Garmin Vector Pedals

volvo_fatboy

I'm looking at purchasing Garmin Vector pedals.

I'm questioning the value/cost ratio as a current non-racer, just looking at adding to my training info.

I may be being a bit thick :oops: but can anyone answer a few questions for me?

I know the Vector 2s can be bought for approx £599 and Vector 2 for approx £959.

Here's the bit I might be missing some info on:

I've seen the following two items for sale and wonder if buying these two items will give me what I require at a cheaper price? :?:

Garmin Vector 2 bodies approx £135
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/garmin-vector-2-bodies.html?gclid=COKljcrilMkCFWX4wgod1noFww

And

Garmin Vector 2 upgrade kit approx £120
http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Garmin/Vector-to-Vector-2-Upgrade-Kit-Standard-12-15mm/8325?gclid=CN6ziIDjlMkCFRcTGwodFLsD_A&gclsrc=aw.ds

Can anyone confirm or deny this?

Cheers in advance.

herzog

Would be nice, but sadly not. You'd need to buy either an old set of Vectors 2nd hand and then do the upgrade, or simply buy a set of Vector 2s.

Regarding if it's worth it, it depends on what you want to achieve and if you understand how you are going to achieve it. Power meters produce data and it's the interpretation of the data that is important.

redvision

Herzog wrote:

Would be nice, but sadly not. You'd need to buy either an old set of Vectors 2nd hand and then do the upgrade, or simply buy a set of Vector 2s.

Regarding if it's worth it, it depends on what you want to achieve and if you understand how you are going to achieve it. Power meters produce data and it's the interpretation of the data that is important.

This.

volvo_fatboy

Damn.. :evil: thanks guys...just trying to be clever.

philbar72

wouldn't bother with them. they are notoriously unreliable. 5/8 people I know that use them have issues with them and have warrantied...

jgsi

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743565#p19743565]philbar72[/url] wrote:

wouldn't bother with them. they are notoriously unreliable. 5/8 people I know that use them have issues with them and have warrantied...

ha!
must be true then, you wrote it on internet.... :roll:

cycleclinic

Fit them properly and don't be tempted to move them between bikes and they work fine. Start moving them between bikes and no matter how careful you are something will go wrong.

gaffer_slow

Vector 2 (both sides) £821 from Bike-Discount
http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/garmin-vector2-pedal-watt-measurement-system-452051?currency=3&delivery_country=190

Personally - and especially if you want easy installation/bike-swappability - go for Powertap P1

i would read this
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/10/buyers-guide2015-edition.html

as well as his (dcrainmaker's) individual reviews - all linked in the above article.

I would rather have a Power2Max (£720 for Rotor Version) than Vector's.
P2M is rock solid reliable.

But if you really want pedals - understandabe - get the Powertap P1

thegreatdivide

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743908#p19743908]thecycleclinic[/url] wrote:

Fit them properly and don't be tempted to move them between bikes and they work fine. Start moving them between bikes and no matter how careful you are something will go wrong.

Yet more forum nonsense.

DavidJB

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743940#p19743940]gaffer_slow[/url] wrote:

Vector 2 (both sides) £821 from Bike-Discount
http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/garmin-vector2-pedal-watt-measurement-system-452051?currency=3&delivery_country=190

Personally - and especially if you want easy installation/bike-swappability - go for Powertap P1

i would read this
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/10/buyers-guide2015-edition.html

as well as his (dcrainmaker's) individual reviews - all linked in the above article.

I would rather have a Power2Max (£720 for Rotor Version) than Vector's.
P2M is rock solid reliable.

But if you really want pedals - understandabe - get the Powertap P1

+1 had my P2M for 3 years and no issues at all...ridden through floods and storms and event with a dodgy outer case caused by me when installing it's been faultless.

herzog

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743908#p19743908]thecycleclinic[/url] wrote:

Fit them properly and don't be tempted to move them between bikes and they work fine. Start moving them between bikes and no matter how careful you are something will go wrong.

Really?

Having had an issue-free set of Vector 1s before regrettably selling them, and now an issue-free set of Vector 2s, I must be very lucky. Both sets were on and off bikes like a bride's nightie with no problems.

hdow

I'm with Herzog, got them when they first came out and have been trouble free. Often swap them between bikes, again trouble free. They've spent time in all weather conditions including many total immersions, again trouble free.

thegreatdivide

I'm with both of you. I've not had a single issue with my V1's. No dropped data after recent Garmin updates either.

philbar72

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743691#p19743691]JGSI[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743565#p19743565]philbar72[/url] wrote:

wouldn't bother with them. they are notoriously unreliable. 5/8 people I know that use them have issues with them and have warrantied...

ha!
must be true then, you wrote it on internet.... :roll:

Very good :roll: . its about setup. they can be very difficult to get right, and then they go out of tolerance and report rubbish. some do well with them, others maybe not so.

