Power meter questions...

[SoCalSteve]

Hi all,

I am interested in a power meter. It does not have to be the most accurate or have the most bells and whistles. What I would like it to have is the capability of easily moving from one bike to another and being able to track the information on a computer. Oh, relatively inexpensive would be nice as well (am I dreaming)?

Does such a thing exist?

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

[Lanternrouge]

The only one that you can easily move from bike to bike is the Powertap. They are proving increasingly popular among racers and I love mine as does everyone else I know who has one. To switch between bikes, all you need is an extra mounting unit, which is about $70 and you just swap out the rear wheel.

Cheap in terms of power meters is relative. I think you can get the basic one built up with an Open Pro or similar rim for about $800. Ergomos are supposed to be slighly more accurate, but they cost about $1600 and since they are built into the BB, it would be quite a hassle to move between bikes. The same issues exist with the SRM, except they cost a lot more for the good ones.

[1centaur]

Your requirements MAY be met by the iBike Pro, a new, cheap powermeter that works by algorithm rather than strain measurement that was shown at Interbike and has gone through several delays in production but appears now to be reaching release, per an e-mail I received this weekend from the company. Purists will doubt its accuracy due to body position vs. the wind and other considerations, but conceptually I think it's interesting. $399 will be MSRP. Wait a few months and various beta testers will tell you if it's worth the money. Performance will be carrying it, so you can check their website for when it's available, and they have a website to get more details, but I forget the address as I type this.

[dgauthier]

Though I have no personal experience with one, how about a Polar HRM, such as the S729i, with the power meter option? The Polar HRM's can download all your performance data into a computer, and accuracy is supposed to be good. On the downside, you'd have to install the power option and hrm bike mount on every bike (about $350 for the power option, $40 for the bike mount). On the upside, you can use whatever wheels, cranks and bottom brackets you like on every bike.

[Lanternrouge]

Though I have no personal experience with one, how about a Polar HRM, such as the S729i, with the power meter option? The Polar HRM's can download all your performance data into a computer, and accuracy is supposed to be good. On the downside, you'd have to install the power option and hrm bike mount on every bike (about $350 for the power option, $40 for the bike mount). On the upside, you can use whatever wheels, cranks and bottom brackets you like on every bike.

I've heard that the power option on the polars isn't very good although I've never personally used one to compare with a Powertap. I can say from personal experience that it's ugly. Granted, the SRM and Ergomo computer heads are kind of bulky, but they are so in kind of a cool pro way. The polar's just ugly since it's a bunch of junk on your derailleur and chainstay. Still, a couple hundred cheaper than a Powertap, but not readily moveable between bikes.

[Fat Robert]

to steal from and improve upon* fstrthnu:

SRM is for pimps
Ergomo is for playas
PowerTap is for punks


I'm a punk.


*and a flippin modest punk at that**

** see every post I've ever made***

*** ibid.****

**** ibid.*****

***** so nice I had to say it twice yo.

[Climb01742]

socalsteve, would you_really_want to move it from bike to bike? as an alternative, which bike do you do most of your hard training on? maybe designate one bike as your "bust-a-gut" trainin' rig and put an ergomo on it? just a thought.