Garmin Vector in the Peloton?

fish156
fish156 Posts: 496
edited April 2012 in Pro race
Anyone noticed any riders using Garmin Vector? (Pedal based power measurement system.)

With Garmin still predicting a March 2012 release date, I'd expect some Garmin-Barracuda riders in the TdU to be testing the system by now?
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Comments

  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    I was shown the system by a Garmin rep at the London Bike Show. He told me it's the lightest power meter available. Looked OK. Would consider it, except it'll retail for over £1K according to him.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    That's the one in the pedals isnt it..?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • AndyRubio
    AndyRubio Posts: 880
    Yes, and me wantee so so bad it hurts.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Is it 1100 squids (what I last heard) with or without an edge device to read it?

    I'd like some but it would cot more than the bike I'd put it on!

    Ohh and I ve just thought that Garmin-Barracuda/Cervelo/whatever have some deal with Rotor as well don't they who have a deal with Quarq or SRM or similar? I wonder if that's why?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Judging from this photo, they are indeed using them:

    garmin_barracuda_20120122_1355_600.jpg
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    If they are as unreliable as the Look Keo pedals then I think I'll pass.. Worst spindles and bearings ever..
    cartoon.jpg
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Well shut my mouth....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Not sure in that photo that that isnt just a keo pedal with Garmin written on it, cant see the little unit that goes by the pedal as you can see in this photo...

    MG_1914small.jpg

    ...those little unit bits I assume contain the sender units for the data as against the strain guages which may be on the spindle??? ...dont know about that? ...also, I think those units should be black as on the Polar ones from the other make, they stand out a bit in silver??? ...also arent they a bit 'un-aero' spinning round compared to an SRM, only some thoughts... shame the units cant be made smaller and less obtrusive looking, spose if they could be they would be.
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    Thanks for the photo Colin, although well spotted mfin. An apparent lack of use by the pros suggests the system won't be in the shops in for March.

    I'd also be interested to know whether current Garmin head units are going to be compatible. There will need to be a firmware update at the very least, since there will now be 2 ANT+ power sensors to pick up, plus a change to the displayed data - total power, % left/right, etc. Would my Edge 500 be compatible or would I need to upgrade to an "Edge 500+" ?
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Fish, I'm sure I ve read that they will be compatible with the present Garmin Devices. This is just a guess but I reckon that doing Left and right pedals is still bit of a pipe dream, I think you ll just get the one figure at first...

    Reviews always seem to say things like "this has the possibility of measuring left and right pedal strokes" which makes me think it is not possible yet.....?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    ddraver wrote:
    Fish, I'm sure I ve read that they will be compatible with the present Garmin Devices. This is just a guess but I reckon that doing Left and right pedals is still bit of a pipe dream, I think you ll just get the one figure at first...

    Reviews always seem to say things like "this has the possibility of measuring left and right pedal strokes" which makes me think it is not possible yet.....?
    I'd imagine that "left and right" is reality with this system since there's 2 completely separate measurement devices.
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    Just out of interest, does that mean that the Speedplay version is not going ahead? Garmin bought Metrigear, but Metrigear's original protoype where with Speedplays weren't they?
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  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    http://sites.garmin.com/vector/#power

    Found a promo thing here - we re both right about bits ;)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    This thread really belongs in the Road Bike Gear Forum or something.

    Fill your boots on the link below for everything you ever wanted to know about the Vector Pedal..

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/09/ever ... -know.html
    cartoon.jpg
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    Doobz wrote:
    This thread really belongs in the Road Bike Gear Forum or something.
    Agreed, I was originally asking for sightings in the peloton.
    Doobz wrote:
    Fill your boots on the link below for everything you ever wanted to know about the Vector Pedal..

