Thoughts on new Red Quarq or Power Tap G3

[blantonator]

I'm looking to get a power meter, want to keep the weight down and wanted to get some thoughts on the latest stuff out there. I'm currently running Force cranks (GXP) and Shimano 7850-SL wheelset. Technically the new Quarq looks really good, but I'm not totally sold on the aesthetics, plus compatibility with older sram red seems up in the air. Overall it would be about a 100 gram gain over my current force cranks. On the other hand I could build up a pair of wheels with the new Power Tap G3 hub. The new hub is fairly light at 325 grams and with stans 340 hoops I could build something up around 1300 grams. Price wise, I think both will be a wash. I race mostly mountain and cross, but use my road bike for a lot of my training.

[firerescuefin]

Get the current S975...they'll be falling in price and eat one less bagel a week.

[Bruce K]

I have a Powertap SL+ on my Ottrott and a Quark on my Meivici.

If I was starting over, I'd probably go Quark.

BK

[blantonator]

Get the current S975...they'll be falling in price and eat one less bagel a week.

That's another possibility. I get a pro deal, so the price may not be that much different. The new Red Quarq seems like it had some nice new features: don't have to recalibrate when changing rings, left/right power numbers, 2032 battery.

[Bruce K]

Your're killin' me but yes, progress in development of the Quark makes them even nicer now than the set I got a few months ago.

BK

[blantonator]

Your're killin' me but yes, progress in development of the Quark makes them even nicer now than the set I got a few months ago.

BK

what do you like better about your Quarq vs Power Tap?

[RacerJRP]

Both are top notch units. Changing the battery is easy as pie on the G3 and the Quarq. Now that the Red-Quarq will be much easier to change rings on it would be easy to take off the road bike and put on the cross bike...Though the same could be said for the G3 wheel unless you run tubular race wheels? Really it comes down to what you want more, a crank based unit or a wheel based unit.


Disclosure:

..I own both a Quarq 975 and a G3 wheelset. Will probably be trading the 975 in for the new Red crankset once they are available. :D

[astaft]

I got a SRAM S975 Quarq during the black friday sales and absolutely love it. I previously owned a powertap but wanted to be able to use multiple rear wheels without having each one built with a powertap hub.

I would go Quarq with a Garmin 500.

andrew

[Bruce K]

I have no experience with G3 Powertaps and they are supposedly way more service freindly but for me:

Ease of changing battery on the Quark.

Qualvin software to use iPhone for calibration (not needed in the newest Quarks) or to read as a second computer (the coach likes this when doing indoor session as a team/group).

The ability to swap wheels and not lose the ability to collect data.

The minimal weight added by the Quark vs a Powertap hub.

That said, I still have 2 PT's - one on the Ottrott bike I train on and one on my TT bike built into the disc.

BK

[echappist]

you can schlep the quarq when traveling. Powertap, not so much