Power meter question.

Best source for tech info and reviews: DC Rainmaker. The guy is fabulous, meticulous and very straight forward:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/09/power-buyers-edition.html

That's for the advice checking out dcrainmaker. I'm pretty aware of the different brands and types and know I want crank based. My problem is finding one compatible with my bike. Didn't really see that info on his site though

I believe that's the same style as the GXP bottom bracket. If you get a quarq, you could pick up a bottom bracket from them for $35 (they also have a ceramic version for $200 but I've heard mixed things on those).

What crank do you have? Another option is to go with the stages power meter and just replace your left crank arm.

I have the stock FSA crank on there now. I think there's some issues with Stages on Felt bikes due to the clearance on the rear brake.

Thanks for the advice on the GXP BB. That's what I thought I read but wanted to make sure that it would be that easy (just purchase a BB)

Edited by rjrankin83 2013-11-29 11:30 AM

I think KathyG mentioned she had a Quarq for sale. It's always preferable to buy from someone you can trust and one thing is for sure, you can trust Kathy.

Here is the reply I got from stages when I contacted them about FSA cranks. I have a Specialized Tarmac with FSA cranks.

Hi Dwayne,

It should be early January, possibly up for pre-order even sooner. Sorry I don’t have an exact date – but they’re definitely coming. We’re rolling out just left arms first, then full cranksets. Hopefully more info soon. I’ll toss your email in the saved box and try to get back to you when I know for sure.

Thanks!

Amy Shepard
Customer Relations
(800)778-7218
[email protected]
www.stagescycling.com

I'm the one who wrote Stages won't work with B16's. What I ended up doing is replacing the BB with a new Dura Ace one (like $40 and not too hard to install if you watch a youtube video) and getting a power2max crank based system. They are actually having a sale now:
"$125 off all power meters with BOR chain ring set. Use code blackfriday"
which sucks since I JUST bought mine 3 weeks ago and that would have been nice to save that much. If I remember right, the FSA Gossamer, Rotor 3D, and Rotor 3D+ max will fit the BB I installed. I went Rotor 3D for the supposed better shifting and the ~100 less grams. 3D+ is even lighter and stiffer but too much for me. Not really a weight wennie but since I'm adding weight from the PM, I thought the little extra cost was worth it. Don't limit yourself to a PM just based on the BB. You can always change it out.

Edit:
Even with an FSA option, I don't think stages will work. If you get a tape measure out and do what they say, there shouldn't be enough clearance. I did this on an Ultegra crank I installed and for sure it wouldn't fit. The FSA bowed out slighty more than the Ultegra so maybe it would be a closer fit but I'm 95% sure that it would't fit a B16. I sent Stages a picture with my Ultegra crank installed and they said no way.

Edited by Blastman 2013-11-29 4:02 PM

Blastman- Thanks for the insight. That's what I was hoping to hear. Pretty much it looks as though I'll just have to add about $50 to the cost of the powermeter for a new BB.

I installed a TRP 925.1 brake to eliminate the brake clearance issue with a stages crank. I paid $25 on ebay after a month of searching, they run 125 new. This brake is within the chain stay on my b16. My plan was to purchase a different Shimano crank and use a stages power meter. My road bike is 105, so this plan would make swapping rather easy or buying another crank arm cheap.

With that said, I found a GXP Quarq crank on ebay for $650. A new GXP bb later and I have a power meter.