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/09/ever ... -know.html
    Ta.
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    So you add more roatating mass in those sender units?
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    F*ck me it'd be expensive if you tw@t your pedal on a curb or the road.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Someone had mentioned the left/right independent measuring as something it doesnt do. It does, there's the useful link Doobz wrote... but the long and short is the left pedal pod sends its reading to the right pedal pod... the right pedal pod is the ANT+ one and this sends the total power to the head unit along with a percentage figure of how much came from the right pedal. So the Garmin can show the total watts as normal and display percentage such as 53% / 47% to show how much of that is coming from the left / right.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    mfin wrote:
    Someone had mentioned the left/right independent measuring as something it doesnt do. It does, there's the useful link Doobz wrote... but the long and short is the left pedal pod sends its reading to the right pedal pod... the right pedal pod is the ANT+ one and this sends the total power to the head unit along with a percentage figure of how much came from the right pedal. So the Garmin can show the total watts as normal and display percentage such as 53% / 47% to show how much of that is coming from the left / right.

    Only the Edge 800 has had the firmware update to display L/R balance. The Edge 500 is supposed to be getting it next month. As I understand it no other Garmin devices will be getting the update.

    Not that L/R balance is actually of any use whatsoever unless perhaps you're returning from injury or something.

    For anyone interested, Brim Brothers are now taking advanced orders for their system with a delivery date of end 2012 at the earliest.
    More problems but still living....
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    amaferanga wrote:
    Only the Edge 800 has had the firmware update to display L/R balance. The Edge 500 is supposed to be getting it next month. As I understand it no other Garmin devices will be getting the update.

    I thinkthe Forerunner 310XT is getting it as well, well according to Clark Foy when he was interviewed at CAS anyway.

    The 705 is definately not getting it as it's software is on different architecture.
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  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    amaferanga wrote:
    Only the Edge 800 has had the firmware update to display L/R balance. The Edge 500 is supposed to be getting it next month. As I understand it no other Garmin devices will be getting the update.

    Not that L/R balance is actually of any use whatsoever unless perhaps you're returning from injury or something.

    For anyone interested, Brim Brothers are now taking advanced orders for their system with a delivery date of end 2012 at the earliest.

    Crumbs, lucky the update for the 500 is next month if you cant get the pedals till the end of the year!! :? Seriously, I thought these things were gonna be out real soon, by the time they're out we wont need pedals at all cos we'll all be wearing silver spandex and deely boppers (any pets will wear the same) and travelling around on hovering versions of space-hoppers.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    mfin wrote:
    Crumbs, lucky the update for the 500 is next month if you cant get the pedals till the end of the year!! :? Seriously, I thought these things were gonna be out real soon, by the time they're out we wont need pedals at all cos we'll all be wearing silver spandex and deely boppers (any pets will wear the same) and travelling around on hovering versions of space-hoppers.

    Sorry, should have made it clear - Brim Brothers is a different system to the Garmin one. Their design has the entire system on your shoe/cleat (Speedplay I think) so if it works it could be really really good.
    More problems but still living....
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    amaferanga wrote:
    mfin wrote:
    Crumbs, lucky the update for the 500 is next month if you cant get the pedals till the end of the year!! :? Seriously, I thought these things were gonna be out real soon, by the time they're out we wont need pedals at all cos we'll all be wearing silver spandex and deely boppers (any pets will wear the same) and travelling around on hovering versions of space-hoppers.

    Sorry, should have made it clear - Brim Brothers is a different system to the Garmin one. Their design has the entire system on your shoe/cleat (Speedplay I think) so if it works it could be really really good.

    Oh right!! That sounds interesting if it does away with the pods bit in a tidier fashion... Im gonna google that now and have a look. When was the Vector coming out then?? No-one seems to be listing it yet do they
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Well, that Brim Brother's system looks far more appealing!! Like it! Nothing I had seen before, if that comes out at the right price Id buy it for sure
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    For thiose of you that would like to see a bit of a review. Here's someone's review from CAS: http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/09/hand ... cleat.html

    The same guy also has some good looks at Vector
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  • rozzer32
    rozzer32 Posts: 3,823
    ***** Pro Tour Pundit Champion 2020, 2018, 2017 & 2011 *****
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    rozzer32 wrote:

    :(

    Thanks for the update though.
  • Any idea on the reliability of it compared to other power meters out there?
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  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Any idea on the reliability of it compared to other power meters out there?

    If they re not even confident enough to release it, not very good it would seem....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Any idea on the reliability of it compared to other power meters out there?

    Eh? It hasn't been released yet and the release has been put back indefinitely. That would suggest to me that it either just doesn't work or it's totally unreliable.
    More problems but still living....