anyone taken advantage of the weak euro yet? x9 stages is 439 quid from powermeter24

I’d like to add at this point that my power2max is still working perfectly since installing it at the beginning of Sept.

I ride/turbo 5-6 days/wk, race lots. and endure epic torrential rainstorms periodically.

Pretty impressed that I’ve not had to press a button or do anything since I put it in.

Switch on the Garmin; power meter detected – HR monitor detected – start riding.

I love technology when it works!

Having seen all the cool things Vectors can do with an Edge 1000 Im tempted by a set of those now… Particularly if I get a potential windfall shortly!

No trade discount at all though weirdly. Madison B2B site shows trade and retail as the same price 😕

That the pedalling dynamics stuff? May have to get the second pedal!

Yep, would have to be a pair!

Pretty impressed that I’ve not had to press a button or do anything since I put it in.

Switch on the Garmin; power meter detected – HR monitor detected – start riding.

I love technology when it works!

i don’t know the ins and outs of power2max, but how do you know if the calibration has failed? or the numbers are out?

I’m tempted by a powertap G3 primarily for turbo work but I might stick the wheel on the bike as the weather improves and outdoor lunch hours become favorable. I’m only interested in a comparitive measure for myself – any reason I shouldnt?

No trade discount at all though weirdly. Madison B2B site shows trade and retail as the same price

That’s usually the case if they don’t have you listed as a Garmin Dealer isn’t it?

Kryton, the newer powertap hubs are considered to be a bit rubbish. I’d get something else.

i don’t know the ins and outs of power2max, but how do you know if the calibration has failed? or the numbers are out?

Some do have mechanisms to calibrate (hang a weight off the pedal etc) but most I think just check them against something they know to be good, e.g. Another PM.

I’m tempted by a powertap G3 primarily for turbo work but I might stick the wheel on the bike as the weather improves and outdoor lunch hours become favorable. I’m only interested in a comparitive measure for myself – any reason I shouldnt?

Kryton I don’t know if you want to drop me a mail – my Powertap is back for a service, so I have options on subsidised replacements under their trade in program, perhaps I can pass the savings on to you?

That’s usually the case if they don’t have you listed as a Garmin Dealer isn’t it?

Usually there’s just no price, so Cervelo frames (for example) don’t have a price against them. We’ve had at least 5 Edge 1000s and multiple other models this year, so ought to be a dealer. Maybe a Vector dealer is different.

my G3 is at Paligap as well, drifting calibration number, at a rate of +1 a day, the power numbers still seemed alright though, when comparing my power profile to my stages, however its now gone back,

Is anyone using Garmin Vectors?
If so, are they any good?

@notmyrealname (and anyone else interested) my mrs got a set of vectors last summer and between us we have used them multiple times a week since then. I even went through a few months of commuting on them in all weathers. I think they are on their 2nd or 3rd battery (no big deal with the use they get), and have been used on a few different bikes (winter road bikes, summer road bike, TT bike).

Seem to be very good at plug and play, as long as you are careful with the installation/swapping bikes. The only other downside is the look cleats but they work well for her.

Personally I’ve just got a new Rotor LT (right hand only) which is a bargain when you consider it’s a top level crankset as well (I also got trade discount). Obvious downside of only one sided but I don’t mind that. Less able to move between bikes, but I’m more decisive than my other half!

Rotor LT won’t fit in the current crop of Trek road bikes, which is a shame, as it does look good, although personally I’m not a fan of the aesthetics!

Interestingly the Madison trade site now shows no trade prices for Vectors, which does suggest you need to be a specific dealer to get them. Which is a mild inconvenience.

Much the same experience with my Vector S. Don’t commute so not out in all weathers, but it is on the winter bike that does get a lot of use. Easy enough to swap over but mine just lives on the one bike. Only a few months in but it’s not given me any problems, but then neither has my old PowerTap or my Power2Max. Though I’d not have got one if I didn’t already use Look cleats.

although personally I’m not a fan of the aesthetics!

They do tend to suit some bikes a lot better than others. Same goes for current crop of Shimano ones, look good on some bikes, god awful on others (e.g. anything a bit retro looking.)

Agree that the rotor aesthetics aren’t for everyone, but they look ok on my mostly black bikes!

With the vectors trade thing, I spoke to our madison rep and was told I could purchase them for a very slim discount for personal use, but not for sale as the place I worked didn’t sign up to sell them when they were first released.

Guessing that’s exactly what it is then. May be better going via the US, or using a CRC/Wiggle voucher!

€1149 on Rose Bikes, so £854, not bad!

i emailed 4iii for an update on carbon crank compatibility, its still on the radar, but wouldn’t commit too a time other than a few months due to current back log and testing required for each crank version

Powertap teasing some new products here. Crank and pedal systems on the way? Hope they are more reliable than the current hubs.

Powertap first look.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/03/powertap-announces-pedals-and-chainring.html

Chainrings are interesting (to me), hope you can change ’em without sending back?

Bit of a shame they’ve gone 5 arm 110 bcd from the off, ruling out any recent Shimano (or indeed Campag) cranks.

