2009 Powertap Lineup - Page 2

fas_cat · #16 12-18.-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob of the og

Unfortunately the new range seems to underline that Saris expect power meters to remain a small, niche, expensive market. Rather than reduce prices on the low end stuff they've chosen to add new features to keep the price high, presumably to make a better return % out of a small market. Why does the entry-level model suddenly need to be wireless? 2 years ago the top-of-the-range was wired. For return customers it pushes the prices up even more, because if I want a spare wheel now I need to buy a new head-unit as well to get it wireless.

Powertap is a great product, but at times I do feel a bit like Saris have us over a barrel called, "we're still cheaper than SRM". The prices of spare parts, like additional wiring kits or download kits, has been extortionate for some time. Don't get me started on the frequency of repairs required, and the time it takes for those repairs to be completed...

I couldn't live without it though

The wired harness has been the achilles heel of powertaps for many years. Now that all models are wireless there's less to go wrong. And your bike looks better.

rob of the og · #17 12-18.-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by fas_cat

The wired harness has been the achilles heel of powertaps for many years. Now that all models are wireless there's less to go wrong. And your bike looks better.

Agree with all that. But it doesn't necessarily follow that you therefore remove all wired models from the range. If you want to expand the market then you allow people to pay extra for a superior product (wireless) and offer a cheaper version (wired) that captures the lower end of the market. The new range indicates to me that they don't see the market expanding, they see it remaining as a small number of people paying as much as possible.

The first PT Pro that I bought cost about 50% as much as the new entry-level Elite+ I know the GB£ has collapsed over the past few months but still... a new SL or SLC+ built into even a basic wheel is now up there price-wise with SRM Prof or Amateur. I don't know what it's like in the US but over here an SL is at the price point of an SRM Amateur and an SLC+ is at the price point of an SRM Prof. PT always just a little bit cheaper.

frenchyge · #18 12-18.-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob of the og

Unfortunately the new range seems to underline that Saris expect power meters to remain a small, niche, expensive market. Rather than reduce prices on the low end stuff they've chosen to add new features to keep the price high, presumably to make a better return % out of a small market. Why does the entry-level model suddenly need to be wireless?

I totally agree with that criticism, but I know that many others were clamoring for wireless PTs before there were any. In the end, I think a company needs to keep their range of offerings fairly narrow in order to prevent competition between one product line and another, although as a consumer I dislike not having an option with just the features that I want. Personally, I could care less about the '+' as well.

As it is, I just ordered a PRO+ model after careful cost/benefit deliberations between the Elite+ and SL+. Honestly, if only the SL+ were offered I would have begrudgingly bought it, which means that Saris has lost some $$ from me in their efforts to attract some power newbies to the game with lower-level offerings. It's a trade-off no matter what.