dagray

When I ride the smart trainer I get a wattage output number, but I think that is based on cadence, heart rate, and simulated road grade (maybe also from how fast the roller on the trainer is moving).

I am looking at power meters for a purchase sometime in the future (Shimano 10 speed 105 Group set with Ultegra chain and 10 speed cassette [my outside wheel has the 10 speed Ultegra cassette, the trainer wheel is a 10 speed 105 cassette both with the same gear ratios]).

I am thinking that a rear hub power meter means that I would have to buy two (one for the road wheel, and one for the trainer wheel), and I don't want to buy two. Power meters in the pedals run on the Look cleats (right now I am using the SPD-
SL), but maybe this is the answer so that I only need one power meter, but my third option is a power meter in the crank which again allows me to only have to buy one power meter.

My bike computer (Cateye Stealth 50) will read an ANT+ power meter, I am not afraid to change to a crank set/chain ring type power meter (heck maybe upgrade the crank to Ultegra or Dura Ace, and maybe change from a 50/34 compact to a bigger chainring combo).

So educate me please. Also educate me on best places to buy a power meter.

TrojanHorse

Honestly, if you're not training seriously, a power meter is nothing more than a fun toy. I say that and I own a crank power meter and a wheel power meter but I'm willing to admit that it's just fun.

Estimated power should be based on nothing more than acceleration & grade and some assumptions about wind resistance if necessary. HR is irrelevant, cadence is irrelevant etc.

The cheapest want to get power is to get a used powertap wheelset. Next best is stages or I think pioneer... and you're up to $600-800 buxx at that point. Does it matter? No, not really. Is it fun to see? Yep.

Jarrett2

I bought a stages power meter for my ram rival crankset for $399. It took me maybe 5 minutes to install it. I can move it between bikes in the same amount of time. Has all of my bikes have the same crankset. For non-training situations like mine, it's a very easy solution. It made it easily with my Garmin Edge 1000. The main reason I use it is for calorie counting. Supposedly the power meter gives you the most accurate calories burned for you tried. I use that for weight loss purposes. Also fun to look at all of the other power specs as well.

bbbean 

correct on the best 3 budget options.

fwiw, a power meter is the most accurate way to measure calorie burn short of blood tests, and it also gives you an accurate measure of your work and fitness over time. While PMs are most useful for racers, they are also a valuable tool for those riding for weight loss or fitness.

Beachgrad05

I have a Stages PM on both my bikes. I use for better caloric burn data. I'm not fit enough to really use the PM in ways it is designed tho I do like keeping tabs on what I'm "cranking" out.

dr_lha

Cheapest "new" right now is $400 (or $360 with a coupon IIRC) which will get you the 4iiii left-only power meter. You have to mail them your crank arm for installation, but it's essentially same tech as the Stages, just cheaper. Reviews seem to be strong, but there's some people griping that 4iiii may be reneging on their promise to allow easy upgrade to dual-leg power in future.

Pioneer also have a left-only power meter that is essentially like the Stages, except it's cheaper, but not by much. $559 for an Ultegra 6800 arm. Unlike Stages they don't have a 105 option, which probably removes the price advantage if you have a 105 crank.

Supposedly Watteam will have a $500 left-and-right based power meter, self install on crank arms, available in a few months. Of course, any unreleased product should be treated with a massive pinch of salt!

andr0id

It's good information. I originally bought my PowerTap about 8-10 years ago when I was racing and TTing a lot. Now I'm just recreational, but getting good power and total energy is useful to knowing why a ride will seem much harder and have a longer recovery than another ride.

Also, I can still track my fitness improvement in real numbers. For example, I have a 4 lap x 4 mile ride I do around my neighborhood. I have gone from 170 watts average to about 205 watts average for that ride since last spring when I started doing it.

Look for a used PowerTap on Craigs List. I found one that was "dead." for $40. I sent it to Wheelbuilder.com for a refurb. They completely rebuilt the mechanical parts and updated to the G3 electronics for $250. The 11 speed freehub body was $90 more. So now I have a 2nd PT wheel for considerably less than a new one.

dagray

I am seeing Powertap is making chainring power meters. You have to buy their chainrings but it is an option. Also why wouldn't an Ultegra crank arm work on a 105 crank?

I am wanting to track improvement and get accurate calorie information. I find the Myfitnesspal app really inflates the calorie output compared to what Strava or even the BKool smart trainer software lists. Let's face it I am a tech nerd.

