extomesm
07-28-03, 09:19 PM
does anyoe know of a fairly cheap power meter. it doesnt have to be the best, it just has to work and be fairly affordable. thanx
Road Cycling - power meters
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F1_Fan
07-28-03, 11:06 PM
Define affordable.
I *think* the cheapest good one is made by Polar at about US$350... you gotta add the $300 watch though ;)
I *think* the cheapest good one is made by Polar at about US$350... you gotta add the $300 watch though ;)
extomesm
07-28-03, 11:09 PM
ewww
The Van
07-29-03, 09:16 PM
Stupid question, but what is a power meter?
extomesm
07-29-03, 09:31 PM
tells you how much power u are producing throughout your ride. it is measured in watts or kilojoules i think.
BikeInMN
07-30-03, 08:16 AM
At this time I only know of three different power units that are worth using.
1 SRM power cranks- very expensive at $1770 (all prices in USD)for the base unit. I've seen used systems go for $750 and up.
2 PowerTap - also expensive at around $700 to $900 for a complete system with software. They now make two models, the standard and the Pro with the Pro being about 200 dollars more. Used they can be had for under $500 on Ebay but make sure it's the current Graber built unit and includes link software.
3 Polar 720 with power attachment - Also expensive at around $300 for the HRM and $300 for the Power unit. You can buy it piece by piece which is nice if your budget is limited.
I'm currently running a standard PowerTap set-up on my training bike and like the features it offers. With that being said, I only use it on my solo training days when I'm doing wattage specific training. I very rarely use it when riding with groups as in that application it seems like more of a toy than anything.
Unless you're very serious about your training and have either a detailed plan or a coach to plan your training for you, it may not be worth the money.
Good Luck
1 SRM power cranks- very expensive at $1770 (all prices in USD)for the base unit. I've seen used systems go for $750 and up.
2 PowerTap - also expensive at around $700 to $900 for a complete system with software. They now make two models, the standard and the Pro with the Pro being about 200 dollars more. Used they can be had for under $500 on Ebay but make sure it's the current Graber built unit and includes link software.
3 Polar 720 with power attachment - Also expensive at around $300 for the HRM and $300 for the Power unit. You can buy it piece by piece which is nice if your budget is limited.
I'm currently running a standard PowerTap set-up on my training bike and like the features it offers. With that being said, I only use it on my solo training days when I'm doing wattage specific training. I very rarely use it when riding with groups as in that application it seems like more of a toy than anything.
Unless you're very serious about your training and have either a detailed plan or a coach to plan your training for you, it may not be worth the money.
Good Luck
djpluv
07-30-03, 08:22 AM
Here's a pretty good review and comparison of the 3 popular power meters:
http://www.bike.com/template.asp?date=3/5/2003&page=2&lsectionnumber=6&lsectionname=Tech+Smart&lsectiondirectory=techno
http://www.bike.com/template.asp?date=3/5/2003&page=2&lsectionnumber=6&lsectionname=Tech+Smart&lsectiondirectory=techno