The pedals look a lot like the Xpedo Thrust.E which has gone very quiet of late. Surprised on the AAA battery, and 60 hours doesn’t seem stunning longevity.

There was an update on DCR about the 4iiii last week too, they’re now shipping units, apparently the delays with self install and the reason they’re having to do it is because of shipping regs on the glue, mental! LH pods only, and no carbon cranks until the end of the year at least. UK pricing is the same in GBP and USD, what an incentive to buy from the complete unknown that is the UK distributor!

Pedals… can’t see why you’d go for those over a Vector.

Chainring one looks interesting. I’d assume there will be new spider variants in time. Price could make it a tempting proposition. Looks like there is a spider thing that attaches to the crank spider, then the rings attach to that. Wonder if there is anything unusual about the chainrings that mean you can’t use your own? I’d assume there is as why would they provide chainrings if there wasn’t?

Pedals… can’t see why you’d go for those over a Vector.

A fair bit cheaper in the US, not in Europe though. Agree, I’d still have Vectors, although quite nice they’re completely self contained rather than having pods etc. Downside being they look shit.

Downside being they look shit.

As does the chainring one.

Pedals are quite heavy too.

Yes, chainrings look like they belong on this sort of thing:

Wait, go and remove my interest from the spider PM, I’d somehow read the price as $499 not $699…

Don’t really want FSA rings either, we all seen what happened to Cav, I don’t wanna be taking anyone out when sprinting for the finish in my latest Sportive 😛

DC Raimaker has a production (left hand) 4iiii pod and started testing yesterday.

Garmin Vector ‘standard’ are out of stock in UK until mid/late April, maybe May! Local M*dis*n dealer can’t get decent discount unless he orders bulk, possibly up to 10% discount off single orders to him so 5% to me.

Local shop will discount Stages but admits to returns/issues etc. All sorted by excellent warranty though. Maybe price will level out with 4iiii now? Rumoured to be 40% markup built into Stages so they have space to move.

I’d buy from the Germans at the moment. Some decent prices to be had from the likes of Rose and BikeDiscount.de.

Agreed, Rose pricing on Vectors is very good.

Yes, I’ve had a right side Vector sat in my Rose shopping basket for a few days now and am still hovering over the buy button!

Tempted by another P2M too with the Euro the way it is.

Waiting for the Powertap pedals if I decide to go down that pathway. The Stages won a race on Sunday 8) . It wasn’t on my bike though! 😳 . A left hand vector would be OK too, but the torquing means that bike switching isn’t as easy as just taking the crank (and pedal) off. Still the only option for power on my track bike though.

Stages win a lot of races, but they’ve probably got flat batteries by the time they cross the line 😆

A left hand vector would be OK too, but the torquing means that bike switching isn’t as easy as just taking the crank (and pedal) off

Why not? Surely it’s the pedal you torque, not the crank, if you swap the crank why would you need to change anything else?

Just for balance, I’ve used Stages power meter for a year now and had no battery issues. It’s reliable and accurate in the consistent sense, I’ve been happy with it.

Why not? Surely it’s the pedal you torque, not the crank, if you swap the crank why would you need to change anything else?

One thing I would add is that I use a big Park beam type torque wrench for the pedals and not the little Pedros one I use for everything else (doesn’t go high enough). Also got the beam one because I am tightening it in the “wrong” direction and I didn’t trust my big clicky torque wrench in that direction.

TBH the only time I really swap my vectors is to occasionally pop them on the turbo to compare with the PowerTap (mostly to compensate for a bit of left/right imbalance.) For that I just swap the crank arm with the pedal attached as they are both Shimano, easier to do and I don’t need to get the big torque wrench out.

Someone on this thread a few pages back suggested that as long as you exceed the Vector torque then all is good, you don’t have to be exact, it just has to be x ft/lbs, or more, which makes life a bit easier. No idea on the truth of that or how it would affect accuracy. I’d want to swap between bikes seasonally, and would probably put them on my MTB for funsies to see what happens, but that’s about it, I can deal with 10 installations a year or so!

Stages win a lot of races, but they’ve probably got flat batteries by the time they cross the line

😛

No idea on the truth of that or how it would affect accuracy

Does seem consistent. I just make sure I give the threads a good clean, grease, then tighten up to 40Nm. Usually do a ride then torque up again.

Waiting for the Powertap pedals if I decide to go down that pathway.

Curious choice. Why’s that?

Why not? Surely it’s the pedal you torque, not the crank, if you swap the crank why would you need to change anything else?

Track bike uses different BB and cranks (square taper) to the road bikes, and of course they are shorter. Swapping the Stages is very quick as the pedal stays put.

Of course for the track bike there is no wind 😀 so cadence = speed = power, so it’s a bit moot until I change sprockets. That’s what I use on my fixed road bike (also square taper).

The Stages has proven thus far reliable. I’ve never had a battery issue (had other issues of course) and swapping Shimano cranks i very fast indeed.

Oh and for the reason for Powertap; I don’t like the Garmin pods and like the idea of rechargeable AAA batteries

big reduction in Quarq prices 19%

SRAM Reduces Pricing for All Quarq Power Meters

Specialized/Cannondale Spiders down to $999 on the Quarq.com website as well