I just wish I could print out the Strava data for my rides to take to my doctors as I have high blood pressure (under control, and improving), and type 2 diabetes (not anywhere near where I want my glucose for a fasting due to me quitting the Metformin as it was causing leg cramps and the VA wouldn't address the issue).

dr_lha

It will, I just like matchy-matchy.

If you have a old style 5-arm Shimano crank, I think the Powertap C1 is a good option. It's also limited to a small ring of 36T FYI, larger than a standard compact 34T.

TrojanHorse

Wow, these things are getting cheaper by the year! It wasn't too long ago that you had to spend $2500 to get a decent power meter!

I would steer clear of first generation equipment just as a general rule and I wouldn't let one-sidedness worry me too much either. I have a serious leg strength discrepancy due to some old injuries and I seem to average about 53% of my total power from the left leg. Even if you have a more significant leg strength discrepancy than that, it doesn't really matter for general use. IMO.

dagray

for me I was thinking about picking up two more rear wheels and going with rear cassettes (10 speed) with a bigger ratio to make hills easier (one wheel for a tubeless tire, one wheel for the trainer). So a crank, crank arm, chainring, or even pedal power meters make sense, but price wise the chainring is the easiest pill to swallow.

I know I have the standard 105 crank now on the Orbea Orca (I think it is a 2013 model as I got it at cost late January 2015), but I don't think a 36 tooth small ring would be that big of a difference when pulling a hill (especially if I pair it with a different cassette).

WonderMonkey

My main problem with power meters is that they have to walk onto my property to check them. If I get one for my bike are they going to chase me down to get a reading? Can't they get the wireless ones I've heard so much about in the fancy cities?

IBOHUNT

Beside those mentioned there is also 4iiii that makes one that you can apply to the crank arm you already own. Think of a DIY Stages if you will for $400

PRECISION - 4iiii Innovations

I have not tried one of these.
I own a Stages which I can swap between bikes allowing me to use different wheel sets. Takes about 2 minutes to swap the crank arm.

dr_lha

*cough* post #6 They're not DIY though, you have to ship them your crank arm. Originally they were going to have the user glue it.

How do people find their Stages? I've heard a lot of griping online about signal and battery issues. However, it seems like the best option for me as I don't need to mail off my crank and deal with a 1st gen product, and bonus, they sell them at my LBS where I get a discount.

volosong

I have a few Stages meters. First an Ultegra one, then they had a screaming deal on discontinued D/A 7900 arms. Got a third Ultegra one for some reason. Then a forth one for the TT bike when the fitter insisted I run with a shorter crank arm than what is on my road bikes. I swap them from bike to bike as needed, (except for the TT arm because it is shorter). No problems at all swapping between Ultegra 6700, 6800, or Dura Ace 7900. The weights of the left crank doesn't differ all that much to make any real difference.

How useful are they? Well, if I am totally honest, it shows how pitifully out-of-shape I am and how much I'm 'goofing off' on any particular ride. Without recurring FTP tests, whatever falls out of a power meter is pretty meaningless.

largefarva

I just got a Stages this past weekend, and love it so far. I too was a bit worried about problems with losing the Ant+ signal in Zwift because I've heard people having problems with Stages dropping the signal....but I placed my USB extension for the Ant+ dongle directly under my BB and haven't had a single problem. It's only been a few rides...but it's also been over 8 hours of riding (each ride I do is at least two hours each) and it's maintained a constant connection to Zwift. I also have been using my Garmin Edge 500 on an out-front mount on my handlebars and I haven't had a single power dropout that I've seen so far on the Garmin. Also something else worth mentioning...I live in a middle unit townhouse. So lots of wifi signals and whatnot around....looking right now this computer can see 17 different networks, and my pain cave happens to be on the top floor so it's definitely in the middle of all the "noise". So far so good here. Would definitely recommend a Stages.

Cosmic Hawk

I'll add my 2 cents. I have Stages and I love it because it's easy to use and calibrate, they update firmware and add useful stuff to it as able, and I can swap it from bike to bike in under 4 minutes.

The only downside I have is that mine absolutely will not send data to my Garmin when it's on an 'out-front' mount. 0 signal. If I mount it on my stem, it's brilliant. The data is great, and for the calorie counters, it will make your calculations more accurate.