Power Meter for under $500?
I am new to Endurance Nation and would like to get a power meter if I can find one at the right price. Are there any power meters that retail less than $500? Or does anyone have a used power meter they would like to sell?
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http://4iiii.com/product/precision/
There are some great threads to help you figure out what type you want. At a $500 price point, eBay will be your friend for Powertap wheels.
Here is a quick search that yielded some good starting points for research.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R-1.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xpowertap&_nkw=powertap+g3&_sacat=0
Joe
If it had been in the budget, I would have gotten new but what I got has given me no problems.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CycleOps-Powertap-SL-Kinlin-Road-Bike-Rear-Wheel-700c-Clincher-Ant-/400859732103?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d551a1887
Never heard of it. Highly, highly, highly recommend you don't get an unproven powermeter. MUCH better to get a used, proven, reliable system
http://2013.feltracing.com/USA/2013/TT-TRI/S-Series/S32.aspx
Quarq offered an upgrade program. The deal was send your older units in and upgrade for about 50% of retail. I upgraded to the Elsa. Without that offer I would still be riding the S975.
BCD is bolt center diameter. If you want to install new chainrings they must be BCD 130 or the holes on the rings will not line up with the holes on the S975.
The important number for your bike fit is "175mm". That means the cranks are on the long side. Most stock bikes come with 172.5mm and then people often go lower based on their bike fit. I am 5'9" and ride with 165mm cranks.
Regarding will it fit on your bike, you may or may not need either a new bottom bracket or a set of bearings. Both are really cheap and the bike shop can do it when they install the crank.
A shorter crank will allow you to raise your seat. My 165mm is 10mm shorter at the top and bottom of the pedal arc meaning my seat can go up 10mm. Longer cranks will bring your seat down for the same reason.
Crank length is generally a function of the height of the rider. Again, generally:
Then, over the last few years, some have gone with shorter cranks on their tri bike for the hip angle / bike fit reasons that Dino explained. For example, I have 172.5mm cranks on my road bike (I'm 5'9") and 165mm on my tri bike. I can't really say it's made a much of an material difference. In fact, I've found that crank length doesn't make much of a difference at all and it's not uncommon to find people with cranks outside of that prescription above who are doing just fine.
In short, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and as long as you're not 5'2" and riding 175mm cranks, you're likely fine.
Given your bike prowess to this point, I;d suggest not changing unless and until you hit a wall competition-wise and clearly need something other than training or race execution skill to get over the hump. "If it aint broke, don;t fix it"
Jordan - what type of bike do you have? I have a spare Quarq S975 and Cinco that I may be willing to part with.
I have a 2013 Felt S32. How much are you looking to sell them for?
Hello. I am in the market for a power meter on a budget as well. (Racing IMMT this year) I have read through many of the forum discussions and I still am not sure which way to go. I am hoping to spend less than $500. My brother uses the Newton ibike and he recommended that to me. Coach Patrick advises to stay away from that product, as it is hard to manage. Has anyone had experience with this? I have checked craigslist and EBAY but have yet to find anything in my price range. Reading the forums, I have to say I feel a bit out of my league. I am brand new to power, so much of the discussion is Greek to me at this point. I am not even sure what to look out for on EBAY. I simply want to improve my cycling. I am told that a power meter can be an effective tool to reach that goal. My question is, is there anything out there that is worthwhile for $500 or less -or should I just stick with heart rate training?
Any advice would be much appreciated!
There are quality PowerTap wheels available on eBay all the time. For example, here is one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cycleops-Powertap-Pro-hub-32h-Velocity-rim-with-stainless-DT-spokes-/151596855817?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276
As I post this, the auction price is at $350. I expect this will close at/near $450 based on "Completed Listings"
Click here (assuming you have an account at eBay) for a list of auctions that have ended recently for the search term "Powertap PRO+". There were some DEALS....
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Powertap+Pro+&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc
You can ask others about iBike, I have no personal experience, but I do with Powertap. It is well proven and long lasting. I have had my wheel for almost five years now and I am *very* happy with it.
I agree with Joe- Powertap wheels are very well proven and you will definitely find one on eBay for well under $500. If you want a front/rear set for training, this set will also likely trade for under $500.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bontrager-A...1e9a153f0c
I had a set like it for yrs and they were bombproof...
Hey Folks, Thanks for all the information here! I'm a HR athlete now but have been thinking about going to power if I could find an affordable option. The PowerTap certainly seems like a good option. I ride my bike on the trainer for the weekday rides (and even weekend too if bad weather). Since I use the trainer so often I have a separate wheel I use (based on the advice of others so I don't damage or too quickly wear out my road wheel/tire) on the trainer. If you use a PT, how do folks handle this? 2 PT's, one on trainer wheel, one on road wheel. Folks with PT not use trainer? Use road wheel on trainer? Because I use 2 wheels I was thinking about a crank based PM solution.
Interested in others thoughts...
Thanks!
Erik
I use a crank-based powermeter, less for the reason you describe and more because I have dedicated race wheels and also different wheels for my road bike, etc. If you train and race with the same wheel (as many people do, e.g. "looks like a disc wheel but really is a wheelcover"), overcoming the trainer issue is no problem.
My dad uses a powertap and here's how we work the trainer:
- In winter, trainer tire on the wheel, no outdoor riding
- In summer, a really heavy-duty tire for training that will also stand up to the trainer on weekdays - lots of options although he uses a Bontrager "hardcase" tire
- For racing we swap tires and put on a tire just for the race. He doesn't do a lot of racing so this is minimal hassle. If you race a lot it becomes a pain
Thanks for the advice! I will check it out.
Joe and John -
The links you sent were helpful! I am sorry to ask so many questions, but here goes: If I go with a powertap, what exactly do I need? I see some listings for wheel sets, others for hubs, etc. -Then I will obviously need the computer to link it to, which (at least the ones that were listed) does not seem too costly. Should I be looking for complete wheel sets? If it matters, I do not ride a tri bike. ( I ride a Specialized Ruby Elite. -Not a high end bike, but a good fit for me.) -And although it is a goal of mine to be able to really know my bike inside and out, I am not there yet, so I would have to look up the specs. I am wondering if there is anything specific I should be looking for that would work on my particular bike, or do they universally fit? Again, thank you for your patience and advice. I truly appreciate it!!!
Erik - I have one wheel. That's it. I use it on the trainer, on the road, and in races. Right now, it is a Zipp808 with a Powertap PRO+ hub. And, at this moment, I still have my Bontrager R4Aero tire on it...which has been there since I installed it prior to IMChattanooga in September. I have run this setup for a few OutSeasons now with not a single problem -- in fact, I have yet to ride outside since the middle of December, so every OS ride has been on the trainer.
Why an 808? Long, long story. However, if I were to do it again, I would put a Powertap hub in a lightweight, sturdy wheel and then just use a wheelcover for races to get the full aero effect of a disc, but only spending an extra $100 to do so.
There are lots and lots of quality wheelsets with Powertap hubs on eBay almost continuously.
If you have to have new, contact Coach Rich and he can hook you up with Wheelbuilder.