I'm also a power2max user. no problems at all with it. great product.

on-yer-bike

Ive just ordered a Vector 2S.I want to be able to fit on different bikes. I hope I havent made a mistake. A friend has a pair and moves them all the time. I paid 518£ from Bike24 using Transfer Wise. I think the pair are well under 900£

overlord2

Had my V1's for over a year and done about 6k miles on them. I have had the occasional drop out and the very rare session of dodgy data, but you get these with all power meters.

Bike swap-ability is the big bonus on these. They can go on the winter bike, summer, race, or TT on any groupset, crank etc...

My personal niggle with them is that they are not 'that easy' to switch bikes so I tend to keep them to one bike for several weeks. Switching them daily to a new bike I would say is a no-no. Although the V2s are a lot easier so it could be possible, but you would still need to calibrate etc which is part of the pain.

And they are made by Garmin - When working well they are great, but get a dodgy set I suspect they could be a nightmare. But I'd buy another pair.

jgsi

I have upgraded to fw 3.81 and will swap pedals over to my winter communter to do a 30 mile road ride tonight... I have every confidence... still on the V1s so bit of faff getting the right torque and pod position.

Elfed

Upgraded to 3.81 today and worked fine.

I must say that the clip in and out of the Vector's is much nicer than than my previous 6800 pedals, more positive. I swapped the supplied red cleats for the greys with less float, I think that was a big improvement in unclipping.

rudivoller22

Out of interest what torque wrench do you use? I'm using an old cheap one but not sure how accurate it is so looking for a new one.

jgsi

Pedals reported 100%.. bang on for an endurance ride.
I personally just use a hefty Lezyne pedal spanner.. even the Garmin guys on their videos dont actually bother with the torque wrench faff at all.
Back to being happy with my choice of PM.

overlord2

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19746015#p19746015]rudivoller22[/url] wrote:

Out of interest what torque wrench do you use? I'm using an old cheap one but not sure how accurate it is so looking for a new one.

Dont bother. They need to be on tight. Best way of making sure they are on at the right torque for me is just use my arm to tighten them and not use your body weight to apply torque. In other words put them on tight to the point of just begining to feel like grunting to put them on.

A cheap torque wrench would be ideal for this. A torque wrench is used so you dont strip threads or squash seals. Not likely on a set of pedals.

gaffer_slow

my understanding was the vectors needed very torque specific install...

hdow

I use a Park tools TW-2 and a TengTools 15mm shoe/spanner attachment thing. The recommended 34-40 Newton metres is less than I would normally tighten my pedals and after a bike hire place insisted on fitting them in Mallorca I hid to slacken them to get within recommended torque.

jasonbrim

Love my Vectors, and regularly swap them (or take them off my bike and put them back on when travelling on trains). No problems, apart from when I have had a low battery...obviously.

Would highly recommend them, but yeah, the Powertap P1s look like an even better choice now (although I hear they aren't as compatible with normal Look Keo cleats...maybe they'll fix the form in future version).

Regarding torque, I have heard that overtorquing isn't the issue, it is when you have too little torque that causes problems, and if you don't have a flat surface (hence needing an extra washer).

jgsi

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19747635#p19747635]gaffer_slow[/url] wrote:

my understanding was the vectors needed very torque specific install...

well in the early vector days, I think Garmin went ott with their advice.
Nowadays even Garmin workshop advice videos dont bother with torque wrenching the things.
A decent and I mean a decent pedal spanner using mechanical advanatge will tighten up the pedals enough for power readings to be accurate.
Historical reports of bad data etc more due to the fact that Vector firmware got screwed up .. not that I didnt get the Hulk to tighten my pedal . this has now been addressed.. touch wood.
I think we Vector users have been thru the mill with our pedals to know what is right and what is wrong despite what some NON Vector owners seem to delight in spouting off on Forums.

Yes, earlier this year I was ready to chuck the things into the canal by the way..

gaffer_slow

am i just a weakling or is 35Nm huge force for pedals? I just snug mine on and the use my weight to pinch them a little further

daniel_b

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19746015#p19746015]rudivoller22[/url] wrote:

Out of interest what torque wrench do you use? I'm using an old cheap one but not sure how accurate it is so looking for a new one.

I use this Sealey one:
http://www.tooled-up.com/product/sealey-3-8-drive-27-108nm-torque-wrench/26064/


Which combined with my Sealey 2-24nm one, covers me pretty comprehensively.

I went for the Vector 2 pedals, which come with a park tools crow foot.