Power meters

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Mike_GMT80
Posts: 32
Joined: 23 Jul 2020, 8:37am

Power meters

Post by Mike_GMT80 »

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, I did search and couldn’t see anything.

I’m interested in getting a power meter and just want to check that I can connect this to wahoo mobile app and then upload workout to strava.

Also, any power meter recommendations towards the lower end of the market? Something that a complete novice can fit too! I’ll probably be changing my bike next year so something that is easily transferable.

Thanks
Mike


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels
Des49
Posts: 799
Joined: 2 Dec 2014, 11:45am

Re: Power meters

Post by Des49 »

Most power meters will be able to talk to a bike computer like a Garmin, Wahoo etc., or to a phone app.

Which power meter is a bit of a minefield. These gadgets are not cheap and reliability is an issue with many, especially with long term usage.
Most affordable are single sided left cranks from Stages and 4iiii. But single sided measurement is not ideal for all.

I have direct experience with a Stages crank based meter that a family member used. Reliability was awful, leading to a couple of replacements and then a more recent model was much better. However still tricky to live with with fiddly, fragile batttery covers.

My own usage has been with a Garmin Vector 2 system, on the face of it really great - when they work! In my club I cannot think of anyone from several riders who hasn't given up on them. Initial battery chamber design issues were improved with a re-design, but problems still occur after a while. I now consider myself an expert at cleaning the contacts and stripping and re-building the pedals, but as one friend said why should they have to bother with that? The baby oil trick really does help and is now on Garmin's website. After many many problems things stabilised up but towards 18 months the axle assembly started to pull out of the body. Again a huge amount of time wasted with Garmin who eventually agreed to issue a replacement. After about 10 months some issues are now occuring again, right pedal drop out, unstable readings etc.

I brought my pedals from my LBS, specifically to have someone to turn to, but they apparently are not allowed to deal with these issues and the buyer has to deal with Garmin direct! One can only guess due to the amount of returns.

My recommendation? Go with the Assioma pedal system.

https://cycling.favero.com/assioma

Not quite as pretty as the Garmins, but the inbuilt batteries seem to avoid all the contact issues that persist with the Garmins. If I ever need to get a new system that is what I would get, if indeed I bother continuing with power measurement.

I need a pedal system as I swap between bikes including a couple with square taper axles. If you intend to change bikes in the future a pedal system makes sense.

Someone I know with a Quarq crank seems to have great reliability over the long term. But ask around, read reviews like on DCRainmaker's site. Look at long term reliability, problems often seem to happen once users start to change batteries.
ElCani
Posts: 537
Joined: 5 Mar 2015, 11:24am

Re: Power meters

Post by ElCani »

Only one data point obviously, but I've had no trouble in two years with my Powertap P1 pedals. I'm using the single-sided system, but as I've never used a double-sided system I have no idea about my left-right power balance so I don't think about it! A quick search does reveal plenty of people with problems with these pedals, but that's true for... basically everything.
Mike_GMT80
Posts: 32
Joined: 23 Jul 2020, 8:37am

Re: Power meters

Post by Mike_GMT80 »

Thanks Des49 and Elcani.

The assioma pedals are the ones I’m considering, have heard good things about them elsewhere. Not that keen on having to take them off to charge, but if that means a more reliable power meter then so be it. May also mean some new bike shoes as I currently wear MTB ones, but hey, don’t need much of an excuse to buy new bike stuff!


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels
Des49
Posts: 799
Joined: 2 Dec 2014, 11:45am

Re: Power meters

Post by Des49 »

Mike_GMT80 wrote:Thanks Des49 and Elcani.

The assioma pedals are the ones I’m considering, have heard good things about them elsewhere. Not that keen on having to take them off to charge, but if that means a more reliable power meter then so be it. May also mean some new bike shoes as I currently wear MTB ones, but hey, don’t need much of an excuse to buy new bike stuff!


Didn't think you had to take off the Assiomas to charge, the leads just are atached to the pedals via magnetic clips. As long as you have a power socket within reach.

