"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Quarq Review on PezCyclingNews

More impressions for those still on the power meter fence. Thought I'd pass it on.

http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6991&status=True&catname=Latest%20News

I was pretty underwhelmed by their review. Not that it came across as a bad product by any means, just their tone about it. Chalk it up to poor writing, perhaps.

Yeah. I'll be really interested to see how it all works when/if the Qranium is ever released.

I was pretty underwhelmed by their review. Not that it came across as a bad product by any means, just their tone about it. Chalk it up to poor writing, perhaps.
+1. I was convinced they were ripping it until I got to the last paragraph.

didn't I read somewhere that they gave up on their computer?

didn't I read somewhere that they gave up on their computer?
They just put it off until they get more cranks on the road, still I don't expect to see it ever.

They just put it off until they get more cranks on the road, still I don't expect to see it ever.

boooooooo

didn't I read somewhere that they gave up on their computer?


They just put it off until they get more cranks on the road, still I don't expect to see it ever.

They are not actively working on it

+1. I was convinced they were ripping it until I got to the last paragraph.


It's almost like they set out not to like it, and then had to admit that it works pretty well.

Honestly, I read it as neutral to slightly positive with a nod of approval in the conclusion.
I still want one. Perhaps that's why I was looking for all the good stuff. :D

They are not actively working on it

Which would appear to be a rational decision. Before the 705, they needed the Cranium. Now they don't really need it.

The 705 is really pretty nice, marries seemlessly with the Quarq, and is likely to only get better. So Quarq is smart to let Garmin handle the head unit, leaving Quarq to focus on getting the power meter itself right, getting the new crank models out, and supporting the product.

Honestly, I read it as neutral to slightly positive with a nod of approval in the conclusion.

That's how I read it. They ripped a bit on the "coming soon" type stuff but generally the review felt positive. A few times I felt like the writer didn't know what they were talking about though :p


Which would appear to be a rational decision. Before the 705, they needed the Cranium. Now they don't really need it.

The 705 is really pretty nice, marries seemlessly with the Quarq, and is likely to only get better. So Quarq is smart to let Garmin handle the head unit, leaving Quarq to focus on getting the power meter itself right, getting the new crank models out, and supporting the product.

I just wish they would fix the NZAP issue...

I just wish they would fix the NZAP issue...

Whuzzat? The zeroing where you can't tell that it zeroed?

I think umd's referring to the "the power shown on the 705 doesn't include time not pedaling" -- but I think that's a Garmin issue, so I'm confused.

Oh, ok. Then I got nothing.

Whuzzat? The zeroing where you can't tell that it zeroed?

No...NZAP is "Non-Zero Average Power", i.e. the average power is of only the non-zero samples.

And...that's one part where the reviewer sort of missed the boat. You DO get zeroing feedback from the 705 in the form of the offset value in units of N-m divided by 32. IME though, even over wide temp swings, the offset number doesn't change by more than 10-15 "points", which by my calculations is equivalent to ~1/3 of a Watt at 90 rpm. The zero offset of the CinQo is VERY stable...unless there's something drastically wrong, that is...which is very rare.

Is it just me, or does it seem like SRAM's S900 cranks went up in price across the Internet?
(but not on Quarq's site)

No...NZAP is "Non-Zero Average Power", i.e. the average power is of only the non-zero samples.



Ok, so this is why my average power displayed on the Garmin is higher, than I end up seeing in the Cycling Peaks file?

Ok, so this is why my average power displayed on the Garmin is higher, than I end up seeing in the Cycling Peaks file?

Yup.

I think umd's referring to the "the power shown on the 705 doesn't include time not pedaling" -- but I think that's a Garmin issue, so I'm confused.

Yes, but I was responding to Merlin's comment about using the 705. My only real complaint about the 705 is the non-zero average power.

For Quarq, does the 705 > the iBike, then?

For Quarq, does the 705 > the iBike, then?

Never having used an Ibike, take this fwiw, I would say yes.

The Ibike Aero paired with a power meter does give you the intrguing possibilty of a "virtual wind tunnel"
However, it's $799, and you don't even get GPS.

How long until SRAM buys Quarq?

How long until SRAM buys Quarq?

Why would SRAM by Quarq?

That crank is fugly.

Seemed like an even handed review to me. I wish more bike reviews discussed the pros, cons and tradeoffs with the product at issue. The only real gap was not running a PT/Quarq side by side, but that's been done before anyway.

That crank is fugly.

functional >> fugly

functional >> fugly

Yes.

That crank is fugly.

