power meter thread

i guess i should add would the polar cs600 be a better option vs this power tap?
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/product-accessories/2009-cycleops-power-tap-compdt-rr-1.1-complete-wheel-5905.44.1.html

I have it and really like it. Been using it almost a year now. Had to send it back 1 time and they turned it around and back to me within a week.

The good:
- You can use race wheels and still get the power reading (power measured by chain tension)
- Power readings seem accurate when compared to my friends pm. I also used a computrainer this winter and the power readings were within 5 watts of each other all three times.
- Product support seems good.
- Cheap compared to other PM's.
- 4 screen display (I have mine set to Pwr, Cad, HR, Speed) is nice and easy to see.

The bad:
- Not hard but will probably take 1.5-2 hours for you to set it up the first time.
- Unrealiable readings on my trainer (though the computrainer was fine).

Let me know if you have any other questions.


Edited by docswim24 2009-09-08 12:48 PM

thanks, this sounds promising, when i saw it on amazon for $375 i am really thinking of pulling trigger....

this is about half of the power tap price i posted which is $659 and 1/5 the price of the SRM's which are nice but about 2k setup.

and the fact that i have both race wheels and regular trainers this seems like a very nice idea at least on paper.  i have read that installation is quite a pain in the @$$....

It is what it is I guess. I don't have one but have read lots about it. With a good install people seem to say they can get good power numbers off of it as compared to a powertap, etc but you do get what you pay for. The reviews on amazon are mixed, surprisingly not for poor data but for actual reliability issues.

Personally, I'll be going the powertap route unless I really pony up and get a quarq

I just bought the ibike pro in July and have been happy with it so far.. sorry to throw another option out there!!

i am a hot head, so i am trying to really hold myself back.

basically:

polar = $400 amazon price
power tap = $659 competative cyclist
quarq = 2k


and yes the polar seems to have alot of reliability issues which is the most suprising part, i can understand functionality to be poor but reliability from polar and cust service, i guess they are having as much pain with it as the customers.

reviews on amazon are mixed out of 10 i found, 5 were ok, 4 were bad, 1 middle.

From the research I did and with speaking with polar (I had the same questions), the reliability issues were mainly from the first batch sold when it came out. If you ordered it now the issues have in theory been fixed.

yeah it just sounds pretty much like the tool that would fit me well.  i understand its not perfect but as far as functionality its fairly close...

i would love to have something for my HIM and other races.  what is the point of having a power tap if i can't use it during race since i have my race wheels on.

I have had bad experiences with both the polar and the ibike.

I had the guys at the local bike shop attempt to install the polar after I tried for a day or so.  They had as much success as I did, which was none.  Ended up returning it.

Later tried the ibike, but I couldn't get any reasonable readings because it would always shut off because the road surface was too rough.  This might not be a problem if you have good road surfaces where you live, however.

so polar was mainly installation issue?

Yeah, it's been about 2 years since then.  I really can't remember the problem unfortunately.  Seems like the sensor just wouldn't respond to the movement of the chain.

Just remember getting the call from the LBS stating that they couldn't figure it out, and they would gladly take the product as a return.  They then proceeded to try to sell me an Ergomo.