Correction to what I originally wrote above - I actually have Vector 3 not 2 pedals.

If you want to stick with spd shoes, then SRM have brought out an spd power pedal. About a grand for the pair though!
Brucey
Posts: 44516
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Power meters

Post by Brucey »

one of my chums has just bought Assioma pedals, and despite the fact that it meant buying new shoes too it was the most cost-effective way of getting something half-way decent. Very early days as yet but reports re the pedals are so far positive; they have smooth bearings and I understand the charging system is indeed usable 'on the bike'.

FWIW he is able to simultaneously compare the power readouts from the pedals and at the (dummy) rear wheel on his home trainer and there is a small difference between the two readings which is more or less consistent with the expected chain losses.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
fc101
Posts: 31
Joined: 31 Jul 2007, 3:04am

Re: Power meters

Post by fc101 »

If anyone is interested in an SPD pedal power meter, then the Assioma power meter offers an unexpected opportunity. The Assioma pedals are identical to an Xpedo road pedal, which shares the same spindle with several other Xpedo pedals, including some Xpedo SPD-compatible pedals. [See here: https://jnyyz.wordpress.com/2020/07/24/ ... edal-hack/.] It is a simple job to swap over the pedal bodies to build an SPD-pedal power meter for little more than half the cost of the new SRM pedal power meter. It was fortunate that I already owned a pair of compatible Xpedo pedals. A little care is needed to check for interference between the shoe's tread and the pod containing the power meter electronics etc., but I've not found it to be a problem so far, even with my heavy duty Lake winter boots. I'm sure a judicious use of a craft knife would resolve any problem if one were to arise.

I can report good experience with the Assioma pedal power meter too. The battery life is good - claimed to be 50 hours (vs. 30 hours claimed for the SRM pedals, I recall). Charging is no more difficult than charging your phone or GPS, and a dual-socket USB battery pack and the supplied cables would do the job in a hour or so (or a single-socket USB battery by charging one pedal at a time). In fact, you could use the same micro-USB cable as you use for your phone/GPS, and just carry the lightweight proprietary magnetic adapter that clips on to the pedal.

I'm looking forward to fitting two pairs on the tandem, and then we'll see who's working the hardest!
finchy
Posts: 1
Joined: 14 May 2021, 3:26pm

Re: Power meters

Post by finchy »

I'm wondering what you settled on?

I've been looking to get the 4iii one for my new Gravel Bike but the one I need isn't available anymore. So I was also looking at the Stages one, but having read this about the reliability. So not sure which to get..
Last edited by finchy on 14 May 2021, 4:55pm, edited 1 time in total.
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fausto99
Posts: 952
Joined: 19 Sep 2011, 10:06am
Location: NW Kent

Re: Power meters

Post by fausto99 »

Mike_GMT80 wrote: 1 Nov 2020, 8:19amAlso, any power meter recommendations towards the lower end of the market? Something that a complete novice can fit too! I’ll probably be changing my bike next year so something that is easily transferable.
This is a no-brainer if you have a Shimano Hollowtech crankset on your bike. Get the Stages Power Crank. Their modified Shimano 105 LH crank is £299 from most places atm. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to fit it and what it will talk to.
I've had mine for just a few months so I can't comment on long term reliability. It was a doddle to fit and pair up to my Wahoo Element Roam. No problems so far, but it's only fair to mention I don't ride the bike that has it fitted in the rain.
S2L
Posts: 105
Joined: 20 Feb 2019, 4:47pm

Re: Power meters

Post by S2L »

I've had Stages for two years and it never missed a beat. As reliable and as reproducible data as you wan them to be. Batteries last about 3 months if you ride 1-2 hours every day.

The battery cover issue is probably a problem among riders who use the device all year round in all weathers. I don't use it in winter, because it's pointless trying to do power based training when it's micturating down with rain, the roads are covered in mud and it's too cold to do any serious effort. If you want to do power training in winter, you are better off getting a smart trainer like a Tacx or a Wahoo Kickr.

Get it, you won't regret it, best piece of kit I've ever bought
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