LowCel 

Up until about a week ago my PowerTap worked awesome. Now everything works great except it will no longer display my heart rate. I replaced the battery in the heart rate monitor and in the strap. It still did not work. I tried another heart rate strap, still didn't work. I tried my strap with another computer, that worked. So the problem is with the head unit.

I called up Cycleops and told them the problem I was having. They told me it is a known problem and that they now use coded heart rate monitors. I told them that I am not interested in a coded monitor, I just want what I have been using. They then told me that the fix to the problem (the known problem they are having) is to purchase a $199 upgrade. However, they would sell it to me as a trade in for $119.

Wow, how nice of them. They are willing to sell me a fix to their problem for $119. How freaking sweet! The woman told me that it had worked for 1 1/2 years and now it is old. I told her it worked fine up until a week ago, her reply was that she didn't know what I did to it a week ago. My reply, I used it. I told the women that I bought this with the intent of using it for quite a while, her reply was that she bought her tv to use for quite a while as well however now she has to buy a hd tv. I then told her that she could buy a converter to use her old tv for about $40, she didn't really have much to say about that.

I don't want my computer to work with new technology, I want it to work the way it was intended when I purchased it.

Anyway, just wanted to vent. This really suprises me out of a company like Cycleops. They have always been great in the past. Oh well, times change.

bdcheung

Sounds like you got a bad customer service rep (judging by her "TV" comment).

LowCel 

I agree. It was at that point I asked for a manager. Her reply, "I am the manager".

bdcheung

My experience with CycleOps was markedly different, back when I owned a PT.

Moving off of the conversation, here are my thoughts:
- Have you tried scanning for the HR monitor's signal after replacing the batteries?
- If it's an internal (hardware) problem with the head unit, I'm not sure there's anything CycleOps can do for you aside from offer you a new head unit.

Snuffleupagus

Yeah, their reps have always been pretty helpful when I've talked to them...although I have had to pay for stuff before, but they've also comped A LOT of stuff. You probably caught someone on a bad day.

Snuffleupagus

Is it the 2.4 head unit, or the standard head unit?

LowCel 

The head unit will pick it up for about five seconds at a time, about once every ten minutes or so. Due to this I know that the head unit will pick up the strap. I have no problem purchasing another head unit like the one I have for a fair price. I don't think I should have to pay for the upgraded model and have to purchase an updated coded strap as well.

I know it has nothing to do with anything that would concern anyone here but I have spent way too much money on a new house lately and have way too much left to spend. As much as it pains me to say, I can't afford to waste any unnecessary money on cycling at this time.

It might be time to start surfing ebay to find an old head unit.

LowCel 

Standard.

Phantoj

OK, let me sure I have this straight -- you have owned and used the product for 1.5 years, it's no longer under warranty, and it fails. You want them to fix it for free?



Or is it covered by warranty?

LowCel 

I have spoken to them in the past as well and they have been great. This person's attitude was nothing like the other people I have spoken to there. The other people have always done everything they could to help. The one time I had to have my head unit replaced (still relatively new) they actually sent me a new one and then had me send my defective one back once I received it.

botto 

how many dealings have you had with them?

LowCel 

No, I want to purchase the same model I have, not the upgraded one and a new strap. Either that or I want to purchase some type of replacement at a comparable price to what I purchased originally. I expect nothing for free in this life.

I will even purchase a new head unit if they throw in the strap. I shouldn't have to pay for a replacement part for what is not broken though just because it will not work with the fix to their problem.

cslone

My HR strap was very erratic, dropping maybe 35% of the ride, and another 20% picking up other's straps. I called them and they sent me a new head unit and strap for free, postage paid. The hub was 2 years old at the time and I was upfront about it.

Strange that on CS rep will do it for a few customers but others won't.

_EDIT_

So they'll send you the new stuff for free? But you don't want that?

LowCel 

Would you purchase a $1,700 computer and then a year later think that it is now "old" and has worked long enough? According to the reps philosophy mine is already "old". As for the warranty, it is only one year.

I would love to pay them to fix my head unit.

Phantoj

What do you think a fair price to pay for the old-style head unit would be?

$119 to step up to the coded transmitter doesn't sound like such a bad deal to me.

Snuffleupagus

Four.

1. Wiring harness died, given free replacement
2. Standard headunit dropping heart rate, given free 2.4 replacement
3. Wiring harness died, given free replacement
4. SL hub not working, paid for rebuild

LowCel 

As a "trade in" as they call it I would think that $50 or so would be fair to upgrade to a computer that fixes their "known problem".

TurboTurtle

They don't make that one any more. What are they suppose to do? They're offering you a deal on the current system for your broken, out of warrantee, obsolete model. What do you want? – TF

LowCel 

Mine fixed.

timmyquest

+1

botto 

this is not very reassuring.

i'm on the verge of getting one, and somehow i doubt that their customer service is all that in europe.

curveship

Sucks that you had a bad CS experience, but like others Saris has been excellent to me. I e-mailed them about a dropout issue I was having with a 4+ year old system. The rep suggested upgrading the firmware, which I attempted, but something went fubar and the CPU was bricked. They mailed me out a new CPU the next day.

Not that this answers the CS question, but if it were me, I'd just keep using what you have. What was HR telling you that power wasn't?

bdcheung

While most companies will, after time, stop supporting their legacy products, I will agree that CycleOps should provide technical support for their next-to-latest generation of products.

I would recommend calling back and hoping you get a customer service rep. Indicate your understanding that the head unit is not a "current model", and then give them some options on how they can best serve you, a customer.

Here are some ideas:
- "I know that my head unit is the older model, but is there any chance you can either fix it or find a new old stock model?"
- "Oh, you don't even stock the old head units anymore and don't service them? It's ok, I understand. Could you possibly get in touch with any of your distributors/retailers to see if they have any of the old head units in stock? I wouldn't mind paying a small price to take some old inventory off of one of your retailers' hands"

if none of the above work, then, i dunno, maybe call the ?

bdcheung

I thought we'd been through this. Get the SRM. They're based in Germany, and people over at the WW forum have taken their broken/malfunctioning units straight to the manufacturing plant to have one of their "scientists" fix it

LowCel 

During races I don't use my powertap hub, I just use my computer and heart rate. Without heart rate it is pretty much useless for me on race day. I can actually pace myself pretty well by using heart race since I can use it to give me a pretty good idea of what my wattage is.

It's just amazing to me that after having the head unit for 16 months I have to spend $120 on a new one to get it to work. There are worse things in life though so I'll get over this one pretty quick.