Contemplating Power Meter: experiences with Garmin Pedals?

[Tommasini53]

I'm contemplating a power meter purchase. Its training feedback that interests me.
I'm interested in forumites experiences with Garmin pedals. These appear to be a reasonable price for PM relative to other equipment that's out there. I'm splitting equal time between road and gravel bikes so either a double purchase or maybe swapping between bikes. Experiences? good or bad.

[Vamoots58]

with my Vector 2's - If I'm honest, wouldn't mind having the Vector3 pod-less option, but the pods are not annoying enough to justify the expense of replacing. My first and to date only power meter (aside from the KICKR) - really improved the quality of my rides from a training perspective.

[hobbanero]

Mine Vector 3's have been accurate, but seem to burn through batteries very quickly. A friend finally returned his after issues with dropouts (even after the battery door upgrade).

[djg21]

I like my Vector 3s. I switched from Speedplay Zeros, which I have been riding forever. If Speedplay made a power-meter pedal, I’d own them.

My Vectors have been perfectly reliable, even before the battery door swap and the firmware updates. I would not use them on a gravel bike however. I’d be concerned about banging them up and doing damage to the sensor. I use an old PowerTap wheel on my CX/gravel bike, and Shimano SPD pedals.

[Spaghetti Legs]

I was just talking with a buddy yesterday who likes his Vector 3 set. Don't know more than that.

I have the first generation of this pedal (Bepro) and have been real happy with it, although I'm not a heavy PM user. Company is in Italy, arrived at my door in US in 3 days.

https://cycling.favero.com/shop/dual-sided-powermeter-assioma-duo

[jpritchet74]

You can get used wireless SRMs on eBay for around $500. Just in case you decide to go crank based.

I have known some people that were early adopters of the pedal systems and the data wasn't good.

[laupsi]

was an early user of the Vector, way back to V1. granted had a few issues w/V1 accpeting updates and syncing, but the V2 have been flawless. The pods are not an issue, battery life has been fine, 2-3 changes/year, w/lots of useage. I also really like the pedal platform. If V3 offers similar qualities w/out the pods I would recommend. Disclaimer, I also use a SRM on other bikes, it too is solid, but more costly, upfront and I have to mail in for infrequent battery replacement, and it doesn't provide dual power readings.

[Alan]

Best advice is to study DC Rainmaker's site. He is the best source on info on this and read the comments to his articles as they are quite helpful but a bit hard to read. Very hard to keep up with the power market but start at

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/11/power-meter-buyers-2018.html

Do some investigation of these companies and their service/support policies as at some point you may need help etc.

Alan

[Tommasini53]

Best advice is to study DC Rainmaker's site. He is the best source on info on this and read the comments to his articles as they are quite helpful but a bit hard to read. Very hard to keep up with the power market but start at

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/11/power-meter-buyers-2018.html

Do some investigation of these companies and their service/support policies as at some point you may need help etc.

Alan

THanks....exactly what i was looking for. :)

[Spdntrxi]

have both V2 and V3... been happy with both.

[CunegoFan]

Favero ASSIOMA >> Garmin

[AZR3]

After all the issues people have had on numerous forums I’d hope by now that they’re good but I’d take a hard look at the Assioma Duos. I’ve had them almost a year (around 3k miles on them) and have had zero issues and I’ve swapped them 20+ times between bikes. Plus they’re cheaper and a bit lighter.

[jwalther]

Message sent.

[dem]

Yup, typical Garmin product - couple of beta iterations.. eventually it mostly works.. then 1% of the time you will be enraged by it.

If you're US based and want to go pedal based, I like the Powertap pedals the best - good service, nothing unusual. The Assioma pedals seem solid too, but then you're dealing with a euro-based company which makes service/support a little more marginal in the US.

(Own: Vector 2, Powertap Pedals, Stages, Powertap G3)

[Lionel]

Recently got the Assioma. They have been plug and play so far

[RonW87]

Latest DC Rainmaker review (long term) of Garmin G3 is not so good. I switched to Powertap pedals a while ago. A little bulkier, and need to change the battery more often (edit: maybe not in light of comments above), but much more reliable.

[RobJ]

I've been using the Powertap pedals for quite a while, swapping them across bikes. No issues and in my mind vs. the Garmin pedals were a lot less bulkier with no pods sticking off the spindle etc. They measured well against the Stages on another bike.

[seedster2]

I recommend going with the Assioma over the garmin Vector 3

[George_H]

If I knew then what I know now I would not get a set of Garmin Vector 3 pedals. I'm on my second set of pedals after the first ones failed at 8 months. Garmin didn't respond to my e mails and I finally had to call them in Kansas. After spending $1000 at my LBS, I tried to return them and get my money back. Garmin finally just sent me a new set of pedals along with a new 1030 unit because that became a brick after an update locked it up. I'm still getting sporadic errors from the pedals (right side missing) despite the Garmin Connect website telling me the pedals are fully charged and putting a dab of baby oil :mad: in between the battery contact points.

If you are going to look at DC Rainmaker, start at the discussion section of the review. The Garmin Vector 3 has 962 comments (more than any other power meter I saw on his website).