history has proven, thus far, that there's more than a bit of 'you get what you pay for' in this market. i am hopeful that prices come down -- way down -- but

also, some products are more mature and one is paying NOT to be a beta tester. sadly, i've seen much beta-testing-as-retail-customer stuff in the PM marketplace.

every device has trade-offs; i simply hope that people are aware of the trade-offs they make whenever they decide to make a purchase.

The pod, not the arm.

That's what I mean - can't you just glue it back on? (if you could find it of course)

I'm curious what it takes to drag Junior around in the trailer on my mountain bike. I'd do that 4iiii powermeter for something like that, as a test first and then maybe more later. It would also be interesting for the tandem since I could mount them to the captain's crank arms alone.

*disclaimer - I've received discounted product from 4iiii, interviewed them for Interbike, and I've given away 4iiii product at my races.

There's also the Vector S for $899, which is just the left pedal and you can get the right later for $699..

Speaking of beta testing Brim Brothers is finally supposed to going to market...funny just as I wrote this and checked a release date DC Rainmaker posted a review:

Brim Brothers announces Zone power meter production, my first ride impressions | DC Rainmaker

This is the one pm that if it is reliable and reasonably priced could put a real dent in the market.

**Edit - They're listed at $999 but tested with some data discrepancies. At that price if the bugs get sorted I'd get them if I were in the market.

I looked at the pictures and it looks like the back of the pod is a metal cover. I have no idea how it would work but I'm assuming there's some measurement of the distortion of the cover. Not sure how old epoxy would affect that.

In addition to Brim Brothers, another company is developing a shoe based power meter:

Luck shoe-based power meter - first look - BikeRadar



In a perfect world, this is the best place to base power, I just have doubts about reliability.

Cue Maxwell Smart gif.

On the 4iiiiiii pods, my guess is the epoxy is stronger than the pod so taking it off means obliterating the pod.

As DC Rainmaker wrote in his "first look" writeup on the 4iiiiiiiiiiiii unit, (paraphrasing) regardless of the merits of this particular unit, it's an interesting time to be in the power meter market.


On another topic. I am going to install aero road bars with internal routing. How annoying is it to pull and reinstall the electronic wires on 7970* shifters? Do I need the plastic tool or can I kludge it?


*for ygduf: 7970 is a shimano model number for first generation electronic 10-speed dura-ace, production run September 2011, Kyoto prefecture, late afternoon shift, shop floor manager Toshiro Mifune Jr. They had pickled eel for lunch that day in the cafeteria.

Note necessarily. A wheel or center crank mount like Rotor is possibly better. They will register load/power regardless of the shoe/pedal position.

Shoe and pedal meters may lose loading at various points in the pedaling circle (assuming the rider may be pulling as well as normal pushing motion).

It's good to have options and I'm sure each variation has good and bad attributes.

You left out the model details. It's 7970.9.2011.1.2B.305.EEL. Once you include that it's easy to cross-reference the database.

It's not annoying. You could use pliers but you could mangle the connector. I have a spare tool. PM me if you want it.

My point being if all products have the same efficiency and effectiveness, I'd rather have it in a shoe.

Thanks for the info and the offer. LBS can lend me the tool.

many aero road bars do not have holes big enough to fit the 7970 connectors, so be advised there.

you don't REALLY need the tool, but it makes it a bit easier and safer. just be sure you push in the wire until you hear and feel a positive click. very easy to not insert it all the way without the tool. i work on di2 bikes a ton and rarely use the tool. even when it is 3-feet away i just don't bother to grab it. if you need one (permanently) i can send one o you. i have like 10 of them for 7970.

you didn't [MENTION=45491]tag[/MENTION] me but I still appreciate it.

Wow that seems like a bad idea on so many levels.

Mostly that shoes get old/ragged pretty quickly!

I'm still rockin some from late 2011 and they're losing foam out of the heel already. And the velcro isn't as sticky as it used to be.

Looks like it belongs to Maxwell Smart.

Anyone contemplating upgrading to 11 speed Di2, Ribble has the full internal 6870 gearset on sale for $910. Craziness.

105 11-speed for under $500

Finally got around to taking inventory of my 10s cassettes. i'm going to list on ebay within the next 24h. here's what i've got, in case anyone has a particular interest.

11-21: DA 7900 solid shape, trainer use
12-21: DA 7800 nearly perfect
11-23: DA 7900 & Ulty 6700
12-23: Ulty 12-23....condition of this one looks a little rougher...would be super cheap or maybe free with another cassette
11-25: DA 7900 x 2; 6700 x 3 + Campy Record (NIB)
12-25: DA 7900
11-27: DA 7900--had a few superficial rust marks--this it was put away after getting wet but the profiles all look great
12-27: Ulty 6600
11-28: DA 7900; Ulty 6700 (this one looked a little rough)....also a NIB DA 7900 11-28
11-32: Sram XX
11-36: Sram XX

Also, 2 new (with warranty, I'm a dealer) SRM PC7 head units; one is black with black facing, the other gray with white facing. Retails for $750. Includes the full package (Suunto HRM, SRM speed sensor, bar mount, int'l wall charger, etc.). Asking $450 OBO. Selling on behalf of some customers.

All of my DA cassettes are gone. I only have two 6700 11-23 left.

Installed my chorus cranks on the tarmac! Never got the old adapter cups out of the old frame, so got some cheaper ones from Wheels Mfg, I'll see how they hold up..

Anyway it was really easy; putting together a bike is apparently much easier than taking one apart!

I need some "top hat" pieces for the internal cabling for the Tarmac, seems like I need to get that from the shop.. can't wait to get this damn thing rolling.

nice. i think a great way to learn about bikes is to build one. it's actually much easier to set up a RD from scratch, for example. then you always know how to tune it. when i encounter people who are confused about tuning an RD, it seems to be that they always come into it mid-stream and don't stop to think about how it works. initial setup forces you to do just that.

if you can't get those top hats, let me know; i may have some extras.

agreed. could be nice for someone who wants to/needs to train at a gym or on an indoor bike that otherwise has no way to measure how.

then again, inaccurate is a problem.

I've been itching to try Di2 for a long time. But I'm also looking to get a new frame. So I thought I might as well get a new bike with Di2. Works out cheaper that way I figured.

indeed, I'm learning a ton!

in fact i realized that my chorus cranks need some spacers to work on this bb.. chain line isn't right at the moment (too close to the frame). the osbb is 61mm vs the 68mm i need it to be... (or something like that). wheels mfg to the rescue.

thx for the top hat offer, but I found a local shop that'll give me some.