. Ordered it and it came pretty quick although I was away at the time.
It doesn't work, the calibration is out and it's reading very low.
I contacted cyclepowermeters and they said the calibration is fine (it should read 512, it's reading 499 or 500. Cycleops say +/- 5 is out of tolerance. Cyclepowermeters say 12 is fine!!) and to update the firmware. After an hour and a half of faff after a bloody long, hard shift I got the firmware updated. It's still out. I'm at the moment rather pi55ed off.