Black spider, and black rings help IMHO.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/bobstewart/QUARQ.jpg

I'd get the SRAM crank with red rings.

yeah, I wasn't referring to the quarq in general, just the gold quarq

this just in... regarding the Edge 705...



Changes from version 2.60 to version 2.70:
Improved data recording in once per second mode
Added ability to set averaging method for power and cadence
Removed cadence filtering for power meters
Made improvements to try to prevent spurious Auto Pauses
Fixed distance and bearing display to work on Saved Rides list
Fixed issue with trying to read files that start with '.' that caused problems with Mac communication
Fixed issue where random characters were displayed in list before course names loaded
Fixed issue with speed targets not working properly in Advanced Workouts
Fixed occasional issue where a corrupted history file could be created
Added Venezuela and Australia-Lord Howe Island time zones
Updated automatic Daylight Saving Time for Auckland, New Zealand, time zone


And there was much rejoycing in all of powerland...

And there was much rejoicing in all of powerland...

There will be none in my small corner until i get my powertap back.
And I haven't even shipped it yet. :(
(I will tonight.)

There will be none in my small corner until i get my powertap back.
And I haven't even shipped it yet. :(
(I will tonight.)

are you mailing the whole wheel? I suppose you have to. Where are you sending it?

are you mailing the whole wheel? I suppose you have to. Where are you sending it?

Yep, whole wheel.

Saris Cycling Group
5253 Verona Rd.
Madison, WI 53711

Call them to get an RA# first though if you send one back.

Haha, I guess that's another advanage to a crank power meter... less bulky to ship!

There will be none in my small corner until i get my powertap back.
And I haven't even shipped it yet. :(
(I will tonight.)

Didn't you just get that? I must have missed something, what happened to it?

this just in... regarding the Edge 705...



And there was much rejoycing in all of powerland...

Have you tried it yet? Does it fix all the remaining problems with power meters?

Have you tried it yet? Does it fix all the remaining problems with power meters?

I just updated. I'll try it out at crit practice. I know you can't ride but are you going to come out and heckle us?

Why would SRAM by Quarq?

Maybe because SRAM likes to buy up companies?

They've bought Sachs, Rock Shox, and Zipp so far. The interview with one of the SRAM guys on the Two John's Podcast hinted that they were working on other acquisitions.

Quarq would make sense as an acquisition. They could marry their cranks with the power meters and cut costs even farther. In-house development and their huge resources would probably lead them to be competitive on a price basis with Saris.

Seemed like an even handed review to me. I wish more bike reviews discussed the pros, cons and tradeoffs with the product at issue. The only real gap was not running a PT/Quarq side by side, but that's been done before anyway.

Thanks! That would have been great but no money in the budget. We tried to write a straight up honest review.

For the people cracking on the writing- mea culpa, we were on a bit of a deadline.

On the zeroing- I was referring to the auto zeroing not really giing you any feedback, I should have been clearer.

Post up any questions or feedback, I always like to hear what you think.

:thumb:

Let me see if I can drag out some photo's we didn't use. . .

Didn't you just get that? I must have missed something, what happened to it?

It's just reading out low values. So it essentially makes the numbers it puts out now irrelevant to the ones I've already accumulated. It's under warranty so I'm not worried. :thumb:

Haha, I guess that's another advanage to a crank power meter... less bulky to ship!

True. Dat.

:D

Have you tried it yet? Does it fix all the remaining problems with power meters?

I never had an excessive data drop problem but I did have a few seconds here and there. Looking at tonights file I still have a few but not as many as before, and they are still followed by speed spikes. The include zeros for average power works though ;)

Should be less than 1%. I've been playing around with it for a bit.

I only got excessive data drops when i turned off the GPS when riding the trainer. Haven't tried it with 2.70 yet but easiest way is to just keep the gps on.

I never had an excessive data drop problem but I did have a few seconds here and there. Looking at tonights file I still have a few but not as many as before, and they are still followed by speed spikes. The include zeros for average power works though ;)

Do the drops occur randomly?...or are they more like once every 18 minutes (almost exactly)?

Do the drops occur randomly?...or are they more like once every 18 minutes (almost exactly)?

They seem to be random. My first one last night was at 5m and my second was 20m later (12m riding time).

Maybe because SRAM likes to buy up companies?

They've bought Sachs, Rock Shox, and Zipp so far. The interview with one of the SRAM guys on the Two John's Podcast hinted that they were working on other acquisitions.

Quarq would make sense as an acquisition. They could marry their cranks with the power meters and cut costs even farther. In-house development and their huge resources would probably lead them to be competitive on a price basis with Saris.

Bingo.

I still don't know if I should buy a Powertap or the Quarq.