StagesOne Power Meter feedback!
We have a new power meter in the house. I bought Heather a StagesOne , its the Shimano Ultegra 165 for her Blue Triad SP. Just wanted to give the team some initial feedback on it.
She has been using virtual power for 6 months via Trainerroad and the Lemond Revolution trainer. Her FTP was established at 166. When we first got the Stages on her bike , she did 2 workouts of 5 x 8 intervals various IF's ranging from .70-.100..... then a few days later repeated the same workout..... On both occasions the Stages recorded(via garmin 500) lower watts of 4-7 per interval than she was recording via virtual power. Most of them being 5-6 watts difference and all very consistant. She then did a 3 hr trainer ride at .70ish and the watts were only 1 lower... Last trainer comparison was intervals at 105% and they averages 4 watts difference.... So based on these comparisons I would say the Stages and TR are both pretty consistant and her real FTP is probably about 162 the difference between measured power of the Stages and the calculated power of the TR.... Not sure what to think about the 3hr ride being almost the same but that occasionally happens with my Quarq and CT, almost every ride they are 5 watts different but once in a while they are exactly the same.... Maybe a lower wattage steadier ride????
Her first outdoor rides.... Wow VI's of upwards of 1.2..... I thought something isnt right....Checked zero recording etc... went over riding smoother and more even..... Couple more rides not much better..... She rode IMMT 70.3 with AP117/NP134 , VI 1.14, and IF .835..... suggesting FTP is higher than160 since ride was 3:23 but also , much more work needed on the VI...... She has since done a few rides getting the VI to 1.08 so appears to be the operator....
My experience with Stages... Wanting to make sure it was her and not the device or settings I did an experiment of my own.
First I rode my FeltDa2 w/Quarq on a 9.49mile loop @ NP 173 and then I took her Blue/Stages on the same loop @ NP 174(close as I could get it)
FELT/QUARQ vs BLUE/STAGES
time 29:05 vs 28:38
mph 19.6 vs 19.9
AP 169 vs 170
NP 173 vs 174
VI 1.0236 vs 1.0235
cad 81 vs 85
I was faster on her bike with 1 watt more , BUT the RPE on her bike felt like more than 1 watt more ..... Based on that fact I would say the Stages true watts at least in comparison to the Quarq are actually higher(explaining why I was faster and thought it harder on her bike)....... The important thing is that the difference between AP and NP on both rides was 4 and the VI the same at 1.02... This and the data comparison to the TR/Revolution seems to demonstrate the consistancy of the Stages and the fact that yes you can ride a lower VI.
MISC.... I could not get the Stages to work with ANT+ on TR but the Bluetooth was a piece of cake, you just need a newer laptop with bluetooth.... So far I have to say its one hell of a deal at $799......
Hope this helps anybody looking at StagesOne.
Comments
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Power_Meter_301_3696.html
Based on the update, I would say that if I did not own a PM today, the Stages would probably be pretty high on my list of ones to consider. I was not sold on it at first, and I still worry somewhat about it taking left-leg only power and doubling it, but on the whole, while given infinite money I'd still go with something else, I just think this is an extremely attractive prospect at $800.
I'm certainly not going to get rid of my Quarq for one, but if I was new to the power game, I think you could do a whole lot worse than a Stages.
Tim, been looking at the Stages. Thanks for the review! Did you get your wife the crankset or just the single crankarm for that price? Also did you buy direct from them or find another source with a better price? Thanks!