Stages v Pioneer

ajkerr73
ajkerr73 Posts: 318
edited August 2016 in Road buying advice
Got two bikes with the same ultegra crankset so (in my mind at least) it makes sense to go with a crank based PM

Any opinions on the trade off between these two?

Think I can get the Pioneer for £50 less than the Stages.

Comments

  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Can you afford a proper crank pm like Quarq or P2M?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • ajkerr73
    ajkerr73 Posts: 318
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Can you afford a proper crank pm like Quarq or P2M?

    I would prefer to stick to the £500 mark and also believe (although I'm happy to be put straigh on this) that switching a crank arm between two bikes would be less problematic than switching the entire chainset.
  • dyrlac
    dyrlac Posts: 751
    I had endless problems with stages (ultegra 6800) on my Dolan. Took three replacements--all gen 2--to try to sort a persistent signal drop out, none of which were successful. Ultimately replaced with a pioneer unit, which works fine but is not as polished hardware-wise (bigger, less well bonded to the crank arm, fiddlier initial installation and firmware updating). I also have a stages (dura ace 7710, gen 1, octalink) on my fixie, which after one replacement has worked perfectly.

    100% agree on portability. Either stages or pioneer is a doddle to switch between bikes assuming they have the same/compatible BBs: I move my pioneer between the Dolan (well, pre-crash, but that's another story) and my turbo-dwelling caadx all the time. Suppose you could get to a similar place with a powertap wheel, or a pedal based approach (assuming you were fine with the pedal system on offer: I wasn't), but left-only crank arms do the business for me. I'm sure they overstate my power by some amount (especially as my right leg is still buggered from the aforementioned crash), but I'm confident they do so consistently.
    All my Dolans
    Cannondale CAADX
    Charge Plug 1
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Ajkerr73 wrote:
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Can you afford a proper crank pm like Quarq or P2M?

    I would prefer to stick to the £500 mark and also believe (although I'm happy to be put straigh on this) that switching a crank arm between two bikes would be less problematic than switching the entire chainset.

    Assuming you have the same BB on both bikes, what's the problem with swapping the full crankset? You're going to be taking one crank arm off anyway, so just slip the chain off, pull the crank out and away you go. If you need to change BBs, then sure, it is more of a hassle.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    What bottom Bracket do you have?

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/quarq-riken-al- ... kset-bb30/

    Bear in mind these could be end of line discounts as Quarq are just about to launch new models. But the Riken is quality power meter.
  • dyrlac
    dyrlac Posts: 751
    robbo2011 wrote:
    What bottom Bracket do you have?

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/quarq-riken-al- ... kset-bb30/

    Bear in mind these could be end of line discounts as Quarq are just about to launch new models. But the Riken is quality power meter.

    I looked at this as well, and may have gone down that route had I been building up a new bike from scratch, but it means you're also buying new chainrings--6800 is not compatible--and chucking out a perfectly serviceable (and much better looking/spec'd, IMHO) chainset.
    All my Dolans
    Cannondale CAADX
    Charge Plug 1
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I know there are plenty of Stages bashers ... but (touch wood) I've not had a problem with my unit in the 2 years I've had it - it's a 105 model (I assume Gen1) - as it's working I've not updated the firmware.

    Not sure if I'd try a Pioneer or not ... not heard anything bad - except the above.
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    Dyrlac wrote:
    I looked at this as well, and may have gone down that route had I been building up a new bike from scratch, but it means you're also buying new chainrings--6800 is not compatible--and chucking out a perfectly serviceable (and much better looking/spec'd, IMHO) chainset.

    Ah, of course. I forgot that the Ultegra chainrings are 4 bolt affairs. Then only the Elsa RS would fit which is much more expensive. Maybe there will be other options with the new models from Quarq.
  • ajkerr73
    ajkerr73 Posts: 318
    robbo2011 wrote:
    What bottom Bracket do you have?

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/quarq-riken-al- ... kset-bb30/

    Bear in mind these could be end of line discounts as Quarq are just about to launch new models. But the Riken is quality power meter.

    I've got ultegra 6800 on a "shimano press fit" BB

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