Powertap Help Please

rozzer32
rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
edited February 2011 in Training, fitness and health
All,

have to decided to get a powertap instead of getting some carbon wheels for racing as I think it will be more useful.

Now I have a garmin 500 that I will use. So what I want to know is which powertap would be most suitable.

I have been offered a secondhand 2009 Elite+, I have read some reports of this only recording power etc and not giving live feed. Is this only when using a offical powertap cpu or is it the hub?

Any help would be great :)
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Comments

  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Any ANT+ PowerTap will be fine with your Edge 500 - you'll get the same information from the Elite+ as the SL+. The Elite is a bit heavier than the Pro+ and SL+ though.
    More problems but still living....
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
    Cool :D

    I'm not bothered about weight as it will only be a training wheel.
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    I find it useful having power data from races as well.
    More problems but still living....
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
    To be honest I don't see it being much of a help when doing one hour crits when your being pulled round by the bunch.
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  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    rozzer32 wrote:
    To be honest I don't see it being much of a help when doing one hour crits when your being pulled round by the bunch.

    More useful than your race wheels though no?

    I disagree. Not useful for pacing obviously, but useful data to look at after the race.
    More problems but still living....
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
    Yes I can see it being useful in races to look at data etc.

    If I was doing TT's that I can see a powertap (or other power meter) being a big help for know how hard to push to last the distance. But I don't race TT's.

    But I think for me personally it will benefit me more from training with it, then getting a pair of 50mm tubs just to use once a week.

    Knowing what I'm like I will probably end up buying a powertap hub to lace to a race wheel :roll:
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  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    When giving it your all in a race, it's nice to know that you aren't completely burying yourself...
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
    I can see what your saying.

    But for a newbie to power I don't think it is worth me spending lots and lots of ££££ to get a powertap I can race on when I have been offered a year old elite+ for £350 that I can use as a training wheel
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
    Can anyone help me with this??

    The second hand elite+ I have been offered is a campag free hub. I run shimano. I saw the new free hubs here http://www.cyclepowermeters.com/powertap-12mm-axle-steel-freehub-body-559-p.asp

    I just rang the LBS to ask how much it would be to change the freehub, (fully booked next week so doubt I would get a chance to do it) and they said they would have to send it back to Paligap to get done because it would effect the power readings if they just did it in their workshop.

    Is this true or just a load of bulls**t??
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  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    rozzer32 wrote:
    Is this true or just a load of bulls**t??

    The oldest freehubs had to be sent back, I'm not sure what the vintage of the easily replaceable one is. Call up Bob at CyclePowerMeters and he'll let you know. But I do think all Elite+'s are the new type where you can replace without impacting calibration, however don't trust me for sure!
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  • CoachFerg
    CoachFerg Posts: 50
    Sounds a little odd, I have removed the freehub from my old SL and my new SL+ with no issues.

    Only problem with my SL+ is having blown the torque tube requiring sending the hub to the US (from NZ) to have it serviced.

    I had been using it with the Edge 500 and it was working rather well.
  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,827
    jibberjim wrote:
    rozzer32 wrote:
    Is this true or just a load of bulls**t??

    The oldest freehubs had to be sent back, I'm not sure what the vintage of the easily replaceable one is. Call up Bob at CyclePowerMeters and he'll let you know. But I do think all Elite+'s are the new type where you can replace without impacting calibration, however don't trust me for sure!

    well this is a 2009 elite+ with a 12mm axle, they sell the replacement free hubs at cyclepowermeters.com and it does say for elite+ 2009.

    I also found this online and on page 35 it says nothing about sending it back, makes it sound easy.

    http://www.saris.com/pdfManuals/360.pdf

    So I think they might be telling me rubbish, although the guy on the phone said the powermeter expert at the shop wasn't in.
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • maryka
    maryka Posts: 748
    rozzer32 wrote:
    I can see what your saying.

    But for a newbie to power I don't think it is worth me spending lots and lots of ££££ to get a powertap I can race on when I have been offered a year old elite+ for £350 that I can use as a training wheel
    I raced on an Elite+ for most of 2009. The added weight is pretty negligible imo. And I was like 53kgs! But having the data to look at afterwards was great. In crits you want to know how many and how hard the surges are, where you're having trouble or getting dropped (if you are) to figure out why, what your attacks and breaks look like, what worked and what didn't, etc. Really invaluable info you'll never get from training unless you train with 50 odd people in a bunch. Even if you never look at it once during the race.

    I agree that for TTs it's handy for pacing during the race, but I found I would indeed look at my PT during road races and crits too. Either to warn me I was going too hard and would soon blow (on a hill for example) or that I wasn't going hard enough! Would not race without one now.
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